driveslow

vehicle is 94 civic ex coupe stock.

So I gutted my interior to replace the carpet, disconnected the negative battery terminal since i was going to also be replace my radio with a 99 civic cd/radio. I picked up a metra reverse wiring harness from best buy. After installing everything. I go to turn the key to test the radio. I turn the key to 2nd position to hear the fuel pump prime (just out of habbit). I notice that the fuel pump took about 3 times longer to kick on. I immediately remove the key tried it again and it was fine. Tried 5 more times and I was getting a faster response from fuel pump each time. So what is causing the delay at the begining of every start after waiting a day or two. Is the radio tied into the fuel pump/fuel relay?

Only recent changes

Car sat for about 1 week
replaced radio from after market to 99 civic radio
replaced carpet. ( made sure not to disrupt cables going to fuel pump)

driveslow

could i have grounded something out (either at the radio or a wire under the cartpet)? and that is why it is intermitent and doesnt happen all the time? One other thing I noticed is that It seems to delay longer if I havent started my car for a day. Could my fuel pump relay or ecu be dying?

driveslow

bump pump

Former User

Is the battery low? Are the battery posts/connectors and ground wire clean and tight? Have you driven the car to charge the battery and see whether the delay goes away?

driveslow

To be honest, no. I did run the engine for about 1-2 minutes while testing the new stereo.

Battery post are super clean
2 weaks ago I re-grounded all the grounds to bare metal and not that honda over the paint ground setup.

Can a weak battery cause a delay in the fuel pump kicking off? Or a weak battery cause a delay in signal to ecu or something like that?

Typically you turn the key to 2nd position, the check engine light comes on, the fuel pump hums, then check engine light goes off.

Mine will hang at check engine light for about 6 seconds then I hear hum, and check engine light turns off.

Former User

When you started the engine to run it for a few minutes, did the engine seem to crank more slowly than normal as though the battery had a low charge? If the engine cranked strongly, I'd suggest that you start by testing the main relay.

driveslow

ya it started right up. I will look up how to test the main relay. Can this be down with the main relay out of the car? Dont main relay normally just fail completely or can they slowly kick the bucket?

Former User

The main relay is tested after removing it from the car. You might want to inspect the solder joints. An auto parts store may test it for you. Main relays often slowly die.

Greyman7

Was searching the net about this problem and found this site. I've got the same car 94 Civic Ex, and just figured out today why I was having starting problems. Didn't realize until this point that there was a delay in the fuel pump priming. It also exhibits the same characteristics you describe. Worse if the car's been sitting, better if it's recently run.

Previously I had a dealership check it out. They couldn't figure out what was going on and after more than a week they decided it was probably the Main Relay slowly failing so they put a new one in. But, since that hasn't solved the problem, it must be something else.

Had replaced the battery to no avail. And, the only thing that had recently been changed was that I put in a used ECU since the original was stolen. Had the dealership check that unit and they said it was fine.

driveslow

thats interesting. The only thing I changed was the radio,stripped the interior, removed the old floor panel sound deadening (cuz it was coming up on its own believe it or not) Laid down some dynamat in its place, laid down 1 inch thick carpet padding on the floors over the dynamat and then put everything back together. Reconnected the negative battery at the end of all. You have the same exact symptoms for sure though. I think that the biggest clue here, is that when the car sits, the delay is longer.

Someone has to have had this exact problem with a fix. Car has been out for 15 years. someone please chime in with the answer.

driveslow

bump

driveslow

Well it appears that the problem is getting worse. I let the car sit for 3 days without trying to prime the fuel pump and this time it took 2 minutes. I actually talked to some honda techs, 2 different dealerships and they all told me to wait till the car stops starting to diagnose the problem. In other words. Wait until your stranded at work, call a tow truck, and have it be a total inconvenience. That is like telling a person to get a extremely before going to see a doc.

I think I will try to reset the ECU and see if that resolves the problem. If there is anyone else that has resolved this issue, please chime in.

fastwanabe

Im having this same exact issue....... I wonder if the op figured it out.

Galan

Hi,

I have the same issue with a 92 ex civic, all stock 5 speed. Has anyone found the answer?

My civic takes a while to prime, or activate the fuel pump when switch is on the "on" position. The check engine stays on. I notice that i cant turn on the car until priming is done

d15bvtechatch

iTrader: (2)

Former User

Old thread closed