repalced the fuel pump on my father inlaws 92 accord thinking it was bad
i hear it for a few seconds when i turn the key to the on postion
but i dont get any fuel to the filter inlet
is this a bad relay ???

 

Generally if the main relay is bad, the pump won't run for those 2 seconds when you turn the key.

Kinked fuel line under the car? Clogged inlet screen at the pump (does it have one)?

I haven't seen a '92 pump firsthand... Are there any tubing connections in the tank that can come un-done?

 

just checked the relay like the book said
it would click but i couldnt get any readings on any the terminals with the tester
heck maybe i'm not working the tester right ??
the fuel lines seem to be fine from the out side of the tank to the filter

 

pull the relay out and chk it for cracked solderings if u find any,, resolder and put together

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by lakehopper &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">just checked the relay like the book said
it would click but i couldnt get any readings on any the terminals with the tester
heck maybe i'm not working the tester right ??
the fuel lines seem to be fine from the out side of the tank to the filter</TD></TR></TABLE>You tested it but got no continuity thru the terminals, that's a bad main relay.

Cracked solder joints sometimes make contact, sometimes not.

 

turns out i had the meter on the wrong setting relay is fine

 

You say the relay is fine and you hear the fuel pump come on, is this an aftermarket fuel pump, YES, go get a HONDA fuel pump and call it good.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by lakehopper &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">turns out i had the meter on the wrong setting relay is fine </TD></TR></TABLE>

r u testing the relay when car is not starting??? if not u have to

 

got the pump from autozone

 

hey deserthonda
are you saying i need to leave the relay hooked up and try to start the car
while checking the relay ??

 

if u chk the relay inputs and outputs when car starts it will test ok,, u need to test it when car does not start and yes it has to be plugged in ,, that is the only way that u can see if it energizes and rerouts power to fuel pump

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by JimBlake &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Cracked solder joints sometimes make contact, sometimes not.
</TD></TR></TABLE>The repair manual shows how to test it out of the car. Problem is it might work OK outside. Then you install it, tighten the mounting screw, the case twists a little bit, & now it doesn't work.

 

Jim i know u can test them out of the car but that would help if it was a permanent failure the reason i told him to test while in car when car not starting is so it can be tested without shaking it too much cause as you know 1 little shake and it makes contacts and it is all for nothing ...and if he goes as far as removing relay out of car he might as well open it up and look for cracked soldering

 

Yeah, exactly. It's a situation where if you follow the manual exactly you don't always 'catch' the relay while it's screwing up.

 

it looks like i might have two cracked soldier spots
looks like the crack is cracked in a circle
will it be ok to soldier it or should i get new
thanx guys you have been a big help

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by lakehopper &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">it looks like i might have two cracked soldier spots
looks like the crack is cracked in a circle
will it be ok to soldier it or should i get new
thanx guys you have been a big help </TD></TR></TABLE>

solder the cracks put all together it works like a champ ,, save urself 50 dollars

 

OK all you Honda main relay gurus out there, lets remember that cracked soder joints are not the only failure although I will admit probably the most frequent.

A relay is a coil and if you compare a used one to a new one you sill notice that the old coil copper windings are much darker and in the case of a failed coil winding that has good solder joints, the reason for failure is just plain old resistance values, does the book give any specs for the coils resistance.

In theory and in the real world it takes "X" amount of current to create magnatism in the coil to make it suck down the switch portion (through magnatism), once the switch is closed, it only take a small amount of current to hold it closed. This too is why a good smack will jolt a switch to close and a very weak coil will be able to keep the switch closed. I tend to think that this is the scenario when an air conditioned car is driving down the road nice and cool inside but it dies from lack of fuel so to a main relay that has almost (or has completely) burned up the last of its life.

I will give you this though, it will test the same as a bad solder joint, it will jolt the same as a bad solder joint and it will not start hot or cold just like a bad solder joint. Another thing to ponder is the test, car not starting and bench test, around 12 volts each, cold car running and then seems to die for no reason, 13+ volts, WHO KNOWS, BUT WE DO CARE.

In the future you may include a little of this info and testing (visual color) in your comments, or just copy this and put it in your notebook, please.

One thing that I do though, is break the black plastic cover from the circuit board and push down on the switch by hand when I do a continuity test on a good solder joint and throw it in the weak coil pile for future demo testing.

I do like the test in the car the best but lets include some other testing, no fuel pressure from the fuel test port (12mm bolt) on the filter or fuel rail, jumper the correct two contacts on the main relay to fire up the fuel pump (fuel pump relay switch contacts), got fuel, replace main relay, no fuel pressure, diagnose wiring and fuel pump and dont forget the ground (voltage drop test). How about someone else doing the no power to main computer, injectors or no spark scenarios due to a bad main relay although all of these scenarios may not be on an Accord, different Honda main relays control different systems.