'89 CRX starts then stalls

motsco_ wrote:

> ThomasE wrote:
>
>> What was happening in my case was that when turning the key from
>> position I
>> to position II the contact was fine. However when the key was turned to
>> position III to crank and then was left to return to position II then the
>> contact was often failing. So always good contact going from I to II but
>> often failing when returning from III to II. I should have picked up on
>> that because some of the dashboard lights that are supposed to be on in
>> position II were off when returning from III to II... but apparently I
>> was
>> too frustrated to notice.
>> If the ignition switch proves to be the fix I will probably install a new
>> one now since my filing of the contacts fix was just a salvage operation,
>> mostly intended to diagnose problem.
>>
> ==============================
>
> If the cylinder is gummed up the whole mess may not be springing back
> the way it was designed to. If it feels sticky when you move it, pick up
> a tiny aerosol can of Lock-Ease. I got it from a real locksmith and I
> spray all five locks on all three of my Honda every year, usually in
> spring. :-)
>
> 'Curly'



That's good advice, probably for any car.

A few years ago, I had a ignition lock get very stiff on an '85 Ford
Ltd. I sprayed a generous amount of silicone lubricant into the whole
assembly and it never gave me another problem.

Oh, and I apologize for mentioning a F*rd...

<G>

JT

After 2 problem free weeks, I feel pretty confident that the no start
problem is finally fixed – so finally it was the ignition switch.

In retrospect, the key diagnostic event for my particular malfunction
would have been to observe the dashboard lights with ignition key in
position II *RIGHT AFTER* the failed start attempt. In my case these
dashboard lights (Battery charge/ Oil Pressure / Parking Brake –if on)
were off but I did not notice. As I said in a previous post the lights
would always come up when initially turning the key from IGN I to IGN II.
It was only after cranking the engine (IGN III) and then returning to IGN
II that the dashboard lights were off. So apparently the ingnition was
always working turning clockwise from IGN I to II to III but returning
counterclockwise from III to II it would fail.
The other perhaps atypical thing was that while
I had read that a bad ignition switch would eventually result in a
surprise stall on the road sooner or later, our CRX never stalled on the
road all these years.

Thanks for all the help. I would probably not have had the patience to
deal with this without the support of your posts.