Dont get why car just starts when I disconnect the battery, after running fine for a

[chulito]

Hi there guys I got a question to ask. For some strange reason my car has the habbit to not start at random times. I got a 93 civic si (canada) (stock engine). Ill explain you more. One day (a month ago) I was on my way to school and was going to start the car but she didnt want to. I tought it was a dead battery but i could hear the fuel pump priming and there was spark. I even called my friend for a boost. The main relay clicked three times as supposed to. Unfortunately at the time i didnt check the fuses kuz i didnt know how to. I still dont know. I was frustrated and call the mechanic. He took it for a while and said it was fine. I was surprised but didnt care.

Now yesterday I was on my way out and my car didnt wanna start again. I got pretty mad kuz it was the same thing again. It was cranking but not starting. I tried everthing i could and nothing still. I thought i had fludded so i waitted 30 min and still nothing. then I called my friend and told me to reset the ecu. I disconnected the ground for the battery for like 15 secs, connected back in and then she was running again. So i was like "O so i just needed to reset the ecu". Now today the same thing happened. I disconnected the battery again for like 15secs but still didnt want to start. Then i disconnected it for like 10 min and she started like a champ.

Does anyone know what is exactly happening here. My mechanic checked the timing belt and it was fine. I dont know what is exactly wrong with this. Seems to be something electrical.

I would appreciate some advices as winter is coming and dont want to be struggling with this in shitty weather.

Would it be a faulty ECU? If so why would it work after I reset it? I havent checked for codes either as the CEL hasnt come on besides when i start the car.

Thanks, Luis

[inline6turbo]

Is it cranking fully when it doesnt want to start or is it more sluggish?

Take out a spark plug on the first attempt, crank it, see if fuel spurts out the plug hole, maybe its not delivering fuel? Is there any engine lights? Are your cable ends clean and dry and fully clamped on, even a small amount of corrosion or looseness can cause a battery to not exert enough enough cranking amps to start it. I would almost rule that out due to the small size of your engine though.

If it's not getting fuel or not reading the air flow properly I would start with your ecu. Go to pick your junk and get a new one, see what happens.

[Kloubek]

So you're SURE the fuel pump is working right? By all rights, if you have fuel and you have spark, the car should be at least trying to catch.

I had a 98 Accord coupe, and it would sometimes cut out while DRIVING. It also wouldn't start sometimes. Turns out there is a fuel relay under the driver's side which tends to die over time. I replaced it, and didn't experience any problems after that.

[em2ab]

Same thing happened to me with a Cavalier. I could hear the fuel pump coming on and it confused the hell out of me but I replaced it anyway just to check it out. I even removed it and blew into it to make sure it wasn't clogged, it was fine. But when I replaced it the car worked best kind so I figured out that even though it was coming on, it wasn't getting the right power and wasn't creating any suction. Try replacing it, at least in a Civic you shouldn't have to drop the gas tank to do it.

[aznlee]

My eg was doing that before as well. I changed my main relay and it has never done that again.

[ShermanEF9]

I had this problem on my moms 91 accord, the main relay was the culprit.

[chulito]

Originally posted by inline6turbo
Is it cranking fully when it doesnt want to start or is it more sluggish?

It is cranking all the way.


Ok, guys im gonna try changing the relay since it should not be that expensive i dont think. I also heard it might be the ecu crapping out on me. So ill brorrow a friends ecu for a bit.

What would happened if the ecu is not for the same trim. lets say a civic dx instead of a si?

[chulito]

ok so i changed the battery and still having the same issue. It was find for like a month and back to the same shit again. I checked the relay and is fine. This time when it didnt want to start i checked for gas and it was good, then checked for spark and didnt get any. I was mad, then i started to push the car with some friends and i got it running doing that trick of puting it in second gear letting the clutch go... Why is this hapening? If i wasnt getting spark before why did it start when i pushed it?

[Tech_746]

Originally posted by chulito
ok so i changed the battery and still having the same issue. It was find for like a month and back to the same shit again. I checked the relay and is fine. This time when it didnt want to start i checked for gas and it was good, then checked for spark and didnt get any. I was mad, then i started to push the car with some friends and i got it running doing that trick of puting it in second gear letting the clutch go... Why is this hapening? If i wasnt getting spark before why did it start when i pushed it?

for an engine to start, you need these three things for for engine to run, well more on the newer engines

spark, fuel and compression, without any of these, engine will not run

you said you got fuel, but no spark, i assume your compression is good

common problems for no spark, faulty ignitor, main relay
you can get a "WEAK" spark, not enough power to jump the spark plug gap, cause by weak coil, the spark is "orange-ish" color instead of blue, also check the wiring for Crank sensor, sometimes i see the wiring rub against the powersteering or alternator belt, which can cut the harness to the crank sensor, if the computer don't see the sensor, car might or might not have spark depend on the vehicle

[tjblacklight]

had same problem with crx main relay was problem

[chulito]

ok this is going to sound stupid but i rather ask than assume. when i checked for spark i just took out the park plug cable and put it against the engine head. Am i suposed to take out the spark plug too and attach it to the cable and then try it like that.... i just never done it on my own i just read and heard... sorry for the noobie question.... kuz this time when it didnt want to start thats what i did, i pulled out just the cable and put it against the block, and no spark or anything????

[ShermanEF9]

check the wires going into the fuse box under the hood... that caused what you're saying to happen to mine

[5000Audi]

Originally posted by chulito
ok this is going to sound stupid but i rather ask than assume. when i checked for spark i just took out the park plug cable and put it against the engine head. Am i suposed to take out the spark plug too and attach it to the cable and then try it like that.... i just never done it on my own i just read and heard... sorry for the noobie question.... kuz this time when it didnt want to start thats what i did, i pulled out just the cable and put it against the block, and no spark or anything????

pull a spark plug, then click the spark plug wire onto the plug, hold onto it with insulated pliers. get a friend inside the car to crank it over.. cheak to see if there is a spark from the spark plug while holding it against the block/ head... thats the way to cheak for spark

[chulito]

Originally posted by 5000Audi


pull a spark plug, then click the spark plug wire onto the plug, hold onto it with insulated pliers. get a friend inside the car to crank it over.. cheak to see if there is a spark from the spark plug while holding it against the block/ head... thats the way to cheak for spark

O thanks man... i saw a video in youtube right after i wrote this and thought i was doing it wrong.... Ill try that today after school. Unfortunately my car is at work, i couldnt bring it home last nite kuz it just didnt start....

[rp_guy]

don't touch the spark

[Mr_ET]

just change the main relay under the driver side dash and life will be good again.

[Myers]

i had the same troubles with my crx, I did some research, removed my Main relay and used this to re-solder it. It was these two connections which proved to be trouble some as the solder had cracked. Read on in here, really easy fix, and its dirt cheap too!

Main relay Repair

[Tezzating]

I had this same trouble with my CRX. Turned out to be a cracked distributor cap.. check yours for damage or hairline fractures.

[EFHatch]

It's amazing the amount of threads there are with the same issue.

Doesn't anyone search these days?

I think i should set up a groups buy for these relays.....lol

[sabad66]

Happened on my 91 Si...main relay lol. Just get a new one, should cost about 100 bucks, very easy to put in yourself.