after i turn my 88 civic HB off, i'm unable to start it. battery i strong, starter turns, but the engine just won't kick. if i let it sit for 3-5 min, it turns right over. any suggestions?

 

classic case of a bad main relay.

new one costs about $35, or you can repair the one you have. the problem is the solder joints in the relay develops cracks over time. to fix it, remove the main relay from the car, the carefully pry the cover off the top to expose the circuit board. desolder and resolder all the joints, reassemble and reinstall it.

 

no kidding. is this the relay that kicks in the fuel pump? which one is it in that little underhood compartment?

 

the main relay is just above the hood (OPEN) latch. take off that little change holder and you'll see it

 

yeah, it's the one that controls the fuel pump and the injectors, and a couple other things (i think).

it's a big black or brown relay with a metal bracket hanging off one end. it has a big white eletrical connector on it with like 5 or 6 contacts. like zcivicz said, you can remove it by removing the coin tray.

in the mean time, i'd unbolt it using a 10mm box wrench (so you don't have to remove the coin tray) and pull it out to where you can get to it. if the car doesn't start, smack it a few times and it should start.

 

holy crappers...i got the same exact problem in my 89 dx. it would start fine in the beginning, but if i turn it off after running it for a while, it wont come back on. i would just leave the car in the acc position and then restart it. ill take a look at that relay though.

 

honestly, i'm almost ANXIOUS to try slapping the dashboard near my coin tray the next time she won't turn over.