If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below. |
|
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
#1
|
|||
|
|||
'89 CRX starts then stalls
Lately my ’89 Honda CRX has been having trouble starting. When I crank the
engine it seems to start normally but then within 1-2 seconds the engine immediately stalls. Pressing the gas pedal makes no difference. Usually, after several attempts it starts. Once it starts then it drives fine. It seems that sometimes turning the key completely off (cycling the power) helps it start but I’m not sure. It started as an intermittent infrequent problem 1 month ago but has been happening quite often lately. Any ideas? The car has 250K miles. |
Ads |
#2
|
|||
|
|||
'89 CRX starts then stalls
"ThomasE" > wrote in
lkaboutautos.com: > Lately my ’89 Honda CRX has been having trouble starting. When I crank > the engine it seems to start normally but then within 1-2 seconds the > engine immediately stalls. Pressing the gas pedal makes no difference. > Usually, after several attempts it starts. Once it starts then it > drives fine. It seems that sometimes turning the key completely off > (cycling the power) helps it start but I’m not sure. It started as an > intermittent infrequent problem 1 month ago but has been happening > quite often lately. Any ideas? The car has 250K miles. > > > Summer must be coming. The Main Relay problems are back! Resolder it or replace it. -- Tegger The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ www.tegger.com/hondafaq/ |
#3
|
|||
|
|||
'89 CRX starts then stalls
ThomasE wrote:
> Lately my ’89 Honda CRX has been having trouble starting. When I crank the > engine it seems to start normally but then within 1-2 seconds the engine > immediately stalls. Pressing the gas pedal makes no difference. Usually, > after several attempts it starts. Once it starts then it drives fine. It > seems that sometimes turning the key completely off (cycling the power) > helps it start but I’m not sure. It started as an intermittent infrequent > problem 1 month ago but has been happening quite often lately. Any ideas? > The car has 250K miles. > ---------------------------- I think it's the ignition switch. Search google and see if the symptoms for the GREAT HONDA IGNITION SWITCH RECALL are the same as yours. 'Curly' |
#4
|
|||
|
|||
'89 CRX starts then stalls
I read on various posts that it may be the main relay. Apparently the main
relay feeds power to the fuel pump. I found a schematic for the relay and it shows that the relay is activated by 2 sources, the starter and the ECU. Normally when you turn the ignition on the ECU closes the relay for 2 seconds. Then when you crank the engine the ignition sends current directly to close the relay (perhaps because the ECU cannot do it while the engine is been crancked-voltage drop). Then once the engine starts the ECU is supposed to keep the relay closed. Well, I read that the soldering on the relay connections gets bad with time. So if the soldering that connects the ECU to the main relay is bad the car would behave exactly as it does, that is, when I crank the ignition the relay is closed by the ingnition and fuel pump starts but then once the engine starts the ECU signal does not reach the relay, the fuel pump stops running, within a few seconds fuel pressure drops and engine stalls. So I’m off to get out the main relay see if I can see any failed soldering. Actually if the car is malfunctioning this morning I’ll first test the theory by measuring the voltage that reaches the fuel pump during the ignition sequence… |
#5
|
|||
|
|||
'89 CRX starts then stalls
Well, I just took out the main relay and resoldered all the connections.
The engine started normally this morning before I did any work on the car so I did not get the chance to test the faulty relay hypotheis. In any case things are ok so far after resoldering the main relay connections. The engine has started 4 times so far in the morning when it was cool and now at noon when it was hot insiode the car (I read that cabin temperature has something to do with the erratic behavior of the relay). We’ll se how it plays out… As a note to anybody else who tries to take out the main relay on an ’89 CRX, note that the main relay is not very accessible, but I was able to take it out without removing the dashboard. The relay is to the left of the fuse box and I was able to remove it by removing the coin holder, the hood latch handle and one of the dashboard screws (one close to the hood latch handle). Removing these 3 things gave me just enough room to fit a regular wrench barely enough to start turning the one screw that holds the main relay. |
#6
|
|||
|
|||
'89 CRX starts then stalls
Well, I just took out the main relay and resoldered all the connections.
The engine started normally this morning before I did any work on the car so I did not get the chance to test the faulty relay hypotheis. In any case things are ok so far after resoldering the main relay connections. The engine has started 4 times so far in the morning when it was cool and now at noon when it was hot insiode the car (I read that cabin temperature has something to do with the erratic behavior of the relay). We’ll se how it plays out… As a note to anybody else who tries to take out the main relay on an ’89 CRX, note that the main relay is not very accessible, but I was able to take it out without removing the dashboard. The relay is to the left of the fuse box and I was able to remove it by removing the coin holder, the hood latch handle and one of the dashboard screws (one close to the hood latch handle). Removing these 3 things gave me just enough room to fit a regular wrench barely enough to start turning the one screw that holds the main relay. |
#7
|
|||
|
|||
'89 CRX starts then stalls
"ThomasE" > wrote in
lkaboutautos.com: > Well, I just took out the main relay and resoldered all the > connections. The engine started normally this morning before I did any > work on the car so I did not get the chance to test the faulty relay > hypotheis. In any case things are ok so far after resoldering the main > relay connections. The engine has started 4 times so far in the > morning when it was cool and now at noon when it was hot insiode the > car (I read that cabin temperature has something to do with the > erratic behavior of the relay). We’ll se how it plays out… > > As a note to anybody else who tries to take out the main relay on an > ’89 CRX, note that the main relay is not very accessible, but I was > able to take it out without removing the dashboard. The relay is to > the left of the fuse box and I was able to remove it by removing the > coin holder, the hood latch handle and one of the dashboard screws > (one close to the hood latch handle). Removing these 3 things gave me > just enough room to fit a regular wrench barely enough to start > turning the one screw that holds the main relay. > > Two thumbs up for you, young fella. From a soupcon of advice you have managed to cook up an entire meal. The "not very accessible" location you refer to is shown he http://www.tegger.com/hondafaq/mainrelay.html You didn't happen to take any pics, did you? -- Tegger The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ www.tegger.com/hondafaq/ |
#8
|
|||
|
|||
'89 CRX starts then stalls
Thanks Tegger. Yes, I did take some pictures but they may not be that
helpful as advice. I can send them to you though if you’re interested. I wish I had seen your pictures earlier. When I first tried to locate the main relay based on the honda shop manual, I found some device that looked like a relay right above the hood latch. Thinking that that was the main relay, I removed it, at which point I saw that it had only 4 terminals so it did not match the honda manual description. So then I started looking again and it took me at least 10” to just see the tip of the relay from underneath the dashboard. The car has now started 8 times without incident since the resoldering so I hope that was it. |
#9
|
|||
|
|||
'89 CRX starts then stalls
ThomasE wrote:
> Thanks Tegger. Yes, I did take some pictures but they may not be that > helpful as advice. I can send them to you though if you’re interested. I > wish I had seen your pictures earlier. When I first tried to locate the > main relay based on the honda shop manual, I found some device that looked > like a relay right above the hood latch. Thinking that that was the main > relay, I removed it, at which point I saw that it had only 4 terminals so > it did not match the honda manual description. So then I started looking > again and it took me at least 10” to just see the tip of the relay from > underneath the dashboard. > The car has now started 8 times without incident since the resoldering so > I hope that was it. > > if the relay has not before been replaced, it's #1 candidate. happens to all civics/crx's this vintage. personally, i replace the relay, then resolder the old one and toss it in the trunk as a spare. hopefully, it'll stay there unused for another 10+ years. |
#10
|
|||
|
|||
'89 CRX starts then stalls
Could someone post a partnumber and suggested location to order a main
relay for my 88 crx. <<< if the relay has not before been replaced, it's #1 candidate. happens to all civics/crx's this vintage. personally, i replace the relay, then resolder the old one and toss it in the trunk as a spare. hopefully, it'll stay there unused for another 10+ years. >>> |
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
Audi 4000 1987 Runs Good but Stalls, Starts, and Stalls | richardci | Audi | 1 | December 9th 06 04:52 PM |
Audi 4000s 1987 Runs Good but Stalls, Starts, and Stalls | richardci | Audi | 5 | December 9th 06 04:49 PM |
Audi 4000s 1987 Runs Good but Stalls, Starts, and Stalls | richardci | Audi | 0 | December 8th 06 11:40 PM |
Audi 4000s 1987 runs good but stalls suddenly, starts again, then stalls again | richardci | Audi | 0 | December 8th 06 11:37 PM |
Audi 4000s 1987 runs good but stalls suddenly, starts again, then stalls again | richardci | Audi | 0 | December 8th 06 11:36 PM |