1992 Honda Prelude Car keeps shutting down while driving!

HANGUKSIMON

MEMBER
1992 HONDA PRELUDE
4 CYL
FWD
MANUAL
222,000 MILES

Hi, I recently started having a problem with my engine shutting down on my 92 prelude Si, its got about 220000 miles on the body but the engine was rebuilt due to accident. It first happened a week ago right after I filled up gas, I went to turn the ignition and it just died, not cranking, no sound, just completely shutdown, and the lights wouldn't turn on or anything. As if battery was completely dead. My buddy jumped me and I was good to go. Couple days later, it shut down on my while I was driving, I think I was in second gear slowly accelerating, and I couldn't crank it over for a few minutes. Then it was fine. Then next day same problem, much more frequent, every 10 to 15 minutes it would shut down while driving and the check engine light comes on and shuts off. It would crank but not start until a few times cranking and hitting gas, and once it starts, check engine light dissappears until it shuts down again. Any suggestions? I am going to clean battery terminals, check voltage on the battery, voltage on alternator. Any help would be great! Thanks!

5 Replies

KHLOW2008

MECHANIC
41,815 POSTS

Hi hanguksimon,

The check that you are going to perform would be what you need to do first. However if the vehicle is stalling even while driving, the more likely cause would be the ignition switch or PGM-FI main relay.

You seem to have stated 3 different conditions.
1. Not cranking, no sound with complete shut down. That could mean a bad battery terminal connections and ignition switch. When problem occurs, doea all the dash indicator lights turn ON?

2. Engine stalling while driving. Unable to crank. This could be similar to 1st but might also involve the charging system.

3. Able to crank but not firing up. This would mean a bad ECM or PGM-FI main relay. The PGM-FI main relay is known to intermitently cause engine stalling while driving and it can be repaired by resoldering the circuit board.

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Saturday, October 10th, 2009 AT 9:20 AM

HANGUKSIMON

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2 POSTS

Ok, sorry for taking so long to reply, I have replace my batter terminals because they were badly corroded, and I have gotten my battery and alternator tested at advanced auto parts, and both are fine. Now when the vehicle stalls, the power doesn't shut off, just dies and check engine light comes on and it takes a few cranks with me furiously hitting the gas simultaneously, are these signs of fuel pump to injectors?

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Saturday, October 17th, 2009 AT 2:25 PM

KHLOW2008

MECHANIC
41,815 POSTS

Symptoms do describe a possible fuel problem.

Get the PGM-FI main relay checked. Resolder the circuit board and retry. I have repaired countless number of these without any replacement required.

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Saturday, October 17th, 2009 AT 6:26 PM

MINDYJANE

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1 POST

I am actually having the same problem. Only it started after I put premium gas in to. I took it in only to find out the it takes premium gas not unleaded. My idiot mistake. The gentlemen told me to run premium for a while and that should fix it. Nope it didn't. Mine shuts off while driving the check engine and oil and battery light came on till I ran premium now when it dies its just the engine light. My will die anytime. It takes a minute or two to start it again. Then repeatedly die. Freaks me out. Any answers yet? Thanks

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Monday, August 8th, 2011 AT 11:01 PM

KHLOW2008

MECHANIC
41,815 POSTS

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/honda-car-1990-1995-obd1-code-retrieval-procedure-and-definition-table

The above link explains how to retrieve the trouble code for the MIL indicating. See if there are any trouble codes present. If not, get the PGM-FI main relay tested/checked/repaired and retest.