Symptoms are the engine will turn over just fine, but even after 5 or 10 tries it still won't start. Up until recently it used to start on the first or second try, the problem seems to be getting worse, and it doesn't matter if the engine is hot or cold. The odd part is after several tries it may suddenly start, after which it will run & drive completely normally until you turn it off again. While it was failing to start I confirmed that I have a spark on all four cylinders, using an inductive timing light (i.e. the strobe flashed on all 4). The car has 120,000 miles. I tried a new main fuel relay but that didn't help. The fuel pump sounds like it is working properly, and when I slightly loosened the fuel line where it attaches to the fuel injector rail and turned on the key, gas sprayed everywhere, so I suppose that rules out the fuel pump as the culprit? I checked the ECU codes, and all I had was a 17 (i.e. the VSS, which I know is bad). After this I reset the ECU by disconnecting the neg battery lead for a few minutes, and now the ECU LED comes on and stays on. Any ideas on what I should try?

 

Good rundown of the problem and good methodology on the diagnose. Only this I can add. Perhaps the plugs are fouled. You have current to the wire, but one or more plugs cracked, foul, etc... (is there oil on the top of the plug when you remove it?) Also it could be a clogged injector/s. You have pressure to the rail, but is it getting into the cylinders in an aerosol form?

Beyond that it leaves Air (fuel, spark, air, timing. and since you have spark the timing belt is not broken...skipped a tooth?) Just for grins open the breather box and check your filter. Is the throttle body clean or sticking? Is air getting through the intake manifold? Check for timing belt alignment by turning engine (plugs out wrench on powersteering pulley bolt) until the timing marks are visable (pull rubber plug on back of engine.) Pull the dist. cap. Where is the rotor sitting? is it over post number one or offest?

I may have to think about this one for a bit.

 

have u been able to solve this issue
as i have a similiar situation with a sohc vtec f20b in a p1 accord cb3 chassis

 

Update... A friend suggested I reset the ECU and see if it would then record the error code of the underlying problem, so I pulled the backup fuse and waited a few minutes. I then tried to start it, and it fired up immediately. It ran as smooth as can be - no stumble, rough idle or anything out of the ordinary. I let it run about 10 minutes, then cut it off. I waited a minute then turned it on and off successfully 5 more times over the next 10 or 15 minutes or so, each time it started immediately and ran very smoothly. And then on the next try, suddenly it wouldn't start again. I tried 3 or 4 more times with no luck, but the ECU didn't store any codes, at least not so far. The ECU LED just stays lit all the time. So it's very much an all-nothing-situation, which seems to me means indicates it has to be electrical problem...? If this is correct, does anyone have ideas what components would cause this all-or-nothing behavior? Could it be the fuel pump after all (i.e. loose power connection)? I am inclined to think not, but I am no expert - and I still can't get my head around why the timing light flashed on all 4 cylinders when it wouldn't start, but the way it behaves seems to point to an intermittent problem with the spark…? Would the coil cause this (i.e. a weak spark), or the ignitor? Or something else???

 

try spraying starter fluid in the throttle body (just a shot for maybe 1 second) and try starting it immediately. If it fires but quickly dies as the starter fluid is burned, then you have a fuel issue. if no start even using starting fluid, then you have a spark issue. (assuming the timing is correct-which given the tempermental starting history i would assume its close enough to run).

if you have no spark, i would check for fouled plugs, or plug wires with low resistance, or corosion somewhere in the ignition wires, plugs, distributor cap, rotor, ignition control module, etc.

 

You might check out the following site, it's a pretty good write up on trouble shooting ignition problems:

http://techauto.awardspace.com/ignition.html

Not sure if the following will be of any value but I'll pass it along for what its worth:

The 91 Accord has a pressed on rotor that's held in place by a mental strip spring type thing in the back. I've seen several cases where that strip apparently fell out unbeknown to the remover and then reinstalled without it. Initially it works just find but over time the rotor will become loose and sloppy. When this happens the inside of the rotor will starts to wear and can even eventually slip on the distributor shaft and get wedged in the wrong place. The centrifugal force of turning the engine over will sometimes free the rotor and the engine will run just fine and then when it’s shut off the rotor can snap back and be stuck in the wrong place again. You can easily check this out by simply removing your distributor cap and seeing if you can moved your rotor by hand. Most likely this is not your problem but it’s something to eliminate if you have spark and the engine won’t offer to fire when you squirt starter fluid or carburetor cleaner into the throttle body.