I have a 94 del sol that I am having so many problems with. I will go to start the car and it will crank but will not turn over. After waiting anywhere from 10 min to 1 hr I will hear a buzz and a click, then the car will start. It's been worse lately due to the area having a lot of rain. I have had the fuel pump replaced, the ignition switch replaced twice, the main relay replaced, and ignition switch lock thing (under the steering column) bypassed, and replaced the starter all since the beginning of the year: most of it within the last couple of months. I am out of ideas and am about ready to sell it and get a more dependable car. Any and all ideas would be greatly appreciated.

 

Check the main relay, try resoldering it or replace it.

Could be the ECU, moisture/heat effect the capacitors over time effecting the fuel pump priming circuit. Car will crank but won't start. Can you hear the fuel pump prime/buzz for a few seconds when you turn the key to first position?
If not it's probably the ECU. Junkyard replacement for about $125.

Bundle of wires screwed to the thermostat housing are the ground wires for the ECU. Clean them good and ensure the ECU has a good ground.

These are common issues with 93 to 95 civics.

 

I replaced the main relay about two months ago. I hear the buzz and click when the key is in the third position (the one right before you turn the car over). Is there a way to check the ECU before replacing it to make sure that it is the problem?

 

I replaced the main relay about two months ago. I hear the buzz and click when the key is in the third position (the one right before you turn the car over). Is there a way to check the ECU before replacing it to make sure that it is the problem?

 

Swap the ECU with somebody who has a 93 to 95 civic for a test.

You can open the ECU and do a visual check and maybe see a burnt capacitor but my ECU never really showed a problem.

You mentioned when it rained the problem was worse. That's a sign that high humidity effects the capacitors. If you look at the outside case of the ECU and see a bit of moisture corrosion of the case that's a hint of humidity soak. I think sols are worse than ordinary civics for moisture because of the targa top.

It's an intermittent problem until the caps totally fail. Than it will never start.
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The ECU is over 20 years old. They were probably never meant to last this long anyway.

 

If it turns over but doesn't crank do you know you're getting fire?

 

I went out this morning and tried to start the car. It connected but still would not start

 

I had an ignition coil dying that acted the same..

 

Is there any way to check if it's the coil before replacing it?

 

test it like this:

Advanced Ignition Troubleshooting - Team Integra Forums - Team Integra

or just buy a $20 richporter coil on ebay and swap it out.
they only last 3-5 years even the pricey honda coil bites it eventually.
i always carry a spare. getting stranded is no way to go through life.
the universe favors the prepared mind grasshopper. ommmm...
*cue introspective gamelan music*

 

This how you test your ICM.


This is how you test your coil. Be sure to subtract the internal resistance of you multimeter to get the correct reading for Primary Winding Resistance.

 

Did you clean the ground wire connection at the thermostat housing ?

 

Sorry it's taken so long to reply. I had to wait until I had enough money saved up to get more parts. I've replaced the ICM because I had it tested and it failed; however, the car still does not start. I replaced the ignition coil before replacing the ICM so the car did not start. Is it worth getting a new ignition coil and trying it?

 

Or you could do basic diagnostics instead of throwing parts at it. Get a spark tester. Use the spark tester. What color is your spark on all four?

 

Is there bright white spark at the plugs?

 

There is no spark. There is no fire to any part of the car. It is not the spark plugs or the wires. Those are all new.

 

What does this^ mean?

This^ suggests that no-spark is a side issue. You may want to try resoldering the main relay or doing some electrical tests.

 

I went out and bought the ignition coil this morning and the car started! So it was a combination of the ignition module and the ignition coil. The only slight problem with it now is the slow connection when the car starts. It takes a minute for the fuel pump to click on or something like that. Thank you everyone for your help!

 

You may not be out of the woods yet. The ECU can be a intermittent problem before the caps totally fail. That slow fuel pump priming is the clue I'm going by. Good Luck.

 

The slow pump priming is the exact same symptom my vehicle exhibited before it finally left me stranded at a shady convenience store. The issue was also more often seen on rainy days. I second the recommendation of opening your ECU case and looking for burns on the board or leaking acid from a blown capacitor before you end up in a bad situation. The leaking acid will be easy to see as it changes the color of the board to a lighter green than the surrounding area. Opening the case is pretty easy and if you're careful you don't have to worry about damaging the ECU.