trex352

i am working on a 1993 honda accord its havings problems starting i have changed the spark plugs and everything in the distributor and the distributor itself still wont start but is still getting alot of spark can any one help e figure the issue out

rival12

does it crank?

JDM_DC4_Fanatic

if he has spark, I would assume that it cranks. Check for the obvious. Does the car have fuel? is there good pressure at the rail? (60psi) or pressure at the filter? (~90psi). If you have access to a noid light set, see if the injectors are opening. Check for compression....clogged intake...is the motor turning over fast enough? is he spark strong enough? Is it old fuel (sitting/storage)...we need more info

dUk3_93'aCCOrd

i got the same problem..
i changed the coil, the distributor and the spark plugs
it cranks really good but it just wont start
let me know right away if you get yours started

rival12

ignition switch

try turning your key, let it crank, do not let go of the key, just let if fall slightly back.

i.e. halfway between the "start" and "on" position, if it stays running it means your ignition switch is fried, it happened to me, i spent 5 days figuring out what was wrong.

Dab5400

1993 Honda Accord LX 5MT 150,000mi with cold starting issues. When the car sits for more than a couple of hours, it acts like it is flooded when you try to start it, when it does finally start, the first second is like it is trying to clear excess fuel from the engine. After sitting overnight, it can take 6-8 cranks, the first crank is usually 3-4 seconds of just spinning and then with each successive crank, it tries to start. The shorter the duration between starts, the easier it is to start. Took it to the Honda dealer, but could leave it overnight, they found nothing wrong. I nearly ran out of gas a few weeks ago and guessed maybe I fouled the injectors. I replaced the injectors. That certainly cleared up the rough idle issue, but did nothing for the starting issue. I did note when changing the injectors that I had no fuel pressure when I went to relieve the fuel pressure from the fuel rail after the car sat for an hour to cool down. I ended up replacing the Fuel Pressure Regulator and the car now starts like a champ

jlunn717

how do you change that?

Dab5400

The regulator is $80-$130 depending on how quickly you need it and where you buy. 2 quick checks (WITH A COLD ENGINE)...the regulator is attached to the driver side of the fuel rail
1. Pull the small vacuum hose from the regulator to the PGM-FI, it it has fuel in it, the regulator is bad. (Typical Honda check)
2. (This you have to do anyway if you are replacing the regulator) On the driver side of the fuel rail is a 12mm bolt inside a 17mm bolt. Place some shop towels under the rail to catch fuel, Using 2 wrenches, loosen the 12mm bolt and only the 12mm bolt. If fuel is released, then the regulator is probably still good (In my case, there was no fuel in the vacuum line and the Honda mechanic blew it off as the regulator still being good. However, when I opened the 12mm bolt, I had no fuel spillage, indicating the fuel pressure was being totally released with the engine off)

To replace...

1. After the fuel pressure has been released, remove the vacuum line to the PGM-FI and the fuel return hose
2. The regulator is held in place with 2 - 10mm bolts, remove both and the regulator is out
3. The new regulator should come with a new "O" ring, install regulator reversing the procedure above (don't over tighten! 9ft-lbs on the mounting bolts)
4. Honda recommends replacing the seal ring between the 12mm bolt and the 17mm bolt. I have to admit, I didn't and appear to be ok.
5. To allow the fuel pump time to recharge the fuel system, turn the ignition on for 3-4 seconds, but DON'T crank the engine. Do this 3 times.

You should be go to go

the92dx

I've looked and looked for the right diagnoses for my car and haven't found it so I'm posting.

My car ran before I replaced the fuel filter and tuned the valve adjustment screws and it ran immediately after(although it was a little rough) and the next day it wouldn't start at all. Still won't start. It'll crank and crank but no combustion. After cranking for about 5 or 6 seconds CEL code 15 turns on until I turn the ignition all the way off then it resets until I crank it for the same time. I've replaced:

main relay
whole distributor assembly
air filter
fuel filter
spark plug wires were replaced around january

From what can be determined by cranking the car and removing the spark plugs to smell/look for gas, the injectors aren't working. Fuel gets to the fuel rail but not through the injectors. If I run a wire from the battery straight to the injectors they will click, open and let gas in and the car will fire up until the gas is burned up. I don't know if it's an ECU problem or a wire short but please help me figure this one out.

Dab5400

The 1993 Honda Accord service manual (highly recommended that you obtain and can be downloaded, I prefer a paper copy to make notes in the margins) indicates that code 15 is "Ignition Output Signal". Assuming you have checked all your connections to the distributor after you replaced it and the vacuum lines after you replaced the fuel filter, The recommended service procedure...

1. Reset the ECM (you refer to as ECU). With the ignition switch off, pull the 7.5 amp backup fuse from the under hood fuse/relay box. Replace the fuse after 10sec
2. Start the engine (It could take up to 20sec of cranking to reset the trouble code)
3. If the code goes away, you have a couple of possible loose or bad wire locations (C209, connector on the right shock tower, right behind the air box) (C115, C131, C115 is at the distributor) (C116, at the ignition coil) (poor connections at the ECM).
4. If code is still on...Since you say you replaced the distributor, there are 3 possible wires that may be open i.) yellow wire between 2P connector (test connector) and ignition coil; ii.) Blk/Yel wire between ignition coil and ignition switch; iii) Yel/Grn wire wire between distributor and ECM. (If the Yel/Grn wire was shorted, it could have damaged your new ICM in the distributor.
5. Check the ignition coil
6. If car still won't start, Substitute a known working ECM.

Good Luck

the92dx

I checked the ohms on the ignition coil and got 0.2 The manual said it should be around .6 to .8. Would a somewhat broken, but still working(still get sparks), ignition coil throw that code and prevent the car from starting? Perhaps the ECM see's that it's not working properly and won't let the car start?

I don't know a lot about cars and have gotten a lot of help from this forum and my brother.

brakedrum

If you took it off, did you hook the ground wire near the thermostat back up after you worked on the engine?

Did you accidentally break or fray any wires while separating the distributor wire harnesses?

Remanufactured distributors can be just fine or a problem right out of the box. The Ignition Module (Ignitor) is the weak point in most cases, however, I did buy one a long time ago that had a bad crank position sensor from the day I installed it.

Got your plug wires in the right positions on the block/distributor cap?

Does the main relay prime your fuel pump when you turn the key to the position just before turning the key all the way to begin turning the engine over?

Have you confirmed that your engine is at Top Dead Center (TDC) Honda's have a strange way of getting out of time while being worked on. Especially if you need to turn the engine by hand to tune valve clearances, etc.

the92dx

Brakedrum: I never removed the ground wire from the thermostat. I didn't think I needed to. Did I?

I haven't checked for broken or frayed wires. I'll check that.

I haven't check the new distributor yet but will do that also. And my wires are all on correctly. Even one or two wrong wires would still start my car up, it would just run like crap.

I replaced the Main Relay to try to solve this problem and it does work and the fuel pump primes. I have pressure in my fuel rail, just the injectors aren't opening up.

I have confirmed my engine is TDC. Did that just a bit ago. I did find out that it was upside down before but even still, the car won't start.

I'm going to check the injector resistor box and see if that's a problem as well.

Thanks for reading this.

the92dx

Ha, I found out the power wire going to the injector resistor box was totally and completely fried at the connector. Next question: With the wire only burnt at the connector, can I just rewire a new connector in? Or do I need to replace the whole wire?

2jzfreak

Yes you can. But there is a reason that wire got that hot. There was an overload obviously. Do some test. Pull the diagrams and make sure your wiring is ok and going where it's supposed to go.

Could be maybe you got the wrong new injectors, distributor...?

Oh man, there is a lot of variables here. You could fix the wire and give it a go.. But if it happens again..