Personally I don't have a Honda. My mom on the other hand owns a 90 Accord. She has been borrowing my car because hers is having some problems. I'm pretty good at stuff with mine (96 Olds Achieva) but haven't done any maintence on hers. Any ways, the problem is with her ignition I think. You can start the car just fine, but as soon as you let the key leave the "start" position it dies. If you hold the key after starting it it runs a little rough but it doesn't die. Then as soon as soon as you let it go it stops. Now it seems like its somewhere in the ignition, but then again the car starts and everything. Any ideas?

 

start trouble shooting with the good ol' 3: spark, fuel, compression. if you can hear the fuel pump prime when the ignition is turned to "on" (II) then i should be ok. then check the spark. compression shouldnt die suddenly, so you may want to check the timing belt

 

Does your mom have a keychain with lots of heavy keys or other keychain "knick-knacks"? If so, she's probably broken her ignition lock cylinder. This is really common, you might need to have that ignition lock cylinder replaced. What happens is that after awhile, the keys bouncing up and down actually loosen the cylinder and make the contacts not line up properly. Believe it or not, my mom did the same thing to one of her cars.

 

I think it's the fuel pump. I went to the library to get the Haynes book and it said to take of the left rear tire and listen when the key is turned to the "on" position. Well I did that and heard nothing at all. I didn't know what I was supposed to be listening for, so I got in my car and did the same thing and heard the"whirring". So I got back in hers and heard nothin. So I'm gonna start there. Anyone know about how much they run and how hard it is to put them in?

 

the main relay would be a good place to start... this controls the fuel pump and tends to be a common thing to go wrong. The solder on the relay contact actually breaks overtime... so the connection is intermitent... these connections can be re-soldered very easily. That manual should tell you where the main relay is located... its roughly a 1.5"x 2.5"x 1" grey box with one connector on it, located up inside the dash on the drivers side.

 

main relay problem is usually only in hot weather. when you start the car up you should here the fuel pump prime can't remember what it sounds like but you will here it.

 

The fuel pump kinda buzzes, or a slight ring. It kind of sounds like the power antenna going up or down, but about half as loud. The pump itself..I forgot, but prolly 100-150. I just did mine a few months ago. Its not as easy, but if you have some basic tools, it isnt to hard, just look in hte haynes it has step by step. Do it when there is not alot of gas in the tank, since you have to take the whole thing off. If there is some, try to siphon first, and if you cant get that to work, there should be a drain plug. if you have to take the drain plug out, make sure you get some sealer to seal it back or it will leak. And when you take the tank off, be careful because the electrical connections are not long enough for the tank to be sitting on the ground, and then take the plugs out. Use a hydrulic jack to hold it up if possible. If ya got any questions pm me, or aero3685 on AIM

 

most of the time a fuel pump will just go out too.....it just won't crank.....sounds electrical to me, like the guy said, heavy key chains are rough on ignition parts....the cylinder is cheap and easy to replace too....$15 and 10minutes....if u wanna do the trial and error method