it will crank but hasn't wanted to start

[ZackieDarko]

First off its an 86 LX-i, really doubt it matters but since the wiring between 86-87 and 88-89 is slighty different I thought I might just throw it in there.


The cap/rotor is just over a year old it was replaced when my heater hose blew last December. I don't know how old the plugs/wires are. Also I do not know how old the starter is, I am assuming it is the original. The battery is brand new, less than 6 months old.


I knwo you all will ask, YES the car has gas in it. It has about 1/4 to 1/8 of a tank.

I was on my lunch break yesterday as I was leaving a gas station the car wouldn't start. When I turned the key the starter was doing its thing but it just wouldnt fire up. I tried several times over a span of about 4 minuets and it did the same thign over and over. I tryed keeping the pedal to the floor, when its low on gas i have to floor it to make it start, but it didn't really do anything. Some how magicly it started up when I had my pedal to the floor pumping the shit out of it while it was trying to crank over and fire on up. I managed to get it back to work and finish out the day. When I got off work the bitch fired right up the very first time and I went home.

I go out to my car to go to work tonight and it does the same thing it did at the gas station. I live on a hill so I decided to try to compression start the fucker, didn't work. I just heard the starter wining and the tach read about 1k so I pulled over to the sidewalk and just sat there. After a few more times of trying to start it I pop'ed the hood to check and make sure the plug wires were on securly. They all were so I checked the cap and they were all on there and the one cable that goes to that coil thing by the black vacume box from hell was secure also.

I tryed cranking it a few more times then outa no where it fired up fine just like normal. I am very perplexed right now as to why it is doing this.


Come on 3geezerz share the knowledge, why is it doing this and how much is it gonna cost me to fix it.

-Zack

[Bglad420]

Might be your main relay. Minw ill do that every once in a while but I'm lazy and havent fixed it yet

[ZackieDarko]

if thats it, what do you think it will run me?

[race12001]

oooo i had the same problem its the main relay the number on it is RZ-0028 i dont know if thats hondas number or the manufactures but its made by mitsuea i think the print is kind of worn out on it but its under the drivers side dash its a 20min fix i did it when i was at school one day in the parking lot

[race12001]

price wise i dont rember i replaced min like two years ago but i would say less than 30

[Legend_master]

Definitely the main relay, but if you really want to make sure try putting the car in first gear, push in the clutch, let the car roll, then let off the clutch while rolling. If the car starts then it is something else. If it doesnt then I am 99% sure it is the relay. Make sure you have room to roll and drive if you try this so you dont go driving into a house or something. I bought a bunch of relays at the junkyard, so i never have to worry about it again. I believe they wanted $189.00 from the dealer. You can also re-solder ther relay for a temp fix.

[ZackieDarko]

is there a quick fix for this problem if it does it again when i go home tonight? if it doesnt fire up right away should i just keep trying to start it or give up and call a tow truck?

this is a dumb question but what is a main relay and what does it do?

[MessyHonda]

main relay...tell your fuel pump to turn on...after you put in the key.

[ZackieDarko]

gotchya

L_M what did you pay for yours at the junk yard you got them at?

[Legend_master]

gotchya
L_M what did you pay for yours at the junk yard you got them at?

$5.00 or something like that. when you turn your key to the AUX position you should hear the main relay make a noise(if you put your hand on the relay you can actually feel it do what it does). If it doesn't then that is another sign that it is the main relay. Just open your in-car fuse box and look up in there. Next to one of the reinforcement bars there will be a black box with a brown bottom side. It is held on with a 10MM bolt (I just broke the clip holding mine cause I couldn't get to the bolt).

[89T]

if that doesn't work the next thing in line would be a clogged fuel filter or bad fuel pump.

[CHonda]

Sorry to hijack this thread .. but .. makes sense .. anyway

so this is the situation.. about 3 months ago i went to the gas station..
filled up ... went to start the car again to drive home and the car died.
a friend and i pushed it forward into a parking stall at the gas station.

I left the car there for 3 hours .. ran around, did some errands,
another friend drop me back off at the car in a final attempt to get it
home and surprisingly it started.. I quickly drove the car home and parked it
on my driveway.. the next day, i went to start the car again but this time
no luck .. .

I checked the following items

1) ignition coil for spark
2) spark plugs
3) plug wires (bought brand new becuz a green/blue residue was found on them)
4) dist. & rotor (7 months old)
5) fuel filter

All the above items that were checked, seemed fine.
Also, a tune up was done about this time last spring, so all of the above items are not even 12 months old..

From more searching, I then found this forum and followed the steps
based on what it said ..

Turning the key to the on position, the lights on the dash light up, including the check engine light. ...After about 5 secs, all the dash lights remain on except for the seatbelt and parking brake light.

From my reading, I concluded that perhaps its my main relay ..

sO.... i went to the junkyard, pulled of a new one, connected it up, and tested it again..
Still no start .. When I put the key to the 'on' position, I can hear the relay click (therefore
is should be fine, rite?) however I do not hear the fuel pump start or wind up..

sO.... thinking perhaps my fuel pump was gone, i went to the
junkyard, pulled of a new one, connected it up, and tested it again..
Still no start ..

For troubleshooting purposes, I hardwired a lead from the battery directly to the fuel pump and heard the pump start up, so I know for sure that my fuel pump is okay. I've checked all the fuses (ie. relay/fuse box under dash & under hood) and they are good.

I know I do not have a clogged fuel line because after manually wiring the fuel
pump and allowing it to run for a lil bit to get some fuel up under the hood, attempted to start again and still no luck . checked the connection by the fuel rail under the hood and fuel was definitely pumped up from my manual
hardwired setup ..

sooo .. after all this, it appears as if no current or power is getting sent to the fuel pump.. pretty sure it can't be the main relay because I hear click.
More searching, and I found something that said it could be something to do with the ECU ... I check all the for the ECU and fuel pump and they are good.

Any ideas ? Is there anyway to properly check the two wires that power the fuel pump? im confident they are dead (the two wires) because it doesn't start the pump when the key is in the on position, hoever the pump starts when directly connected . .... pleaseeeee ... anyone have any ideas or suggestions

sorry again to take over

[88Accord-DX]

If your trying to see if the wires are good to you fuel pump. You'll need some long jumper wires & DVM set on continuity or ohms reading.