With no warning my 1990 Accord (4 cyl, 190,000 miles) won't start, although it turns over fine. The battery is less than a year old. I know this isn't much to go on, but are there some likely things I can check that are common causes for this kind of problem on this model?

Thanks in advance!!

 

Either you have a problem with lack of spark, or lack of fuel.

Do you have a timing light or a volt meter?

 

Yes, I do have a timing light.

 

Good.

Check that all ends of both battery cables are clean and secure. Replace maintenance items if they are past due (NGK spark plugs, distributor cap, distributor rotor, and spark plug wires). Continue with these tests anyway, because they take a total of 5 minutes to do.

A quick test to verify spark: Properly hook up your timing light to the number 1 wire. Have someone try to start the car. If the timing light flashes, then spark is ok.

A quick test for fuel: When you initially turn the key to the II position, listen for the fuel pump to turn on for a couple of seconds during the clicks from under the dash. It is a faint humming sound that comes from the back seat. If you can't hear it, have someone turn the key to the II position, and you listen at the gas cap with the cap removed.

Let us know what you find.

 

Will do. Is the #1 cylinder on the left or the right hand side?

 

Driver's side.

It shouldn't matter which wire you put it on. You just want to see the timing light flash due to adequate current going through the spark plug wires. You can test all four wires if you like.

 

Really good suggestion. I hooked up the timing light to all four, but none flashed. Also, I think I can smell some slight gas fumes by now, so I think it is spark related. Any suggestions on what I could try next?

 

Is your car and DX, LX, or EX?

You should take off the distributor cap and check that the contacts are in good shape and that the rotor isn't worn out. Make sure that the 4 wires going to the ignitor are clean and secure.

If you have a volt meter, turn the key to the II position. You should have 12V between the blk/yel wire and body ground that goes to the coil. The LX/DX coil is external. I think that the EX coil is internal on the 90-93 accord.

If you have 12V, then the ignition switch is supplying power.

You also need a volt meter to test the resistance on the coil.

The primary resistance on the coil should be 0.6-0.8 ohms (test resistance on the coil terminal where the blk/yel wire plug in and the other small terminal where the blue(?) wire connect). The secondary resistance should be 12.9-19.3 kohms (between the blk/yel terminal on the coil and the big terminal on the coil that feeds spark to the spark plug wires).

Let us know what you find.

 

It is an LX. I will try the items you mention tomorrow, unfortunately I have to go back to work! I assume that the cap and rotor are fairly inexpensive for this car, so I may just replace them as a precaution.

 

The cap and rotor are inexpensive, so replace them if they haven't been changed in a while.

You can also go to the DIY section and download a 90 or 91 shop manual from the online manuals thread. That will help you out a lot.