‘89 CRX won’t start - frustration

My ’89 Honda CRX Si won’t start.
-Engine turns but no start so battery and starter are ok.
-No computer codes. Computer is operational but it gives no trouble codes
so computer does not detect any malfunction.
-Fuel Pressure is ok - I checked fuel pressure with fuel gauge meter, at
37psi within specification.
-Spark seems ok. I hooked spare spark plug to each cylinder and there is
spark (not a strong spark but I don’t know how strong spark is supposed to
be).

-Had left car in garage for 2 weeks before this problem started.

I’ve had an occasional no start intermittent problem with this car for the
past couple of years but now the problem is permanent, which I’m almost
happy for since perhaps I can now find out what the problem is. The
intermittent problem drove me crazy (the car would not start about once a
month) and I never found out what the problem was/is.

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

First candidate is the main relay.

See
http://www.tegger.com/hondafaq/start...html#mainrelay
..

If it seems to be this, it is not expensive to fix.


"ThomasE" > wrote
> My '89 Honda CRX Si won't start.
> -Engine turns but no start so battery and starter are ok.
> -No computer codes. Computer is operational but it gives
> no trouble codes
> so computer does not detect any malfunction.
> -Fuel Pressure is ok - I checked fuel pressure with fuel
> gauge meter, at
> 37psi within specification.
> -Spark seems ok. I hooked spare spark plug to each
> cylinder and there is
> spark (not a strong spark but I don't know how strong
> spark is supposed to
> be).
>
> -Had left car in garage for 2 weeks before this problem
> started.
>
> I've had an occasional no start intermittent problem with
> this car for the
> past couple of years but now the problem is permanent,
> which I'm almost
> happy for since perhaps I can now find out what the
> problem is. The
> intermittent problem drove me crazy (the car would not
> start about once a
> month) and I never found out what the problem was/is.
>
> Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.
>
> Thanks.
>
>

ThomasE wrote:
> My '89 Honda CRX Si won't start.
> -Engine turns but no start so battery and starter are ok.
> -No computer codes. Computer is operational but it gives no trouble codes
> so computer does not detect any malfunction.
> -Fuel Pressure is ok - I checked fuel pressure with fuel gauge meter, at
> 37psi within specification.
> -Spark seems ok. I hooked spare spark plug to each cylinder and there is
> spark (not a strong spark but I don't know how strong spark is supposed to
> be).
>
> -Had left car in garage for 2 weeks before this problem started.
>
> I've had an occasional no start intermittent problem with this car for the
> past couple of years but now the problem is permanent, which I'm almost
> happy for since perhaps I can now find out what the problem is. The
> intermittent problem drove me crazy (the car would not start about once a
> month) and I never found out what the problem was/is.
>
> Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.
>
> Thanks.

Spray some starter fluid directly into the air intake.

If the car wants to start now, you might have a fuel delivery problem.
Since your pressure is ok, your fuel pump is clearly running. I'd look
in the direction of the injectors (this thing has injectors, right) -
make sure they are all clicking. You can listen for that with a
automotive stethoscope.

If the car does not start, you must have an ignition or perhaps air
problem. Ignition is more likely. Since you are getting a possibly
spark, power is getting to the coil. Check the timing, coil and
ignitor.

Remco

Thank you for your replies
? I know how to spray started fluid on a carburetor car but how can I
spray starter fluid in a fuel injection car, there does not seem to be an
access point to the air intake.

Thanks for the link to the main relay description. It seems to me that the
main relay should be ok since I have fuel pressure, so the relay and
computer are feeding current to the fuel pump correctly (I can also hear
the fuel pump running for 2 seconds when the ignition is turned on). As
far as the power to the injectors goes I assume that if the main relay
were not supplying voltage to the injectors that I would get a code from
the computer (or will I not? ), but as I said I get no computer codes.

ThomasE wrote:
> Thank you for your replies
> ? I know how to spray started fluid on a carburetor car but how can I
> spray starter fluid in a fuel injection car, there does not seem to be an
> access point to the air intake.
>
> Thanks for the link to the main relay description. It seems to me that the
> main relay should be ok since I have fuel pressure, so the relay and
> computer are feeding current to the fuel pump correctly (I can also hear
> the fuel pump running for 2 seconds when the ignition is turned on). As
> far as the power to the injectors goes I assume that if the main relay
> were not supplying voltage to the injectors that I would get a code from
> the computer (or will I not? ), but as I said I get no computer codes.
>
>
for other diagnostics, go to tegger.com and check out the no-start
faq's. despite your main relay test, intermittent no-start usually /is/
main relay in my experience, especially for a civic/crx this age.
usually accompanied by a code 16 though. re-soldering is cheap if you
have the tool. i recommend properly de-soldering to make sure all the
old detritus is removed before re-soldering. '89 crx main relay
location and removal is the same as the 88-91 civic which is very well
covered in tegger's faq's.

sounds dumb, but you could also try changing the plugs. i was /given/ a
free civic last year by someone that had spent a fortune hunting down a
no-start just like yours. a new [used] set of plugs and it roared into
life! don't use bosch, use factory ngk's.

when testing spark leads with an old plug, open the gap right up -
sparking distance is different at atmospheric pressure vs. cylinder
compression pressure.

Elle wrote:
>
> "ThomasE" > wrote
>> My '89 Honda CRX Si won't start.
>> -Engine turns but no start so battery and starter are ok.
>> -No computer codes. Computer is operational but it gives
>> no trouble codes
>> so computer does not detect any malfunction.
>> -Fuel Pressure is ok - I checked fuel pressure with fuel
>> gauge meter, at
>> 37psi within specification.
>> -Spark seems ok. I hooked spare spark plug to each
>> cylinder and there is
>> spark (not a strong spark but I don't know how strong
>> spark is supposed to
>> be).
>>
>> -Had left car in garage for 2 weeks before this problem
>> started.
>>
>> I've had an occasional no start intermittent problem with
>> this car for the
>> past couple of years but now the problem is permanent,
>> which I'm almost
>> happy for since perhaps I can now find out what the
>> problem is. The
>> intermittent problem drove me crazy (the car would not
>> start about once a
>> month) and I never found out what the problem was/is.
>>
>> Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.
>>
>> Thanks.

[[Top posting corrected]]

> First candidate is the main relay.
>
> See
> http://www.tegger.com/hondafaq/start...html#mainrelay
> .
>
> If it seems to be this, it is not expensive to fix.


How can it be the relay if there's 30 odd psi at the fuel line?

Have a peek at the Rover 216GSi stuff on my website.

What colour is the spark you got? Is it weak and yellowish or
sharp and bluish?


--
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I could not tell the strength of the spark because I was inside the car
turning the ignition and wathcing the spark through the winshield. Could
have been a weak spark but there was spark on all 4 cylinders. I hear that
spark is a lot easier at atmospheric pressure as opposed to the compression
pressure inside the cylinder and that makes sanse to me (I'm a physicist).
So could it be that the spark is strong enough to spark at atmospheric
pressure but not inside the cylinder?

On Sat, 25 Mar 2006 20:47:09 -0500, ThomasE > wrote:


>I could not tell the strength of the spark because I was inside the car
>turning the ignition and wathcing the spark through the winshield. Could
>have been a weak spark but there was spark on all 4 cylinders. I hear that
>spark is a lot easier at atmospheric pressure as opposed to the compression
>pressure inside the cylinder and that makes sanse to me (I'm a physicist).
>So could it be that the spark is strong enough to spark at atmospheric
>pressure but not inside the cylinder?

Can't you come up with somebody to turn the key for you? You need two people to
do a home mechanic's spark test.

You use distance to compensate; if the spark can jump 1/4-1/3" outside the
combustion chamber, it'll have no problem jumping the gap in the spark plug.

"ThomasE" > wrote

> As far as the power to the injectors goes I assume that if the main relay
> were not supplying voltage to the injectors that I would get a code from
> the computer (or will I not? ), but as I said I get no computer codes.

I believe all Honda FI will put out code 16 if the fuel injector power
supply is missing. You might try to see if it's a flooded or listen for
the clicks out of the injectors.

"jim beam" > wrote

> despite your main relay test, intermittent no-start usually /is/
> main relay in my experience, especially for a civic/crx this age.
> usually accompanied by a code 16 though.

Like Graham W said, if there's fuel pressure the main relay is fine.
That is how the circuit works.