my step-son has a 94 accord he bought earlier this year. it has started fine until recently. on hot days it acts like vapor lock. yesterday it wouldn't start. i sprayed some starting fluid in and still no fire. after finding out that he had switched plug wires around in an attempt to fix it i fixed the wires and it started and ran fine. i assumed the problem was solved. today he went out to start it and again no start. it will just crank as if there is no spark or fuel. i sprayed starting fluid in and it would fire but die back out. after about 10 tries of this i had him shoot a shot in when it would begin to die as i sat in the car to try to keep it running. this worked and the car idled fine afterwards.
any ideas? vapor lock? the car is all stock.
he is only 17 and is on a low budget so we need to pinpoint the problem ASAP without fixing dozens of unnecessary items.
thanks for any help.

 

He switched the plug wires around to fix it? Each wire is specifically run to it's proper spark plug to fire that cylinder, if he's switching stuff around it could ruin the car. Do you have a CEL (check engine light)???

 

No spark or fuel could be your ecm grounds or powers. The ground for the ecm is on the engine just check them all.

 

yeah, he got a pretty good lecture about switching the wires. i fixed that.
no CEL.
i don't believe it would be a loose ground or connection as it will start with starting fluid. he drove it a few times today with no problem, just on the initial start up. it seems like when its hot outside and the car sits awhile is when it happens.

 

The fuel pump will run for 2 seconds when you first turn on the key do you hear this? Main relays usually fail hot but not cold.

 

well the main relay is usually the hot weather culprit. what i do is i put the key in the ignition and turn it to on. the 2nd position the lights will come on and off on the dash and wait a few and listen. your relay will beep 2x then a few secs later 1 more beep. if u hear them the car will start. its priming the fuel pump. it communicates with the ecm in the passenger floorboard. its not expensive and its easy to change out. the contacts get loose and lose connection in the summertime. i have a 92 so i dont know if your relay would be in the same place. under the dash on the drivers side, left of the steering wheel. its way up there. a box on a bracket.

it could be an intermittent ground. there is one under the distributor near the tstat housing. mine got flooded with antifreeze. it didnt come off, it looked fine, it went bad so i had 3 tows and 3 shops look at it to figure it out. this groundwire controls the juice going to the fuel injectors. my car would crank all day and not turn over. the groundwire goes from the engine block to the ecm. got it replaced and car is running.

start by checking the groundwire that will save u money. i could have easily ended up paying for a main relay, distributor and fuel pump and still not started. it was a costly wire in time, mechanics at different shops looking at it and auto diagnostic shop found it. $225.36 later and $8 dollar wire.

 

sounds like the typical main relay issue to me ...

http://www.hondaaccordforum.com/HOW_...m_16995/tm.htm