1989 Honda Accord 5 speed, 2.0
Car will start and run for about 5 seconds at 3000 RPM and then shut down.
It will do this EVERY time I fire up the car. The engine seems to sound
fine.
Checked for vacuum leaks and the like, but can't figure this one out....
Any thoughts?
John
nm5k@wt.net - 23 Oct 2006 22:53 GMT
> 1989 Honda Accord 5 speed, 2.0
>
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
>
> John
Dunno, I would think the timing belt job was ok, if it sounds
fairly normal. A tooth off would effect the timing a good bit,
and at the least would run rough, or require a perverted timing
setting to get it to run. So I'd look at the obvious. Fuel and
spark until you can get it running long enough to check the
timing. Sounds like to me it's running out of fuel, but hard to
say guessing over a keyboard. Can you rig up a fuel pressure
gauge? It takes a banjo type fitting. I made one for a toyota
a while back from a bolt that I drilled out. I then attach a gauge
to that bolt, and presto, fuel pressure gauge. Make sure you
don't have a main relay, fuel system relay problem, fuel pump, etc.
If all that is ok, look into the ignition. I have a 89 accord too,
but mine is a carb. So I'm not as up on the "i" version..
You can get a manual of sorts from a "RU" site. I forgot the
exact address. Maybe do a search for aerodeck, manuals, etc..
The guy that hosted that drove an aerodeck.
MK
Michael Pardee - 23 Oct 2006 23:49 GMT
> 1989 Honda Accord 5 speed, 2.0
>
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
>
> John
Carbureted or fuel injected?
Mike
nm5k@wt.net - 24 Oct 2006 18:02 GMT
> Carbureted or fuel injected?
According to his first post, it's a FI model.
Could be a big vac leak, but in a way I kinda
doubt it. It would stay running at high rpm,
but gag as soon as the car warmed up and the
idle dropped down to normal. His cuts out while
it's doing a smooth 3k rpm. To me, sounds like the
fuel is being cut off, or the ignition is dropping out.
I'm leaning more a fuel starvation problem at
this point in guessing. Which would probably be a
relay, pump, etc problem. But I'm just guessing too..
Need to have a pressure gauge on it to tell if the fuel
pressure is dropping out.
MK
Eightupman - 26 Oct 2006 01:59 GMT
Injected
>> 1989 Honda Accord 5 speed, 2.0
>>
[quoted text clipped - 12 lines]
>
> Mike
TeGGeR® - 26 Oct 2006 02:18 GMT
>>> 1989 Honda Accord 5 speed, 2.0
>>>
[quoted text clipped - 11 lines]
>
> Injected
OK, so it goes vaROOMMMMMMMMM then dies, right?
First thing I'd be looking at is fuel pump operation. Does it run
continuously as this drama is unfolding? Have a helper sit in the trunk
with his ear to the floor while you try to start. The pump makes a
humming noise.

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The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
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'Curly Q. Links' - 23 Oct 2006 23:50 GMT
> 1989 Honda Accord 5 speed, 2.0
>
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
>
> John
-----------------------------------------
Sounds like a _ H U G E _ vacuum leak.
'Curly'
Greg - 24 Oct 2006 13:23 GMT
Mine had a similar problem. My problem was compound, due to sitting
too long without running. The main thing was that the float valve
needle o-ring was dissolved. In other words, the fuel pump floods the
bowl, and soon the engine has too much gas and dies. Look at the bowl
indicator window--is it flooded? Pinch off the gas after a second or
two--does the car run for longer than 5 secs?
> 1989 Honda Accord 5 speed, 2.0
>
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
>
> John
Eightupman - 26 Oct 2006 02:01 GMT
Car does not run longer than 5 secs....is FI, sorry all for not mentioning
that in my second post
> Mine had a similar problem. My problem was compound, due to sitting
> too long without running. The main thing was that the float valve
[quoted text clipped - 15 lines]
>>
>> John
Eightupman - 26 Oct 2006 02:09 GMT
Ok, went out to toy with it yesterday. The sumbich started up and ran
FINE.....until I took it around the block.
I got some history on the car from previous owner. Lets see if some of this
all makes sense. The car did the same thing BEFORE the timing belt
change...long before I even got under the hood. He said it (the stalling
problem) would last a couple days and then quit for a while. While talking
to him, (and after reading some suggestions) I asked if he noticed if the
car would do it at a certain fuel level (ie when the tank is close to empty)
He said that he did not pay attention to that.
Some additional info....I can DRIVE the car all day long...up and down the
gears as long as I do not have to stop or let off the pedal.
So that sort of eliminates some things logically I would think. If it was a
fuel pressure issue, I would think it would cut off any time it liked. If
it was a H_U_G_E vacuum issue it would not have run mysteriously for several
days at a time.
So my thought is now...EGR valve...if it is allowing exhaust in at idle,
that would surely shut it down. The plunger is working properly ON the car,
but that does not mean that it is seated properly....will check that
tomorrow.
Thanks to all and keep the ideas coming....I AM going to figure this one
out....sumbich.....LOL
John
> 1989 Honda Accord 5 speed, 2.0
>
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
>
> John
Jim Yanik - 26 Oct 2006 05:34 GMT
> Ok, went out to toy with it yesterday. The sumbich started up and ran
> FINE.....until I took it around the block.
[quoted text clipped - 37 lines]
>>
>> John
you could eliminate the main relay as a problem by taking it out and
resoldering it,www.tegger.com has the instructions. It doesn't take very
long to do.
check the grounds in the engine compartment.Maybe they are corroded and not
making good contact.
Do you think this might have been a "flood car",one that's been under water
at one time?
Bad throttle position sensor? Maybe a bad segment(wornout) on the sensor,at
the end near idle,so if you keep the throttle above that point,the motor
runs,but when the throttle moves below the bad segment,it has no signal(or
wrong signal) to the ECU;thus the motor dies. Info in my Haynes manual for
my 94 Integra says you can use a voltmeter to check the TPS,output V runs
from 0.5V to 4.5V,with an input supply(reference) of 5V. It seems to be a
potentiometer(variable resistor),that's why it sounds like a bad segment at
the idle end of the pot. The output voltage should be a smooth increase
from low to high,no jumping.

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Jim Yanik
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at
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Eightupman - 26 Oct 2006 21:01 GMT
>> Ok, went out to toy with it yesterday. The sumbich started up and ran
>> FINE.....until I took it around the block.
[quoted text clipped - 61 lines]
> the idle end of the pot. The output voltage should be a smooth increase
> from low to high,no jumping.
Sounds like a sound theory. except the fact that I am in the electronics
profession, and if the pot were bad...it would be bad all the time, and not
mysteriously run/idle fine when it wants too. Will check it anyway.
John
Don in San Antonio - 27 Oct 2006 02:20 GMT
>>> Ok, went out to toy with it yesterday. The sumbich started up and ran
>>> FINE.....until I took it around the block.
[quoted text clipped - 67 lines]
>
> John
Sounds like a bad fuel pump to me. I had one on a 1984 Accord that
worked fine most of the time, but would just stop pumping every now and
then.