Hi all! We're trying to fix up a 94 Accord EX for our daughter. Problem is when we try to start it, it struggles before finally starting then immediately dying. Under the hood the cruise control cable (I think, might be throttle) has a little rubber accordion style piece next to the locking and adjustment and instead of compressing, the cable bends down. Any ideas on what's causing this and how can we fix it?
Thanks!

 

That appears to be the CC cable. It's slack condition is definitely anomalous. But a slack throttle CC cable shouldn't cause the engine to stall (but admittedly, I'm uncertain... gotta look that up...) That said, an engine starved of air will stall; but the butterfly valve has sufficient clearance around its perimeter to allow the necessary smidgeon of air to pass. (Plus there's an air passage courtesy of the idle air control valve that allows air to bypass the throttle... blah, blah...). I could be completely wrong, of course--and that slack CC cable could be the exact problem with your stalling-at-startup Accord. Still...

Two tests, both with you under the hood and an assistant in the drivers seat.

1) Assistant tries to start the Accord while you work the throttle.
- Ask assistant to turn the ignition and listen for the engine to turn-over as you watch the throttle pulley.
- When the engine seems to "catch", grab the throttle and turn it slightly counter-clockwise. If the engine runs and revs, let go of the throttle pulley. If the engine holds idle, you have a semblance of the area where the problem is.

2) Check for fuel pressure at the fuel rail;
Your assistant will sit in the drivers seat and turn the ignition to Accessory ONLY, and ONLY when you ask with you under the hood. Your assistant will NOT start the engine. You expect fuel to exit the end of the fuel hose with some force into a container that you will hold, so be prepared. One attempt should be all that is required; two possibly. If, after a third attempt, you don't see any fuel from that hose, you have confirmed the slack CC cable ain't the only problem under the hood.

1) Pull the end of the fuel hose from either the fuel rail or the damper (I'm not familiar with the plumbing of a '94 engine) and hold a container to catch fuel as it is pumped out;
2) Ask assistant to turn the ignition to Accessory ONLY. Close the driver door--you need to listen for the fuel pump relay click on and off. After two seconds, the relay will click "open" and the fuel pump will stop.
3) When fuel appears from the hose, secure the fuel hose onto the rigid fuel line and with the hose clamp. (If no fuel appears, or appears as a very small amount, repeat.)

If no fuel appears you need to check upstream components; e.g.; fuel pump fuse, fuel relay, feul filter, fuel pump, bad fuel, fuel blockage.