Hello,
Well I flew in to Louisiana today where my '91 Accord has been broken down in the airport parking lot for 2 months! I brought a new Main Fuel Relay with me ($60).

Upon arrival:
1. I rented a car ($40)
2. I drove to Walmart & bought a battery ($83!!)
3. I drove the rental into the lot next to my car ($5)
4. I tore out the change draw as someone suggested and screwed up my dash. The draw will never fit again and I never did get to the MFR.
5. I tried to start the car and Voila! It started right up and idled smoothly.
6. I let it run a few minutes and it increased its idle briefly a few times.
7. Suddenly it started revving up to 2000 rpm and cutting out repeatedly. It didn't stall but almost. Just rev and quit, rev and quit.
8. I put it in gear and it steadied out though at a higher idle than normal. No revving.
9. I drove it around the lot and it seemed fine while it was in gear. Reverse too.
10. I put in Park and back to the rev & quit thing. Neutral too.

This is how the whole thing began 2 months ago when I drove to the airport in the first place. I needed jumper cables to start it, it revved and quit etc. I drove 20 miles to the airport and flew away and when I returned 2 weeks later... no start... not with jumper cables at least. This is the first chance I've had to fix it. Has anybody got an idea what is causing this? I'm afraid to take it out of the lot. It's $5 a day! I'm renting a car. I'm staying in a motel. I start work again on wednesday. Helpppp!!!

P.S. Anybody in Louisiana wanna buy a Honda cheap?

 

"Capt" good to see you back. Hope all was well.

Ok, I think we have a few issues. Idle bouncing once warm- low coolant, air in the system, IAC, fast idle.

Back to the orig issue, going on memory so correct me where I'm wrong, it was two months ago. Car ran great from FL to LA. Parked it, or something, and no start. Of course this was two or so months ago so the next questions test the memory. Did the cel come on for ~2 sec and then go off, while on did you hear the fuel pump prime-still with the main relay. Its cooler now so the "joints" might have sealed up.

Then there was the ICM. They usually get hot and stop working. But it has sat for sometime so it is cool now.

I hate to say this but until it acts up again there isn't a whole lot to go on. Keep the relay, might as well replace that battery if it is north of 3 years old. Did you pick up some sort of spark tester-timing light or something else.

How cheap?

EDIT: Sorry, one more. Then there is the ign switch. Try "wiggling" the key while it is running and see if it dies. also if it dies, what lights on the dash are on/off.

 

Thank You Poorman.
The CEL came on for 2 secs and went out with a click. I don't really hear the fuel pump but it must be working or no start. Would the low coolant cause the ignition to "cut out"? That's what it sounds like to me. It revs to 2000 rpm then abruptly "quits" and the rev drop until suddenly it seems to catch again and revs to 2000. Seems electrical to me. I remember reading about bleeding the coolant system somewhere here so I'll search for that. Any other possiblities? There are no codes flashing.
Thanks,
Dan

P.S. I replaced the ignition switch a while back. It seems fine. The battery is new. No special dash lights. Keep in mind, I put it in gear and can drive it no problem though the idle is a bit high but steady. It only surges in park or neutral. - D

 

Well, if anybody cares, it was the IACV (or was it the FITV?) I opened them both up and played with the innards. The one without the diaphragm was the one causing the problem. The bezel (for lack of a better term) was loose. This guy had the solution:
http://www.cb7tuner.com/vbb/showthre...highlight=idle
Fixing this should have cost me $0.00
Parking was $280!
Wasted money on coolant, tools, rent a cars, hotels etc.? Priceless!!
Anyone want to buy a new MFR still in original Honda packaging?
If you've got an erratic idle check out the site above.
Thank you poorman212 for your help!
Dan

 

I was trying for two different maybe related issues.

1) Bouncing idle (NEW ISSUE)-usually low coolant or air trapped, IAC or fast idle. Should not cause the car to die,,,,,most of the time it stays running.

2) Again, going on memory for the orig issue. CORRECT ME PLEASE- Drove from FL to LA, parked it, at sea for some period of time. Came back, cranked over but would not fire/start up. Now a few weeks/months later come back, new battery and she starts and runs. I know you are not going to like this but while everything is running and working, it's hard to TEST. I'm still leaning towards the relay. I was hot then, but if you can confirm that when it would not start the CEL came on and fuel pump primed then something in the ign system.

Sorry I'm can't help more. Intermit issues are hard to figure out, because you can't test for what is wrong when it works...trust me, I have an intermit issue with my well pump that is driving me crazy....every 5~10~15 days the well pumps stops. By the time I check one thing it works again????? Anyone help me with that?

 

Poorman,
OK... I just drove the car back to Florida; 960 miles, 80 mph, 30+ mpg. It ran great. The bouncing idle still happens once in a while but it runs and drives great. It's funny, sometime the idle bounces, I shut the car off and restart it and it's fine. No rhyme or reason to it. The no start that one day IS a mystery and it may well turn out to be the MFR but at least the car is back home now where my tools are and the parking is free. Thanks for your help and I'll let you know if I get to the bottom of it all.

 

GREAT to hear. Hope you'll be able to stay home for the holidays.

As far as the idle, hope you have some time, search for how low coolant (doubt that is the issue but who knows-bleed the air out) a dirty IACV (idle air control valve) can cause that and how to clean/test. Also look into the fast idle as another issue.

The "no start" is going to be something? As stated before it is hard to figure out what is wrong when it works??? I'm still with hanging onto the relay, just so if it does act up in the spring you have something in hand that may solve it.

Please let us know if you find anything....good luck.

 

Poorman,
Update: I removed the FICV (fast idle control valve) from the engine; 3 bolts and 2 small coolant lines. The lower coolant line was blocked with rust & crud. I poked it out with an awl, flushed water through it and reinstalled it. Voila perfect idle. I also changed the thermostat was was stuck open (no heat and it's been cold in Ft. Lauderdale!) and while I was at it I replaced the Main Fuel Relay. That is no easy thing to get at! It certainly is not plug & play. You need a 10mm socket and a 6" extension to remove the nut that holds it up there AND to remove the other gizmos that are in the way. Removing the coin drawer will not help. Removing the dash panel or the instrument cluster will not help. Get a flashlight, some tools and lay on your back (very uncomfortable) 'til you get it done. Thanks for your help,
Dan

P.S. Poorman, I know you know about the MFR, I put in the details for others who may want to try replacing it.