Hello All,

Here yet another episode of my 91 EF giving me problems.

This one has been ongoing or almost seasonal since I bought the car a few years back.

Here's the scenario:
On most occasions, if it's the first start of the day, it starts fine.
If I drive it say... about 15 to 20 miles and shut it off... it won't start again until I monkey with it, open up the hood, attempt to have an "Aha" moment and just end up cursing up a storm and yelling at my car... ironically enough... the car will start.

Now I'm sure that the time it takes for doing all this, opening the hood... maybe lets some heat from the engine bay go and the car gets to some magical temperature or something... and the car feels that it's tortured me enough, and decides to start.

I've heard that the Main Relays tend to go out on earlier Honda models... replaced it... didn't really fix the problem... I also had my Clutch Inhibitor Switch replaced... problem seems to go away for about a week then reproduced itself.

If I go under the dash and manually push the Clutch Inhibitor Switch in with my finger... it will sometimes start. **Note** When I do this, I can easily hear both the Main Relay and Clutch Inhibitor Switch engaging with a click.

My starter sounds good and strong, my alternator seems to be okay. As if it was faulty... the car would just run the battery down and stall while driving.

If it was the coil, igniter or cap and rotor... the starter would just wind and wind, and never start... right? **Not sure about that one.**

I figure since this is an intermittent problem, those things must all work... I heard that most electrical components either work or don't work... there's no in between.

I don't know where I'm going with this, so that's why I'm asking you guys.

Has this or something similar happened to any of you on here?

Thank you!

 

You're saying it cranks OK but won't start, or that the starter doesn't do anything?

 

If the starter doesn't crank the engine, then the problem might be the safety starter switch at the top of the clutch pedal, the ignition switch, or the starter itself.

If the engine cranks but won't start, then listen for whether the fuel pump primes, and check for spark at the plugs and for CEL codes blinking on the ECU LED.

 

To both MK378 & RonJ,

The car... when it "does crank". starts every time.

As mentioned earlier... I replaced both the Main Relay and Clutch Inhibitor Switch (lets call it "CIS")(I guess that's what you meant by "Safety Starter Switch". ( I don't know the proper nomenclature)

So both were replaced... the Main Relay was said to look just fine, but was replaced anyway.

I can actually hear both of them working when I try to manually press the CIS button with my finger and reach up to turn the ignition key. They both make a clicking noise in sequence with me pressing the CIS button and turning the key.

Since I hear that all these things are are magnetic circuit breakers that snap into circuit when an electric current hits it, and I can hear them snapping or clicking... I guess that means they are doing their job.

Now about that "ignition switch" you mentioned. Is that another name for the main relay?

I don't think I've ever replaced the starter, but I think it was replaced when I got it. Do starters ever work intermittently like that? I've tried tapping it with a flashlight today... first time doing it... thought maybe it was getting stuck and just needed to break loose.

Please tell me that by doing this... I didn't break my starter.

Oh BTW... to make things more confusing... I went outside just now and started it up perfectly...

Thanks again guys

 

Not sure that you answered the questions. Let's keep it simple. When the problem occurs, does the starter crank the engine or not? I am thinking that it does NOT crank, right?

 

Ah... that's what you meant...

Yes you are right... When the problem occurs... no cranking or anything.

I have power
I hear the clicks of the Main Relay

That's it.

I wait... try again... if it cranks, it always starts.

 

Okay, very good.

Unplug the interlock switch (safety starter switch) located at the top of the clutch pedal. Use a jumper wire to short the two terminals of the free connector. Now does the starter always crank? If so, replace the switch. WARNING: Be sure to always have the engine in neutral during this test because if it is in gear the car will dangerously lurch forward.

 

Aha,

Yes... the Clutch Interlock Switch. That was replaced.
I don't know what jumper wire is... is it just any insulated metal or copper wire?
I guess that's what google is for... :P
If I bypass this switch... can I drive without it?

 

Okay, if you have replaced the interlock switch, then you should check that the two starter wires, as well as the transmission ground wire, are clean and tight. If so, the problem could be the starter itself or the ignition switch. My guess would be a faulty ignition switch. Here's how to test:

 

The ignition switch is the one that the key turns. If you have a voltmeter or test light, check that the black with white stripe in the 4 pin plug (which is plugged directly into the fuse panel) powers up when you turn it to start. Of course it needs to be not starting at the time you test it to prove anything.

Check that the rubber plug in the clutch arm that presses the switch is OK. Bypassing the switch with a wire takes it out of the picture entirely. Like Ron noted you lose the safety feature of having to press the clutch down before starting.

When it is not starting, you can go under the hood and try jumping the starter directly. Starters do become intermittent but usually it deteriorates rapidly until it won't start at all ever.

The main relay has nothing to do with the starter cranking. Mostly it controls the fuel pump once the engine begins to turn.