Honda Car Forum

My daughter left school in her 97 Integra, got about two blocks, and the
engine just stopped running. She tried starting the car a few times but no
luck. She called me to come and help her. When I got there the car started
for me and ran just fine. I drove the car home and did not detect any
problems. I asked her if she heard, felt, smelled, saw, anything out of the
ordinary before the engine died. She said she might have heard an "eeee
eeee" kind of high pitched sound just before the engine stopped. I just got
back from driving the car around for a while, lights on/off, heater,
stereo..., and could not detect anything unusual. Any ideas?

Honda/Acura owners tend to think "main relay" first for intermittent
complete engine failures. Presuming the engine cranked but wouldn't fire, it
is a likely suspect. The main relay is actually a dual-relay module, with
one side controlling the ignition and the other side controlling the fuel
pump. Either side will kill the engine, and I get the impression the fuel
pump side fails most often. You will find several thread here, I think, with
more details. Also see http://tegger.com/hondafaq/MainRelay.HTM for a good
rundown.

I'm not sure exactly where it is in the Integra; in my daughter's '93 Accord
it is above the drivers knees, hidden above the cruise control box. Many
people who fix it themselves don't actually unmount the relay, but pry the
cover enough to get the guts out (eeew!). If it happens again before you can
get it looked at, she can try banging on the dash in front of her to see if
that will make contact again. If not, it's a good way of venting frustration
;-)

Mike

"Paul" <pjpiercey@nospamcomcast.net> wrote in message
news:3Wvod.657393$8_6.532876@attbi_s04...
> My daughter left school in her 97 Integra, got about two blocks, and the
> engine just stopped running. She tried starting the car a few times but
> no
> luck. She called me to come and help her. When I got there the car
> started
> for me and ran just fine. I drove the car home and did not detect any
> problems. I asked her if she heard, felt, smelled, saw, anything out of
> the
> ordinary before the engine died. She said she might have heard an "eeee
> eeee" kind of high pitched sound just before the engine stopped. I just
> got
> back from driving the car around for a while, lights on/off, heater,
> stereo..., and could not detect anything unusual. Any ideas?
>
>

"Michael Pardee" <michaeltnull@cybertrails.com> sprach im
news:N5mdneVP4vZbCD_cRVn-3w@sedona.net:

> Honda/Acura owners tend to think "main relay" first for intermittent
> complete engine failures. Presuming the engine cranked but wouldn't
> fire, it is a likely suspect. The main relay is actually a dual-relay
> module, with one side controlling the ignition and the other side
> controlling the fuel pump. Either side will kill the engine, and I get
> the impression the fuel pump side fails most often. You will find
> several thread here, I think, with more details. Also see
> http://tegger.com/hondafaq/MainRelay.HTM for a good rundown.
>
> I'm not sure exactly where it is in the Integra;



In the '90-'93 Integra it is to the left of the steering column, behind the
flip-out coin box. '97 may be similar.


--
TeGGeR®

The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
www.tegger.com/hondafaq/

Appreciate the info, Tegger - my son and I will be installing a remote entry
/ alarm system in his '94 Integra soon and we want to resolder the main
relay while we are in the area to ward off evil spirits.

Mike

"TeGGer®" <teggeratistopdotcom@changetheobvious.invalid> wrote in message
news:Xns95A9EC6F39084teggeratistop@207.14.113.17.. .
> "Michael Pardee" <michaeltnull@cybertrails.com> sprach im
> news:N5mdneVP4vZbCD_cRVn-3w@sedona.net:
>
>> Honda/Acura owners tend to think "main relay" first for intermittent
>> complete engine failures. Presuming the engine cranked but wouldn't
>> fire, it is a likely suspect. The main relay is actually a dual-relay
>> module, with one side controlling the ignition and the other side
>> controlling the fuel pump. Either side will kill the engine, and I get
>> the impression the fuel pump side fails most often. You will find
>> several thread here, I think, with more details. Also see
>> http://tegger.com/hondafaq/MainRelay.HTM for a good rundown.
>>
>> I'm not sure exactly where it is in the Integra;
>
>
>
> In the '90-'93 Integra it is to the left of the steering column, behind
> the
> flip-out coin box. '97 may be similar.
>
>
> --
> TeGGeR®
>
> The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
> www.tegger.com/hondafaq/

On 11/22/04 10:13 PM, in article
Xns95A9EC6F39084teggeratistop@207.14.113.17, "TeGGer®"
<teggeratistopdotcom@changetheobvious.invalid> wrote:

> "Michael Pardee" <michaeltnull@cybertrails.com> sprach im
> news:N5mdneVP4vZbCD_cRVn-3w@sedona.net:
>
>> Honda/Acura owners tend to think "main relay" first for intermittent
>> complete engine failures. Presuming the engine cranked but wouldn't
>> fire, it is a likely suspect. The main relay is actually a dual-relay
>> module, with one side controlling the ignition and the other side
>> controlling the fuel pump. Either side will kill the engine, and I get
>> the impression the fuel pump side fails most often. You will find
>> several thread here, I think, with more details. Also see
>> http://tegger.com/hondafaq/MainRelay.HTM for a good rundown.
>>
>> I'm not sure exactly where it is in the Integra;
>
>
>
> In the '90-'93 Integra it is to the left of the steering column, behind the
> flip-out coin box. '97 may be similar.
>

In a '97 its much more likely to be the ignition switch rather than the main
relay, especially with the symptom of stopping dead in the road. If it is
the switch, the stalling episodes will become more frequent until it won't
run at all.

"E. Meyer" <e52.meyer0SPAM@ieee.org> sprach im
news:BDC8B13F.B0D0A%e52.meyer0SPAM@ieee.org:


>
> In a '97 its much more likely to be the ignition switch rather than
> the main relay, especially with the symptom of stopping dead in the
> road. If it is the switch, the stalling episodes will become more
> frequent until it won't run at all.
>


How do you check the ignition switch? This would make a good addition to
the FAQ.

--
TeGGeR®

The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
www.tegger.com/hondafaq/

On 23 Nov 2004 18:22:47 GMT, "TeGGer®"
<teggeratistopdotcom@changetheobvious.invalid> wrote:

>> In a '97 its much more likely to be the ignition switch rather than
>> the main relay, especially with the symptom of stopping dead in the
>> road. If it is the switch, the stalling episodes will become more
>> frequent until it won't run at all.

>How do you check the ignition switch?

Listen for the fuel pump...

Also, try pushing inwards on the switch, which is held together by
little bent-over tangs which can pull apart sometimes.

"John Ings" <nodamned@spam.org> wrote in message
news:rg87q09862hhka5hvs8v11dqibl82bm60k@4ax.com...
> On 23 Nov 2004 18:22:47 GMT, "TeGGer®"
> <teggeratistopdotcom@changetheobvious.invalid> wrote:
>
>>> In a '97 its much more likely to be the ignition switch rather than
>>> the main relay, especially with the symptom of stopping dead in the
>>> road. If it is the switch, the stalling episodes will become more
>>> frequent until it won't run at all.
>
>>How do you check the ignition switch?
>
> Listen for the fuel pump...
>
> Also, try pushing inwards on the switch, which is held together by
> little bent-over tangs which can pull apart sometimes.
>
>
Won't the warning lights be out if the switch is bad? That's what happened
with my Volvo.

Mike

On 11/23/04 12:22 PM, in article
Xns95AA883B15EF1teggeratistop@207.14.113.17, "TeGGer®"
<teggeratistopdotcom@changetheobvious.invalid> wrote:

> "E. Meyer" <e52.meyer0SPAM@ieee.org> sprach im
> news:BDC8B13F.B0D0A%e52.meyer0SPAM@ieee.org:
>
>
>>
>> In a '97 its much more likely to be the ignition switch rather than
>> the main relay, especially with the symptom of stopping dead in the
>> road. If it is the switch, the stalling episodes will become more
>> frequent until it won't run at all.
>>
>
>
> How do you check the ignition switch? This would make a good addition to
> the FAQ.

The surest way is to take it off and pop it open. The burned contacts are a
dead give away. It is screwed to the back of the ignition key cylinder with
two small Phillips screws. The other end of the cable plugs into the fuse
block.

When it is starting to fail, the "run" contact will overheat and open,
causing the car to stall. A usual symptom is the dash will also go dark
when it dies (no warning lights, no shift indicator, nothing). Attempts to
restart usually result in the engine starting and running while you hold the
key in "start" and it immediately shuts down as soon as you release the key.
Wait five or ten minutes for the switch to cool down and it will start and
run normally until the "run" contacts overheat again. The cycle gets more
frequent as time passes, until it just won't run at all.

Some people have reported they can get it to run for a while by holding the
key between "Start" and "run" - try to find the sweet spot where it keeps
running, but the starter doesn't.

There was a recall for the ignition switch on some Hondas around this
vintage. The OP should check and see if he has one of them.

"E. Meyer" <e52.meyer0SPAM@ieee.org> sprach im
news:BDC921D3.B0F06%e52.meyer0SPAM@ieee.org:

> On 11/23/04 12:22 PM, in article
> Xns95AA883B15EF1teggeratistop@207.14.113.17, "TeGGer®"
> <teggeratistopdotcom@changetheobvious.invalid> wrote:
>
>> "E. Meyer" <e52.meyer0SPAM@ieee.org> sprach im
>> news:BDC8B13F.B0D0A%e52.meyer0SPAM@ieee.org:
>>
>>
>>>
>>> In a '97 its much more likely to be the ignition switch rather than
>>> the main relay, especially with the symptom of stopping dead in the
>>> road. If it is the switch, the stalling episodes will become more
>>> frequent until it won't run at all.
>>>
>>
>>
>> How do you check the ignition switch? This would make a good addition
>> to the FAQ.
>
> The surest way is to take it off and pop it open. The burned contacts


<snip FAQ material!>


Mind if I put this in the FAQ?

--
TeGGeR®

The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
www.tegger.com/hondafaq/