You are describing a loose or dirty main battery cable, likely the
ground.

Opening the door or turning on a light can get a draw started so the
high draw from the starter can arc across and catch maybe. This won't
likely last long before it just plain quits.

Lots of times if you try to start them with the hood open, then get out
and feel the battery cable ends after trying to start it, you will find
one of them hot. This will be a bad connection. Warning! They 'can'
get hot enough from the arcing to burn you.

I would be paying close attention to the body ground strap. Either the
one from the battery or the one from the engine to the body.

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's

Rob wrote:
>
> I just purchased a 91 Honda Accord and am having a strange
> intermittent problem starting. While the main relay seems to be an
> obvious culprit, the car not only has the problem while hot and cold,
> it loses all power and you can't attempt to start until opening the
> door. When the problem doesn't occur the car starts perfectly.
>
> The Problem:
>
> When attempting to start the car the first turn of the key lights the
> ignition lights and the stereo goes on, then when you make the final
> turn of the keys you hear a click, all power goes out and nothing else
> happens. Turning the ignition to off and back on a second time does
> absolutely nothing and there is no power whatsoever inside the car.
>
> The only way to attempt to start the car is to open the car door where
> it seems to reset something and then it allows for a try at ignition.
>
> There is no alarm on the car so I don't believe it to be a ignition
> kill issue. The battery seems to be working fine except for this
> periodic issue. The only recent work to the car has been the
> installation of a new car stereo. The previous owners (who are friends
> of mine and will assist in anyway possible) have never had this
> problem but haven't driven the car much at all since having the stereo
> installed at Circuit City.
>
> I have not ruled out the Main Relay but I've never read any postings
> that involve having to open and close the door to reset the system.
>
> ANY and ALL help is greatly appreciated!
>
> Rob