Hey H-T peeps, I got my 89 CRX Si about 3 weeks ago and its been running fine since then. But lately, its taking forever to start. Everything (accesories) works and the engine cranks, but wont start. It does this while the "Check Engine" light is on, and soon as that turns off, the car starts. I've tried the ECU but while the engine light is on, the ECU doesnt even blink once. I did a search and read somone having the same problem, but i dont understand how they fixed it. Is it my ECU? or some wiring? ECU fuse in engine box is still good. Anyone with help? Please? Thanks

 

try harder

 

Hmm. Maybe you read my problem from my thread?
https://honda-tech.com/zerothread?id=229726

Anyway. I had the same exact problem after I changed my head. Actually, before I changed my head I had the problem, but it wasn't very consistent.

After I miss-set my valve clearance (0.009 intake and 0.006 exhaust) and skipped a tooth on the timing belt, the car consistently had a hard time starting. I too noticed that it wouldn't start until the check engine light went off.. (I already changed my distributor cap/rotor, spark plugs, and wires)

I advance the timing belt one tooth and re-adjusted the valve clearance to the correct settings (0.006 intake and 0.009 exhaust) and ever since then, the car has started on the 1st or 2nd crank

So maybe, check your valve clearance and timing, and possibly do a tune up and change the dizzy cap/rotor, spark plugs and wires ?

 

Yeah it was your thread that i read on here...I just checked the spark plugs and they're pretty new. The wires that was on the car was NGK brand. I've tried checking the dist. but my Helms manual shows it on the TOYO and HITACHI model, neither of which I have on my car. =/ I'll check the timing belt soon, but how do I check my valve clearance? Also, what exactly is a 'dizzy'? Thanks for the fast reply man.

Raymund

 

sounds like main relay to me, i am in the exact same boat as you, and after talking to many people on these forums, i am waiting on my relay to get in the mail, so i can put it in.

usually, mine does'nt start if its really hot out, and hot inside the car, especially in texas summer, but at night, it starts right up, but sometimes, if i try several times, and flick the key to the on position, and back and forth, then it starts, its kind of weirrd.

 

Juss checked the rex and it starts up fine again. Check engine light turns off about 3 sec. after ignition. Its really starting to bother me now. I guess it has its good days and bad ones. =/ Also, how's the 'mini-me' swap? Worth it?

 

Yeah man thats how it is for me too. SAME EXACT thing. If its hot out or inside the car, it wont start right away. I've heard about the main relay too, but where/what exacty is it? How much did it run you for a new one? Also, is that the reason the LED in the ECU wont even blink once until the engine light turns off?


[Modified by Infinity_Racer, 2:57 AM 7/23/2002]

 

A dizzy is slang for distributor. Such a long word too spell all the time..
The mini-me swap was well worth it for me because now I know how to change a head-gasket, timing belt, all accessory belts, distributor, cams, and camgears, intake, throttle body, drain the radiator, and water pump. Also, learned how to do a compression test. I did it for the learning experience and the extra power was a bonus. The unrelenting fury of the motor all the way to 7k is awesome. Ok. So I'm exaggerating a little. Its not the most powerful engine, but the power is impressive for the motor and car combo for what its worth.

People have said its damn hard to get the setup running right, but I think I just got lucky with beginners luck. Heck, the thing started with no ECU codes at the first turn of the key. I even impressed myself. I thought I'd be looking at a piece of junk just sitting in my driveway.

I'm going to hook up a VTEC light this week so I can confirm that the VTEC signal is coming on. I read on a website that you can barely feel the SOHC VTEC kick in, so I might be in good shape.

 

Well checked the Main Relay, still no luck. Found out that the ECU doesnt work/flash until after trying a couple of times and the "Check Engine" light turns off and at the same time makes a clicking noise inside the car. Anyone...?....Please...?

 

my damn relay did'nt get in the mail yet, and by the way it was 36 bucks at jagworks.com, plus shipping it was around 47 or something.

but, again, i am in the same situation as you, cause i am not 100% sure that it is my relay, cause my car cranks, but does'nt start, and also i notice the ecu light is not on, but if i click the key in the ignition to the on position, and then back off a couple times, then with luck, the ecu light comes on, and everything starts up fine, but i still don't know what it is.

but since my car has 150k miles, then i figured it would'nt hurt to replace the main relay anyways.

have you posted your problem on other sites? cause whenever i have a car problem, i just go straight to my computer, and post it on this site, also on http://resource.crx.org ,and also on http://crx.honda-perf.org, and usually i get a bunch of replies and answers, but you might of already known about that, just thought i would mention it.

 

forgot to ask, does your car ever start at all?, cause with my problem, it starts in the night time, or when the inside of my car is'nt all hot from the texas summer, and thats why i was thinking it was my relay, but if yours is just not starting at all, then maybe its something else.

did you check if your starter is good? or did you reset your ecu, and then check for the codes?, check your distributors condition? also make sure plugs are good, and gapped correctly, fuses etc....., hmmmmmm, i can't think of anything else, but i am not a mechanic, just trying to think of stuff.

oh, and make sure it has gas, lol, i guess that would be kind of important, plus make sure battery is good, and terminals are tight connections.

 

yeah i've asked around other sites. but i spent most of today (thurs) and last night firguring it out. i took my relay out and tried cranking it, and of course it didnt, but even then, my ECU would sometimes light up, and sometimes not. And a couple of days before, i checked the plugs (gapped right), distributor, looked fine and cleaned that out, and other fuel/starter things. Then i traced every (most ) of the ECU wires. Then after about 2 hours of that, i figured out that one of the connections in the engine bay was loose. Not sure what wire it was, cus when i bought the car, the battery was already relocated to the rear. It was a wire that connected to the engine bay fuse box, the Block, and then to the battery. ( Looked like this: =|-....Like two wires, a metal block, then the battery wire. Hope that made sense) The wire connected to the block was loose, tightened that up, and BAM! Works fine now. Starts up quick even w/ 165K miles. Doing a tune up tomorrow. Well, all I can say is check wiring to the ECU. Cus when its hot, the wires have a hard time contacting and getting power. Hope this helps. Thanks again! If you need any other help, let me know. My IM feature doesnt work for me in this site, but hit me up on AIM ( InfinityRacr).

~Raymund


[Modified by Infinity_Racer, 3:12 AM 7/26/2002]