Hey guys,

recently just purchased a 1990 honda civic LX for my wife as a DD and have come upon a weird phenomenon. The car doesn't want to start when its been in the sun for awhile. Car starts like a gem in the morning and at night but when it's exposed to the sunlight for a few hours it decides to not turn over.

The battery is good, the plugs are firing and the ignition works i'm just really confused why it seems to intermittently start.

any ideas?

 

If when the engine won't start, you cannot hear the fuel pump prime in the rear for a few seconds when the ignition key is turned to ON (II), then your main relay may be bad.

Otherwise, check for spark at the plugs.

 

When you click the key to on but do not crank, the check engine light should come on for 2 seconds then go out. The fuel pump also runs for those 2 seconds then stops. If the light stays on and/or the pump doesn't run, it's almost always the main relay. It was a lemon part.

 

thanks for your replies guys...i'll most likely pick up a new main relay...i've read a lot about that part being a lemon on the 90 civic...any ideas where the best place to buy would be?

 

you could always pull yours apart and resolder the terminals... its a common issue with most hondas, just something about the solder joints poping loose.

 

I agree. See here:

http://techauto.awardspace.com/mainrelay.html