93 Accord will NOT start

[vigor-accord]

I have a 93 Accord that runs like a champ. I was cruising on the freeway one day and it just stopped. The car had done this before and started up a few hours later, but this time it would not start again. A few days ago I went out to start the car and it started right up only to cut off shortly after.

I will not go into the background info on the car, but I have not driven the car since Jan of 09 (I drive the Legend). I would hate to junk a car that runs good and was worry free.

Changed main relay and the car did not start.

Thanks in advanced for the help.

[92accordkidd]

Check all your ground wires

[Nyne521]

did you check if you were getting fuel and spark? check your compression as well and let us know

[deevergote]

First, make sure your battery cables and grounds are clean and tight. Loose battery cables can cause the car to cut out and not restart. I know this from experience.

Next, if ensuring those things are good doesn't fix the problem, look into fuel and spark.
Replacing the main relay without determining if your problem was fuel related was a potentially needless expense, especially since it clearly didn't fix the problem.

Assuming fuel is good (if the relay is new, then the only other likely no-fuel culprit is the fuel pump, but that's less likely than other things...) then you'll want to check for spark. The most likely no-spark culprits are the igniter and ignition coil.

[TuneAccordingly]

Actually it could be the fuel pump this just happened to me tuesday so I ordered my new walbro 255lph I just got it yesterday so I will be installing it shortly . I'll let you know what happens.

[TuneAccordingly]

BTW I also have a 93 accord and it also runs like a champ

[deevergote]

The fuel pump is definitely a possibility, but should always be the absolute last resort. ESPECIALLY if you live in an area where rust is prevalent. When dropping the tank, you're most likely going to be replacing everything holding it up... and it'll be a bitch and a half to get it all apart.

Before parts start behing hapahzardly replaced, let's check the things that don't cost money, and determine if the problem is a lack of fuel or a lack of spark, shall we?

[TuneAccordingly]

lol that makes sense well I hope I don't have to replace anything and my problem is he fuel pump

[deevergote]

You'd be better off hoping it's NOT the fuel pump... I'd rather replace everything else that could potentially cause a no-start before the fuel pump!

[vigor-accord]

Just check and I have no spark.

[deevergote]

Congrats. You needlessly replaced the main relay.

Assuming you've checked to be sure your battery connections and grounds are clean and tight, you're going to want to look to the igniter and coil. A failing igniter usually results in an erratic tach before it fails completely, so the coil is the most probable culprit.

If you want to test it without shelling out the cash for a new one, find someone with a compatible coil, and borrow it. If the coil doesn't fix it, then try the igniter.

Also, while you're messing with all that, make sure your distributor cap and rotor are in good shape. If not, replace them.

If none of that seems to be working, the distributor itself may be shot.


If you junk a perfectly good car for this, you're an idiot. That's like amputating your leg because you stubbed your toe.

[Shag Wagon]

Everytime I had a dizzy go bad on me, it gave me fair warning it was dying. I had a crank position sensor in one go bad and then a month later it just said to hell with you and quit working. Then the next one it gave the jumping tach b.s. and then finally croaked. Check the simple stuff like ECU and fuses before you go to buying expensive parts. I did have an ECU die on me suddenly in an old CB I had that I was going to resell.

[Nyne521]

agree with Deev... do you have oil in your plug wells? sometimes oil in the plug wells can cause your distributer to ground out and will need to be replaced i would check the coil if external first tho... if internal your replacing the distributer anyhow

[93twodoorLX]

my car used to do this alot, turns out it was the fact that i didnt have the rubber gasket for the dizzy cap and condensation was causing my car to cut off when i was driving, sometimes it would start back up sometimes not for a while, ever since i got a new cap with gasket and rotor it has never happened again, its worth looking at and it wont cost shit to check it out

-sean

[deevergote]

Is that why you went through like 3 distributors in a couple months, Sean?