ohwell004

a couple of days ago my 1989 acura legend broke down on the freeway. I was driving 65 mph when it just died. I don't know much about cars and the men in my life are useless and lazy. so i need help figuring out what it could be. the lights stayed on and the car would turn over but not start. It just sputtered to a stop and never started since. I have had problems before with my hondas so I'm thinking it could be the fuel pump, fuel filter, or my injectors are clogged. Problem is I have no idea where these parts are located. I am not able to take it to a shop to get fixed, so I am left to do it myself. any suggestions are greatly appreciated

MrHankey

Did you notice if any warning lights on the dashboard came on? (like the battery light, oil light, check engine light, etc.)

You said it will turn over, so it's probably not the alternator that died (if the alternator dies, as happened with me once, the car will run until the battery is completely dead, then the car stops running, but then it would not turn over because of the dead battery)

Maybe you can check if you're getting a spark in each cylinder - you can buy a cheap tool to check at pretty much any car parts store (should cost less than $10, maybe less than $5)

Make sure your oil level and antifreeze levels are ok.

If you have sparks, fluid levels are good, the car turns over, but still won't start, then something seems to be preventing the fuel from reaching it (like what you said, maybe the fuel pump)

I'm no pro mechanic but these are a couple things to start with.

robert f thomas

check your oil dip stick. make sure you have all your fluids leveled. good luck.
My honda wouldn't start because the oil leaked out. The oil was changed and the plug washer leaked all of my fluid. I filled the oil to the proper level and the engine started right away. Good luck.

Provocateur

Check the timing belt. It could have "silently" snapped and killed the car.

Warsteiner

Possible timing belt like schmoo said. Remove oil cap and look inside while someone spins over the engine ....cam shaft should spin when cranking if it doesn't spin bad news broken timing belt....if spins thats a better sign. But still could have jumped time.

here2learn

My car also happened the same way...Now it wouldn't turn over. Check everything i could...push started it., nothing...Haven't check fuel pump or filter...but if the timing belt snapped, will the belts or crank shafts still turn,(without timing belts)...cause i've tried to start the car, and looked at the rotor, it still stood in the same place...does the rotor always come to the same point...how do i take it off.

Musicman

Main relay to the fuel pump? Turn the key until the lights on the dash come on...listen for a whirring noise followed by a click(or a noise like that), the fuel pump has primed to the specified pressure...don't hear that and it's probably your main relay....about 50 bucks....hear the pump?
When was the last time you had a tune up done, and how many miles are on the tuneup...not the car but how many miles have been put on since the plugs..etc..were replaced....BREAKING DOWN SUCKS!!

1990superlegend

Gid rid of the useless men

daveart48202

I had the same problem 2 weeks ago. I was headed north on I-5 (irrelavent, I know) when the battery light came on. Knowing a bit about engines, I had a good idea my charge system was no longer doing it's assigned duties, so I pulled off into the next town to look under the hood. The belts looked okay and the alternator was turning normally; nothing seemed amiss under the hood.

I got back on the freeway, planning to head get home and check it in more detail with my tools, when the light went off. My relief was short-lived, however, as it came back on a little later, and stayed on for the remaining 20 miles I had to drive, but as I neared an offramp near my diestination town, the engine hesitated and quit. Like you, all the lights and starter motor worked fine, so I knew the CHARGING function was okay.

The result was that the distributor rotor had literally melted under the cap. This was fixed (no one had an idea why the rotor failed) and the car was tuned up, and as I drove it home this LAST weekend, I assumed all was well. An hour and a half out of the repair shop, the light came on again, so fearing a similar scenario, I pulled into the next Oregon town.

The car sits in my driveway now, and after talking to some other Acura electronics types, I've concluded (as you may after all this) that the problem quite possibly lies in the voltage regulator, which is nowadays an integral part of the alternator. I'm having it bench-checked (at freeway speeds) and rebuilt as we speak.

Hope some of this helps you.