I have a 1996 Accord EX wagon. For some time now, when I turn the ignition on in the morning the check engine light appears and the car won’t start until the light goes off. Eventually I hear the fuel pump prime and it starts. Sometimes this is 2-3 minutes; sometimes as long as 20 minutes. This is a second car and I'm retired, so I have adapted to its eccentricities. No real pattern, but perhaps worse in hot weather. Once started and run for about 30 minutes, the car acts normally the rest of the day—starting within seconds of turning the ignition on. Car runs perfectly otherwise and CEL never on at any other time. I replaced the starter relay based upon info from these forums, but nothing changed.
I had the OBD scanned at auto store, but since the car had been running, they never retrieved any codes.
Then I bought an OBD2 scanner.
No codes stored---but when the check engine light is on (and the car will not start), the scanner fails with a “link error”. When the light goes off, a re-scan will complete with no errors, and the car will start.
Any ideas how to pinpoint this problem? Or cheap workarounds?

 

Anyone, Anyone?

 

sounds like your crank sensor is going bad.
When you turn your key to the start position you should always gear a buzzing noise coming front the back under the seat.
That's is your fuel pump priming the system to crank.
If you don't hear that noise then it could be the pump. but if its starting and driving like you said after a while its not the pump.