ok, this is a continuation of the last problem i had with my 90 crx si. the car had cut off suddenly on the road one day. it didnt even die out gradually, it jus cut off when i was accelerating in third gear. since the car was still rolling, i popped the clutch again to roll start, and it started for a second then cut back off. the battery/alternator were fine, but the car wouldnt even roll start once i stopped the car and pushed it with some friends. some friends told me that those were symptoms of a messed up distributor. so i replaced the distributor with a known working one, and the car started right up on the first try.

the car ran well for about 2 days, when one night it decided to take a **** on me again. this time it was at night and i was in a neighborhood. i was on the way to tennis practice, and before i got to the courts, the car was acting a little funny, like it was struggling to accelerate. when i stepped on the gas, it would sound like i was only getting power from two cylinders or something. i gingerly accelerated to the courts. after practice, the car started up fine, but it was still not accelerating well. soon after, stepping on the gas didnt do anything, and the car stalled out. i pulled over, and had the car towed home.

i doubt the distributor couldve messed up again, but i dont understand how it could have started up on the first try when i replaced the dist. could this be a fuel related problem? the fuel pump sounds very quiet, but im not sure if its priming or not. how could i check the fuel pump other than listening to it prime? do you guys have any ideas what the problem could be?

thanks so much

 

have you ever had to replace your main relay? sounds like a problem I use to have, except I didn't change my dist.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by edmCRX &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">have you ever had to replace your main relay? sounds like a problem I use to have, except I didn't change my dist.</TD></TR></TABLE>

no, ive never had to replace my main relay...do i have to remove the dash to reach it?

 

no, you have to remove the coin holder and the hood release lever, its easy but a bitch to get to with big hands...

 

Get someone to turn your key so the car is restored with power (but not so the engine turns over) and you go listen on the driver side rear quater-panel for a humming noise. If you can hear that, then the main relay is firing the fuel pump (which is good). If you try to start your car and it just turns-over but nothing happens, try the procedure above. If you don't hear the hum then obviously the pump is not firing up, and the main relay is semi-faulty.

It's also a good idea to remove the main relay anyways and remove the circuit board from the casing and take a good look at the soldering points. Over time, the soldering points become cracked and tend to fail here and there. I remember I had that problem, I just removed the main relay, re-soldered the soldering points and I haven't had the problem since (been about a year and a half now).

-edmCRX

OH, also, here is an instruction guide I just came accross for you (with pictures to help).

 

I had a similar problem (I seem to be saying that a lot) believe it or not it was the alternator going out. The car was pulling all the juce from the battery to run the ecu and stuff, and on a long drive it pulled all the juce out or the battery and the car died on the freeway at 70mph the car was ok on short drives but it died on long ones weird.

To check your alternator put a multimeter on the battery and look for 12 volts(correct me if I am wrong it was a while ago) that checks the battery then start the car and it should show at least 12 volts. If not your alternator is bad.

 

also, you may want to check teh MAP sensor.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by DJ_SaNdOz &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">also, you may want to check teh MAP sensor.</TD></TR></TABLE>

where is the MAP sensor and how do i check if its faulty or not?

thanks for all the replies so far guys, im gonna go check the main relay as soon as it stops raining...

 

Damn must be a CRX bad week or something this past monday on my way to work my CRX left me on foot. But i think i had the same kinda problem. I was driving along at about 40 mph or so and it felt like my car was hesitating ( kinda jerky) so i pulled over and let it rest thinking i could just restart....nope after saying every cuss word twice as loud as i could i decided to start walking. Needless to say my car is still where i left it because i'm still broke because of my last CRX breakdown (timing belt), then before then it was my clutch. (sigh) either way i wanted to know if someone could help me out as well. it sounds almost the same that happened to me, on the first occassion to you. And if it is my distributer how hard is it gonna be to replace? will i need someone to do it for me or can i bust out with my $30 tool set and fix it and feel like superman? ok someone please fill me in, and if youwere able to fix your CRX good job keep them alive they are AWESOME cars

 

sounds like the fuel pump. i had nearly an identical situation. car died on highway 3 hours from home. went back to car, replaced disributor, drove home only to have it breakdown 2 days later on the beltway. got car back home and replaced distributor again car would start run 30 seconds then die. replaced fuel pump and have had no problems. if you have not replaced the main relay though you might want to try it before dropping fuel tank

 

The main relay won't make the car quit in the middle of driving - it will make it so it won't start to begin with, am I right? I thought the main relay, when starting the car, activates the fuel pump, hence the "click" when you only turn the key to the "ON" position. Is this correct?

If so, fixing the main relay won't fix **** if your car dies in the middle of driving. Could be fuel pump, MAP sensor (getting any codes?), injectors, etc.

Alex

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Quik89Si &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">If so, fixing the main relay won't fix **** if your car dies in the middle of driving. Could be fuel pump, MAP sensor (getting any codes?), injectors, etc.

Alex</TD></TR></TABLE>

no codes ..

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Quik89Si &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">The main relay won't make the car quit in the middle of driving - it will make it so it won't start to begin with, am I right? I thought the main relay, when starting the car, activates the fuel pump, hence the "click" when you only turn the key to the "ON" position. Is this correct?

If so, fixing the main relay won't fix **** if your car dies in the middle of driving. Could be fuel pump, MAP sensor (getting any codes?), injectors, etc.

Alex</TD></TR></TABLE>
sure it can, happened to me, the car would bog down sometimes..

 

Double and triple check your timing. If you just changed the distributor you need to re-time the vehicle. You might have it set to where it will start, but once it warms up it is too-far out... Just a thought.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by phyregod &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Double and triple check your timing. If you just changed the distributor you need to re-time the vehicle. You might have it set to where it will start, but once it warms up it is too-far out... Just a thought. </TD></TR></TABLE>

i set the ignition timing when i changed distributors, so that shouldnt be a problem.

thanks though

 

wouldnt the map sensor jus make it stall, and not cut out while foot on the gas... well was ur foot on the gas while break down?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by b18c93 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">wouldnt the map sensor jus make it stall, and not cut out while foot on the gas... well was ur foot on the gas while break down?
</TD></TR></TABLE>

yes, i was on the gas while it broke down.

i replaced the main relay, and the car still wont start...im gonna try a known working one however since i got this one from the junkyard.

 

I experienced a very smiliar problem last year, and it was my MAP sensor. The sensor is located on the passenger side firewall. It's a small plastic sensor w/ some vaccuum lines coming out. You'll see it. I purchased a used MAP sesnor from a JY for $20 and I was back on the road again.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by DJ_SaNdOz &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I experienced a very smiliar problem last year, and it was my MAP sensor. The sensor is located on the passenger side firewall. It's a small plastic sensor w/ some vaccuum lines coming out. You'll see it. I purchased a used MAP sesnor from a JY for $20 and I was back on the road again.</TD></TR></TABLE>

did you get a CEL? is there a way to test the MAP sensor if the car doesnt start? in the helms theres a flowchart to test it but its dependent on if the car starts...

 

i replaced the MAP sensor with a known working one, and no luck. but i think the main relay i replaced the old one with is bad, cuz now when i turn the ignition on, the CEL doesnt even come on at all.

ill replace the main relay with the old one tomorrow and try it again. but if it doesnt work after that, its probably the fuel pump, right?

 

seems like you've eliminated alot of stuff. the fuel pump is suspect, my car drove fine after i replaced my dist. for two days. then one day , leaving the toll booth, it' got up to about sixty and died. it was the fuel pump. could also be bad gasoline. might run some berrymans through it.

 

I think it's the fuel pump...just get a gauge and check the fuel pressure. Anyone for the fuel pump, say I!

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by spooncvc &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I think it's the fuel pump...just get a gauge and check the fuel pressure. Anyone for the fuel pump, say I!</TD></TR></TABLE>

alright, so just attach the gauge to the hose at the fuel filter and check for pressure there? how much pressure am i looking for?

also, does anyone know the flow rate of a stock fuel pump?

thanks for the replies everyone

 

ttt

 

SOUNDS LIKE THE EXACT PROBLEM I WAS HAVING A WHILE BACK. I took it to a local shop, they basically redid the whole ignition and it turned out the be some shitty OBX racing wires.