01_civic

SOLVED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Sorry for the long paragraph that's about to come...

This happened last night with my 01 ex auto. I started the car earlier that morning and drove it without any problems. Later on that night, I tried to start it but every time I start the car it'll stall. It'll crank for 2 times, fire up but then just stops. Check engine light stayed on and so did the oil light.(Not sure if it turns off after awhile). Another problem I had was with the key releasing after I park. Sometimes I would need to play with the shifter when I'm already in Park in order to pull the key out. I wanted to try other ways to see if the car would start and keep running. So I applied pressure to the gas pedal while starting the car and it turned on (with a quick spike in RPMs of course) but it'll run as long as I apply pressure to the gas pedal. If i take it off, after a second or two it'll stall again.

Sparknotes:
1) Car fires up perfectly fine but stalls after it starts.
2) Dash light stays on (only battery and oil)
3) Key is hard to take out (at times) without playing with shifter.

Researched some solutions that I may think applies:
1) Change ignition switch and/or key cylinder
2) Main Relay is bad
3) Fuel Pump
4) Immobilizer (cant be this though since car starts)
5) Try another key (tried it already)

There's a few more solutions I read about but the ones I stated seems to be occurring the most.

If anyone has experience, please shed some light. Thanks for reading!

Dave87

A friend of mine called me and has the same exact problem. Personally I'd lean towards the fuel pump and the main relay. I used to own a 1989 Acura Legend that had the same issue, it was the main relay. I often had to kick it or tap it to get it work but I eventually replaced it. But since the main relay is the cheapest I'd zero in on that first.

01_civic

yeah, i read about it too. Do u know where the main relay is located?

Dc4LsTeG

iTrader: (7)

Yea sounds like main relay..try hitting it while your cranking your car

01_civic

found a diagram for the main relay, score!.. its pretty much dead center behind the glove box


but i still don't get it.. i'm getting fuel so i'm not sure if its the main relay.

Dc4LsTeG

iTrader: (7)

Like I said try tapping it against the glove box or something else while you crank the car

01_civic

will do tonight.

BTW I can stay its exactly like this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jPO7ebQEQho

i'll post a personal vid of mine tonight

01_civic

Here's a vid of my car

http://youtu.be/eIe-occnlYI

Dc4LsTeG

iTrader: (7)

Did you try doing what I said?

01_civic

FOUND MY SOLUTION!!!

I had some help from a fellow Socal 7thgen member and he told me to start the car and hold the revs at 3k until the car warmed up. It took about 5 mins for the temperature needle to jump to normal. Car stalled after I let go. THEN when i cranked the car again afterwards, the engine turned over like a boss and it idled at 700 rpm. This procedure was to help your ECU "relearn" idle according to the Haynes manual after you disconnect your battery.... and it did it for me.

Now my car idles better than ever (actually sits at 700rpm instead of my old 1000 rpm). Once I have time ima still clean out all the stuff like IACV, EGR, PCV blah blah and do a complete tune up. Things get scary sometimes and I'm happy I have the forums for help. Stealership would've charged me unnecessarily to change some random **** so Thanks everyone that helped me out!!