young_tuner

I own a 93 del sol S. And yesterday i put a new gauge cluster in the car and it starts right up.. i go inside and come back out later to leave for work and it just turns over and wont start.. I get back 6 hours later get in the car.. it starts right up... Ok im like wow whatever, then i go to my friends and stay over there. I get up this morning car starts up fine, i drive a couple miles home, then i kill it and start it again it starts fine, then i repeat it and it wont start.. then it starts and goes to like 1k rpm and falls rapidly and dies... what is going on? What do i need to do to fix this problem?

Thanks in advance,
Ian

young_tuner

bump.

Former User

Possibly a bad main relay (sends power to fuel pump). WHEN ENGINE WON'T START, do this:

Turn key to ON(II) and listen for whether the fuel pump fails to prime for 2 seconds. Listen carefully in a quiet place, the pump should make a low humming noise in the rear.

young_tuner

ok where is the main relay? Because that totally makes since.. it just did it again.. it starts fine i drive to the store..kill the car, talk to my friend for like 10 seconds and then try to start the car again and it didn't start.. then i tried again and it started and went to about 1k rpm and died.. i tried again and i put my foot in the floor and it went to 1500 rpm and died then i went inside the stoor got something came back out and it started fine..
Thanks in advance.

Former User

When engine won't start, you need to listen for the fuel priming for 2 seconds with the key in ON(II). Otherwise, you may replace parts unnecessarily.

young_tuner

ok i will go check it right quick, because the other day i didn't hear the fuel pump prime and i was having that problem.. witch i believe is the case because it wouldn't start.. but now since you told me it is probably the main relay i believe that's what it is based on the symptoms.

Former User

young_tuner

ok, well i messed with it and i didn't hear the fuel pump prime the motor every time, and a couple times i heard a noise that sounded as if... its hard to explain it sounded like uh.. you dropped like a piece of rubber in a hollow pipe, and it slid right down the sides of the pipe.

Former User

Have a buddy turn the key to ON(II) for you while you put your ear to the fuel fill hole with the cap removed.

dad0c402

I don't know how much this would help, but when I first put in my motor it did weird random idle problems. Then after a few resets of the computer done properly with engine warmed up and everything, it worked fine since.

young_tuner

ron what am i supposed to be listening for then?

Former User

After the key is turned to ON(II), you are listening for a low humming noise coming from the fuel pump in the gas tank. The humming noise should last for 2 seconds and then turn off.

If the pump primes when the engine won't start, then next check for spark. Click here.

Is the CEL ON?

young_tuner

no CEL is on... it used to turn on then go off.. turn on go off.. and it hasn't turned on in a while..guess i should check for codes lol

Corey_sl

This guy is having the same problem my car does but as I kept reading it seems like you guys just keep asking him the same question over and over and he never answer's it.

To answer above questions, I do hear the Fuel pump prime & a CEL came on today but its been doing this for about a week now.

I cant for the life of me figure out what it is with the little knowledge I do have.

HondaLoverQc

Most of the time when it don't start, if your main relay is bad you can try this : Crank the car and at the same time knock (gently) on the panel near the main relay. It should start, then you will know officially your main relay is bad

40mpg_dx00

If the car has an intermittent no start that might not be definitive proof. Not saying don't try it but if you do, try it a bunch of times back to back to back to be extra sure

Former User

If you are saying that the fuel pump primes when the engine won't start, then the next steps are to pull the CEL codes (see forum sticky) and to check for spark (click link in post #12).