94 Civic DX getting the best of me.
 

Ok... here goes.

I have been fighting with my son's 87,000 mile 94 DX, and it I am at my wit's end. I have not been able to find anything online that has worked, so I am posting here to see if someone may be able to help me.

Car ran fine for 3 days after purchase... woke up one morning.. won't start. Turn the key on, it turns over but won't start. I turn the key off, then wait a sec or two, turn it back on, and the fuel pump does not engage.

If you turn the key on and wait about 30-40 seconds, the pump finally does it's 2 second prime, and the car starts and runs perfectly.

If you turn it off and turn it back on, it may only take 10 seconds for the pump to kick in this time.

Turn it off and turn it on again, it only takes a second or two.

It's almost like there would be a capacitor somewhere that is warming up, and then the pump kicks in.

Changed the fuel pump as well as the main relay, since most of the posts that I have found have said that these were the most two likely culprits. (Fuel pump needed to be changed anyways, as it sounded like a gravel crusher was under the rear seat)

I realize that I am a complete newbie here, but I would be eternally grateful for any insight that you may be able to provide.

Thanks

RE: 94 Civic DX getting the best of me.
 

mayb the fuel lines are clogged

RE: 94 Civic DX getting the best of me.
 

If you've already changed the main relay, the next suspect might be the ECU itself. Does the check engine light stay on while you're waiting out the 30 seconds? Normally the CEL should come on immediately when the key is turned on along with the fuel pump, then go out 2 seconds later when the pump turns off.

RE: 94 Civic DX getting the best of me.
 

Yes.. the CEL stays on until the fuel pump does it's 2 second prime. I was afraid that someone would say the ECU.

RE: 94 Civic DX getting the best of me.
 

ok.. it's not the ECU. Borrowed one out of a friend of mine's car.. same thing. Any other ideas?

RE: 94 Civic DX getting the best of me.
 

Is ther e a relay for the fuel pump?

The main relay is for the fuel injection system, not the fuel pump... when my main relay went flakey on me the pump would prime, but the injectors were not injecting the fuel so it turned over but no start...

I am wondering if the pump has its own separate relay, maybe it's connecting intermittently, similarly to the main relay problem that is common...

someone mentinoed a clogged line, have you tried changign the fuel filter? can't hutr if the pump was as noisy as you said it was there could be all kinds of trash in there... don't think that has anything to do with it not priming though, it sounds electrical...

RE: 94 Civic DX getting the best of me.
 

Fuel filter was changed a week before I bought it. I am going to look for a possible pump relay.

RE: 94 Civic DX getting the best of me.
 

The main relay is the only one involved to drive the fuel pump. If you have someone willing to let you borrow parts from their car, try their main relay. Maybe you got a bum one.

There could also be a loose connection at the fuse block or something.

RE: 94 Civic DX getting the best of me.
 

I would just double triple check all the wires, grounds and def try a different relay.

RE: 94 Civic DX getting the best of me.
 

the problem should definetly be the main relay... the relay you replaced, was it under the dash on the driver side just under the kick pannel?

- is there an aftermarket alarm on this vehicle?