Hi everyone,

I have a honda accord LX 93 4 dr sedan. I was driving about 40mphs and my car jerked once and died. My timing belt isn't broken. I have a strong feeling its either fuel pump or main relay or something with the fuel system. I have new spark plugs + wires, distributor cap, battery.

Here are the symptoms:

Couldn't start it on the spot.
I started it about 5 hours later after a lot of cranking.
Let it run for 20 mins on idle until normal operating temp and didn't die
Turned it off and it wouldn't start again
When I turn the key I couldn't hear the fuel pump whine. I switched my car to ON and changed to D4 and turned the key. The pump didn't make a sound.
Also I just filled my gas tank from E to Full. Its been raining the past couple days and the temperature change from cold to warm often. I read somewhere that it can be water condensation in the fuel tank. I added 1 bottle of Heet (12oz) to see if this was the problem.

How can I tell if its main relay or fuel pump? Are there any simple test I can do before I buy the relay (Autozone said no return on electricals)? I don't have any special equipment or too much experience.

Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks!

 

when car does not start, have a can of carb cleaner, remove the throttle body hose, open the blade, spray some carb cleaner in the intake, if car starts ,,it is a lack of fuel issue could be the main relay, wiring or the pump.
.
if it is lack of fuel, then you need to see if you are getting power at fuel pump wiring ,, if you are ... most likely you got a bad fuel pump .. if no power at fuel pump wiring ,, most likely a bad main relay or bad wiring

there is a write up in the DIY section

 

Okay, I'll give it a shot. I'll let you know how I do. Thanks for the quick reply desert. =)

Edit: I tried looking in the DIY section, but couldn't find the procedure to check if im gettingpower at the fuel pump wiring. Got a link?

Edit: I forgot to say earlier that my car use to not start before it died. I would try to switch the key on and off until the fuel pump whines. Sometimes it doesn't whine. It wouldn't start until I have the pump whine for at least 20 seconds. I do this by switching my car to D4 and turning the key. I dunno if this will help.

 

A lot of the DIY threads are missing, since the forum got upgraded.

That comment about the fuel pump helps a lot. If the fuel pump doesn't whine, then the fuel pump is either not getting power, or the fuel pump is not working.

The easiest way to determine the problem would be to check for voltage at the blk/yel wire that goes into a connector at the fuel sending unit in the trunk. That wire should have 12V for those two seconds that you hear the fuel pump turn on.

If no voltage, then Main Fuel Relay. If you have 12V, then fuel pump is bad.

 

Don't forget that an open ground (for the fuel pump) can also result in the pump not running with a good main relay.

 

Okay, so I disconnected the plug connecting to the main relay and tested it for voltage. I wasn't sure exactly which to check (the plug or the compartment connect to the side of my car) so I checked both.

My relay looks something like this:
http://www.crxsi.com/repair/fixing_m...lay_wiring.gif

Well I touched the metals that the blk/yell socket would attach too and got 0volts but when I touched two other pieces of metal, I got 12V. Is this normal and okay?

Also when I reattached the relay, my car can start 5/5 times with ease. I can hear the fuel pump whine strongly. When the temperature of the car was cold the RPM stabilized at 1200 in idle and as the temperature increased, it slowly dropped to 400RPM. I left it on for 12 mins and it stayed at 400RPM which is how it usually is before it died.

So does this information help?
Thanks

 

The relay should be plugged in to properly test.

You should test for power at the fuel gauge sending unit circled in green. I attached a pic.

The metal cover (red circle) is in the trunk near the back seat in my 95. Yours may be under the back seat. Unbolt that cover and test for 12V between the blk/yel wire and ground. It is one of the wires in the three-pin connector back there.

 

did you ever spray carb cleaner in the throttle to make sure that it is a lack of fuel issue ?? I would do that first to make sure before you start doing other possibly unneeded work,, if car starts after you spray fluid in throttle body then you on the right path,,
if car still does not start you need to chk for spark.. ignitor could cause a similar issue that you are having ..

 

No I haven't. The car managed to start consistently after I replugged the same old main relay but I'm not sure if it will stay that way. I will spray it and see what happens and let you know again.

As for checking to see if the relay works, I guess I did it wrong. I'll do it again tomorrow. Thanks guys, I appreciate the help.

 

Hey guys,

I managed to check the 3 pin connector connected to the fuel pump. When I plug the volt meter blk and yell wires I get a 6.7 V reading. I guess its the relay. Now I got another problem... I thought I found the relay but what I actually found was the dashboard connector (im stupid). So where's the relay? Haynes says its under the dash next to my fuse box, but I don't see it. I found my fuse box under the dash on the side, but the main relay isn't there. Got a more detailed picture or instruction than haynes anyone?

EDIT:

I found the relay, and removed it. Plugged the new one in. I test it at the 3 pin connector... set my multimeter to 20 DCV and it read 6.6V.. I thought maybe I was testing it under the wrong setting so I switched the meter to ACV and got 13V for both old and new...Although I have this connector unplugged, when I turn the key, I hear the pump whine. This is normal right? It should do this because I notice the wires near the fuel pump split (one to the 3 pin connector and the other to another place I couldn't reach). Could it be the wires of the 3 pin connector that I'm plugging the voltmeter into that is bad?

Also inside the holes of the 3 pin connector, there's a gray paste. I believe this paste is to help keep the connector cool or let it conduct better something like that... If its not let me know... I'm only guessing..

Also my car still starts 100%. I'm not sure if it will die after 15+ mins though or if I'm driving. I keep hearing the pump whine every time I turn the key to ON.