starting problems

[daveholiday]

I have a 1990 crx si, and every now and then, I'll start the car, it'll sputter for about a second and a half at maybe 500 rpm's or less, and then stall. When it does this, it won't start for about 20 seconds, and then it will start up fine, as if nothing happened. When it plays the sputter game, i've tried giving it gas but it just dies quicker. Does anyone else have this problem or know what it is? I've had the car for a year now, and it passes all of PA's inspection and emission junk, and it's never severely effected me, just delayed me 20 seconds or so. It usually happens maybe once a month or so but it's kinda starting to bother me, I wanna make sure nothing is severely wrong.

Thanks,
Dave

 

[hondasniper]

Your main relay may be going out. If you put the ignition to the on switch and the cel doesn't come on for a couple of seconds then go out, then it's your main relay (when FIRST put the car to the on position (no start), the check engine light (cel) is supposed to come on for approx 2 seconds then go out). The main relay is right underneath the dash on the left side. It kinda sux getting to it. You can hit it right before the car shuts completely off and it should get it working again, but that's just temporary. If that's what it is, then what it's doing is not turning on the fuel pump (you'll hear the fuel pump prime for the same amount of time the cel is on). Good luck! (btw, it's happened to me).

 

[daveholiday]

thanks, I appriciate the advise and I'll try that in the morning, seeing as how its midnight here and I have to be at work in 7 hours haha, I'll let ya know what happens though

 

[freak86]

yeah....def sounds like it's getting not enough or too much fuel. maybe sensors would cause that? i had a coolant temp sensor caused a problem similar to that. but, yeah...
i'd listen to the previous guy. he knows more than me about that, i'm guessing.

 

[Speed Box]

I say fuel filter. Although relay should be checked also. They are both related to fuel. Get some high octane gas then Seafoam ($5), dump a can in tank and chean your intake manifold while you're at it.

Relay is like $15 bucks don't quote me on it.

Your filter, injector, pump, whatever is dirty thats why you step on the gas and it ..... and idle drops.

I had Acura Legend once almost same problem except it rarely started (solution was some crazy relay that was a special order part that was $50). Car is super lux except electric gremlins are nighmare.

 

[hondasniper]

the main relay is about $50. The relays suck and that's what tends to go out on most circuit cards that has a shit load of relays on it (relay gets stuck, tap it to get it going until you can get a new part to replace it).

 

[daveholiday]

well back to the original idea i said i'd try, the cel light does come on for a few seconds when its in the ON position, not started, so there's that bit of info. I'm putting back together a y8 head that I bought and had cleaned, so I guess I'll just clean the intake manifold while I'm doin that, and then I'll get a new main relay if its still goin all shitty like. I'm boostin this within the next month, starting as soon as I get the y8 head on, so I'll just put my new fuel pump in then