Need help Please..

I own a 1999 Accord that sometimes gives me trouble in the summer(after the car has been sitting out in the sun all day in hot weather).

It's a 4 cyclinder, with 82K miles on it.

When I go to start the car after being at work all day, the engine cranks fine, sometimes fires up for 1 second, then won't fire up for a while (I have to let it sit for anywhere from 10 minutes to a couple of hours, then it starts up fine).

My mechanic has no ideas better than to start changing parts. Since this is a random thing, it is not likely something the mechanic will be able to see for his own eyes (the car will have started up before he gets his hands on it, and all is "fine").

Any ideas? Has anyone heard of this problem before?

Thanks in advance...

 

What does it do when it doesn't start? Does the engine try to turn over at all? Or do you turn the key and get nothing whatsoever? Does it ever stall out after it has started? Auto or Manual trans?

 

There are a lot of posts about the main fuel relay (MFR) in the forum, so search this forum. The MFR fails in hot weather because the solder on the cirucuit board dosen't make good contacts, and basically will not turn your fuel pump on.

When you turn your key to the II position, you should hear a series of clicks from behind the dash, but more importantly you should hear the fuel pump whirl for about two seconds as it pressurizes the system. Listen for the fuel pump before you try to start the car. You may need an assistant turn the key and you will have to listen with the gas cap open. If you don't hear it come on, then I would suspect that the MFR is failing.

 

To00Accord:

Auto trans.

The engine will fire up as if all were normal, but it will cut off after 1 second. Once it is running fine, I don't have any problems with the car.

I hear relays clicking, I'll try harder to listen for the fuel pump sound (or lack thereof)next time it happens.