90 prelude intermittent starting problem

I've read so many posts and I am starting to get an idea of what might be
the problem, but I want to be sure before I start putting time into this.
I've paid mechanics around $300, replaced the battery, starter, and
alternator all within the last year and a half, and had a tuneup on the
car last week, all in an attempt to chase this problem down. All winter in
Colorado it behaved fine, but now that I am down here in Houston and the
weather is starting to warm up again, I deal with it almost every day.

Here's how it goes:

1) After a long drive (at least 20-30 min) if I turn off the car and run
into a store or something, the car won't start. When I turn the key, the
radio comes on, all the lights in the dash turn on, everything beeps, yada
yada, I do hear a "click" but the thing won't even turn over. If I leave it
for at least an hour and then come back to it, it turns on no problem. So
far I think this has only been at night though.

2) If it's hot out, and my car has been sitting around for at least an
hour, maybe even 8 hours - say while I'm at work, it does the same thing
as above. One time when it had been sitting for 8 hours, I tried to start
it several times with no luck, then held the hood open while trying to
start it and it started fine. But then I tried this trick after the
situation in #1 happened again, and it didn't work.

3) Sometimes, though, the car will turn over and over and over and over
but not start, or it will start but then die instantly (it's a manual
trans) and then not turn over at all with subsequent attempts.

So, some things that are going on make me think it's the main relay, while
others make me think it's the igniter/something with the ignition system.

Can anyone help me differentiate? I've given up taking the car to
mechanics to try to figure this out, because for one thing they can't even
duplicate the no-start problem! and I would really like to not have to take
time/$$ to troubleshoot both possibilities.

Please help!!! Thanks...

 

You've probably already read what I've had to do to my '85 Accord, but
after speaking with my girlfriend on the matter, she said that it still
happens to her, but all she has to do is change gears, like put it in to
reverse and then back in to first and it starts up for her. This is
making me think that my problem is a "neutral safety switch" on the
tranny. Just something to think about and possibly try. Report back if
it works or doesn't. Any info could help the next person. That is why
I'm responding.

HTH

Eric

 

1) After a long drive (at least 20-30 min) if I turn off the car and run

Make sure that the voltage of the battery is reasonable when starting (about
10V or more).
Also disconnect and clean the contacts on both the battery and starter side.
Disconnect the battery ground and clean both sides. Also clean the large
ground strap to the engine. Some 220 grit sandpaper is useful here.
If the non starting still happens, next time put a block of wood on the
starter and whack the block with a hammer. Put a piece of 2x4 and hammer in
the trunk, if that is what it takes. It will most likely start. It does mean
that the starter is bad, though, but replacement is usually not very hard.

It could be many thngs, one being the main relay. Ignitors tend to just fail
and not restart, so that is less likely.
http://www.tegger.com is maintained by tegger, a frequent contributor and he
has a really nice faq on the subject.
http://www.markl.f9.co.uk/howto/electrical/main-relay/main-relay.htm tells
you how to repair the relay -- these things are expensive, so it pays to do
that yourself.
http://techauto.tripod.com/mainrelay.htm ditto.

Hope this is of use.
Remco

 

Oh my lord, this sounds exactly like whay happens to other hondas notably
civics. It sounds like a cold solder joint on one of the relays which is
spreading apart in the heat.
I don't know how effective it would be, but you could try getting some
trouble shooter spray ( cold spray in a can) and try to locate the bad
relay, using it. Then pop open the relay and resolder all the connections
( very easy to do).

Good luck.
Dan