Engine will not start up?

Tiny
YANCEY165
  • MEMBER
  • 1987 HONDA ACCORD
  • 2.0L
  • 4 CYL
  • 2WD
  • MANUAL
  • 250,650 MILES
So I recently sold my car to a guy offline. The car was running very well before I sold it, it just needed a new battery. It always started right up when I jumped it and never had a issue not starting. Well the guy who bought the car replaced the battery, well after driving the car for a little while he turned it off and when he came back out to restart it, the car would not start. Relay switch is clicking over. But not getting power to fuel pump. What do we need to look at and or replace?
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Friday, December 14th, 2018 AT 4:49 PM

59 Replies

Tiny
DANNY L
  • MECHANIC
  • 5,648 POSTS
Hello, I'm Danny,

I would check the fuel pump cut off relay. I've attached a tutorial showing how to test.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-check-an-electrical-relay-and-wiring-control-circuit

This guide can help as well

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/car-cranks-but-wont-start

Please run down these guides and report back.

I've also attached a picture of where it's located. Hope this helps and thanks for using 2CarPros.
Danny-
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Monday, December 17th, 2018 AT 1:54 AM
Tiny
BRAND0NMUSTDIE
  • MEMBER
  • 11 POSTS
  • 1986 HONDA ACCORD
Engine Mechanical problem
1986 Honda Accord 4 cyl Front Wheel Drive Manual

I bought this honda from a roomate and it ran well but he said the sparkplugs had to be replaced, after doing so it ran better but the car kinda ran funny; I would have it almost floored and I would think that it was going as fast as it could and then all of a sudden it felt like the fuel injectors or something would become cleared and the car would jerk forward with more power-this only happened occasionally but it concerned me.
After a while I noticed the exaust gasket blew out, I replaced it as soon as I noticed I don't know if maybe the heat that was blown on the engine during this time may have done something to the engine internally.
Anyways I was driving the car on the highway at about 65-70mph and all of a sudden it started feeling like it was possesed-it would sputter and cut out and then it would do the jerking with power thing back and forth so naturally, I pulled over to see if I could figure it out and I didn't see anything obvious wrong.

Once I got it home, I replaced the fuel filter, distributor car, rotor, spark plug wires, cleaned the spark plugs, and replaced the coil. Then finally I replaced the coil and coil wire. Someone at autozone said if I sprayed eather into the air cleaner it would "prime" the fuel system and the car would start, this made the car run for about 5 seconds but since then it has not started and the more fluid I spray into it the more I worry im flooding it.
Someone said the timing might be off but they never looked at the car, just guessed from what I described.

Also my friend said you could make the car display a code on the dash of what was wrong by doing something to it but I dont know what.

Finally my father said the "reluctor gap" inside the distributor could be adjusted but the book doesnt say what it should be set to.
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Wednesday, September 30th, 2020 AT 11:22 AM (Merged)
Tiny
KHLOW2008
  • MECHANIC
  • 41,815 POSTS
Hi,

Whatever you sprayed into the air cleaner might have caused the problem.

Take the spark plugs out and crank the engine for 2 or 3 seconds. Put the spark plugs back and try again.

Only fuel injected models have ECU codes and for early models, they are blinking led lights at the ECU. If yours is a carburetted version, DO NOT press the accelerator repeatly, it would flood the carburettor.

Are you sure you have installed the plug wire correctly to each cylinder? Are there any sparks from plug or coil cable?
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Wednesday, September 30th, 2020 AT 11:22 AM (Merged)
Tiny
BRAND0NMUSTDIE
  • MEMBER
  • 11 POSTS
I accessed the ECU last night and did everything the book said, turned the key and watched for any codes-it didn't display any.
I'm pretty sure the spark plug wires are on securely.

I'll take out the plugs tonight and crank it over a few turns to see if that helps.

Do you think the timing might be off?
Is that a possibility from what I described was occouring when it was running?
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Wednesday, September 30th, 2020 AT 11:22 AM (Merged)
Tiny
KHLOW2008
  • MECHANIC
  • 41,815 POSTS
Hi brand0mustdie,

I mean the plug cable firing order, are they correct?

Have you checked the fuel pressure and presence of ignition sparks?

Is yours a PGM-carb or full PGM-FI model?

If it is anything to do with the timing, then most probably there is something wrong with the timing belt.
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Wednesday, September 30th, 2020 AT 11:22 AM (Merged)
Tiny
BRAND0NMUSTDIE
  • MEMBER
  • 11 POSTS
Thefiring order is right I checked wih the book to be sure.
There is fuel pressure when I open the bleeder valve
but i'm not sure how much is suposed to be in there.
My car is fuel-injected.

I took out the plugs, they were a little black so I cleaned them and checked the gaps before putting them back, but now the car sounds less like it is trying to start?
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Wednesday, September 30th, 2020 AT 11:22 AM (Merged)
Tiny
KHLOW2008
  • MECHANIC
  • 41,815 POSTS
Hi brand0nmustdie,

Check the sparking and see if the are strong. Attach a plug to 1 of the cable and crank. The spark should be bright blue and not reddish. Try replacing the plugs.
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Wednesday, September 30th, 2020 AT 11:22 AM (Merged)
Tiny
BRAND0NMUSTDIE
  • MEMBER
  • 11 POSTS
Is it possible for the reluctor gap to be off inside the distributor?
If so how would I fix this?
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Wednesday, September 30th, 2020 AT 11:22 AM (Merged)
Tiny
KHLOW2008
  • MECHANIC
  • 41,815 POSTS
Hi brand0nmustdie,

If no repair was done to the distributor, then the gap should not have goone out of spec, unless the bearing is worn.

To adjust the reluctor gap, just unloosen the 2 screws holding the pick-up coil and adjust the protruding point with the reluctor lobe at its highest point.

Anyway I seem to have missed out on the igniter unit.
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Wednesday, September 30th, 2020 AT 11:23 AM (Merged)
Tiny
BRAND0NMUSTDIE
  • MEMBER
  • 11 POSTS
What is the igniter unit?

I've looked in the book and called as many auto parts stores I could find but no one knows how much of a gap there is supposed to be?

How do I know when it's adjusted properly?
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Wednesday, September 30th, 2020 AT 11:23 AM (Merged)
Tiny
KHLOW2008
  • MECHANIC
  • 41,815 POSTS
Hi brand0nmustdie,

Igniter unit is the ICM (Ignition control module)

The reluctor gap should be about.20 to.30 mm.

You need to remove the distributor to adjust it. After adjustment, turn the distributor by hand to ensure that the gap is sufficient.
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Wednesday, September 30th, 2020 AT 11:23 AM (Merged)
Tiny
BRAND0NMUSTDIE
  • MEMBER
  • 11 POSTS
Do I need to remove the distributor completely?
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Wednesday, September 30th, 2020 AT 11:23 AM (Merged)
Tiny
KHLOW2008
  • MECHANIC
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Hi brand0nmustdie,

You need to take out the distributor but there is no need to dismantle anything.

Only remove the rotor and the cover and you can do the adjustment.
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Wednesday, September 30th, 2020 AT 11:23 AM (Merged)
Tiny
MICCIRSH
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 1987 HONDA ACCORD
  • 4 CYL
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 243,115 MILES
The radiator cap blew off while I was driving it. Car stopped. All the fluids drained out. Now the car won't start. I don't know whats wrong now. Did I blow the head on it? Any help and advice would be greatly appreciated.
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Wednesday, September 30th, 2020 AT 11:23 AM (Merged)
Tiny
RASMATAZ
  • MECHANIC
  • 75,992 POSTS
Remove all the sparkplugs and check if there's coolant in the cylinders if so could be the headgasket, cracked head or block-get it block and pressure tested.
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Wednesday, September 30th, 2020 AT 11:23 AM (Merged)
Tiny
BROWN4330
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 1987 HONDA ACCORD
Engine Mechanical problem
1987 Honda Accord 4 cyl Front Wheel Drive Automatic

I have 1987 honda accord I have change the fuel pump and strainer, I have check main fuel relay switch
I have check the fuel rail and cleaned it. However I still have trouble cranking car it starts sometimes but won`t start once I turn car off. Could the Dist. Be faulty? Please advise
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Wednesday, September 30th, 2020 AT 11:23 AM (Merged)
Tiny
KHLOW2008
  • MECHANIC
  • 41,815 POSTS
Hi Brown4330,

When it cannot start, check the spark at plugs. If there are not bluish, it could be a weak coil.

If spark is present and looks strong, spray some carb cleaner into throttle body and crank. If it starts, it should be a fuel problem.
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Wednesday, September 30th, 2020 AT 11:23 AM (Merged)
Tiny
NSFF2001
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 1987 HONDA ACCORD
  • 4 CYL
  • FWD
  • MANUAL
  • 280,000 MILES
My car wont start when it gets wet. Is there a dirstibutor cap that might be the culpret?
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Wednesday, September 30th, 2020 AT 11:24 AM (Merged)
Tiny
KHLOW2008
  • MECHANIC
  • 41,815 POSTS
Hi nsff2001,

The distributor is protected from the rain and should not be giving any problem unless you wash the engine. If water had gone into the distributor, it would takes ages before it dries up as it is sealed.

What are the sypmtoms when it can't start?
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Wednesday, September 30th, 2020 AT 11:24 AM (Merged)
Tiny
MITCHCOHEN
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 1987 HONDA ACCORD
  • 4 CYL
  • FWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 70,000 MILES
Car cranks fine and start 4 out of 5 times. But the other time it cranks and doesn't start. Mechanic changed plug, wires, oxygen sensor, new distributor cap, fuel/induction cleaning, new front and read fuel filters, new air filter. What up now? 1987 honda lx. Has carburetor. Any suggestions?

Thanks
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Wednesday, September 30th, 2020 AT 11:24 AM (Merged)

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