GRSears

I have a 92 Prelude SI that i recently purchased from my mother. It's been running good except for the occasional vapor lock in gas tank. It would crank/no start and I would loosen gas cap and release pressure then it would start and run fine for a while. Went out to start it last weekend and it wouldn't start. It cranked over and acted like it wanted to start but noooo. i noticed when I turned the key I had no dash lights but did have radio, dome and door ajar buzzer. I swapped out the main relay and now I have all dash and instrumentation/starting lights ONLY when engine is cranking. Once I let go of the key all dash lights go off and car doesn't start. It acts like it wants to start until I let off of the key. Any suggestions would help.

backinblue92

iTrader: (1)

I'd give the battery a shot by jumping it. I think ur problem is much deeper, but it's a quick checkmark.

No, I think ur issue is more of fuel. When u crank it over so much without start, u flood the engine with fuel..Unless there's no fuel. How do ur spark plugs smell? Pull em right now.

If u have a fuel pressure guage, check it. I believe it should be between 26-33psi for 4th gen, and 42 with vac unplugged. That's for 92-95 peak n hold.

GRSears

Will try and pull plugs tonight after work and check them. Don't have pressure gauge but can pick one up from H F tomorrow.
On call at work tonight so could be tomorrow. Ah the life of a plumber, always dealing with people's s**t in one way or another.

gold3nrul3

do you hear the fuel pump prime (run for a few seconds) when you turn the key to on?

backinblue92

iTrader: (1)

Yeah that too. Sorry I thought it was implied when I said "unless there's no fuel."

Harbor should have a guage, it's always good to have around anyways. Another guage, if ur not broke, is a vacuum pump guage, measuring in inHG. That's inches of mercury. Your engine is one large pump, so it can come in handy alot.

GRSears

It's hard to hear my fuel pump because I still have the stock AM/FM Cassette deck that I can't turn off so every time I turn the key all I hear is the power antenna going up so I think i might be pulling the fuse for the radio when I get off work. Thanks

GRSears

I'm still kind of curious why my dash/instrument lights only come on when its cranking and go away completely when I let go of the key. Ignition maybe?

GRSears

Checked my plugs and were old with a gap of about 1.5+ mm but smelled like gas after cranking. Bough new plugs and figured since I have them out I'll check compression and spark. Got spark, fuel and compression is 160 on all 4 and battery is good.
Still same thing. Million dollar question is how come when I turn the key on the only thing that comes on is the radio and nothing else until I start cranking it over? Then and only then do my other lights come on like brake, clock,abs, door, seat belt, etc until I let go of the key then they go away and no start.

tamboo

sounds like ignition switch is biting the big one:

Starting Problems

backinblue92

iTrader: (1)

I would have to imagine an ignition switch dying wouldn't crank though. I had that happen on a Montero 4x4 I owned, and it would just click- no crank. However, it would be intermittent, to the point I would say a prayer before starting the car. Lol

Haven't had an ignition issue with my lude so I can't say for sure but that's my experience with ignition switches.

GRSears

I was thinking ignition switch too but it's the part with the dash indicator lights such as...well all of them not coming on until it starts cranking. No clock, ABS, brake, check engine, no nothing ( except radio comes on ) until it starts cranking and then nothing when I let off on the key. Why would only the radio come on? It sucks that my mother had it for 15+ years and it never happened and i have it 6 months and now this.