I'm at a loss for a solution to this problem, let me start from the beginning.

About 9 out of 10 times, the car starts up no problem. When it starts, it idles fine, and runs perfectly, just like it probably did in 1992. Then you never know when it won't start. When it doesn't start, you can here the starter turning over, and it the starter sounds normal, but it just keeps cranking, no engine activity. Eventually it will start if you keep trying, but there have been times where it wouldn't start for an entire day. I figured it was a fuel problem, but before that I wanted to make sure it was getting spark when the problem happens. After 2 days of trying to get the car NOT to start, we finally caught it, there was indeed no spark for the next few starts, then magically, it starts sparking again.

So I figure, it has to either be the distributer, or coil. I know the guy at the parts store, so I get to return parts and do the old trial and error. Wasn't the distributer, so I returned it. Surely it must be the coil. Swapped that out, and it still happens, so I returned that too.

My gf's dad owns a repair shop, so I took it over there. Him and all of his mechanics are stumped, they say I just tried to repair the only 2 logical things that could be causing the problem. He says it just doesn't make sense that it could be a fuel problem, because once it starts up it runs flawlessly, for hours actually because I deliver pizzas (I've had it going for 10 hours straight delivering pizza). As a last ditch effort, he said I should try changing the ignition tommorow and cross my fingers.

So since everyone is stumped, I came here, hoping someone could suggest what else could be causing this starting issue. I have a jeep wrangler, so commuting isn't a problem, but I'd hate to get rid of this accord that I've been driving for 5 years because of the fuel efficiency, and up until now, it's reliability compared to the jeep, and I really don't feel like finding another daily driver. It has 280,000 miles on it, and it appears that it has so much life left if it weren't for this problem.

It is a 92 accord LX, 5 speed. Thanks for your time

 

If the starter spins but the car does not start randomly but works fine other times it is most likely the Main Relay. Look in the Accord FAQs page on how to diagnose.

 

Thank you, I'll run that by him tomorrow morning and let you know what we do.

 

I got some advice from someone, and they said it sounds like the coolant temperature sensor. According to them, the coolant temp sensor sends a signal to the computer, and it does some calculations with some other numbers (very technical ). If the sensor is flaking out, and doesn't send the value, the computer doesn't do the calculation, and doesn't send spark or fuel.

Funny thing is, my temp gauge is flaky, and sometimes goes all over the place and then reverts to normal. It seems to make sense, since I'm randomly not getting spark. I figured I'd try this first since it only takes a few minutes to swap out. So far we've started it about 40 times and haven't been able to reproduce the problem. I'm going to test it out further by using it at work to deliver with. It never goes a whole day without the problem, so if a week goes by without a problem, I'll post back my success in case someone else stumble onto this thread.

If it doesn't work, I'll be back here and let you know how the main relay or ignition swap goes. Thanks for your help!

edit: We also noticed that the wires to the sensors are pretty shot. He had a honda engine in there that he is going to use tomorrow, and he let me snip off all the wires and connectors from the wire harness since he won't be using it, score! He also said, if it does happen again to have someone wiggle the wires to the sensors, and if it starts right up, splice in the new ones.

The car has always had some problems with old rotted wires. When I replaced the blower motor for the heat a year ago, the dome light, rear defrost, and speed 1 on the wipers quit. When I put a new cd player in for my ipod, the power to the stereo quit, so I wired that to the battery. Bad wires are always a possibility...

 

After 2 days the starting problem snuck up on me. So on friday I will try replacing the wires and plugs to the sensors, and if that doesn't work, on to the main relay. I hope this works, if it doesn't I'll try to find another old accord, and use this one for parts. It's a shame since it's still running flawlessly...

If anyone else has suggestion, I'd be glad to hear them!

 

You will need a multimeter. Warm the car completely up(this assumes the car starts ), just drive it around for twenty minutes. Turn the car off. Take the connector off the two wire sensor(ECT or coolant temperature sensor) under the distributor. Test it at 2k ohms setting. Should be around 180 to 400. If not, replace it. You will need to drain the coolant. The other connector next to it which is only one wire is the coolant temperature sender. This is probably bad too so just replace it as the same time.

 

Hey I just want to update this thread in case some one googles across it. It was indeed the main relay, just as MAD MIKE suggested, thanks man. If you googled across this, try that, it only cost us 40 bucks.

If you want to hear how the story unfolded, read on...

I ran out of patience before we got to the relay, I decided it was probably a rotted wire issue because of all of the other electrical problems I've had. It sat for a couple months. I decided I would either junk it, or put it up on craigslist for someone to use it for parts, so I took the stereo and other important things out.

Then my gf was talking to her dad, and he said, "you didn't junk that honda did you? Bring it right in I want to have my new guy take a look at it before you do." He fired his body guy for being a drunk, and hired this guy. But on his application, his last long term job was a honda mechanic, lucky me.

He said it has to be the main relay, if not, then your wires are shot. He had the thing apart, put in the relay, and put it back together in 30 minutes. "I've done like 50 of these things", he says, "no problem."

tl;dr

I was a couple of days away from getting rid of this car, and this dude fixed it for me (no labor). I will now probably drive it past the 300k mile mark. 90% city miles I should add, pizza miles.

Thanks for all of your suggestions, I'm greatful that I get to keep driving this "piece of junk". At least that's what other people call it

 

 

fuel pumps are common causes of no start save the OP's issue of no spark. u can hook a fuel gauge of the diagnostic port on the engine to test for fuel @ crank. if no fuel pump if yes u have other issues might be better to start a separate thread since most ppl seeing this old thread will pass on by

 

Almost two year thread bump, Cesar ya need to work on your trollage better.