93 Accord Coupe 2,0 SI wont start!

[has]

Hi I'm new here and I have a 93 Accord 2.0 si coupe that wont start. The car was working just fine until I changed the defected thermostat. There is no spark and I can't hear the fuel pump work. I checked every fuse "none blown" checked the main fuse relay looks like new. I only get 1 blink from "S" light gauges when I try to start the engine. I am going to locate the ECU wire tomorrow so I can get the failure codes.

[deevergote]

Is your car right-hand drive or left-hand drive?

The service connector should be on the passenger side (at least it is on LHD cars) under the dash. The only blue plug that isnt' attached to anything. Jump that with a paperclip or wire and you can get the codes (check the "sticky" threads in the Technical section for more information and a list of the error codes)

If the Check Engine Light (CEL) isn't solid, then it's not a bad ECU.

How long was the car sitting before you changed the thermostat? Did you let it sit for an extended period of time before you fixed it? It may be as simple as a dead battery, or dirty battery connections. Check that first, before you look into anything more complicated. Clean your terminals, jump the battery, and see what happens. No spark AND nothing from the fuel pump makes me thing it's a battery issue.

Also, the main relay (under the dash on the driver's side, again, on LHD vehicles anyway) is a common thing to go bad. That'll keep the fuel pump from priming, though you should have spark if that's bad. Of course, it could be the main relay AND something else, such as the igniter or coil.


Hooray cars!

[has]

Hi, thanks for a quick reply the car is a left-hand drive. I checked on the passenger side but I couldn't find the plug, but on the left side of the hand-break I can see a blue plug!? (I don't have heated seats) CEL light is it the "S" light or is it the "red engine light"?

The reason I changed the thermostat was that the car is imported from France but US Honda, the standard opening temperature for the thermostat is 78C, but here in Norway we use 88-91C. (the winter has already started here so to get a warm car I needed to change it)

I read on the forum, that it's common the thermostat has a ground lead with a bad connection? could that be the reason I am not getting any spark?

I checked the main relay, opened it and checked the connections. (no bad connection at all)

I will try to locate the ECU in morning, maybe if I am lucky I get some CEL codes.

[has]

what about the MAP sensor? I could have messed it up when I was changing the thermostat? But I am not sure what kind of failures the MAP sensor give me.

[deevergote]

The S light should be the Sport Shift light... however, that's only on 90-91 models for US Accords... I assume it's the same thing for yours, but I wasn't aware that that function was continued in later years outside of the US market. It indicates a transmission error.

The CEL is the red engine light.


A bad ground on the thermostat MIGHT be an issue... ground issues can cause problems. That'd be an easy thing to check.

You don't need to access the ECU, just the blue service plug. I believe that your S light will flash out a code when you jump that connector and turn the key to the II position (right before the start position... where all the dash lights come on)


Also, the main relay COULD still be bad. Bad connections often aren't visible without magnification. If you just looked at it without the use of a magnifying device, then you may not have seen a bad connection.



I'm still leaning toward a battery/ground issue over anything else. No spark AND no fuel pump priming makes me think loose or dirty battery connections, a weak battery, or possibly a bad ground connection (snapped, dirty, not tight...) I had dirty battery cables that allowed all electronics to work in my car, but wouldn't let me start... it just cranked. I replaced the battery and the starter, only to have the same problem. I cleaned the cables, and it was fine. I wasted all that money on a new battery and starter!

[has]

When I turn to position II then S light blinks one time only

I will check the thermostat connection in the morning, is it located under the thermostat housing?

About the main relay, I had my electrician friend look at it with a magnifier and he couldn't see any bad connection at all, soldering didn't have any crack either.

I will go through all battery/ground connections.

Let you know how it goes, thanks for all the tips

[deevergote]

Ok, if the main relay was looked at by someone that knew what they were doing, with magnification, then you can rule that out for sure.

Yes, I believe there should be a ground under the thermostat housing. It's possible that you disconnected it when installing the new unit and never reconnected it properly. Worth a look!


If the S light only flashes once and doesn't stay on, that may not even be an error code. When you jump the service connector, that will show you any error codes. It only flashes codes when that plug is jumped. Check the "sticky" threads in the Technical section. I believe there's a pretty clear how-to on finding and jumping that connector, as well as reading the codes.

Good luck!

[DaGrk1]

if the ground un the thermostat housing is disconnected you wont get spark or fuel. i remember when i changed the thermostat on my car and i for got that off and had the same prob.

[rcdreamer]

Hi, thanks for a quick reply the car is a left-hand drive. I checked on the passenger side but I couldn't find the plug, but on the left side of the hand-break I can see a blue plug!? (I don't have heated seats) CEL light is it the "S" light or is it the "red engine light"?

To help clarify, you have to pull back the carpet in the passenger floor and I found the wire more towards the side kick panel on the right. Fish around a little and you should be able to locate it for future use.

Good luck with the ground, that sounds like it is probably the cause.

Robert

[deevergote]

[has]

Hi guys!

Thanks for all the replies, the ground lead on the thermostat had a bad connection. The car is perfectly fine now, but the "S" light comes on for 2 sec while the pump is running and the car wouldn't crank 2 times today. But the strange thing is that the car is not getting any warmer with the new thermostat

[deevergote]

The stock gauge may not be terribly accurate. Do you have an aftermarket water temp gauge? The car may be warmer than before, but it's not showing on the stock instrument.

Glad to hear it's the thermostat ground. Easy fix!

Jump that service port and see if you get any codes. The S light should flash out transmission codes if there are any. I still find it odd that you HAVE an S light in a 93!

The no crank issue may also be a ground/power issue. Check ALL grounds and battery connections. Clean them, tighten them...

[has]

hi

what I ment was that my heater in the car is not giving me anymore wamer than before.....

Yeah I am very glad that it wasn't a expensive fault

I will try to locate the plug and read the codes today and go over the ground and battery connections.

Once again thanks for all the help!

[deevergote]

Is the heater giving any heat at all? I has some idiot (previous owner) put some "stop leak" stuff in the radiator, rather than replacing the radiator itself. It clogged my heater core, and I had no heat until it was replaced.
If you have no heat at all, you may have a clogged heater core.

[has]

Hi

thanks for quick reply, the heater is working but it doesn't heat it up like it should be. When I turn it for cold air it doesn't give me exactly cold air either?