my93accord

My 93 accord often does not start when left in the hot sun for long time. At 5pm I often find that it does not want to start and once it is started it goes fine.
I heard that it is due to main relay but changing that is very expensive t least where I am. A mechanic asked for over 250 in labor plus part (about 60-70 dollars). Is that reasonable?

Should I change other things like spark plug etc? Any suggestion?

sgraham01

the main relay solder joints can crack, then the heat in the car opens the connections and kills the car. after you open the doors/windows and let the relay cool, it usually comes back to life. the main relay is relatively inexpensive, but you can take it apart and resolder the broken connections on the PC board. if you decide to buy a new one, OE or aftermarket, it only takes about 5 minutes to change. the "mechanic" you refer to sounds more like a "crook" to me.

emptx

my93accord,

sgraham01 is correct. I just recently went through this and decided to purchase a new main relay (not OEM) and it ran me about $50. It is a pretty easy fix. A ratchet, extension and 10mm socket is all it took. Do this yourself and save some money. That mechanic is trying to rip you off.

In the meantime, you can try tapping the dash to the left and below the steering wheel. Sometimes this will jar the main relay enough to allow contact in the bad solder joints. This might allow your car to start. It did work for me a time or two.

The following website has lots of good information about the main relay...

http://techauto.awardspace.com/mainrelay.html

my93accord

The mechanic told me that he need to take out the dash and its about 3-4 hours of work. pathetic! I am not very good technically. Do you think I should talk to dealership?

sgraham01

you don't need to be good technically to change out that relay. just get under the steering wheel and it's attached to the dash structure with a wire harness attached. dismount the relay, then unplug it, plug in the new one, remount it, done. if you haven't done much with auto-electric, disconnect the battery so you don't screw something up or set off your airbags. Just be careful around the wiring under the dash and you'll be fine. below is a link to some photos and info about it. Just look under the dash for this part and swap it out.

http://www.autozone.com/autozone/cat...&parentId=57-0

emptx

This page will give you detailed instructions on how to replace the main relay...

http://techautorepairs.com/mainrelaydefine.html

my93accord

Thanks guys. I will probably give it a try. I called the dealership and they said the part is $72 and if I do it at there place, the total will be $160 (plus tax). So trying by myself, I might save about $100.

gandalf

What you described is the main relay...I got a new one at O'Reilly auto parts for 30 bucks...and It's been great ever since...it's a bit of a pain to get to but I replaced mine in about 20 minutes

my93accord

Thanks to you all. With a new main relay, problem is solved. I just waited sometime before I respond here so that i see that it working.