Car only starts sometimes....

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scottp11

scottp11

The Seniorest Member....
Okay, I got a 93 civic hatch CX with a B16A turbo. I've been having this problem for about 4 months now and can not figure out why.

When I try to start my car, sometimes it fires right up. I get in, put the key in the ignition, turn until I hear the fuel pump come on, and start the car. Other times, I follow the same procedure, and it cranks for a few seconds until the engine doesn't crank, just the starter, like the battery is dead. Other times, I get in, try to start it, it cranks like it's not going to start, then it does.

I've replaced the battery 3 times, the starter once, and the alternator once. I've checked all the wiring between the battery and starter, and checked the ground on the battery and on the starter. I replaced my main relay with a brand new one from Honda (which I knew was bad) about 6 months ago. I know that the main relay is not my problem now, but I just wanted to avoid people saying that...

Can someone please give me some advice as to what it could be? Thanks in advance!!!
 
nope, talkin about this which you can find here.

honda_ignition.jpg

it lives in the distributor.
 
i have the same problem

Same thing happening to me. I have a EG with a LS swap. It use to start, not all the time, but now it doesnt anymore. It cranks but wont turn on or run. I replaced the battery, dizzy/coil/cap/rotor/wires/plugs, there's gas and the fuel pump turns on, alternator/starter good, what next? Help!
 
dacheat said:
nope, talkin about this which you can find here.

honda_ignition.jpg

it lives in the distributor.
Click to expand...

Thanks. You think this could be it from what I'm describing? Sometimes (most of the time) it turns over like 3-4 times then does nothing, like the battery is dead. Like it's not getting a full connection between the battery and starter. Other times it'll crank like that 3-4 times, then just start right up... I don't know. Thanks again for the help! If you can think of anything else, let me know.

Thanks again
 
If it's sounding like it's missing a connection between the battery and the starter than check the wiring and for loose grounds. Try using another known-good starter see if that's your problem.
 
Yeah, thanks.... I did all that and changed the starter with one out of a running 99 Civic Si. I started the Si, turned it off, took the starter out, put it in my car. No start. Took it back out put it in the Si, started the Si. Worked fine.

I should also note that my car started perfectly everytime, up until about 4 months ago. I did my swap like 2 1/2 years ago, and put my turbo in like 7 months ago. It started fine, then just all of a sudden, it wouldn't start. Thats when I started replacing parts...

Also, sometimes it just starts up perfectly. (like twice a week)
 
all i can say is i went through exactly what you're describing, twice. replaced the ignition control module both times, fixorama. basically this thing starts frying and you get idle glitches and flaky starts. they way i understand it, the ignition module has a lot to do with whether or not your spark plugs work right. this one's hard to troubleshoot because it isn't like it has obvious signs of failure (other than the symptoms you're describing).

i've also had the main relay go, that pretty much shows up as zero start from nowhere, then starts fine 'randomly' an hour or a day later. actually has something to do with relative temp and humidity and the contacts, so i hear. call me crazy, but i'm convinced this part acts up based on the weather (mine failed during extreme humidity and extreme cold and extreme heat situations). if the main relay can't tell the rest of your car's guts that the fuel system is primed and ready to rock, you don't get to go anywhere.
 
Yeah man! Thanks!

As for the main relay, I had that problem. I actually found a site that showed how to fix the relay and described why it happens. It said that since it is a relay, it has moving parts, and over time/and heat, the solder breaks. When it gets cooled off, the solder reconnects and allows it to make contact, therefore starting the car. I ordered a brand new one from Honda before I found this site, but fixed the relay before it got to my house. I ended up putting the new one in, but the re-soldered one worked perfectly.

Also, I noticed that the relays are made for ABS and non-ABS. What would ABS have to do with your car starting? Just different models or something? Thanks again man!
 
scottp11 said:
Also, I noticed that the relays are made for ABS and non-ABS. What would ABS have to do with your car starting? Just different models or something? Thanks again man!
Click to expand...

that i don't know, as my car is from pre-abs days ;).
 
scottp11 said:
Yeah man! Thanks!

As for the main relay, I had that problem. I actually found a site that showed how to fix the relay and described why it happens. It said that since it is a relay, it has moving parts, and over time/and heat, the solder breaks. When it gets cooled off, the solder reconnects and allows it to make contact, therefore starting the car. I ordered a brand new one from Honda before I found this site, but fixed the relay before it got to my house. I ended up putting the new one in, but the re-soldered one worked perfectly.

Also, I noticed that the relays are made for ABS and non-ABS. What would ABS have to do with your car starting? Just different models or something? Thanks again man!
Click to expand...

what site did u find the information on?

i too have the same problem, and i've replaced everything, but the main relay, so i think that could be it.
 
Well... Yesterday I took apart my distributor (marking it's position first) to find that the screw that holds the rotor on was off completely and there was no spring in the top part where no plug wires connect to, (I don't know what you call that part). I replaced the screw and found a spring that would fit, cleaned everything up and put it back together. I still doesn't start everytime, but it does run smoother... I'm just gonna get a new distributor tomorrow. I hope that is the problem, cuzz the new dizzy costs about $270 bucks here: Street Imports - TD68U JDM B16A2 OBD1 DOHC VTEC Distributor. Hope this is the problem...

Also, I know I have a serious wiring problem too. When I turn on my turn signals, my speedo jumps to like 70 mph then jumps back to normal. Don't know what that could be, but...
 
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