Hi there:

I am new to hondas (but I think I like them :-)

- well here's the scoop:


I recently bought a ´93 automatic Civic sedan from an 83 yrs old lady, it has just 25.000 original miles (40.000km) on it (incl. i got the service-book with it)!!!

It has a 1.5 L engine (would you know what "denomination" this engine has???) and runs great.

But there is on problem thats driving me nuts...

If I use the car (so that the engine gets into its operation temperature (its NOT running hot)), then I park it to - say - rent a movie - come back in 3 mins. and the engine wont start. While cranking it, the yellow "engine" light comes on after some 5 secs.


I open the hood - let it sit w/ open hood for 2 mins (to chill out :-) and it fires up just great...

This makes me believe that its some sensor on the air-intake that might be out of whack, as that would be the only thing that cool off within 2 mins. - right?

The car was made in japan, the engine has FI (says something like "programmable electronic fuel injection on the air-ram)

I re-set the ECU by disconnecting the battery - but problem persists


I am pretty sure that there is no mechanical problem, as the engine runs great and fires up just great except for this "will not start w/ hot engine" issue.


Ok, here come my Qs:

- what engine is it??? (i would like to make sure that the jumper trick for the code-readouts is working - and i am not frying the ECU by shortening it.)

- is this hard/no starting issue on a (regular) hot engine a known problem - any links/pointers??

- where would you start to track the gremlin down?


cheers and a lot of thanks for your input - I really appreciate it!


Alfred

 

jump the 2 pin connector at the passenger's side floorboard. turn the key to the acc position, and count the check engine light's flashes. long flashes are 10's and short flashes are 1's. Get the code, then we can help.

 

check your main relay, because if the engine is as good of condition as you say, then that could be the only problem, bc i know mine used to do the same thing if i drove it then turned it off, it wouldn't start and i had to let it sit for a few minutes.

 

https://honda-tech.com/zerothread?id=1171263 read this thread and pull your check engine light code and then go from there

 

Thx a lot!


iI was looking around the this (great) site and found the "main relay" issue earlier ...

from what I read - it seems to fit the bill... (gee, I would never have made the logical connection between interior room temperature and failing to start up ..)

I was driving home from office today w/ the heating turned off (we have only a few degrees above freezing today down here in Chile) ... and guess what ... NO problem ... the engine just started fine afterwards...


I assume that relay problem would NOT trigger an error code ... right?


Let me do a couple of more A/B testing (interior heating on full or off) to see if I can reproduce the problem ... and then I will step up to the plate (w/ my soldering iron in hands )




cheers, and <U>heartfelt THX!</U>
alfred


ps: gotta love the internet!

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by alfredbb &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Thx a lot!
I assume that relay problem would NOT trigger an error code ... right?
</TD></TR></TABLE>

you are correct.