Revenelson

I am gathering ideas for troubleshooting our car has starting after it has been run and then shut off for 15 to 20 minutes. Here is the history.

We have owned our Accord for several years, our most reliable car. Occasionally, maybe once or twice a year, the car died immediately after being started. I was able to restart it, and although it ran rough for a while, it would clear up in just a few minutes, and we would drive for several more months never thinking about the problem, no problems starting. We always run Top Tier fuel per Honda's recommendation.

Well, this week the problem has become more regular. There is never a Check Engine Light. After running the car and stopping for 15 minutes or so, I go to start it. It turns over, catches and sounds like it is going to start, then dies. After leaving the car alone for another 1/2 hour or longer, it will start, but will not idle smoothly until after it runs for 5 minutes.

Here are my ideas for troubleshooting gathered from several sources in no particular order:

1. Check battery voltage under load, check terminals, clean.
2. Check fuel pressure after stopping for 15 minutes.
3. Replace fuel filter. Not sure when it was replaced before.
4. Main Relay. Don't know much about it, heard it may have problems
5. Buy fuel from a different station (different location in town)
6. Clean fuel injectors- professional system cleaning
7. Monitor OBD-II for irregular but not CEL activity.
8. Any other ideas? Does the Accord have an Idle Air Controller?

I'll take any more suggestions and let everyone know what I found for each idea.

Steve

kjmoy

It's probably the main relay. My 96 EX 6 cyl had a similar problem. In a problem day, the car starts and dies right away. I could re-start it after I hold the key with the gas-pedal down almost touching the floor. Smoke would come out like a truck, run rough, then ok for the rest of the day. It usually happened once in a while, a couple months, 6 months. I change plug wires, cap, rotor, plugs, use injector cleaners, had injectors cleaned by mechanics.

It seemed to have happened more often when the car sits for a couple days with humid weather.

Anyway, I finally changed the main relay. But, then, I had the ignition switch (the electronic part, opposite from the key portion) and starter replaced also weeks after, because of a different starting problem.

I haven't had a starting problem since. It's about 5 months now.

Revenelson

Thanks for the reply. Although we don't have the exact same symptoms, they do sound very similar. I'm wondering if the Main Relay is a solid state or mechanical relay.

Just to give a little more info I left out in the original post, the Accord has 87K miles on it.

Steve

j30 a1sauce

I had the same exact symptoms as you did. A while back it happened seldom, and then became a regular problem. It would start up, and then bog out and die. Upon getting it t o re-start, it would idle really rough..but clear up in a minute or two.

To fix the problem I replaced the Main relay. Cheap and easy to do. I guess there is a problem with heat affecting the main relay, and after a while it goes bad.

Hope this helps.

YeuEmMaiMai

you can save your self some dough and just open up the main relay and resolder it. while it is rare for a 94+ relay to fail, it does happen and the majority of the failure are from cold solder joints. resoldering the joints will save you about $50-80

impound

1. turn on the ignition but dont start the car.
2. watch the cel light in your cluster (it will bulb check for approx 3 seconds)
3. you should hear an audible click the instant the light goes off
4a if you do hear a click car should start.
4b if you do hear a click and the car doesnt start continue troubleshooting
4c if you dont hear a click and the car doesnt start= replace main relay

Revenelson

Wow, some great responses, thank you.

J30 a1sauce, What year is your car?

I'm thinking about pulling the Main Relay out and looking at the solder joints because of the reply from YeuEmMaiMai. I fixed a relay in our 93 BMW that way, it had no less than 4 cold solder joints.

The troubleshooting hints from impound will come in handy too. Thanks.

Today (of course) the car behaved normal. I think it knew I was onto something so it is acting OK now. Tricky machines!

Steve

dhy4b

Hi, Revenelson,

Just wondering if you ever resolved your problem with the rough idle? I've had the same problem on my 2000 V6 accord about 10 times now over a period of the last 1.5 years. Current mileage is 148k.

I've done the following, but still have the problem:

1. Had my mechanic change the main relay.
2. Changed the battery.
3. Changed the starter.
4. Changed the alternator.
5. Plugs were changed around 98k miles.

I guess the new relay that my mechanic put in could be bad as well, but seems unlikely.

Thanks

redbull-1

It may be your ignition switch.

http://www.tegger.com/hondafaq/tsb/accord/x02-031e.pdf

bailey2979

We had the same problem with our 2000 Accord v6. It would start and stall.
It always happened on days that were in the winter but it was real warm. There is a Honda tech bulletin on this. The repair is to replace the main computer box to the tune of $1200. I bit the bullit and did this. It seems to have solved the problem.

dhy4b

Yes, this fixed my problem as well. It involved swapping out the fuel pressure regulator and the ECM. The entire deal was around $850. I whined a little and they gave me 15% off. It was money well spent because it definitely solved the problem.

I looked up and down, forwards and backwards on a way to do this on my own to save a buck, but I just wasn't comfortable doing it since it involved them downloading ECM data. Anyhow, if anyone's having this problem and they feel reluctant leaving their wife driving around in a car that occasionally won't start, I'd highly recommend this fix.

pmars

I had this exact same problem and the exact same symptoms with my 2000 Accord V6 3.0... I removed and cleaned the EGR Valve and I removed and fixed the Manifold Clog, I removed and cleaned the Idle Control Valve, I removed and cleaned the Throttle Body, I cold adjusted all 24 Valves (took me 3 hours... by the way, they were not tight, they were in fact loose!! Intakes were .013 and exh. were .016 - I re-set them to .009 and .013). I still had the same hot startup problem. None of the repairs worked. But I did save about $1000 doing the repairs and adjustments myself.

Finally I used my head!!!! I thought about the Vapor Lock Idea. Starting this engine when hot causes the most problem and it acts as tho it was flooded or not getting enough gas. If heat, and therefore, boiling gas in the injector rails is the problem, what would cause this excess heat? I mean, the car started and ran great for nearly 10 years. What could now be causing it to run hotter than normal??

THE THERMOSTAT!!!!!!! Plain and simple!!!
I removed the thermostat, placed it in a pan of water along with a brand new OEM 167 degree accord 3.0 v6 thermostat ($39.00 from Honda w/rubber gasket) and turned on the stove. I put my $19.99 electronic digital food thermometer probe in the water and waited. At 170 the new thermostat started to open, at 199 the new thermostat was WIDE open and the old, original thermostat was just barely starting to open!!!!! There's your answer. The old thermostat just got tired!!!

I hope this helps someone. I spent 2 weeks scratching my head, calling the dealer, talking to mechanics, explaining every possible scenario I could think of to uninterested service department people and heard every remedy in the book from computers, to valves, to head gaskets, to injectors, to pressure regulators and fuel pumps. It's always simple. It was the thermostat! I have been driving my accord for 3 weeks now and NO start up problems at all!!!

Cheers!!!

UPDATE: This is an overheating issue since the fuel injection runners are under the intake manifold, under certain hot conditions the fuel vaporizes in the line and causes rough idle and difficult starting until the overheated fuel has passed. Changing the worn-out thermostat helped immensely but.. After a month of no start-up trouble... it did it again on a particularly hot day! This time I checked to see if the condenser Fan was running when the air conditioning was "on". It was not. According to Honda, the Condenser Fan should run continuously when the AC is turned on. I replaced the $8.00 Fan Relay and problem solved. Been almost a year now and all is still well.

Revenelson

Whoa! Talk about a revelation... could it be the answer to my problems? The problem continues intermittently, never causing the CEL to come on.

It could be that the thermostat on my car sticks sometimes, following this train of thought.

I'm going to look into changing mine.. couldn't hurt!

Steve

honda_girl21

I was wondering did revenelson find the solution to the problem? Experiencing the exact same issue with my 2000 Honda accord coupe v6. HELP PLEASE!

pmars

Update: Car has been running fine for 2 months, but yesterday the starting problem came back! I again noticed the engine temp gauge slightly higher than normal. It was a warm day and I had the air conditioning running and depending on sitting, cruising or accelerating, the temp gauge was up and down. I had just replaced the thermostat with a brand new one from Honda and now I'm considering removing it and testing it... how could it fail so soon?. Either that or the radiator is slightly blocked or maybe the water pump is getting worn?? Any thoughts??

vhigh

I have a 2000 accord and am having the exact same problem. Did you ever resolve the issue completely and if so what was it?

pmars

Problem solved!!!! I noticed that one of the radiator cooling fans was not running - I thought they were both heat controlled, but I found out that the passenger side one is supposed to be spinning anytime the air conditioning is active. I replaced the appropriate "fan relay" and it works properly now. This is an overheating issue. Even the slightest increase in engine temp causes the fuel to boil in the injector rails on this model. Change the thermostat and make sure both fans are functioning properly. The passenger side radiator fan should be spinning anytime the air conditioning is active!!

I spent months trying to figure this out. I cleaned the Idle Air Control valve and the EGR valve and passages, the throttle body, and adjusted the valves. Replacing the weak/tired thermostat almost solved this, but replacing the condenser fan relay did the trick.

949

what is the update with all you guys?

i have start up issues. it does start up but not that bad right now.
2001 v6 accord

glenn039

my 2000 accord v6 does the same thing it starts and shuts off starts and shuts off after it been drove all day and then let it sit for a little while .i changed the main relay and the thermistat and the ac condenser fan because it was burned out and the ignition switch and two new coils and it still did it two day ago .i need help.

pmars

It's getting too hot. Vapor Lock. There are 2 Fan Relays in the Black Fuse Box under the hood near the firewall. Marked "Condenser" and "Fan". I have replaced the Condenser Relay twice. Each relay operates one of the fans. $7 - $8 item at Honda Dealer.

Make sure both fans are running when you flip on the A/C. Both Fans will be ON 100% when A/C is turned on.

I also replaced my Thermostat with the Honda OEM part. Thermostat is supposed to operate at 167.
I put the old one in hot water, in a pan on the stove, and a cooking thermometer revealed that it started to open at 194... a BAD Thermostat!!!
Both of these issues is what caused my 2000 V6 Accord to overheat slightly and cause vapor lock.
Part of the problem is that the fuel line, injector rails, run between the manifold and the block and overheat very easily.

Good luck

87alex87

my 2000 accord v6 does the same thing it starts and shuts off starts and shuts off after it been drove all day and then let it sit for a little while , i change the fuel injector raley but the car is doing it again any more tips??????

Revenelson

All, Sorry I haven't updated this thread, but I finally came back!

This problem occurred in cold or hot weather, at different times of the day, the only common thing about the symptoms was that it would sometimes start then die if it had been around 15 to 20 minutes since the car was shut off.

Back in December, about 5k miles ago, I replaced the original Honda fuel pump. I have not seen this problem since.

Weird intermittent problems like this may point to your fuel pump.

Troubleshoot as much as possible before going this route. The good thing is that Honda put an access panel in the trunk. I had to drop the tank on our Suburban!

Steve

redyute

iTrader: (2)

Electrical section of the ignition switch

Revenelson

Are you suggesting this for me or others?

I already replaced the ignition switch in my car.

Steve

Orangevirus1

check the maf