co5j

Hi, need some help for my daughter who's trying to get her car to last her through 2 more years of college, neither of us can afford another car but we're dumping tons into this one. Anyway, as much info as I can remember: she was going to work last week, car just cut off at a stop light, no such problems previously. Started after 3 tries, got her to work and back home later. I went out the next morning, car would not start, turns over like normal, dash lights and everything works, hear the fuel pump when you first turn the key on, click afterwards, CEL light comes on and goes off like normal, car just wouldnt even try to start but turns over without hesitation. Did this for 2 days til I could get under the hood. I figured since I could hear the fuel pump, and a faint smell of fuel when continually trying to start it, that I'd check the spark. Actually, I took the cap and rotor off first, they looked used but not bad, still no start. So, I pulled a plug wire and inserted my spark tester (the fake spark plug type), clipped it to ground so I could see it through the windshield, hit the key and the car started right up! Put the wire back in place, car started every time, no hesitation. So, I figured I'd do the general tune-up, put in new plugs, wires, cap, rotor AND coil. Car started fine. Daughter drove it to lunch, car wouldnt start after lunch but finally started and she drove it home. She went to school, car wouldnt start when she came back out. After about 15 minutes it started and she drove it home. During this whole ordeal, there are NO codes in the computer, CEL light is off. ANY ideas or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

P_Adams

It is possible that the ignition igniter module may be contemplating a vacation. Not knowing the vehicle's past history; I'm guessing here... but three things are known.
* It is far too common for a Main Relay to fail.
This supplies power to not only the fuel pump BUT ALSO the PCM (powertrian Computer. This is a DUEL RELAY. one side powers pump, the other powers pcm. Soooo, one side could work ok (fuel) and yet the other could fail (Pcm) - thus no start :-(
* It is far too common for the Ignition Switch to fail
This supplies power thru multiple circuits so you could have a condition where different things can work / not work. Honda had a recall on this. Might be worth an inquiry.
* Altho uncommon, I have seen igniter modules go bad from damage caused from pourous dist caps / rotors. You can sometimes see the burn mark. Look for what looks like pencil lines inside the dist cap (bad). those are carbon tracks. Also look at the distributor rotor; particularly under the center contact and in the pocket where the shaft engages. If you see what looks like a shiny blue holographic halo, you've had electrical current passing thru the rotor to ground and it could have damaged the igniter in passing.

Hope this helps

P

co5j

Thanks, it does help and I certainly appreciate it, just frustrating that I seem to be left with dive-bombing for a fix and keeping my fingers crossed. I had already "theorized" on the main relay, but another post on a different site had suggested that if the fuel pump was working and I could smell fuel even when the car wasn't starting, that the relay was likely good. But if it controls more than just fuel, it may be the easiest thing to try first. I didnt notice any of the markings inside the cap, not that the igniter is ruled out just because I didnt see any marking. I was also aware of ignition switch issue, question: if it was the switch, would the car cut off at a red light after it was already running? Not sure how all that works, just trying to get a grasp. Thanks again and for any additional info.

P_Adams

Try jiggling the key with the engine running in Park the next time you have the chance. If you daughter is like my wife (has every key she's ever owned on the one key ring) the ignition mechanism may have worn enough to interupt contact. Jiggling it may induce a hick-up that will indicate your problem. This may be quick and dirty but it's also won't cost you anything to try this.

P

co5j

Just wanting to bump this back up with an update and hoping someone might have some more insight. I did try jiggling the keys with no indication that it was affecting the running vehicle. I got a new master relay, put it in yesterday and the car wouldnt start when I tried it, finally started after 4-5 attempts, so I'm guessing it's not the relay. Drove it around, started every time I shut it off, went back to the house, cut it off for an hour, car wouldnt start. Took about 5 minutes of continuous trying before it started. Really frustrated and at a loss, guess my next attempt will be the ignitor, pricey attempt.

Lost Again

Can you check for spark when the "no start" condition is present. Next, be sure the dist is getting power (BLK/YEL,,,,I think).

co5j

yeah, thats what I was trying to do the first time I looked at it, and as soon as I hooked up my spark tester, it started right up! There's no consistency to when it will or wont start, sometimes it'll start every time you try, sometimes it'll take 15 tries, sometimes it wont start til you come back to it later. I just dont want to chance leaving her stranded.

yinwei

My 97 accord had this issue before, shop told me starter went bad..

co5j

Did changing the starter actually fix it? This starter SOUNDS fine, even when the car wont start, the starter turns over normally, good battery voltage, etc. And a bad starter wouldnt cause the car to cut off after it was already running would it? I'm not ruling anything out though!

99accordvtech

im having the sae proble, bu t ,ine ont turn over. the garage told me it was the ignition. so im replacing it tomorrow. and i believe i have a dist. problem ignitior posible i had a ain realy go bad too so soetimes if the ignitions goes everything goes! but ill keep you updated i going to get thius car runnin for the first time since i bought it sooooon!!!!!

RICKSAUTOMOTIVE

next time you get the no start issue, try spraying starting fluid into the throttle body. if the car starts but dies as the starting fluid is depleated, you have a fuel issue. bad pump that does not supply the correct fuel volume may be the problem. many users have said accurate things already but the ignition control module can be checked by most autozone stores here in california, but with no MIL on I would guess it is fine. having it checked for free at autozone would be my advice. varify it is good and move on in the diagnosing. The main relay will also go bad often on these cars. they get tempermental at times and work off and on. usually they will do exactly what you describe when they are going bad. also, if you have an issue with mice, there is a few wires exposed up on the electronic module behind the driver side strut tower. these wires have been chewed on by mice in my past experience and there has been exposed wires either severed or touching each other or grounding out, causing no start issues. (I live in Lancaster california-a little crap hole along the southern edge of the mojave desert-mice are an issue in vehicles for people living on the real outskirts of town).
the ignition switch as well can be an issue as well as the spark plugs, plug wires and distributor cap and rotor. I would rule out your starter just because it sounds like it turns over well and all that to start the car when it wants to co-operate. but autozone will also test it for free if you feel like having it tested as an excuse to turn some wrenches. keep us updated. hope this helps

motegicivic

Have you ever changed the fuel filter, never know.

Strange since it cutting out when running.

Can be a distributor issue as well.

RICKSAUTOMOTIVE

yep. I forgot to add this part. Thanks