Tegi52

Okay, I'll try to describe this as much as possible.
I have a 1996 Acura Integra LS. I don't know what the problem is, it starts up perfectly in the mornings or after it has been sitting a while. But, as soon as I drive it somewhere shut it off and get back to start it up, it doesn't want to start. It will start up a couple minutes later. I held the gas to the floor and it sometimes helps start, but it smells like gas very bad. Also lately the car hasn't been getting great gas mileage it seems like.

TheRealTegger

Any mods or add-ons? Any "custom" setups? How old are the distributor cap and rotor, the plug wires, the plugs?

Tegi52

The car is really all stock. The car has 206,xxx miles on it. I just replaced the rotor about a month ago. Haven't replaced the distributor cap. The plug wires and plugs haven't been replaced since about 50k miles ago.

DPancoast

What do you mean by doesnt start? Does it click? crank? nothing?

Tegi52

It cranks, but it just doesn't start.
When I first start it in the mornings, it starts perfectly, but after I turn it off and come back and try to start it, it doesn't start for about a half hour. When it does start, it revs up past 2100 RPMs. Then after a while of driving it gradually goes back down.
It doesn't always do this after I shut it off and come back to it though.

DPancoast

Are all of your chassis grounds clean and good? Battery terminals clean and tight? Starter connection solid?

mark@silbernage

Wonder if the IACV is sticking?

Tegi52

Yes, I have a new battery, and the terminals were both replaced a year ago.
All the connections are good.
The IACV was cleaned about a month ago. And I put on a new headgasket the same time the IACV was cleaned.

DirtyDA9

I have read multiple times about the main relay causing an integra not to start after driving, and people having to wait like ten minutes before it starts again.

vtec_Nfectd_db8

sounds like your icm (ignition control module) inside your distributor. when it gets old and heats up it tends to short out. then when your car cools off your car should start again. if you have a service manual like haynes it will show you how to replace it. its a 80buck part at atuozone

DPancoast

Possibly your map sensor?

My boosted teg had major issues at dragon in August and it turned out to be an overheated map sensor. Maybe it doesn't like what's going on.

TheRealTegger

Does the Check Engine light come back on while cranking?

Tegi52

Today I am going to go and replace the plug wires, plugs and distributor cap.
I'm going to look at my map sensor and ICM today as well.
The check engine light was actually on a couple days ago, when I went to go get the code read, it was for the temperature sensor. I replaced the temerature sensor and it still is on.

lunalink

my 91 is also doing this, pretty damn annoying. ( no mean to thread jack ) I just want info on what the problems could be.

Tegi52

Those things didn't help either.
Any ideas anyone?

sayanything

iTrader: (1)

just fyi you need to reset the CEL after you fix something. its a fuse you have to take out for 30 min or something like that.

Tegi52

Well, I replaced the Distributor cap.
And it seems like it had fixed the problem.
I guess it wasn't getting a good enough spark before.

b20bFourDoorCivicLX

+my integra every morning cranks for like 2-5 seconds before it starts up and warms up after that shes good to go, but after she cools off for atleast 4 hours it does it again, idk what it could be my fuel pump?

fcm

Not starting when engine is warm, poor fuel mileage, smells of gas.

Sounds to me like the ECT sensor, [not to be confused with ECT switch or the ECT sending unit] has gone west.

The ECT sensor supplies the ECU/ECM with engine temperature so ECU/ECM can adjust A/F ratio, when engine is cold the A/F ratio is rich for starting the cold engine, as engine warms up the ECU/ECM leans out the A/F ratio, if the ECT sensor is bad the A/F ratio stays rich, car will start when cold but will be hard to start when warm, [running temp.] and fuel milage will suck and there will be a smell of gas 94

Tegi52

Well it turns out it wasn't the distributor cap.
It sounds like it could be the ECT.
Would high RPMs even after car is warmed up be a sign of a bad ECT?
Sometimes the RPM is high sometimes not.
When it is high, it stays at roughly 2200 RPMs and about 750-900 RPMs when low.
It doesn't Rev high all the time though.
I get horrible gas mileage, it somewhat does smell like rich gas at starts.

Tegi52

It would make sense, if the sensor is bad telling the ECU the engine is still cold putting more gas into the engine causing the rich gas smell?
Then flooding it and causing it not to start for a while?
I'm only 16 and don't know everything about cars, but it sounds like that would make sense?

thatguymik

Any update on this? I am having the same problem to a tee. The distributor was replaced about 4 years ago and I only have 160k on the car. I don't want to replace it on a hope that it will fix the problem.

Ryan96GSR

^^^^^
I've had two ETC sensors go bad. Same symptoms. High idle when warm, trouble starting when warm.

Most retail stores sell them for around $40 bucks.
It's Located under the distributor.

grjr

if your car is OBDII you could have someone hook your car up to a scanner after the car has been driven to warm it up and read the live data from the computer to see if the ECT is reporting a temp within reason (>180F) and that the computer is reaching closed loop operation. Otherwise I'd suspect a main relay with bad solder joints.

thatguymik

I doubt it is the relay. If you pop the hood to help cool it down faster it will start sooner. My guess is its either the distributor (ICM or Coil which were replaced when the ICM failed 4 years ago) or the temp sensor. I have already took it to a shop. I have a good friend that has owned his own shop for 25+ years, I trust his work but after an hour and a half he could not be 100% sure what it was. I had both good fuel pressure and spark. He was looking at my car for free so since it is his business I didn't want to keep him hunting around for hours. My symptoms are exactly the same as the OP, thus I figure I would give it a shot and see if I could get a reply.