My wife's '92 Accord.........

I'm a newbie to the Honda game, but need a little help getting her car back up and running. Out of nowhere, it died last night. The tach just dropped, and that was it. We tried to crank on it for a bit with now luck. Towed it home.

This morning, I checked the plugs (all clean), then noticed the battery terminals were way corroded. I cleaned then up, and the car started right up!

Went to the parts house and bought all the usual "tune up" parts, including wires, button, cap, plugs. K&N cleaner and oil. Motor oil and filter.

On the way home, IT DIED AGAIN

It's not the timing belt (i think) because it ran fine for awhile this morning. I went ahead and installed the wires, cap, button and plugs. Re-cleaned the battery terminals, NO LUCK!

Any ideas?

PS: Has a 1/4 tank of gas too.

Also, here is a link to a site about our RX7. Some of you may like it.
http://www.thewrongmotor.com

Thanks!

 

Have you checked the alternator? Have you had your battery checked up on also?

 

Battery's fine.
Doesn't seem like it'd be the alternator, because it ran last night then died instantly, ran for a while today then died instantly, and cranks like crazy.
Can the alternator have intermittent failures like I described?
I've only seen them fail one time, not over and over again.
How 'bout the ECU?

Thanks.

 

how does your ignitor on your distributor look?

First: I would check for spark.
Second: I'd check for fuel to the motor.

 

2 more ideas to check...

Honda's are known for ignition switches that get flaky. Especially if you've got a heavy keychain. Got a DMM? Check it for continuity at each position.

Another popular problem is the main relay, a combination fuel pump relay that also powers some other stuff like ignition & EFI. But others have said that its unusual for the main relay to fail while driving. Usually it'll fail when it's hot inside the car, then work OK for a while.

 

I'll check the ignition switch today. Also gonna have the wife crank on it while I check for spark and fuel.

Let 'ya know soon.

Thanks!

 

"Can the alternator have intermittent failures like I described?"

yes it can. Especially if it is a rebuilt alternator.

 

alternator, check coil, the timing belt deffinately can't be it, unless it has been changed recently and is off a tooth or two...but if it was broken or whatever, the car would be f'ed anyway.

Umm....try the main relay depending on the situation, I find that most hondas right now are performing poorly due to that stupid little thing.

-Nathan

 

id have to say the main relay. there not to costly either and you could try it when its not starting then you would know for sure.

 

my main fuse has a habit of blowing i would definitlly check all fuses

 

possible problems #ignition coil#2igniter#ignition switch or main relay depends on if there is no spark or no fuel or both ?????

 

when you have your wife crank it open up the oil cap and look in there with a flashlight and if you dont see the cam turning then you know it is the timing belt after that check the spark .... it is probally one of those two

 

i've seen a lot of these simailar promblems with the 90-93 accords... with me it was the ignition module... then it worked fine... but to be on the safe side you should change the sparkplug wires and distributor cap.... and if the rotor is worn down.. you should change that too...

any help?

 

I've seen personally coils do this on type of year accord 90-93 and 92-95 civics the coil gets hot after some driving and thus causing this stalling problem. this only after the coil is going south. take out your coil and take the protective shield if you see burnt marks such as arking this would give a problem. if you need one buy an OEM coil don't buy aftermarket units these units are so poorly made.

 

this happened to my dad's 92 accord, happened to replace the fuel filter, and its problem free

 

Like some people have suggested, I think it could be the igniter. By your description, it sounds like what my car did. Good luck

If it is, you may as well replace the whole distributor and get it over with.