Is starter going out?

I have a '92 Civic EX. Sometimes the engine will turn a while before
the car finally starts. This doesn't ever seem to happen when the car
is cold. I can go into the grocery store for a few minutes, come out,
try to crank the car and it just turns for about 5 seconds or more.
Sometimes I stop turning it, try again and it kicks right off. It
always kicks right off on the second try, as if something was primed
from the previous try.

Yesterday, I stopped for some gas. Filled up and tried to crank the
car. This time it turned as usual but tried to start and couldn't.
The car would try to come to life and shake then keep turning and
repeat that cycle. Sounded like it wasn't getting enough gas. That
was a first. So I pumped the accelerator a little and it kicked off.

I'm thinking this is any of the following: starter, fuel filter, fuel
pump, fuel injectors. It's a '92 and computer diagnostics for the
engine weren't available until '96. Not sure if that would help in
this case. Any one have some suggestions?

Thanks,
Brett

 

Hi Brett. I can't nail this one very well but I'm just
hanging out so I thought I'd steer you to at least a good
Honda FAQ run/start problems site at
http://www.tegger.com/hondafaq/faq.html#startrun , and then
ask a few clarifying questions.

What's the maintenance history on this car, particularly
tune-up items (plugs, wires, cap, rotor, fuel filter, air
filter? How many miles? Thrown a bottle of injector etc.
cleaner into the fuel tank recently? Chevron Techron is one
brand of injector etc. cleaner much mentioned here. I use it
about once a year, to no ill effect.

Ever have the main relay replaced? Not sure your symptoms
are perfectly consistent with this, but they're certainly
mighty close.

You eventually get some kind of start, so I don't think it's
the coil or igniter at this point.

 

-----------------------------

It's probably the MAIN RELAY. look at tegger.com or google honda main
relay. It's temperature sensitive and needs to be replaced or
resoldered.

'Curly'

 

From your description, I doubt it is the starter that is causing your problem.

 

The starter is the thing that makes the engine turn when you start.
That appears to be happening, so your starter is fine.

It could be that your fuel filter is fouled up but if it were truly
impeding gas from reaching your engine, you'd know it as your car would
probably 'buck' while driving.
It is not a bad idea to replace the filter, though - cheap insurance
and easily done.

Mash your gas pedal to the floor and start it. If it starts after
previously not starting, your car was most likely flooded.
When it starts, do you see a puff of smoke? If so, that could be an
indicator that one of the injectors in leaking into the cylinder a
little, causing that flooding condition. Try some good fuel system
cleaner to see if it helps. It sometimes takes several applications for
a condition to clear.
Note that some fuel system cleaners are suggested to be used on a near
empty tank. Personally, I prefer to drive an older car with a near full
tank so you don't suck too much sludge through the injectors. For that
reason, I'd pick the cleaner that is to be used with a full tank.

Remco

 

leaky fuel injector is my guess. next time it happens (at home!), DONT
pump the pedal. pull the spark plugs out and look at em. if one is
exceptionally wet with fuel, thats your bad injector.

or get a bottle of techron and put it in the tank, and see if it helps.
worth a shot...

 

You're right - that's a good idea. It helps identify the bad injector
in case he needs to replace it.

 

I read the tegger link and it was very good. About how much does a new
relay cost?

I can't really hear all of the clicks. However, I have been turning on
the key (not motor) and waiting until the dinging goes off, which is a
few seconds after the engine light. That was one of the suggestions in
the link. The car kicks right off and starts every time so far.

I will also try the fuel cleaner suggestion. I bought the car used and
haven't added any since the fall (second owner). A tune up will be in
the near future as well (at least new air filter).

Some one asked about miles: 157k. Oil changes are regular between 2500
- 3000 miles.

Thanks all,
Brett

 

It's about $50 at places like www.slhonda.com (under Control
Unit, Cabin, part no. 39400-S10-003). Or to fix the relay,
see

http://www.marklamond.co.uk/howto/electrical/main-relay/main-relay.htm

http://techauto.tripod.com/mainrelay.htm

Many people here recommend the fix. It's much cheaper. It
lasts as long.