what could have caused this?

[life_shift]

ok so, last night i was driving home from a friend's house. We were in the carpool lane going with the flow of traffic and all of a sudden my engine just shuts off and every gauge goes to 0 in my cluster. I quickly move over to the emergency lane and stop the car and turn it off. no smoke anywhere i wait a while and start it up again to try and get it off the freeway and i hit about 30 and it shuts off again. it does this once more. finally i wait ten minutes and start it up one more time and it runs normal so i drive it the 10 miles back home.

What could have caused this?? I know the car does need an oil change and a transmission flush. the car is still a young'n too. its only got 193000 miles on it.

any info would help

[life_shift]

does anyone know ???

[19dabeast85]

I recommend deleting all but one of your duplicate posts before a mod sees it.


Sounds like a fuel or ignition issue. Check the main relay under the driver's dash, tons of threads on it. The ignition coil or igniter may be going bad, first thing there is make sure oil isn't leaking into the dizzy. After fixing that if it's an issue check the igniter and coil and go from there.

[life_shift]

whats the "dizzy"?

[PakaloloHonda]

whats the "dizzy"?

Distributor ..

[life_shift]

where is the ignitor located??

[life_shift]

oh and i read that 91 accords dont come with the igniter coil is this true?

[old honda tek]

symtoms of a bad ignitor and yes the ignitor is inside the dist it has four wires connected to it.......

[SilverShadow]

You can check main relay ( I live in LA and know some of the best ass mechanics if you don't want to do it yourself)
Easy to check...its under your drivers' side dash...way under. Looks like this:
Called the Main Relay...


Open it up carefully and with good eyes or magnifying glass check for any breaks in solder points.
If good..put it back (of course)
If bad...replace with EXACT same # Not sure if my picture or CB7 link is the correct #
If you need help in removing it...
http://www.cb7tuner.com/vbb/showthread.php?t=53888
If car still has the problem, then I'm wrong and you have peace of mind your Main Relay is good.

[Sarthos]

91s don't have external coils, they have internal coils. But yes they have ignitor coils.

The fact that it started and stopped makes me think relay, the main relay seems the most likely culprit. Unless you also have a check engine light?

[mattman]

Check the battery terminal. if the clamp loose enough it can literally shut your car off. Contact will be off and on, which would explain why you could restart your car eventually, but it shut off again.

[90accords]

Check the battery terminal. if the clamp loose enough it can literally shut your car off. Contact will be off and on, which would explain why you could restart your car eventually, but it shut off again.

This would be where i would start too....... since you said ALL the gauges went to 0. Check battery and alternator first......

[Losiracer2]

if you can hear the fuel pump priming when you turn the key to the ACC II position then that means a functioning Main Relay. But I was first thinking it was the igniter unit. My car did this same exact thing a couple years ago and I ended up replacing both.

BTW, you can repair the Main Relay and save 80 bucks by simply resoldering all the contact points. I would also drill holes in the outer case of that relay to keep it cooler...it gets hot under the dash in our cars so that'll help.

[SilverShadow]

That's why I posted the link about the relay.
I have bad hearing and just want to know....while sitting in the drivers' seat can you really hear the fuel pump priming? All I hear and see is the dash lights up..a click..lights goes off and engine starts.

[Losiracer2]

That's why I posted the link about the relay.
I have bad hearing and just want to know....while sitting in the drivers' seat can you really hear the fuel pump priming? All I hear and see is the dash lights up..a click..lights goes off and engine starts.

yeah it usually primes for about 3 sec. or so and then the click is the sound of it shutting off, meaning its ready to fire when the car's started.