I have a 1990 4 cl auto Honda Accord, 181K miles, routinely maintained. The stalling first started a week ago while freeway driving at 70mph, engine stopped CEL and all the other lights came on. I put the car in neutral while moving along, no starting. Pulled over to the side of the road, put the car in park, fired right up and ran fine each time. It has now done this 4 times. No error code reading. ignition switch checked out fine. I had ECM replaced last week, the igniter and coil replaced 3 months ago. Latest problem has happened under acceleration each time. Cannot duplicate condition while driving around town.

 

Fuel pump is a possibility.

 

Clogged cat maybe u can do a vacuum reading from the manifold. Should be over 18. If u rev n its top below 15 u have a prob

 

Thanks for the inputs, one additional question, what is reset when the ignition key is turned to the full off position when the car is in Park? I was not able to re-start the engine when I put the car in neutral moving at 65 mph? It just cranked, no start. As soon as I stopped and put the car in park it fired right up?

 

You also may want to think about a bad ignition switch. It is probably worn out with that many miles on it if it's never been serviced.
Usually if a Honda has a failing ignition switch when the cars stalls it will stall very quickly, instead of misfiring or bucking like a fuel problem. And also if the car stalls with a bad ignition switch if the switch is in the 'RUN' position no lights on the dash will be on. Try to flick your ignition switch on to the 'RUN" position (key on engine off) 5 times and make sure all the bulb checks come on as soon as you switch it to start.

 

Thanks, unfortunately when it stalls, key in the run position while driving, all the lights come on including the CEL and stay on until I pull over, put the car in park and restart. All the lights go off. It always starts right up. It seems that when it does happen it is when I am traveling (under a load) at a higher RPM, (above 3k). Does not fail when just revving the engine above 3k. Tried the turning it on and off 5x, nothing, all lights come on, CEL goes off in a few seconds each time. Car starts right up. Everything looks normal.

 

I'm not sure what you mean by ignition switch checked out. Be that as it may, remove the negative terminal from the battery. DO THAT FIRST.
Then take the ignition switch off. Gently take off the cover without breaking it. Smell it. If it smells burned, replace it. If you don't want to replace it, atleast do this. Use some electrical contacts cleaner and completely clean out all the grease from the switch. Be sure it's completely dry. Then put it back in put the negative back on and take it for a spin. Obviously drive it where there is no traffic. Be safe. If it doesn't stall when it has been doing it and you're confident it's fixed, buy some dielectric grease and apply it to the contacts of the switch. If it's not fixed then obviously it's something else.

 

Oh, and the fact that it's not starting when in neutral could be an issue with the neutral safety switch, but this should be unrelated to your car dying situation. You could try cleaning out the contacts on the neutral safety switch similar to how you cleaned out the ignition switch.

 

Bit more information. When the engine stalls when driving, while I am moving along, I put the car in neutral (all the dash lights are on, incl CEL) the engine just cranks over, does not start. When I stop, turn the ignition off, the car starts up fine, both in park and in neutral.

 

Relay

 

Which relay?

 

Does it start back up after it cools down?? I'm suspecting main relay that controls fuel pump or ignition module. U can rule out the relay problem if your fuel pump stays on but still won't start

 

I'm pretty sure he said it starts right back after pulling over each time.

 

Ignition switch. Pull connectors out n test continuity while turning key

 

The car fires right up, runs fine. Right after I pull over to the side of the road, I turn the key all the way off then on, the car fires right up. I will not restart when I put it in neutral while I am rolling along at 65 mph. It will only start after I stop and restart it the normal way.

 

One more bit of information that just came to mind yesterday. When I purchased the car 4 yrs ago it came with a Loctronics key when removed disables the ignition system. I never remove this key. Could this be the cause of the intermittent ignition problem while driving. Could explain why I was not able to restart the car in neutral while rolling along at 65. Something resets itself when I turn the ignition switch to the full off then on position.

 

100 percent sure that's your problem

 

What part of replace the ignition switch is he not getting ?

 

I agree, I would start with that 1st.


Hard to diag a car via the internet. Lots of things could cause the symptoms OP car is having.

With all that said there is a very high probability with a Honda it is just a stupid main relay.

 

You got me....OP, how about you tap into the BLK/YEL wire on the dist a hook a small light off that wire....find a ground almost anywhere. Then when the car dies, you'll know if you are loosing power to the dist.

 

new problem. Car sat in garage for 4 days. I fired it up yesterday, no problem. Pulled it out of the garage, sat outside last night. The outside air temp as 28 degrees. Went to start at 4:30am this morning, all the check lights came on as I turned the ignition switch, went to the start position everything went dead (dark) including the auto seat belt retractor. Turned the ignition all the way off, then back on. All the check lights on again, tried to start, everything went dead again. Sounds and looks like the battery finally died. The cold outside probably did not help.

 

Found the problem. It appears that battery is ok. The positive terminal connection was not tight. I wiggled it a bit and the car fired right up. I rechecked the connection, the clamp is tightened as far as it would go. It still pulls right off the terminal. I am going to pick up a battery terminal shim. It looks like the steel metal (not lead) clamp had been replaced some time in the past.

 

So loose battery connection caused car to die in free way more than one time?? I learn something new everyday