I've been experiencing an issue which seems a bit bizarre to me. For a while now, about once a week, by 91 EX wagon won't start. Engine turns over fine, but it won't start. After turning it over a few times, if I sit and wait a couple of minutes and then try it again, it fires right up and runs fine. This has never happened when I first start it in the morning, it always happens either after the car has been running a while or when the car's been sitting out in the heat.

Then, this last week, twice in the morning when driving to work, I get about 5 to 10 minutes down the road and the engine just dies. Again, I can turn the motor over just fine, but it won't restart. If I wait a couple of minutes and then try again, it fires right up and I can drive the rest of the day without any issue.

Any ideas what this is?

 

I would suspect an ignition problem, either keyswitch fault causing power to the ignition to be lost or a failing ignition part, coil (most likely), or perhaps ignitor. Did you happen to notice whether the instrument panel lights (alt, Check Engine, etc) were illuminated when you had the no-start? If they were off, the keyswitchmay be faulty. Check for power to distributor on Blk/Yel wire when no-start is present. If no voltage, the keyswitch is the problem.

If panel lights remained on, Iwould check for ignition spark when you have theno-start using a old sparkplug grounded to engine, and hooked to one spark plug lead. You should get a bright blue-pink spark in reduced light. If no spark, the coil is more likely, but could be ignitor. I have never found a reliable way to distinguish which is the problem. Coil can be tested for resistance, but if problem intermittent it may test OK.

Also check the distributor rotor and towers for cracks.

good luck

 

Have you checked the main relay for cracked solder joints?

 

x2 on the main relay cracked solder joints...

 

I agree with checking/replacing the main relay. Exact thing started happening on my '97 Accord6-8 months ago. Replacing the relay solved it.

One easy way to test:turn on the ignition (don't start engine tho) and the check engine light illuminates for about 2 seconds. When it goes off, you should hear the faint 'click' of the relay from below the dash. If you do, then try starting engine; it should start. Now try this test whenyou go to start youcar and it doesn't start and only turns over. Listen for the 'click' -- you probably won't hear it until you wait 2-3 mintues.When you don't hear it click, that confirms it's jacked.

Your vehicle will likely be a little different from this, but this is the step-by-step that I used:
http://home.earthlink.net/~michaelpkeefe/HowTo_MainRelay.htm