Hello everyone,I hope someone out there can help me get to the answer of my problem.I have a 1990 Accord 4cyl,automatic,145,000 miles.Sometimes this car starts right up but many times I wear the battery down to the point that I have to hook up the jump box before it starts.At times it acts up on the road as if it is going to stall out but if I floor it the car takes right off,and is ok untill I turn it off and go to start it again,sometimes it starts right up,many times not.Im not going to give all the details untill I get some input because I would like to hear some of your ideas and go from there.....Thanks....Eht.

 

Hi New Member..
1st off Welcome to the HAF...

A lot of the time we find that the cars with your problem have a vacume leak at the intake manifold, air control valve or vacume hoses.

 

There are some things you can do to narrow the problem to ignition or fuel supply.

1) Notice when no-start occurs whether Check Engine and Alternator lights are on/off. If off, you have problem w/ keyswitch contacts. If they're On continue.

2) When car won't start listen carefully when you turn keyswitch to On for a click from Main Fuel Relay (MFR) under the dash and fuel pump to run (buzz from fuel tank) for 2-3 secs. If you don't hear the MFR and fuel pump, then fuel supply is likely problem. MFR may have failed.

3) If 1&2 don't isolate problem, the ignition may be the problem. Suggest checking for spark w/ a timing light attached to one spark lead. Turn engine over and watch for timing light flashes, no flash = no spark.

Post back your results for additional guidance.

good luck

 

First off,Thanks for the welcome wheelbrokenang And texashonda thanks for reply.
The fuel pump was replaced a year ago along with the filter,not many miles ago and yes I can hear the pump buz.Do you think I could have a weak coil?Do you know if I need to take a loan out to purchase a coil for a 1990 accord 4cyl.As I said before this car is hard starting but sometimes it fires and almost starts after that it is as if I am not getting any spark,I am getting fuel.once the battery gets tired of cranking but before it wears down completly I hook up the jumper box,after awhile(not right away) it starts and going down the road it lacks power by the ton but if I floor it it picks up untill I ease up and than rough again,it goes down the road not so great but gets me there untill I go to start it again then I go through it all again.There is a new battery in this car also.AGAIN THANK YOU WHEELBROKEN AND TEXAS HONDA!!!

 

If you haven't replaced the spark plugs, I would suggest replacing them. A new set of Autolite DPP's are inexpensive w/ rebate. They run fine on Hondas and Acuras.

Check wires at night by spraying w/ a water mist and looking for sparks jumping. Any sparks mean new wires are need.

A new distributor cap and rotor are another investment that will pay off.

Suggest checking these before the coil and see if they help.

good luck

 

Are there any stored codes? Strange all of this is going on and the ECU hasn't stored anything.

 

Thanks again to everyone,I am going to try some of these suggestions and get back to the forum sometime next week. Thanks again to all who cared to help!

eht
1990 Honda Accord
1999 Mazda 626
1977 F-150
1963 Mercury Marauder
1961 Falcon

 

you only need single platinum plugs(cheaper unless dpp cheaper w/rebate) or copper(cheaper still but have to change more often and maybe stronger spark)
dpp plugs are for DIS/EI/WASTE SPARK IGNITION which have the spark traveling in both directions thus double platinum for both sides. Our old tech distributors have spark traveling in only one direction thus single platinum is enough.
I've been using the autolite single platinum for a couple months now, I may have lost 1mpg but not real sure. had worn-out densos before.
now does anyone wanna talk about DEXRON VI?

 

you should hook up a fuel pressure gauge and monitor pressure while driving car ,,

 

Also, do you have a timing light? You can hook it up to each cylinder wire to see if you are generating enough spark to flash the timing light.