Intermittent problem, cranks but no start

BFE · Post by **BFE** » Tue Jul 05, 2011 4:34 am

Looking for thoughts on an annoying issue.

So, sometimes my car fires right up, and other times it crankkkkkkkkkks and doesn't. When it "acts up" it may start after the 3rd or 4th time of trying it, or it may take a half hour to get it going.

Once it starts, it never gives me another issue until the next time it happens. No fuel cutting out, no spark miss, nothing. Ex: the car will start right up first thing in the morning, then, leave work that afternoon and it may take 15mins to get it started. Or, it may be 100% fine for a week and then suddenly start back up again.

It started doing it again last week, pissing me off lol

Any thoughts on what it could be or where to start? ICM? Starter?

JustRob · Post by **JustRob** » Tue Jul 05, 2011 11:48 am

Have you tried tapping on the main relay when this issue happens? We need to know the year and model car and the status of the CEL to help any further.

fry · Post by **fry** » Tue Jul 05, 2011 12:44 pm

gingers inside your wiring harness

BFE · Post by **BFE** » Tue Jul 05, 2011 2:40 pm

the main relay by the glovebox? no. good idea though.

96 civic ex auto, CEL goes off like normal when trying to start, never flashes or comes on again.

damn gingers lol

Waffles · Post by **Waffles** » Tue Jul 05, 2011 3:29 pm

Sounds like the main relay is going bad. I have repaired a few, all it takes is a soldering iron, some solder and a little time.

http://techauto.awardspace.com/civicrelay.html

BFE · Post by **BFE** » Tue Jul 05, 2011 7:59 pm

upon reading, makes sense given that the problem has increased as the temps outside have gotten warmer. Guess I'll pull that little fugger out tonight and look at it. Thx.

Waffles · Post by **Waffles** » Tue Jul 05, 2011 8:09 pm

If you need someone to repair it, I am free tonight, just PM me(its free).

BFE · Post by **BFE** » Tue Jul 05, 2011 8:50 pm

thanks waffles. I'm going to listen for the clicks, and may or may not pull it for inspection tonight. The garage may not be warm enough to make it act up, so I may have to leave it parked outside tomorrow to coax it.

hopefully the issue is as easy as the relay.

BFE · Post by **BFE** » Wed Jul 27, 2011 3:31 am

after a week and a half of placing a baggie of ice on the relay 15mins before I wanted to leave work everyday, I finally got it swapped out this past weekend lol

started right up today, no ice required :rock:

I'll post up a pic of the board later. You can see one or two places on it that need to be recooked for sure.

thanks for the diagnosis waffles. From what I had read, there were a handful of ways it could have gone, luckily the seems to be the fix... and it was the easiest.