Hello everyone, I have searched the forums here and want to make sure I am on the right course of action. I have a 98 accord LX with the 4cyl vtech engine, 148k miles that my daughter was driving till January when her grandma got her a newer car so has been sitting in garage..

It had been running fine at the time. So it sat in garage till march when i needed to move it. When i turned it over it was having a hard time starting, I ended up pumping the gas many times and after about a minute got it fired up. However I had to keep my foot in the peddle and run it to about 4-5k rpm and hold it there for 2 minutes. Once it was warmed up i backed down on throttle and it seemed fine. Took it for a drive and it ran well. But after 30 minutes went to move it again and it the same thing happened all over.

From what I have read it could be the main relay under the dash? Or could it also be Fuel pump? I have not seen it mentioned but would bad mass flow sensor have anything to do with it? I will say also that the CEL has been on for some time, it is the 1457 code , its the one with the bad evaporative valve. I have a new one to install but the car has run fine in the past, just haven' had the time to install.
also could it be as simple as some bad gas with water in it maybe?

So of those 4 things any suggestions where to start first?

Thanks
Bill

 

Doesn't sound like the main relay or the fuel pump, because then the engine wouldn't start at all.
It could be stale gasoline. Or fouled spark plugs?

P1457 EVAP leak from canister system. That could be one of several different solenoid valves, or a cracked EVAP canister, or a leaking vacuum hose in that system. Which valve did you buy & what tests did you do to narrow it down to that? But the P1457 doesn't seem related to the difficulty in starting.

 

Hi Jim,

I was thinking perhaps bad gas but the fact I can get it to start i wouldn't think I would be able to at all. I am going to stop on way home tonight though and get some stabilizer and put in tank.

I purchased the Canister Vent Shut Valve last year. I may not have the correct code here but that was what it indicated as the issue from Autozone as far as that issue with the CEL and it also has been running richer and getting about 2-3mpg less, so that was just speculating!

Haven't had a chance to do more thorough tests yet but want to get running again so we have a spare backup car if needed.

My friend at working is bringing his code reader in tomorrow for me to see if I have any new codes thrown.

 

Gasoline getting stale is not a sudden all-or-nothing situation. It gradually degrades, so it can do what you describe. Stabilizer is for putting in the fuel before you store it, so I don't know how much it'll help now.

P1457 covers a host of problems, and a corroded vent-shut valve might be the most common one. There's about 4 pages of checks in the shop manual just for that one error code. Any error code just means that system isn't working correctly, it never is a guarantee that one particular PART is bad. It might be a break in the wiring harness preventing the vent-shut valve from working.

Since you already bought it, you may as well go straight to that valve. Apply power straight from the battery (or from any 12vdc power). When I had that, the valve didn't even click. If your vent-shut valve is working, then you might go through the checks in this thread.
https://www.hondaaccordforum.com/for...-1999-a-27179/

 

Jim thanks for the additional info. Well I am happy to report it was bad gas! Put half a can of Seafoam in, let it sit overnight and it started right up last night! Be forewarned if you are in great lakes area about Speedway gas, that is what my daughter put in the tank. I know i have had some bad gas in the past(once from Speedway) where the car ran a little rough but not to the point it was that hard to start. I have been using Costco gas the past 3 years with zero issues and when on a trip use BP with no problems either. I also have let gas sit in my small engines for 5 months in winter and never had problem with it going bad, I have probably just been really lucky!

And what you said about bad wiring is true. I have a really good honest mechanic (he is currently master tech for mercedes dealership) who works on our cars when it's above my knowledge level. a year and half ago I was getting an error code that said I had bad solenoids for tranny, when you put it in reverse the pressure was high and it slammed into gear, and it also had some stalling issues. After he investigated found there was some corroded wiring including the main ground wire from alternator. So for around $300 the car was running like new again.

 

Ok today I took the car up and give it a full tank of good gas. After letting sea foam sit in it for 3 days it fired right up and idled fine. So filled it up and went to garden center with wife and it started fine both times. When we got home I thought the ac was little warm so grabbed the can of ac pro and saw it was a little on low side and started to add some to system. After 30 seconds the car just died and I had a hard time getting to start again.

Threw the code reader on I borrowed from my friend and came up with the 1457 which it has had but had a new code the 1381 camshaft sensor. From what I read here it might just need new distributor cap? I was able to get it started again and it idled for a minute but then died again.

My mechanic who did work on it a year an half ago found some electrical issues which he fixed and kept the original alternator on, the replacement i bought, although it worked he wasn't happy with the voltage so put the original back on.

From what I read here it could be a bad diode in alternator throwing this code and not the distributor cap, any thoughts where to start? I have had this car since new but think the northern weather has taken it's toll on the wiring. I have tried to spray contact cleaner in any connectors where I thought there might be an issue.

 

Cap and rotor are "wear" items and should be replaced on a regular schedule....so if it is due I would go ahead and change them.

Is the code "poping" all of the time now?

 

After I cleared the code yesterday and i got it restarted it came back within 30-60 seconds. then I cleared again and was able to get it started and let it idle for a good 15 minutes and it seemed fine. I guess worth a shot for about $30 to get new cap and rotor at this point. I think the last time they were changed along with wires was about 60-70k and it has 148k now.

I wanted to drive it to my work to try it out but that's 30 miles away and don't feel like having it die en route.

 

Again, I'm only saying that cap and rotor wear out and should be changed. The NGK spark plugs (ZFR5F-11) are rated for 30K miles

Are they causing the code, no. Are they causing the car to die, no.

Not a ture test but. Try un-plugging the alt - the four(?) wire connector - and run the engine. Yes you are running in just the battery.......see if the code comes back.

 

Thanks I picked up a new cap and rotor at oreilly's today actually 2, honda had 2 different styles depending on distributor manufacturer. I couldn't remember if it was the deeper cap, so the guy said buy both then just bring back what you don't need! And I'll check the plugs I thought they were rated for 100k and changed out at 80k, also going to swap out the vacuum hoses as most are original and at 17 years old probably due.
I will try the alternator test too, I have a spare good one if I need it.
I miss the days of working on my 67 camaro, so much easier to figure out what was wrong.