Car wont start under cold conditions
Thread Starter
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 118
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From: Dover, DE, USA
Car wont start under cold conditions
I did a search and found really nothing that applied to my problem...I have a 90 Accord with H23 swap...When I go to start it in the morning, it takes close to 10 mins for it to fire up properly....Air and spark are both fine, checked both. I narrowed it down to a fuel problem but only question being where...I wanted to say either FPR or fuel pump but once its warm, it runs fine and will start up fine every time after that...just only when its cold and has been sitting a while. Anyone had this problem or any good insight as to what it is? Any help is greatly appreciated.
Honda-Tech Member
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 3,738
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Re: Car wont start under cold conditions (brawl)
Most likely the infamous main relay. Almost all of the 4th gen accords will have this problem. Replace your main relay and you'll be fine, trust me.
Problems starting the car, usually after a short run (when the interior is warm), though in bad cases the car may fail to start at any time. A classic time for the problem to occur is at the petrol station, or if you park for a minute to get something from a shop. If the car is parked for a long period, the interior usually has cooled enough for the joint to make contact again, and you won't notice a problem. As the cabin temperature is a major feature of this problem, it might appear worse on cold or rainy days when you have the heater running to clear the windows etc. Extremely cold temperatures can also cause the problem to be more apparent.
The engine will usually fire, run for a split second and then stall, as the remaining fuel under pressure is used up. Continual cranking will only make the situation worse, with the engine not firing at all in the end. When you turn the ignition key to position II (ignition on) you should see the PGM-FI indicator on the dash light up and extinguish. Exactly timed with this lamp, you should hear a click and the fuel pump turn on and off. If you do not hear a click and the fuel pump, then the main relay is likely to be at fault.
The main relay is usually located near the fuse box, mounted on a bracket. If you thump this part of the dash, it is likely that the car will spring into life again as the joint is disturbed, unless the problem is severe.
[Modified by Razor, 12:24 PM 10/25/2002]
Problems starting the car, usually after a short run (when the interior is warm), though in bad cases the car may fail to start at any time. A classic time for the problem to occur is at the petrol station, or if you park for a minute to get something from a shop. If the car is parked for a long period, the interior usually has cooled enough for the joint to make contact again, and you won't notice a problem. As the cabin temperature is a major feature of this problem, it might appear worse on cold or rainy days when you have the heater running to clear the windows etc. Extremely cold temperatures can also cause the problem to be more apparent.
The engine will usually fire, run for a split second and then stall, as the remaining fuel under pressure is used up. Continual cranking will only make the situation worse, with the engine not firing at all in the end. When you turn the ignition key to position II (ignition on) you should see the PGM-FI indicator on the dash light up and extinguish. Exactly timed with this lamp, you should hear a click and the fuel pump turn on and off. If you do not hear a click and the fuel pump, then the main relay is likely to be at fault.
The main relay is usually located near the fuse box, mounted on a bracket. If you thump this part of the dash, it is likely that the car will spring into life again as the joint is disturbed, unless the problem is severe.
[Modified by Razor, 12:24 PM 10/25/2002]
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