First off I am a girl and do not know very much about cars but I will do my best to explain things and rely the info to my husband. I am helping my husband out by posting here for him. He Is very much mechanically in tune, but he is not able to figure out the problem we're having with this car. I apologize in advance for poor descriptions. I tried to give as much detail as possible.

So here it goes,

Honda Accord LX 2 Door
Automatic transmission
200+ miles

We bought it a couple months ago. Car was working perfectly. No issues what so ever. Then one day I got in it and drove to the coffee shop. While on the freeway it died, I think. I was driving around 65 and all of a sudden I hear this strange revving in the engine. The noise was like when you try and push on the gas pedal while in park only softer, not really loud. So then I noticed it started slowing down. By 45 I realized I needed to pull over. I immediately turned the car off, waited a few seconds and tried to turn it back on. I had power this entire time. Radio, lights, everything is still working. It would not start though. It clicks over but does not start. It still will not start

We pretty much ruled out the timing belt. We inspected it and it's fine. There are no missing teeth. the belt looks good, actually looks kind of newish.

We changed all 4 plugs in the engine last month.

So my husbands friends inspected the engine and noticed (this is where it's going to get fun, sorry. I will try and find the correct terms) that those long cable looking things on top of the engine had no spark. So husband replaced the long black wires and a small box thing located on the left hand side of the engine. Now there is spark but it still does not start.

The car does not make any funny sounds when we try to start the car. It just does not want to start. Again it clicks over and I can attempt to start it but it does not start up.

So husband thought maybe it was the fuel pump, but now says that he can hear the fuel when the car tries to start. We tried banging on the relay box under the dash and starting the car at the same time but that didn't work. We banged the fuel container and then tried to start the car. that didn't work.

So kind of thinking it could be 3 things: main relay, ignitor, or starter? Husband says it's not the starter because it clicks over and tries to start.

My best friend's husband is a certified mechanic and tried to help me by diagnosing over the phone since we're really low on cash. He thought it was likely the rely pump located under the front dash. He said if we tapped it and tried to start the engine it would probably start. It did not. Does that always work or could the rely still be bad?

We are low on cash and can't afford to take it to a shop or have a mechanic come look at it. Plus my husband is kind of irritated that he can't figure it out. He figures everything out.

 

it could be a coil gone or a fuze tell him to check all fuzes under the hood first maby an ecu fuze gone if i think of anything more ill let you know sorry and hope this helps

 

If there is no spark at the plug wires your problem is electrical. I agree with above,start by checking your fuses which are in two different locations. One is under the hood and the other on the drivers side kick panel. If not a fuse since you know there's no spark at the plugs start tracing back from there (coil,distributor,etc.).

 

Check the basics.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FBUYs539cy4

This guy does a good job of helping the diy'er.

 

Well there IS spark now though. You guys are talking about those cables up on top of the engine right? They should spark? Well there wasn't spark but then he changed those cables along with a metal box looking thing that has 2 plug ins, I think it's located on the left side of the engine down in a corner. Now there is spark but still the car does not start.

I'll have him watch this video! Maybe it will help us get it running. Be back with update later this week.

updated to say: It seems the video is talking if you DON'T have spark. We DO have spark

Thanks guys!

 

Your problem could be electrical. So he change the coil and the plug wires and you have spark. Do what the guys above said and check all fuses. I would also look into map sensor sounds like you could have lost map signal. FYI the distributor where you know with the long black thingys' connect to contain your cylinder position sensor, cam and crank sensor which are your triggering devices and your igniter which controls dwell time of your secondary winding in your ignition coil. You will need to make sure you are getting a "hot" enough spark. The only way to really do that is to take it in to a shop and they hook it up to an ignition scope.

 

Without getting him mad, are you sure the wires are on correctly. Meaning, check the firing order to be sure they are on correctly.......the dist cap usually has a "mark" on it next to the #1 wire (#1 cyl is the one at the belt side of the engine)...1-3-4-2.

If that is correct, open the butterfly on the tb and spray some carb cleaner in the engine and try to start it, what happens.

 

Have had the same problem. Fixed through Honda Tech. Is the Tacho kicking over on start up? If so, check your coil. If not, check your ICM. Both are in the distributor assembly. Download a Workshop Manual and it will give you the diagnostics which can be done without any fancy gear.
Fixed my own with parts from the wreckers.....Coil was not blown but replaced both for AU$20.