Signs of a bad ignition switch?

My wife went out to goto work this morning in her 90 Accord LX
and her car would start and then immeditaly die, I had read somewhere
in the group about holding the key between the on and start position
to see if it ran there, it does, but as soon as I go back to the on
position, it dies. In the on postition, the radio plays as well as
I can put the windows down (power), so it may be getting some current
through it. The local dealers do not have the part in stock, so this
will give me a couple of days to try different things. If not the
switch, what are the other possibilities?

TIA
Kevin

 

Then it's not a bad ignition switch.

 

Sounds like the main relay (the portion of the relay that assures that
current continues to flow to the fuel pump after starting).
They can be repaired by resoldering.

Here's a very good explanation:
http://www.tegger.com/hondafaq/startproblems.html#mainrelay

 

I had the main relay changed out a couple of weeks ago for a hard
starting
issue with the car, like Teggers web site I felt the relay and did get
the 3
clicks from the relays inside it. All of the gauges go dark when in the
on
position but if held between the on and start position they light up, I
still
have the old relay and may give that a try.

Kevin

 

UPDATE: I took my old relay and repaired it as the web
site shows, and changed it out with the new relay, still
does the same thing, so it is looking more like the
ignition switch.

Kevin

 

Ok, that's a very good clue. That points to the ignition switch to me -
forget what I said about the main relay.
Maybe see if you can hotwire the switch to make sure it is bad.

Remco

 

oops -- just noticed your follow up post.
Right -- check the ignition switch. It usually is a dual (or sometimes
even more than 2) pole switch so one pole must be bad. You can probably
hotwire it with some clip leads to make sure your switch is indeed bad.

Remco

 

If this ignition switch is anything like the ones they were using in
'95-'96, you can take if off, pop it open and clean up the burnt contacts.
You might be able to clean them up enough to make it run again for several
more days until the dealer gets the part.

 

Just done mine. It (the ignition switch assby.) was held on to the key
mechanism with two bolts. I popped it open and found a load of burnt crud
where the contacts rest in drive. I cleaned up both contacts and away it
went. You can operate the switch with a cross-head screwdriver to test it
before reinstalling.
Actually the ignition switch sub-harness on a (UK spec.) 92 accord is
only about 3 feet long and plugs into the footwell fusebox, with only
one other two pin plug for the key illuminator lamp. I took the whole
section out and cleaned & tested the switch on the bench. I could
probably source the harness section from a breakers if becomes necessary
again.

Good luck

 

Thanks for all of the replies, do I need to pull the steering wheel
to get to the switch or just the plastic housing around the column?
Thanks!

Kevin

 

It should be accessible if you take off the plastic around the column.

 

===========================

Kevin, are you aware that Honda replaces a few million of those ignition
switches worldwide in a recall a few years ago? It covered '95, '96,
'97, '98 and maybe more of ACcord, odyssey, CR-V, etc. Here's directions
for a '97 CR-v for popping the cowl apart. . .Might help with yours.

http://www.hondasuv.com/pdf/crv/firstgen/crv_01_securitysystem.pdf

When our switch first manifested, the cruise control just disengaged
itself on the highway . . five minutes later the engine died and tach
dropped. Car restarted OK. Two weeks later it stalled in an intersection
with traffic coming. Dealer replaced it free, but it was a '97 CR-V.
Ours had 200,000 Km on it at the time.

'Curly'

 

I wish that this one was covered by the recall, but too old.
I took the cover off of the column and was able to remove
switch, one thing that I found when removing the plastic
column housing was a BIG gob of melted solder that had
melted off of the Bat lead on the switch, I took it apart and
cleaned the contacts, put it back together and still no
contact between the Bat and IGN lead when in the run mode.
I then took it back apart and put a layer of solder on the
contacts and was able to make good contact between the
Bat and IGN lead, reinstalled in car and was able to use a
screwdriver to start the vehicle and let it run like it should.
I am going to still replace the switch and will take pictures
and put on my website when done.
Thanks for all of the help!
Kevin

 

It is the ignition switch. My 90 accord did the same thing last year.
I'm the guy who suggested holding the key halfway between the start/on
position. I drove home about fifteen miles with my son sitting in the
passenger seat holding that switch position. Replaced the switch,
problem solved.

 

Glad you got it semi fixed.
You may want to mention your fix and findings to John (Tegger) -- he
might want to put it in his FAQ. It sounds like a very useful thing to
have there.

Remco

 

Excellent idea!

All I've got now are schematics from the manual. Actual photos of somebody
actually fixing an actual problem would be scrumptious indeed.

Nothing like good photos to convey ideas.

 

I'll do that, I ordered a new switch today, and will have
photos this weekend.