yoctown

Okay well I don't know to much about cars and some of this information is second hand so please take it easy on me.

So I have this manual 96 integra that has been sitting for 6 months because it sometimes stalls and wont start. I will try to give as many details as possible though I am likely going to be missing information so any information that could point me in the right direction would be helpful.

There is no check engine light on. The coil as recently been replaced along with spark plugs and fuel filter.

So rewind 6 months ago. My dad was driving this car to work and it stalled as he was approaching the stop light (no puttering just died immediately). He couldn't start it right away but in a few minutes he was able to get it started then drove off. In the next few weeks this happened about 3 more times and some of them more severe (anywhere from 5 minutes - an hour). The ignition turns over during this period it just wont start. Wouldn't even push start. He brought it to a mechanic and they couldn't figure out what was wrong and gave him some bull about the piston's maybe sometimes getting stuck which doesn't seem like the problem at all.

Fast forward to now. The car is not registered or insured anymore since it has been off the road. Has back due registration and I don't want to pay money for it unless it is somewhat easily fixable. I am trying to get it fixed because it gets good gas milage and is a relaible car other then this problem. Plus acura's last so long and if this problem could be fixed the car has a lot more driving to do.

Anyways I can't drive it around to attempt to learn more about the problem first hand other then what I can do in my driveway. The first time I started it after 6 months it started just fine. But the last 2 times I have started it in the past week it has given me trouble. It would turn over for as long as I hold the key and not start. So then I stop and try it again and it acts like it is going to start then putters out. After trying twice or three times it starts. But I can't get it to kill once it is idling.

Sorry if it is hard to read. I am not the best with organization. Thank you for spending the time to help me. Any comments are appreciated.

B20ztek

iTrader: (1)

Check for spark at all 4 spark wire leads, also might want to replace them if they are old.

Check fuel pressure, also check to make sure all 4 injectors are spraying fuel properly, take them out one by one while someone cranks the car.

If you have spark and fuel, then next is compression. Get a compression tester and maybe do a leakdown test also.

yoctown

The spark plugs have been checked and replaced. This car was seen by a mechanic. But I honestly think the guy is incompitent from previous work. My dad has brought 2 cars to him (this one and another with an electrical problem) with no help but a nice bill and crappy advice that makes no sense to the car people he has talked to.

How would one check the fuel pressure? I wouldn't think this would be the problem since it runs just fine except it rarely dieing at lower rpms (very rarely but big hassle). I read when fuel pumps die they die usually. And if an injector was clogged wouldn't the problem be consistent?

Is there a free way to do this stuff (compression test and fuel test)? I don't want to dump a bunch of money in a car that might never see the road again (at least in my hands). I am poor. Hence me trying to fix this car.

A guide would be helpful. Like I said I don't know a thing about cars further then changing a tire, brakes, or some oil. Just seems like a shame to let this car go to waste and doesn't seem like a major problem.

yoctown

I forgot to add one of these times 6 months ago when my dad was having this problem he couldn't even push start the car. And it didn't putter it just died all the sudden as coming to a stop. Not sure if that helps figure out the problem but figure I would add it.

fcm

PGM-FI Main Relay, a common problem on older Honda/Acura...
http://www.tegger.com/hondafaq/mainrelay.html
http://techauto.awardspace.com/mainrelay.html

If you can get it to stall without driving it, and if it will not restart, turn the ign. switch to run, [not all the way to start] listen for the fuel pump priming, this is what should happen...

Turn ign. switch on to run.
Cluster should light up including CEL.
At the same time the PGM-FI Main Relay will "click" twice. [it may sound like one "click", as they are very close together.
Also at the same time the fuel pump will start priming, [running].
After no more then about 3sec. there will be 3rd "click" from the PGM-FI Main Relay, the fuel pump will stop priming and the CEL will go out, car should start.

If you are not hearing the first "clicks" the fuel pump will not work but more importantly the injectors will not have power, this would result, [if car is running] in instant stall, "no puttering just died immediately" once the relay cools down the car will run again, problems with the PGM-FI Main Relay are always very intermittent, no "set" times for failure or when they start working again

The other possibility is a bad ICM, [no spark] also an intermittent problem when they first start to go and susceptible to heat failure, [work until they heat up, than fail until they cool down and also an instant stall.

If you are real lucky it can also be just poor connections to/from the coil and the ICM, an easy fix.

I just had a thought, you said the engine stalls and will not restart right away, not even if you try a bump start, [push start] so question is, when it will not restart, is the engine cranking, [starter working] and not starting, or will engine not even cranking, [starter not working]?

I ask because you tried bump starting it. 94

yoctown

Yes the ignition would crank as if it was trying to turn on.

After all the searching those were the 2 things I figured were the most likely for it to be (main relay & icm).

Thanks for the reply and the explanation. Once I get some free time I will do some more troubleshooting.

TOO MUCH TORQUE

make sure the grounds are good
check the color of the spark--white/blue is a strong spark while orange/white is a weak spark.
check the fuel pump
ecu and main relay