Hi everyone, my girlfriends '01 Accord has developed a problem. The car has always run flawlessly. We started noticing a gas smell and took it into the dealership. They said the tank was leaking and it would be $1300. to replace it. A good mechanic friend replaced it for half that and after two days of use it wouldn't start. We looked at it and determined the fuel pump was not running. He got one and put it in right there. Started right up for him. We came later to pick it up and it wouldn't start again. By chance she stepped on the gas and it started. Ran fine for two more days and same thing. No start until she stepped down on the gas. Any ideas what's going on? I can't imagine he did anything wrong changing the tank but it sure is coincidental. I hope you can help, Jim

 

In addition to the main fuel line there are additional lines like the fuel return: ask your buddy if he's sure that he connected them all correctly and that there's no crimps or constrictions, esp in any rubber portions.

 

Thanks, I'll check that tonight.

 

I looked it over tonight and he did a great job. Everything is right where it belongs. Nothing crimped or hooked up wrong. One thing we noticed was when we unscrewed the gas cap, there was some pressure in the tank. Is that normal? Any other ideas what could cause this problem? The car runs great with no problems except the occasional no start condition.

 

When you step on the gas you are putting it into no-flood mode which means it stops the injectors from opening when you start the car. This should mean the car is getting flooded. My guess would be maybe the fuel pressure is too high and when you start the car it's flooding the engine. I would do a fuel pressure test. You can get a great $20 kit at Harbor Freight that has the proper fitting for our cars.

 

That's normal, and is a sign that your gas cap works and that the system is pressurizing right.

Holmes's suggestion is definitely the way to go, but if your fuel pressure checks out ok, I don't know if the 6th gens have the same main relay setup as the 4th gens. If so, definitely worth checking. It's possible that the fuel tank leak was coincidental to the starting problem, and that a faulty main relay is causing the intermittent start issue. When my relay in my 4th gen was bad I swore it was a fuel issue, I would play with the gas cap, shake the car, etc, and it seemed to help it start sometimes, but it was pure coincidence, the problem was the relay which this forum helped me figure out. Maybe it starting when your gf pegs the gas is just chance.

I know the problem is common with 4th gen, can someone who's familiar with the 6th gen comment if this idea doesn't apply?

 

Is there a check engine light? If there is go from there

 

Is there a pressure regulator on this car because it did it with the old pump and the new one. No light

 

does your starter always crank when you turn the key even on the times it doesnt start? if not it could be your starter cut relay that feeds both the injectors and the starter

 

the pressure regulator will only fail and give you less pressure not more...get a pressure tester kit and test it...it sounds like you got a blockage past the fuel rail which is causing pressure to be too high...just an initial guess

 

Just got back from a trip, sorry I didn't reply sooner. Well, I haven't done anything to the car but it has not refused to start since. Running as great as it always did. I have no idea what was going on.
The car always cranked over but would only start with the gas pedal down. I guess I'll see what happens. Thank you for your suggestions.

 

Well it reared it's ugly head again. She went to leave work and it didn't start. She tried it 3-4 times. Then she put the gas down most of the way and it started. Ran fine and started every time after that today. She did say that when it wouldn't start she noticed that the fuel gauge was twitching back and forth while cranking. Any more ideas?