OK, here's a wierd one.

My roomate borrowed my car earier today and ran it out of gas (I guess I can't blame him considering he only got about 2 blocks before it died). He got a can and put about $5.00 worth into the tank and it still wouldn't start. Finally, after messing around with the car for about an hour, I pulled the gas cap off and put it back on and it started! So, I'm thinking he didn't put the cap on right. I get about 1 mile down the road and it dies again. I pull over, pull the gas cap off, put it back on, and it starts.
This time I get about 2 miles and it dies, same thing cap off, cap on, start. This gets me home (about 4 miles).

Did my roomate possibly pour gas down some vent when he was putting it in the tank? Or could my main relay (which has been acting up lately and needs to be replaced anyway) be causing this? When i was messing with the car, I pulled the main relay out. and when my car looses power, I can hear my main relay click off.

I'm still not positive if the car really ran out of gas in the first place, he saw the gauge near E and assumed, but I can usually get it lower than it was without running out.

I don't know if this matters, but it's a '91 std hatch that's stock except an MPFI swap and short ram intake that were both installed about a month ago.

 

Things that go *bump* in the night

 

honda/acura main relay controls the power to fuel pump and starter. if the car does not start with cliking, it is the main relay, if the car turns over but does not start, that is the main relay. in the first condition, the starter would not get the signal voltage to engage the solenoid. in the second, the fuel pump will not turn on. put the key in the run position, and listen for the pump. it should prime the fuel system, about 1-2 sec. if you hear nothing, then you will need to work on your main relay. most do not need to be replaced. they suffer from thermal fatigue, more specific, the soldering points suffer the fatigue, where the micro cracks appear on the points from the endess expansion/contraction from the heat in the cabin, breaking the contact. take the thing apart and resolder all or the affected points, you will see them, they usually lack the luster and appear dull and old.
it will save you that 50-60US to replace it.
good luck
stan

 

thanks, but do you have any thoughts on the "gas cap" issue?

 

Ok, somebody has to know something about this.

I put a new main relay in today, and it died twice on the way home from the shop (about a 10 mi drive) I'm starting to worry that it has something to do with my MPFI swap. I never did get it tunned in right. It's been Idling low (about 500 rpm) and it's been running rich (which i've been told happens with this kind of swap)

There's also a possibility that the problem has nothing to do with me removing and replacing the gas cap, but just the time allowing the car to sit while I preform the ritual is enough for things to settle down or reset themselves.

Any input would be greatly apreciated!!!

 

just a thought, but maybe the gastank purge system is clogged, creating so much vaccum the pump is unable to supply the engine with enough fuel. try unplugging the purge soleniod vaccum line to the tank.
i am really stretching it here, but...
stan

 

where can I find this line? can I get to it without dropping the tank?


I see a 'vent tube' (#7) it looks like I'm dropping the tank to get to it.


[Modified by thumpu77, 7:44 AM 8/7/2002]

 

i've had a couple shops have the same problem...they would take the cap off and it would be fine... but the main relay fixed that problem...
btw -the main relay is only for the fuel pump and injector pulse (not on all cars) not for the starter

 

Well, give it some time to break in i guess... everything ran fine today.

thanks for the help guys...
and yes, I can confirm that the main relay has nothing to do with the starter, with the relay removed, the engine still cranks.