1988 honda accord LX starting problem and loss of power

Very good point.

Of course, the alarm may be disabling the fuel delivery and/or spark
generation, depending on how they wired the thing.
To make sure, it would be a good idea to check the power to the fuel
pump (also makes sure the main relay is ok) and to the distributor
(coil primary).

Remco

 

Hi Remco.

So the current status is that I think the cold start problem (on cold
mornings, runs for 5-10s then dies and won't restart) is a fuel problem
(checked spark at these times and it's fine, and shooting ether down
the carb makes it start fine and then run fine). I went through the
Honda shop manual diagnosis for cold start problems, and my fast idle
unloader does not hold vacuum on the front-most vac. line. I think this
means that it is broken. The next recommendation in the manual is to
check this part out and look for leaks. I want to remove it. The fast
idle unloader has three screws holding it in place, but I can't get to
them because a bank of vac. lines blocks access. Do you have any tips
on how to get this part out easily?

Thanks.

 

If he has an electric pump, there's a good chance it is switched
through a relay, one would imagine. (not quite the main relay we're
thinking of in modern Hondas)
Of course, this thing does not need to do the power sequence of
pressurizing the lines, etc as with fuel injection.

 

Sorry, you got me there.
If they are just vac lines, wouldn't they just pull off? Maybe
carefully mark each one, take a picture of what they look like and do
what you gotta do to get to that part.

 

Oops. Sorry. I did not explain that well. It is the part of the fast
idle unloader that leads to the front-most vacuum line, not the vacuum
line, that is not holding the vacuum. I think this means that the
diaphragm in that part of the fast idle unloader actuator is leaking
(there are two levels of action in the fast idle unloader, and that
vacuum line only goes to one part, I think)

Thanks a lot for your resonse. Without a good manual that tells me how
to get to that part or the carburator easily, I don't feel like
spending the time to do it myself. I may take it to a Honda dealer (we
have a good one around here).

Thanks.

 

Have you tried the www.autozone.com site? They have free on line
manuals and they do seem to cover your car. Perhaps they show you how
you can get to it.
(click on the "do it yourself" tab, select the "repair info" clickable
and enter your car)

Remco

 

Remco--

I am going to forgo the fast idle unloader theory for now, and put some
leads on the fuel pump as you recommended, and then watch it. That
way, I'll be able to verify juice to the fuel pump for either of my
problems.

By the way, my Honda manual tells me that for this carb'ed model (88
accord LX) there is a fuel cut-off relay (located _on_ the lower right
of the fuse panel when the back-side of the panel is viewed from the
front of the car).

I'll let you know what I find.

thanks.

 

It may be worth swapping over that relay with another of similar style
if they simply plug in.

 

That sounds like a good plan.
Yes, do report your findings, because they might be of use to others
here.

Hope you'll get it soon.
Remco

 

I have exactly the same bucking and loss of power problem with my
wife's 1988 Accord LX. And believe it or not, she said the same thing
when the problem started in November - it only seems to happen with
less than half a tank of gas. But it's gotten worse and it happened to
me recently with over 3/4 of a tank full.

I also put dry gas in the tank. When it happened again, I replaced both
fuel filters.
I took it to a local independent Honda specialist who couldn't find the
problem, but still charged me.

Have you had any success in finding the problem?

Thanks!

 

I hate to tell you that replacing the fuel pump will definitely solve
your problem as there's something wrong with the shotgun repair
approach, replacing something without proof.

However, if it consistently runs well with a full fuel tank, your fuel
pump is definitely suspect. It may not be cooled right so the bearings
may be seizing, in effect not maintaining fuel pressure or
intermittenly not providing fuel.
It is a common problem with immersed pumps, especially when they are
older.

Since it is quite difficult to determine an intermittent problem like
the health of your pump or fuel pressure while you are driving,
personally I'd break my rule and replace it. <g>
(especially since they experts can't find the problem

Remco

 

Thanks for the input.
I'll let you know how this turns out.

 

Dear Welligiveup:

I was about to put some wires and a 12V bulb and on the wires supplying
juice to my fuel pump, but I have a full tank now and the car is
running great (although I have been taking only 6-mile trips to work
lately). I do believe that a fuel problem makes sense, but I wanted to
put the light on the leads, as Remco suggested, to try to rule out a
bad fuel-pump cut out relay (or maybe the fault signal that another
person recommended). But as you can imagine, since the car is running
fine, I have less reason to go out in the garage and fix it!

I have just priced a fuel pump, and it really is only $104 (at
www.majestichonda.com), but unfortunately, their figure has three part
numbers listed, and I can't figure out which one is the right one. If
I figure it out and buy one, I'll let you know what happens. I guess
you saw that I already replaced the distributor ignitor (~$170) which I
though fixed my cold start problem, but in the end, it did not fix
that. It probably was not that.