Where do I start...first of all thank you for answering my question in advance, I really do appreciate this. I am the owner of a 1989 Accord LXi....and it has me and around 20 local mechanics totally stumped. I could write you a total list of all of the parts that have been replaced by well meaning, but not too bright guys...all in the attempt to fix the one issue that I've had with this car from the start...or close to it. Now, my Accord is an older car, I know this...but it is in excellent condition, body and interior wise, and I recently just had it repainted...I really do want to keep this car, and make it work as it should. Now, the problem...I wake up and go to work...the car cranks perfectly, and runs like a dream... I get too work, am inside for 4 to 6 hours, try and crank it too leave....and it turns over...cranks, and then cuts off...and the only way to get it to re-crank is to spray carb cleaner straight down the carb's gullet...then it cranks and runs just fine. Now, I do need to tell you that I have a new ignition system that was supposed to resolve this issue, and also a newly rebuilt carb...that was also to resolve this issue...and neither have had any effect at all. I really am at my wit's end here, and anything that you can do to help me to resolve this issue will so greatly appreciated.

 

? An LX-i in 89 or any 3rd gen was FI (LX-i being the key to this question...and yes I know) so how does/did a carb get replaced?

So from here I have to ask for claritiy....is it FI or Carb before going further, sorry. If it is carb'd then the path goes one way....FI goes another.

 

Sorry, don't know why I typed in that "i", my car is an 89 Accord LX with a carb.

 

Well the list is longer and more involved....way more info needed. and don't get upset with the rest.......

Is this temp or time related. Is the choke open or closed, pedal wide open what happens...fuel level in carb, sight glass drivers/left side sight glass....when you move the linkage, do you see fuel enter ther carb?...what can we rule out? A 3rd gen reman carb has to run @400 plus so what has really been done? Any codes from the ecm, under drivers seat.

 

have u checked the chocke linkage? On my old 3rd gen, I had to remove the choke linkage and adjust it abit because it kept hangin up, leaving the choke partially open.

 

Wow, you've given me a lot to check into, thank you. 1st I need to understand what you are asking re: temp and time related, as I am not a mechanic...I am assuming that you mean, since the car has been not running for several hours, that you are talking about the temp. outside when this occurs..and the time of the day when I have the most problems...correct? If so, I do believe it could be, I live in Alabama, so it's still pretty warm here during the day and that's usually when I crank if for the trip too my job...when I get to work, I leave late at night, and it is a lot cooler...and dark. This is when it always happens...without fail. As, I said, 3 wk's ago my carb was rebuilt, and the choke was supposedly replaced at that time according to my worksheet that came with my $650 bill for the job, so any part that wasn't working there, surly would have been replace at that time, I do believe. I don't know about the codes that you speak of..please inform me. and I will check tomorrow morning re: the rest of your questions, I will have my brother-in-law with me then to help, and he knows a heck of a lot more about cars than I do. I did take it back the the place the rebuilt the carb, and told them that is was no better than before, and was told that from what they could tell the work that they did was just fine...but I really am having my doubts about this. For some reason, I just don't think it normal to have to spray carb. cleaner into the throat of the carb every night just to get the car to crank.

 

Ok, a few more pieces of info.

Temp=I was referring to the "outside" air temp. So it is cooler at night, I know it's not much cooler at night in L.A.-that's Lower Alabama for everyone that hasn't been to that part of the country. The point there, like "da9jake" is that the choke could be "open". Which maybe why no one has gone there, during the day as the shops try to reproduce the issue it works fine.....I've got some other reading to do to rule out a few other things.

Time=I was looking at lets say, it sits for two hours and starts. It sits for ten hours and will not.

If you can, take a 10mm wrench/socket and a flash light with you next time. Before leaving work (when it won't start) before you just spray it. Remove the screen over the top of the carb, 2 10mm nuts....don't drop them into the carb. Check the "butter fly" at the top of the one barrel-the other is wide open-is it closed all the way? If you push it closed does the car start?

Codes, under the drivers seat is the computer. From the back seat (I've only ever had 4 dr 3rd gens) you can see a small cover on a plastic piece. Open it, pull from the top, you'll see and led type bulb/light. Turn the key to the "on"/"II" pos...count any blinks.

Last, serach for or buy a manual/book for this car..it will help. Google for spoonerturner or other places to download one (some free, some charge) or stop by an auto store and buy one.

 

Have you replaced the fuel pump or cleaned the fuel pump filter?

 

Actually no I have not yet replace the fuel pump, but is on my "to do " list, but for a different issue...I read another post by a fellow Accord owner here that reminded me a lot of another issue (which could be related the the main issue, I'm not sure", the other gentleman's post was asking if anyone knew why at just below a half tank of gas, his car would without warning just cut off....this is also an issue that I've had for a long time...the last auto repair shop owner told me, after I brought the car back and informed him that the work that had been done there, had not solved the problem....and the car continues to cut of and then re crank and run, but only when I am just under a half tank. The owner of the repair shop then suggested that from then own, I should always keep the car way above a half tank...lol....not actually even taking another shot at finding the source of the problem. I am attaching a picture of what my fuel pump is supposed to look like, and the answer to his problem was that at below a half tank there was a hole in the hose that goes from the fuel pump down into the tank, and that when the hole is submerged in gas, everything is fine...but when that hole in the hose is exposed, it will begin to suck air as well, thus causing his car to shut down. Sorry I just realized that I can't attach a picture here...but I do believe that could be my other issue...do you think that my two issues are related?[IMG]fuel pump1[/IMG]