2024-03-01 Honda Car No Start

 Feb 1, 2024

Took Honda car to Johns Import Auto for the following work..

1988 Honda Accord

1. 1. Brake shudder – front. High speed only on light application. Increases if not let off. Scary shaky. Let’s use a different vendor this time. Recall the last rotors were out of round and had interference fit. These shake and bake.
2. 2. Purchase/install new/refurbed fuel injectors. Leaky.
3. 3. Rough idle. See #2?
4. 4. Check ps pp for leak - did the seal swell magic juice work?
5. 5. Rear window wiper no juice comes out.
6. 6. Won’t start when cold – under dash master relay again? Ambient less than ~45, will crank no start. Similar to last failed master relay only that one was heat related. Sometimes, letting off the key ’start’ mode she’ll start.
7. 7. Cooling fan runs after shutoff.. about 10 to 15 minutes. Sub margin cooling relay? Sensor?
8. 8. Rotate tires (if you want/can) fronts will be off for brakes anyway.

The no start but will crank issue kicked our butts. John got to point of giving up but was gracious enough to allow me to work on it at his shop, and Keith let me borrow tools as needed.

Got it started, took it to Sunset Honda Atascadero, Armando. Presented Armando with this info of what had been done so far.

1988 Honda Accord Lxi

Symptoms – No spark w engine warm. Engine will crank, but no spark. Starts and runs fine when engine is cold. Engine continues to run when warm, it won’t die. Just don’t turn the key off. 

When things are right, the engine starts immediately. When whatever it is starts failing, longer engine cranking is required. Sometimes it will fire. 

The problem is progressive. Testing by warming the engine, turning the key off, start if possible, warm some more.. repeat. As the component starts to fail, it will take longer crank times. Sometimes, when returning key to ‘run’ position from ‘start’ condition starts it. After a full heat soak, no spark. 

Things done and or replaced:

Replaced:

1. 1. 2 new master relays
2. 2. Ignition switch
3. 3. Ignition coil
4. 4. 3 different TEC distributors. 2 from O’Reilleys, 1 from RockAuto (Cardone)
5. 5. ECU with used part from eBay

Tested:

1. 1) Radio noise suppressor capacitor. .47 uF. Swapped with known good .47 uF capacitor. No spark.
2. 2) Removed capacitor from circuit. No spark. Batter voltage found on male lead coming from harness (not the lead coming from distributor).
3. 3) Warmed engine to start failure, substituted a ‘cold’ distributor, no spark.
4. 4) Noid light on FI #1 shows light – FI’s are getting power.
5. 5) Ran to failure. Immediately swapped ECU’s. No spark.
6. 6) Disconnected all 3 temperature sensors, engine top side. No spark. Not sure if disconnecting them would kill spark or not.
7. 7) Disconnected TPS. Did not test TPS. It looks like the TPS is ‘rivited’ to throttle body. WTFO? John from John’s Import Auto doesn’t think the TPS would cause no spark.
8. 8) Cleaned up battery terminal connections.
9. 9) Swapped both Ignition fuses IGN (A) and IGN (B). IIRC, they are 40 amp fuses.
10. 10) Cleaned 40 fuse connections

Proposed next steps:

1. 1. Jump batter positive to IGN (A,B) fuse hot side. Is it possible the fuse box power path is opening when warm, preventing the distributor and coil from receiving 12 volts?

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2024-03-06 Armando fixed it!

Armando found the following problems and resolved them:

1. 1) One master relay was incorrect part, for a Civic not Accord, and per Armando, they are different, have different wiring.
2. 2) One master relay, even though new, had cracked solder joints. They reflowed the solder joints.
3. 3) Defective ignitors on both distributors (Oreilly and AutoZone!). Armando ‘knows a guy’ who has old Honda parts and sourced an OEM used ignitor for 80 USD.
4. 4) Broken wires at TW water sensor. Still electrically viable, but about 60% of wires broken. Wiring redone, it looks great.
5. 5) Brake light was due to low master fluid. When opened, it looked like mud. Brake system flushed and bled with clean new fluid.
6. 6) Fixed the driver side seat lever.
7. 7) Found the timing belt off by one tooth – causing the distributor setting to be maxed out. Once corrected, distributor is in the mid range of adjustment.
8. 8) He even washed the exterior and cleaned the interior!

Car runs GREAT, starts every time, is peppy beyond belief. I’m an Armando fan for life now!