A-dub5513

The car (girlfriend's CRX) stalled on the highway last week. After being towed home, I got it to start once, but immediately died out. Won't turn over since.

I'd like to know whether you guys think it's a clogged filter or a bad pump? I hooked a pressure gauge to the filter. I believed that would be the inlet side (10mm bolt to hose between firewall and filter), I think. There was no reaction from the gauge at all.

Would appreciate your advice,

A-dub

Bunger

If you aren't getting any fuel pressure, it's probably the main relay, semi common problem on these cars.

89s1

If the car has been sitting and is completely cooled down and its not a rediq hot day outside, I wouldn't think it would be the main relay to be perfectly honest.

It sounds like what happened when my fuel pump died in my 89.

It shut off while driving, and then once i was pulled over it turned back on, but only for a couple seconds.

A-dub5513

Did some searching and read up on relay problems as well. What I found interesting was its corrrelation to heat as it happened during the two hottest days this year so far for the Bay Area. Although it's been said that sometimes, once cooled, the car'll start again. It hasn't. But I figured I check the main relay first, as a new relay will be cheaper (and alot less work) than replacing the pump anyday.

Question: How exactly do I check that the relay is working properly. I assume that I check if current is running through it? I just happen to have a voltmeter on loan. Is there also a fuse that might need looking into if the relay is working before I go dropping the tank?

A-dub

8dxhatchy8

mine did the same thing the other day.....it wouldnt start for nothin, then i put the pedal to the floor and cranked it, it started fine and i drove home.....so it leaves me to believe it was some sort of fuel problem......but i havent drove it since, i just parked it...

AlaskaREX

I would pull the main relay, pop off its plastic cover and inspect the solder joints. The solder joints have a tendency to crack over time and cause the relay to malfunction, especially on hot days. You can re-solder them easy enough.

There is a main relay harness test in the service manual. This will verify the voltages to the fuel pump in each ignition switch position. I am unabe to post the page but it goes like this.

1. Keep the ignition sw in the off position
2. Disconnect the main relay connector
3. Check for continuity between the BLK wire in the connector and body ground.
4. Attach the positive probe of voltmeter to the YEL/WHT wire and negative probe to the BLK wire. Battery voltage should be available. If there is no voltage check the wiring between the battery and the main relay as well as ECU fuse (15A) in the maun fuse box.
5. Attach the positive probe of voltmeter to the BLK/YEL wire and the negative probe to the BLK wire.
6. Turn the ignition ON, battery voltage should be available. If there is no voltage, check the wiring from the ignition switch and the main relay as well as No. 14 (10A) fuse.
7. Attach the positive probe of voltmeter to the BLU/WHT wire and the negative probe to the BLK wire.
8, Turn ignition to the START position. Battery voltage should be available. If there is no voltage check the wiring between the ignition switch and main relay as well as No. 2 (10A) fuse.
9. Connect a jumper wire between the BLK/YEL wire and YEL/BLK wire.
10. Turn the ignition ON. The fuel pump should work. If the fuel pump does not work, check the wiring between the main relay and fuel pump, and the wiring from the fuel pump to the ground (BLK wire).

Looking at the main relay connecter the 2 rows with each row having 4 connections:
The diagram in the service manual shows the following wires:

Left to right looking at the connector:

Top row is:
--BLK-- --BLU/WHT-- --not shown-- --not shown--

Bottom row is:
--YEL/WHT-- --not shown-- --BLK/YEL-- --YEL/BLK--

good luck.

'90crxSI

So, the car won't turn over? If so, thats another problem, starter or batter...or something broken internally keeping the internals from moving....

If it is turning over, definetly check the relay, engine grounds, etc... as posted from the other guys... Good luck with it!

A-dub5513

Sorry, it will turn over, but not start.

Ok, what I did today as a first step, as advised from another source, was to take off the storage bin cover behind the seats to access the fuel sending harness. Figured I see if I'm getting power to the pump.

So from there I disconnected the 4D connector and tested the blk/yllw wire with a voltmeter and the key in the 'on' position. At first, I was kinda happy to see that I wasn't getting a reading (possibly avoiding pump replacement), but after rereading the directions, I tried again with another person to help turn the ignition in the cranking position and got a reading that fluxes between 9.5 - 9.7 volts.

Also, since I had already disassembled the coin tray, located and identified the main relay yesterday, I put my ear close to the relay and turned the ignition on (without cranking engine), and can hear the 'click'. Did the same again with my finger on it, and could feel it as well.

Based on what I've described, does this give adequate indicators that'll tell you whether the relay is good, and working properly. Or does this not tell the whole story, and I should position my body upside down in a pretzel position (!) and take the relay out for a continuity test?

Ahknodd

I would do a continuity test on the pump since you're already there. If it's open, the pump is dead, if you get really high resistance it's dead. Then from there get a battery with some test leads (or just spare wire of a good size gauge 16 or bigger) and hook them to the pump. If you don't hear it running (which you should being right there) then that's verified twice that it's done. You could also leave the fuel pressure gauge on it and hook up the battery and see if you get anything there. With the relay clicking like you say that's a pretty good indication it's good, you could have some corrosion in the contacts, but if you're getting power to the pump's harness then I'd just test the pump.

If the pump works out then pull the main relay and test it for sure. Here is my write up on how to test it. Follow it closely, there are diodes in the relay and if you get things hooked up backward you'll think it's done for, but it's just the diodes not letting current flow that direction.
https://honda-tech.com/forums/showth...ght=main+relay

Hope that helps.

A-dub5513

This will be the first time I've done anything like this, so bare with me. I have the relay in front of me, but is it me, or why does the labeling of the prongs on the top drawing appear to be different from the diagram directly below?

For example, #5 on the model drawing is on the bottom row directly below the "missing prong" area. However, on the schematic below, #5 is in a corner position.

Thanks.

88DXCRX

http://www.tegger.com/hondafaq/mainrelay.html

http://honda.hybrids.jp/tech/parts/main_relay.shtml

http://autorepair.about.com/od/engin..._hot_start.htm

http://techauto.tripod.com/mainrelay.htm

http://www.marklamond.co.uk/tech-hon...main-relay.htm

chivid

heres a pic of the main relay wiring diagram:
http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r...sdfsdfsd-1.gif

if you jump those two wires (both are yel-black) on the plug so then youll have a direct connection from the fuel pump this would tell you if the fuel pump still works. if this method turns on the car then you know the main relay is bad