1999 Honda Accord Coupe
V6, 4-speed Auto
170,000 miles

It has happened to me a couple of times in the past and it happened to me again today. I turn the key to start the car and all it does is turn over. On one instance, the car was running and I pulled into a parking spot. When I put the car in park, it stalled. I waited a few seconds, cranked it for a few seconds, waited a few seconds, and cranked it a few seconds and it started up. Almost the same thing happened today but I had to crank on it several times. A couple of the times it fired and turned over a few timesbut then it died again. I was going to reset the computer by disconnecting the battery and was in the process of getting a tool when I decided to have a friend crank on it while I felt/smelled the exhaust coming out the pipe. There was exhaust flowing and it continued to flow becauseit started up for him. But it smoked a little at first and it smelt like a flooded, oil burning old push mower (at least that is what the smell reminded me of.)

I do not have a CEL nor do I have any codes.
I changed the plugs and the air filterabout 50K miles ago.

I've read some posts in here about the main relay and cracking solder joints. Could that be one of the causes of this or is it as simple as a loss of one of the three main factors for an engine running ( FUEL, FIRE & AIR ) ?

I am going to look in my Haynes manual for the main relay so I can possibly take a look at that. I've done a fair share of soldering so if I can findit, then I can fix it myself.

I'm pretty sure it is not a issue with the AIR.
I don'tknow if it is an issue with the FIRE, but if it was, it would have be coming from the main source or the computer. Not on individual legs to thecylinders.
It could be a fuel issue, not with the fuel pumpI don't think, but possibly with the fuel filter. We pay top dollar for low grade stuffthat isn't the cleanest and I personally have not changed the fuel filter.

Let me know what you think and possibly point me into a direction to start looking.

Thanks.

 

What kind of plugs did you use? If they are bosch take them out and throw them away then put in NGK's... On the times it doesn't start check for spark, as for testing the main relay the easiest thing to do is go back by the gas tank and get down low, then have a friend turn the key to the on position, listen for the fuel pump to come on...

 

I can'tdefinitively remember which brand. I do recall the conversation between Bosch and NGK at Auto Zone. Prior to that, I went to a honda dealership to get the OEM plugs and they wanted $20 a piece for them. Thats when I went to Auto Zone and got the OEM from them and I think they were $9 a piece. I also asked about the plug wires at the Honda dealership and they told me that the plug wires were built to where they would neverwear out or needreplaced unless they are damaged (pinched or nicked). So I have never changed the plug wires. Iasked about the plugs and plug wiresat the Honda dealership because I was there buying oil filters. I had heard that there is a check valve in the Honda oil filter that keeps the oil in the engine from draining back down into the oil pan. This keeps the oilup and aroundthe internal components of the engine to lessen the friction when initially starting the car...........
Is there any truth to the oil filter and the plug wire information that I was given?

I pulled the front three plug wires and the center plug-cap seems a little scorched. The other two seem fine. Is there some input to that?

I am at work and limited to what I can do. If I was at home I would go ahead and pull a plug and let you know what brand of plug I put in. Then I could also see if any of them are burnt compared to the rest.

Thank you for you inputs.

 

Unless there is something I am missing I have NEVER heard of wires that don't need replaced... when he said that I would have asked him if they stock the wires for your car and when he said yes I'd ask why he stocked something that didn't need replaced... what a fricken genius.... as for the oil filter deal I've never heard of that either, never seen it in a tear down but I can't completely dispute it because I'm not 100% certain but my gut instinct tells me he's a retard.... If your cap looks a little scorched on the top then chances are the inside is going to look like crap, a cap and rotor is only like $25.00 so I'd replace that if it hasn't been done for a while... I've had numerous starting issues on older cars due to cap/rotor issues....

I hope someone comes along and corrects me if I'm wrong but for someone to say that a wire never breaks down is just outlandish, if that were the case coils would never fail, brushes in alternators would last forever, hoses would never break down... find a new dealership or stick to talking to different techs. Also, I'd order from one of the online honda parts stores and save some cash... Wow this website stocks an awfull lot of brands for something that never goes bad.... Sorry about the rant, I know it's uncalled for but I'm in complete and utter disbelief that ANYONE would say that, let alone someone at a dealership....

http://www.racepages.com/fr1/parts/s...ark+Plug+Wires

 

I know theAutoZones around here really try to sell Bosch.They tried to sell me Bosch last time I bought plugs and I was like"Bosch are crap in Hondas." The guy looked pretty surprised.
Anyways, pull a plug & let us know.
As far as the dealership telling you the wires never need to be replaced unless they are somehow damaged, what a load of crap. You should have asked that guy at the dealership what he had been smoking and could he sell me some of it. What an idiot[sm=chairshot.gif]
An easy way to tell if the wires are damaged: In a dark (wellventilated)garage, crank the car and look for any arcing. It would be pretty evident.I know a lot of guys on herehave changed their plug wires. I haven't changed mine yet. But Honda OEM wires are supposed to be the best performing wires.
Sparkplugs.com sells the NGK double plats(OEM Plugs)for $11 something a piece.

 

I wasn't able to pull a spark plug last night, so Ibrought the tools to work today to do it and I pulled one during lunch. I have NGK plugs (PZFR5F - the double platinums).

I'm going to go ahead and order new plugs and plug wires. I couldn't tell you if the plug wires have ever been changed. If they haven't, then I've got 170,000 miles out of the original ones.

I could understand worn out plugs and plug wires causing the car to run rough, but not randomly stop running all together. Either way, it is time for new plugs and wires so I'm going to go ahead and do it.

I've researched the possibility of a fuel filter as well, but found out that there is no inline fuel filter on the 99 Accord. There is only a fuel screen inside the fuel tank. This will most likely be my last resort since the tank will have to be pulled.

So far the car has started up and ran fine four times since it had its episode yesterday.

The whole ordeal about the dealership (Leesburg Honda in Leesburg, VA)and the information that they freely hand out, is why I refuse to take my car toa dealership to get it fixed.

 

WELLLLLL, I've still got the exact same problem.

I changed plugs, all the plug wires, air filter, oil & filter, and transmission fluid. The car runs better and I picked up a couple of mpg as well with this tune up. I've driven it for a couple of weeks now with no issues and then today it happened again. The car will turn over but will not fire up.

I laid under the back end when it would not start and I did not hear anything (fuel pump) kick on when the key was turned to the on position. I tried it again after I got it running again and I still could not hear anything. (could be me, hearing not so great anymore).

To get it running again, I went to the fuse and relay panel under the hood on the passenger side of the car and pulled a couple of fuses and a relay. I haven't researched exactly which ones I did pull, I was just randomly pulling and inspecting them. After that, I turned the key and it fired right up.

So I was wondering, can someone send me an image with some instructions on how to find and identify the cracked solder joints on the main relay? I think this could be my problem, but I would like to know what and where I am looking for it at.

Thank you for your help

 

I replaced my main relay last summer, after the grief it gave me, but it was only when the cabin was extremely hot from parking in the sun. That's not to say yours couldn't be acting up under different circumstances.

Search the DIY's here at HAF, or I think I found a DIY w/ pics at 6th gen accord .com. The main relay is under the drivers dash, and other than the contortions of laying on your back over the door sill, and having to move another relay and its bracket, it's not too bad a job. I was fairly certain mine needed replacing, and didn't want to do the re-solder trick, so I found one online for $40.

The fuel filter for our cars can be accessed through a panel on the tank after the trunk liner is removed. An hour, and some more body contortions in the trunk, and you'll 'git 'er done'...

 

And... LOTS of oil filters have anti-drainback valves built into them. Not only Hondas. When the car company specs say it needs that, the filter companies build it in. Some better than others...

Usually it looks like a silicone rubber flap inside the filter, you can see it inside the perforations around the center mounting hole of the filter.

 

Does anyone ever think their starting problem is with their battery?

Cuz i have been having starting problems. Doesnt sound too much like urs. But wen i start the car with a travel batter it starts with no problem, i just hate having to do it all the time