1986 Honda Accord Engine cuts out

WAYPERRY

MEMBER
1986 HONDA ACCORD

Engine Performance problem
1986 Honda Accord 145000 miles

While I'm driving, the engine will just shut down. No warning, no noise. It just stops. Pretty exciting when it happens in traffic. The difficulty is that it happens maybe 3-4 times a week. Not regularly, and not under any consistent circumstances. Also, when I start the car, cold or hot, it cranks fine, but it doesn't fire at all. Then 2-3 more tries and it starts perfectly. A friend said it might be my PGM-FI relay and another said it was my ICM (something around the distributor, I think). Anyway, the relay is $100 and when I called about the ICM, the parts guy didn't know what that meant, but guessed it was the igniter. That's $233! Any wisdom out there that might save me money? Thanks

2 Replies

KHLOW2008

MECHANIC
41,815 POSTS

Hi wayperry,

If it is ICM, most probably you won't be able to start your car now as they won't fail intermittently.

The chances of the relay being faulty is higher. Remove the relay and get some one to check the circuit board, maybe resolder the contacts and it should be as good as new.

Was it easy to restart when it stalls?
Were the dash lights showing? If no, you need to check the ignition switch.

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Sunday, September 21st, 2008 AT 6:38 AM

WAYPERRY

MEMBER
2 POSTS

Hey there, KHLow2008,

No, it always cranks, and sometimes starts on the first try. It's just occasionally that it acts like there is either no fuel or no spark. But 2-3 more tries and it's fine again. When it cuts out on the road, it's usually such a surprise that I don't have time to notice anything except the traffic around me and turning the key trying to get it to start again while I'm coasting down the road or arouns a corner. It has always started with just a couple of tries and then I move on like nothing happened. There's no consistent situation when this occurs. Accessories, cornering, lights. It's always different, except the cold starting I described.

So it sounds like maybe the relay is fixable. I'll see if my mechanic might do that. If not, I might be able to snag a used one at the salvage place. But then I could still have the same problem. Some people have said test it, but if it's working most of the time, it seems likely that the test won't show anything.

Anyway, your advice gives me a lot more to go on. I'm glad it's not the ICM.

Thanks again!

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Sunday, September 21st, 2008 AT 3:57 PM