No spark, no fuel.

[jcallaway86]

After hours of searching the forums I'm beginning to think it's the main relay causing my problem, but i'd like some further input. Basically the car ran fine till I shut it off. After that no spark, no fuel. Everything on the ignition is brand new , coil disty etc. Thoughts?

87 DX hatch.

[Ayeobe]

I think you need to give me the hatch. Its obviously defective..ill take care of it for you.. hahaha

Yeah ah, most likely main relay. You could alwease whip out a multimeter and test that shit, but y'know, i didnt.. i just changed it lol
Worked just fine after.

[Ichiban]

Apparently the main relay main problem is cold solder joints. If you take it out and take it apart, you can probably easily resolder them. Since there's already solder there, just a little heat is all you need. My Peavey guitar amp has had the same problem. Easy fix.

[Ayeobe]

Hmmm, i tried takin it apart.. its pretymuch sealed.. Damn thing. You pop the cap off and under it theres two coils and nothing. pain in the ass..

[jcallaway86]

so the main relay will cause a no spark issue as well as a no fuel issue correct? I confirmed the no fuel issue with the relay, but couldn't find definite proof that it would cause a no spark issue, but I know in some way the fuel and ignition are tied into eachother for safety reasons. I'll attack it tomorrow after work and do some tests and possibly resolder.

:cheers:

[Ayeobe]

Yeah, they both are controlled by the main relay. When the solders go, the power cant pass through.. The coils dont get power, so the switches dont work. Its commonplace in hot weather. The car can run and start perfectly fine in cooler temperatures, but then with the sun shining down on it for a few hours, you'd basically get a 50/50 chance or less...depending how bad it is, of the relay working.

This topic reminds me i need to take my new relay with me before i scrap mine...

[jcallaway86]

So I finally removed the darn thing, and thank god once again I have the Carb model 3g, it's way easier to get to, and cheaper to replace. After looking at my Haynes manual long enough I've learned that this "relay" (which contains no coils like the FI version, only transistors) if shorted out, will kill both the fuel and ignition, basically always grounding the ignition out, never cuasing a spark, which never runs the fuel pump. So I'm going to jump pin 1 and 2 (to fuel pump and ignition switch positive respectively) which runs the pump all the time when the key is on, and never touches the ignition so it should normally ground out only to spark the plugs. If this works, I'll get a new relay next pay day. (Oh and ofcourse the car will run.)

[jcallaway86]

Ok here's the issue... I have fuel now, but still no spark. I've double checked every wire, the coil reistance, and even the ignitor continuity. It all seems fine, but no spark. :wtf: I'm going to throw the battery on charge for a bit, it was only reading 12 volts with no load so maybe this is all that is causing it... It seemed to turn over a little slow.

[StUpiD8000]

could just be something simple like a cap or rotor. Don't over think it. I've done that to much with my Accord.

[jcallaway86]

I temporarily hooked back up the factory coil, and it ran!!! w00t0z!

So for future reference, you can remove the Main relay from a Carb 3g, make a jumper from pin 1 to pin 2, and your car will still run just fine. :)

[1987AccordLx-i]

I temporarily hooked back up the factory coil, and it ran!!! w00t0z!

So for future reference, you can remove the Main relay from a Carb 3g, make a jumper from pin 1 to pin 2, and your car will still run just fine. :)

im not a big fan of jumping relays or fuses.. but in some cases its absolutely needed to get somewhere.. glad to hear your running again :rockon:

[AccordEpicenter]

If you want to resolder the main relays, you should remove all the old solder with either a vacuum tool or desoldering braid and then resolder the joints. Usually works great