Well I was running late for work today and went to change lanes around the bus in front of me when something amazing happened. This typically happens when I drive for a short distance turn it off and then turn it back on (when I am moving cars from the drive way).

Well I honestly dont know if I killed the car because I think I might have still be in 4th going roughly 10 miles an hour to switch lanes before a red light, but I will assume I did.

So the car is turned off. I go to turn it on I hear the ignition noise but not my motor turning over. It doesnt for about 30 seconds which seems like forever on a main road during the morning commute, it finally starts. This was not always a big issue with me because it happens rarely, however I think I should be more concerned since I have seen the RPMs drop while at a dead stop.

I am replacing the fuel filter next weekend.

I want to say its the distributor, but it could be the fact I might be using incorrect spark plugs (but prior the sparkplugs were correct and this still had an issue)

Any ideas of the possibilities would be greatly appreciated.

Not sure if it matters but its a ZC motor.

 

Before you go throwing money and parts at it, check a few things, hopefully it will help ya out:

1- check your main relay- this has happened to me in two separate cars....what happens is, the car will start fine most of the time, but say you drive it for a bit and it warms up, you park at a store, come back out and it won't want to start, just keeps trying. This is very typical for these cars. They are free to fix if you have very very basic soldering skills and can get the relay out.
This is what you are looking for and how to fix it yourself - http://www.marklamond.co.uk/tech-hon...main-relay.htm

2- Obvious ignition components - check your spark plugs for excessive wear and proper gap; check distributor cap and rotor for the same; more than likely your plug wires are fine, but maybe if they have never been changed, could be a problem (doubt it though since you were able to start the car and what not)

3- If those are not the culprit, I would begin trouble shooting your fuel system. Injectors, fuel pressure, filter, etc...

My bet is on the main relay

 

Thank you very much! based on the link it sounds just like what has been happening with me

 

so your saying its hard to start once warmed up? I would look into the ect sensor. Engine Coolant Temp sensor. not saying that this will fix it but just giving you a direction to start

 

Well I soldered it. Even things that didnt look like they were cracked at all, nothing really did but I figured since it was so hard to get to I might as well just do it while I had it out.

Anyway it was fine for about 3 weeks. It happened to me this morning. When in neutral warming up my car it randomly shut off. Instantly turned on, thought maybe it was because I didnt give it some gas.

I got to my parents house (car would be on for roughly 20 minutes now) shut it off. Went inside. Left (there for about 2 minutes). Started the car. Turned on (neutral). Went to throw it in reverse soon as I put it in reverse (didnt even start letting out the clutch) it dies. Started right up again with about 2k rpms. Then 2-3 seconds later shuts off again.

Last time this happened it prior to the soldering it was an issue because I couldnt keep the rpms up even if I gave it gas it would just drop OR it wouldnt turn over at all.

Any help would be much appreciated as I would hate for this to happen to me when I go on a trip. Thank you again!

 

My ef hatch does this sometimes. Like the rpms drop when I am stopped in nuetral at a light. rpms drop and I have to give it gas to stay alive. All tune up is complete minus fuel filter. My car has over 220k miles on it tho. subbed to see the outcome and advice