hey guys, so I picked up a 93 Accord -- kinda rough but would be a fun project....it will sometimes start when it is cold but will not restart once it has driven for a minute....So I replaced the coil, cap, rotor, plugs (with junkyard parts but they look good) and when it runs, it runs great -- so I am thinking main relay or ECU. I went to the yard and pulled 6 or 7 main relays...swapped those out when it doesn't start and it still doesn't start, I don't think all those main relays could be bad. I also swapped the computer under the hood...nothing. So, I went and got a junk yard ecu from a 92 accord, still no start --- I DID NOT do anything to reset the junk yard ecu, did I need to pull the fuse or something like I have read on here? Any other ideas? I know the ecu I bought could be junk...

When it does run, it runs GREAT so I am 99.999% sure my spark is good --- so it has got to be fuel related --- I am convinced the ecu is bad...but this is just from swapping parts and past Accords/Civics I have worked on.

 

sounds like possible ignition switch if it doesnt even crank when acting up

 

could be, Im thinking the ignitior in the dizzy could be bad.

 

Mine turned out to be my distributor

 

Im Having a very simular problem right now. to check your ECM. what I did is I stripped the isolation off the wire that is the ground for the fuel portion of the relay, put a alligator clip on the wire and when it died i grounded it on something i knew was a reliable ground under the dash. If that doesnt work test the power side with the same idea but connect the power wire for the relay to something with engine running power. The One with power i havent tried yet. currently im checking my ICM inside the distributor with a 12v LED connected to the ground wire for the ignition coil, and connected the positive side of the LED to a key on power sourse. I'm using the power side of the window fuse and pinched a wire in that positive side. I then mounted the light to my windshield in the bottom right corner led facing down, taped the backside down with guerrilla tape to both keep it down and hid the light from external view (so i dont get pulled over for a flashing red light because it flashes with the coil) I can see it on the inside only. If the light goes out and car dies, its the distributor, if the car dies and the light goes out and the car wont start its the same thing.

 

Also when your driving do the rpms ever drop unexpectedly real fast and then return, because mine is.

 

no, once it runs, it runs fine...I swapped the ICM's - still nothing. I may need to go with an entire dist ---- but Ill have to find a junkyard one....

 

can i put any dist with an int. coil in it?

 

I believe it should be fine as long as the connections are the same, and it mounts up right but im not a 100% sure on that. Honastly a distributor is something that i would just get a new part for. Most of the distributors you get off hondas suck, and even if you get one working it wont last very long.

 

yea, its a money thing for me though, a new dist would be close to what the car is worth!

 

Just wondering if you figured out the problem on your car. I just fixed mine turned out be the distributor. When you changed out parts on yours did you change the icm because that is a high cause of distributor failure due to heat.