I am trying to fix my mother in laws 98 Accord. The car sometimes doesn't start. It will just crank and not start. I checked for spark at the plugs and do have spark. Sometimes it will start and run like a champ. I ran a test lightat the fuel pump and of course it was hot. Its hard to fix a car that not broken all the time. I thought it might be a fuel pump relay, only to find out there is no designated relay for the fuel pump, just a "main relay" located somewhere on the stearing colum. Is it possible that the pump is bad just sometimes? Does that happen? I bought the pump and haven't installed it yet. Im afraid of just throwing parts,, time and money at a problem and not having it fixed. Any advise will be great. Thanx GUY

 

That MAIN relay is just 2 relays combined into the same case. One of them is the fuel pump relay, the other switches power to the ECU & most fuel system sensors & solenoids & stuff.

The common problem with that relay, is the fuel-pump portion has bad (cracked) solder joints. If youre good with a soldering iron, you can re-melt these.

Since its intermittent, get in the habit of switchingEVERYTHING OFF when you leave the car. Especially the stereo & the ventilation fan. That way, every time you start up, you can listen for the relay & the fuel pump. That relay is located near your left knee.

Turn the key to ON, but dont immediately continue to START. Listen forthe relayto click ON, then listen for the pump running (softly in the back). After about 3 seconds, the relay will click again, shutting off the pump. Then start the engine.

If the relay clicks but the pump doesnt run, that would indicate a bad main relay. If the pump runs, but the engine still doesnt start, then look elsewhere for the problem.

 

Hey Jim Blake, You Know your stuff. Thank you so much for the tips.