Ok, I did a search but I didn't get anything relevant...

After it has rained, or has been particularly humid out, my car sometimes takes a couple tries to start. I have a 95 civic EX coupe, stock D16Z6, intake and exhaust. What happens is this: I start the car like normal, and it starts up just as it normally would, but it only runs for about half a second, then shuts off. Sometimes it takes two or three times, other times it starts right up on the second try.

I'm guessing this is an electrical problem, mainly because the car runs fine after I get it started, and it only seems to happen when there's moisture in the air.

When I bought the car, it had an ignition kill switch installed (had to turn on the right blinker to start the car or it would not run for very long after you started it). The brain for this unit was spliced in between some of the main wires running to the distributor. I removed it, and spliced the wires back together with a butt-connector and covered them in electrical tape. After this problem started happening I double-checked my connection here to make sure it was good, and it seems fine.

Can anyone else think of any other causes right off the top of their heads? Obviously moisture is getting in somewhere, but where do I start looking?

 

Does the car have constant power when the ignition is on? For example you want to listen to the raido with the engine shut off.

 

i'd say you need to replace the fuel filter. Give it a shot, see if it helps.

 

Gee, it sounds like your electrical portion of your ingnition switch is kicking the bucket. Your problem fits the symtoms

However the rewiring after the alarm removal leaves me wondering. Ask a Honda dealer in your area and get their opinon, they may agree with me. Good luck


[Modified by Gonzo, 10:13 PM 10/29/2002]

 

Thanks for the suggestions guys. I'm going to re-do my connection where the ignition kill switch was cut out, and make sure I've got it wrapped nice and tight with electrical tape, and see if that solves the problems.

The car does have constant power when the ignition switch is on. I assume this would indicate a problem with the switch itself if it didn't have power...

I'm not so sure about the fuel filter... I guess it could be, but it doesn't seem like the engine is starving for fuel or anything, it just shuts off. It runs and pulls hard once it's going. I guess it's worth a shot if some of the other suggestions don't solve it. I should probably do it anyway, cause I don't think it's ever been replaced unless the previous owner did it.

I'll go in and ask the service dept. at the local dealership about it tomorrow. Maybe it's a common problem.

Thanks guys. If anyone else has any suggestions, please reply.




[Modified by matt-eg, 3:40 AM 10/30/2002]

 

You should test for power at the main relay. Maybe the main relay is not holding voltage after startup. Usually it primes the fuel system momentarily, then holds power after the engine is running.

 

I totally agree. I had the same problem. I switched relays and that corrected the problem.

 

Hmm... Here's what I would do. I would take the splices and redo them with solder. Next I would heat shrink them to make sure nothing will get inside and corrode the connection.. If that doesn't fix the problem, go ask a GOOD MECHANIC.

 

Silicone your external wiring to ensure no moisture corrodes your connections. Then wrap it.

Did the kill swithc also disable the fuel pump by any chance? Air in the fuel line sounds similar to this.