Motor is a 96 JDM ITR. All of a sudden one day the car would not fire.. cranks all day lng and at some points it wants to turn over. you can hear air getting sucked in but before it starts, it dies. I can pop the clutch and it runs fine. No issue. And if i turn the car off after running it, i can turn it back on and it will start. So the coil is still charged, but if the coil gets fully discharged (not starting it for awhile) then im fubar, and in the situation i explained earlier.

I did a search and didnt see anyone that could push start it and it be fine... Main relay? Ignitor? Coil? i dont know exactly and each of these items arnt cheap, so i want to make sure. I am going to run a different ECU when i get home to exclude that,, but other than that im at a loss... i feel the starter after i crank it awhile and it is hot. I checked the starter ground and grounds in general and it was all fine. I replaced the cap and rotor to elimate that as well...

Any ideas? is this an obvious isuue that im just not aware of?

 

Why dont you try replacing the coil? I had a similar problem, changed the coil and battery and works fine.

 

becasue a coil is going to cost around 80$ and if that isnt the problem i am assed out that money.. i was just hoping that someone on here has had a similar problem, or could diagnose this for me based on what i have said... If they know it is infact the coil then i will get a new one... i just want to make sure, based on what is going on...

 

its not your coil or ignitor

 

then what is it??? The battery is ok.. lights dont dim and radio blasts fine..... If it isnt one of those two thiings then what else could it be?

 

you could always take to a mech, Or to like discount auto and have them try to figure it out.

 

yes and pay out the *** for something that i can do myself. i just need to diagnose it. I can fix it myself. I just dont know, based on what is going on, what exactly is the problem...

 

I don't think it would be your main relay, cos based on what you mentioned that it would fire up when you jump start it. So that eliminates the main relay, but just to make sure, when you turn the ignition on do you hear the fuel pump prime.

I would if you don't want to spend the money on the parts until you know exactly what the problem is, ask any of your friends who have Hondas if you could borrow their car for a day and use their parts to check for the defective ones.

Hope this helps.

 

If it fires up when you jump start it but not when you start it "stand-alone" then maybe your battery has lost the cold-cranking amps. I heard that somewhere...

 

its when i pop the clutch to start it... dont jump start it... but im going to have somebody jump it for me today to see if that makes it turn over... ill start with the esay stuff first and work backwards.....

 

After reading your last post, I am beginning to wonder if it actually is the main relay. Is it priming when you turn the ignition on without cranking it?

If that is the situation I would have to say you relay is on its way out.

Keep us posted on your findings.

 

Yes the fuel pumps prims... i mean... i dont know how it cannot be if i can pop the clutch to start it. Know what im saying? I am 99.9% sure fuel isnt the problem. Idle is fine once i pop it, and it runs like it has every other day. The problem i am feeling is getting spark to the spark plugs at startup.. As soon as i am done with my friggin physics midterm today i am going to pull a plug and see if i get spark. I am positive that i will not however, casue that could be the only thing that is prohibiting me from turning the car over...


I dont know the exact mehanism for what happens when you turn the key and how that gets charge to the plugs... And once that happens, what maintains that charge... My problem is not maintaing the charge.. i can run the car. The prob lies in starting the car itself... So if i can figure out that sequence then im golden and will have a easy time diagnosing the problem.

Clear as mud? As of right now i am totally lost however.. you need spark, compression and fuel to make the car go... once i pop the clutch i have all three... but im missing spark at the start up... its finding out exactly what is wrong with athat initial thats the problem. BTW.. i changed out my ECU and still same problem, also jumped the battery just to make sure and that wasnt it either... did the same exact thing..

As for right now, im making sure to park my car on an incline so i can start it

 

I would get a electric tester (can’t think what you call it) to test the voltage on main parts of the ignition system.

Such as your coil, main relay, other parts distributor, and what not. Pull your plugs and see if you get any spark when cranking. (not sure if you already mentioned that.)
Maybe a borrow a friends part that you may think is not working as see if that solves your problem and then that’s what you need to buy.

Break out your manual and go through the step by step chart of ignition problems, eliminating each possibility until you find what is wrong.
Make sure all connections are good too! Check your fuses, even though it runs when you do it certain way, maybe one is loss or going out. Probably not but just throwing out ideas. Oh do you have a manual; maybe the switch under the petal went bad.


Good luck.

 

Well just to give everyone a heads up and hopefully this can get archived for simliar people... The problem was the ignition coil. I guess it was kinda of a freak thing and it is either off or on... but in my case it was giving a weak spark. Enough to run the car, but not enough to start it cold. The shop that i took it to said it was kinda a weird deal, and hasnt seen it happen too often, and could understand my frustration. He said he figured it out by measuring the voltage of the spark and it was well below spec... so check that out if any of you ever have the same type of problems...

Thanks Jim, and to the rest of you for taking the time to look at it, and try to help me out...