Problem started a couple weeks ago. Sometimes wont start. Sometimes stalls. When it starts, it runs fine. Seems to be worse when its warm out. Yesterday when it was 90 degrees out it wouldnt start no matter how long i cranked it. Last night when it was cool out, it started right up and ran fine. Does this sound like the main relay? When it did start i thought i smelled a slight burnt smell.

 

Have you checked your main relay?

 

Definitely the main relay. My 91 DX had the same problem when I bought it and I had to fix it where it sat to leave with it. Took me two days to figure it out, lol. Don't know if you have had experience changing one but be ready for about a good hour or two of cussing. Lie down in the drivers seat looking up under your dash. If you look at your hood release and follow a line pretty much straight up the side of the body you will see it waaaaay up in there (Probably about as high as the gauges or just below). Thank God it has only one bolt which is easily reached with some extensions and a universal or two. Getting it loose isn't really the problem although it will take a bit. The problem is that there is not really a hole big enough to get the damn thing out of so you can unplug it and switch or repair it. You WILL have to take a couple things loose and pull stuff to the side, trust me. I wasted about half an hour being stubborn even after I was told the same thing trying to find an alternate way without taking stuff loose. You can either buy a new one for 40 to 60 bucks depending where you get it. Don't buy a used one!!! They usually go bad at the solder joints where the coil is on the board from vibration, heat, etc... That's why it won't crank when it gets hot. The joints expand and break contact. One quick way to tell is an old electronics trick I used when I did bench work repairing TV's and stuff: Get a can of cold spray at Radio Shack or wherever and spray the crap out of the box until its good and frosty (It comes with a tube like WD40). Try to crank your car. If that is the problem it can be soldered back but I just bought a new one. I am gonna take my old one and try to fix it when I get a chance, just to have a spare. I'll let you know how that goes when I do. Never really looked to see how hard to get it apart and stuff I was in a hurry and just bought one cause I didn't have the stuff to repair it with me anyway.

 

Thanks, i work at Metro Auto and will get a good discount on parts. Most likely half price. Havent got around, but will get someone to fix it since i have a bad back.

 

sounds like the fuel pump relay... its like 50.99 from autozone. bought one like 2 weeks ago. same problem on a 90 ef hatch. fixed it

 

Main relay didnt fix problem. Took it to mechanic. He checked fuel pressure and injectors. He said they are good. He is still trying to figure it out. He had it running good for 20 minutes then it wouldnt start. Intermittant problem. Seems like an electrical problem. ECU? Damn car only has 80k miles and has been sitting more than running since i bought it.

 

check the ignitor inside the distributor, maybe the heat is causing the circuit to open

 

It was the ignition module inside the dist. Even though the distributor only has less than 200 miles since new.