1991 Accord EX Wont Start

[ENFORCER99]

Basically i havent had any problems with my car, everything has been great with it until now, i went on vacation and came back 2 weeks later car wont start. I figured maybe the battery so got the car jumped, still wouldnt start. Got a new battery, still wont start. I searched and came up with the Ignition Control Module, and main relay being common problems. I heard i can get the ICM checked at autozone but i dont even know where to start. ive replaced a distributor b4 but never anything inside it, im low on money now since i just got back and dont want to shell out $200.00 or so for a new distributor. what can i do, or how to i remove the ICM or w/e it could be.
I also saw things about the main relay, what are the symptoms of this going bad? I had no prior issues with my car, no jumpy RPMS or CEL

[drzcb7]

does it crank?? .. cause i had a simulair problem and i changed the main relay, never had a problem since.

[AbsurdNY]

Basically i havent had any problems with my car, everything has been great with it until now, i went on vacation and came back 2 weeks later car wont start. I figured maybe the battery so got the car jumped, still wouldnt start. Got a new battery, still wont start. I searched and came up with the Ignition Control Module, and main relay being common problems. I heard i can get the ICM checked at autozone but i dont even know where to start. ive replaced a distributor b4 but never anything inside it, im low on money now since i just got back and dont want to shell out $200.00 or so for a new distributor. what can i do, or how to i remove the ICM or w/e it could be.
I also saw things about the main relay, what are the symptoms of this going bad? I had no prior issues with my car, no jumpy RPMS or CEL

Before you go out and buy anything you need to tell us what the car does actually. Does it crank but never fires up? Does it just make a clicking noise when you turn the key? Does it do nothing at all when you turn the key? Does anything electrical work?

[ENFORCER99]

car does crank but doesnt seem to be getting spark, to turn over. i tested the wires by pulling a wire out and putting a spark plug in it then touching metal. No spark is present.
I thought people with main relay problems noticed it while driving.
Should i just buy a whole new distributor?

[ENFORCER99]

So i just went outside to try it again, it didnt start of course so i got pissed off and beat the hell outta my dash. Now it starts right up, so i guess its narrowed down to the main relay? i looked under steering column. Is it right next to the fuse panel under there on the outside wall? Autoparts store said they need the number off it to see if they have one


found
http://www.cb7tuner.com/vbb/showthre...n+relay&page=1

[plee3]

So i just went outside to try it again, it didnt start of course so i got pissed off and beat the hell outta my dash. Now it starts right up, so i guess its narrowed down to the main relay? i looked under steering column. Is it right next to the fuse panel under there on the outside wall? Autoparts store said they need the number off it to see if they have one

If you got some soldering skills go ahead and remove the main relay, open it up and resolder all of the solder points on the relay. This helped me when I had the same problem. Havent had any problems since. Or go to your local junk yard and snatch a few. I did that also and now I have 3 good working main relays ready to install.

[angus67]

sitting in drivers seat as if your driving, the main relay is attached to the underside of the dash,below the side window de-frost vent on top of the dash, on the drivers side. and is covered by the cruise control box,(silver) you only need a 10mm socket, and a long enuf extension.(and a back made of rubber) undo the cc box, but dont unplug. just let it hang. take out the relay, put in one that works. or you can re-solder the old one. take it apart, and look very closely at the soldered pionts. if you see a faint line around the pionts, those are cracks. resolder, and your good. you can also drill vent holes in the box befor you put it back together.
I bought a new one at schmucks for 60$, and resoldered my old one for next time. wich I hope does not happen. my relay was only an occcasional nuissance, till it got me stranded on the side of the highway, waiting for it to cool, then when it would start, id drive it near floored to get as far as I could so i wouldnt have to walk so far to the parts house. it died 5 times, before i got off the highway.
the location of the relay is a really bad spot. heat accumulates up there, and no ventilation. if you put off fixxin this, expect to find your self flapping your doors to cool off the interior! lol. but, it sound like you wount get lucky enuf to get it started.

[Wutlis]

That damn realy is a bitch to get to also. I'm 6'2 so I reoved the seat to get to it. but it solved my starting problem. Ditto on the re-soldering the joints. Highly recomended for a DIY fix.

[ENFORCER99]

so i went an bought a brand new main relay from NAPA. $70 later i installed and tried starting, and it doesnt start (same symptoms as b4) so i take relay back out thinking i should put my old one back in since its not that. B4 i get ready to return i look at the new relay, I found 2 BROKEN solder points! i was pissed but anyway, i re soldered the broke ones and put it back in now everything works fine. my Q now is i heard after people have resoldered they drilled holes in the box part, is this neccessary???
btwn on the original main relay no solder points were broken that i could see thats why i just bought a new one, even tho napa gave me a POS

[angus67]

suks. most places wont let yu return a electrical part unles it has a lifetime warrenty. I dont know wich parts house to trust anymore, my shcucks relay been good since i put it in a year ago, and ive bought alternators there that i have to take back 3 or 4 times before i get a new one. NAPA reboxes federal mogul parts(but those are good),but they cost about 10% more, and it seems auto zones are clueless about interchangability. just chalk it up to a learning experience

[slammed4thgen]

id return it, tell them you found the issue and the relay wasnt it!

re solder all the connections on the oem and it will work. you can't always see the broken connections with the naked eye. i did a civics mr and sure enough, she fired up! i wasnt able to see cracks, but obviously they were there.