I have a 1992 Honda Accord that has been sitting a few years waiting for my boy to turn 16 so he can drive it. It was having a problem with the igniter in the distributor constantly so I replaced the distributor. I also replaced the coil . Before I did these things I put a new battery in it but didn't connect it securely and it fried the alternator. I replace the alternator secured the battery connections and replaced the distributor. It would start on the first try but then on the second try it was a little harder to start and the third time it wouldn't start. So, I replace the coil. With the brand new coil in it it is not starting and I have a weak spark. I'm not sure where to start looking from here and I'm not a professional mechanic just a backyard mechanic but I do have quite a bit of mechanical knowledge and abilities. Even with the old distributor, which had an igniter that was going bad, it would do about the same thing. It would start the first time, second time would be a little more difficult, shut the car off tried a third time and wouldn't start. So at this point I am guessing there is a problem somewhere else with the ignition system. I would really really appreciate some help with this. Thank you

 

When it gets progressively harder to start, do you mean the starter (cranking speed) is slower & slower? Or getting harder in some other way?

 

I don't mean that the starter is turning slower. What I mean is, the first time I turn the key it starts right up. The second time I turn the key if I shut it off, it turns more and doesn't start immediately like it should. If I shut it off and try it a third time it won't start at all. Yesterday after I put the new coil in I thought for sure that was the problem. I tried to start it and it just cranked and did not start. I had about 12.55 volts in the battery. And, with the key in the second position might check engine light comes on for a few seconds and turns off like it should. Then, I tried to start the engine. And, like I said it just cranks and won't start. So, I checked for spark at one of the spark plug wires with a screwdriver holding it close to the valve cover nut. And I could see a very weak spark.

 

I don't know wire colors for 92, hope someone chimes in with some details...

Since it happens with multiple ignitors & distributors, I wonder if something is going on with power supply to the distributor. I think the ignitor is pretty much an isolation amplifier to prevent spikes from the coil getting back to the ECM. It needs a good voltage supply (battery voltage) that it can switch on & off for the coil. On a 27 year old car I'd be looking at all the electrical connections for corrosion, dirt, loose pins, etc...

With a new distributor, you've had a look at the plug wires and their contact in the distributor cap. Likewise, you need to look at the primary circuit - that's the 12v input through the ignitor to the low-voltage wire at the coil.

What's still bothering me is how it fires up at first, then doesn't when you try again. Maybe the spark is a red-herring...?

Try your spark test before first starting - is it noticeably stronger? Maybe use a spare sparkplug so you have a consistent gap?

Another question... Why the 2nd try at starting? Does it fire up then won't keep running? Non-start when you try again immediately sounds more like fuel stuff like flooding, or plugged fuel filter, or the plugs being wet with fuel.

 

I appreciate your help. Let me try to clarify. As far as the starting it first, second, and third times, that just had to do with getting it started for the first time and then going back and trying to start it again and again to be able to test the brake booster which is another issue that I'm having.
So, let me back up in the story just a little bit. When I first started working on the car after it had sat for a few years I put a new battery in it and some gas and just tried to start it. Once the gas was flowing, it started right up. I shut it off and went and got my son and showed him that it started up and ran pretty good. Then, I shut it off again and my wife came around so then, I started it a third time. The third time is when it was not starting and I was assuming the igniter in the old distributor was causing the issue. At this point I had not changed anything out. I still had the old distributor and old coil. Hadn't done anything more to it other than put gas and battery in it. Like I said, I assumed that the igniter was causing trouble and I had planned on buying a brand new distributor for it so, that's what I did. Bought a brand new distributor and installed it hooked up the battery and it started right up. But then, the second time I tried to start it to show my boy that it would start again it had a hard time starting. You could tell that it wasn't firing right off and it took a few more turns of the starter to start again. Which concern me so, I shut it off and tried to start it a third time and it would not start. That's when I got the new coil. I installed a new coil and, at this point, it is not starting at all. That's when I started checking for spark. Just pulling one of the plug wires out sticking a screwdriver in it and putting it very close to one of the nuts on the valve cover the spark looks very weak. This is with a good battery brand new distributor brand new coil. I read on one help page with Honda's that one person had a similar issue and someone commented saying they should check the ground for the ECU I believe, which is located under or near the thermostat housing. I actually see 2 Connections in the same area within an inch and a half of each other. I'm not sure which of these I should be checking. Or maybe I should check both. Like you said I should be looking at dirty and loose connections.
So, like I said , at this point it is not starting with a good battery , brand new distributor and a brand new coil . Any further help, insight or specific things I could be looking at that you can think of I would really appreciate your input. Thanks

 

I did solve this problem. I asked around on a few other forums and Facebook groups. There was one guy that chimed in and said... MAIN RELAY!!! There is a main relay up under the dash near the steering column that controls the fuel pump priming and function as well as several other functions. He told me to get up under the dash and give it a good whack and see if the car starts. I did so and the car started right up. Apparently these can be a common problem. They heat up, contract and expand Etc and the solder points on the computer board will eventually crack. You can resolder these joints but, it's really hard to see where there is a crack and where there is not. So, it was still giving me a little bit of trouble so I decided to replace it. A brand new one on Amazon is about 16 bucks. Totally worth it compared to messing with soldering the old one.

 

Ouch - I'm well aware of the main relay, and it's just like you said. I guess I was too much focused on the spark to think of the fuel side of things.

Anyway, thanks for letting us know what fixed it.