Honda Car Forum

Hello;

I have a 91 Integra GS that once it gets up to operating temp,
sometimes fails to start. I've observed these symptoms:

The car runs fine until I shut it off to go into a store. Upon
restarting, the engine starts and then stalls.

When I try to restart it, it will not start and in about half of the
times, the s3 indicator is flashing after the check engine goes out
during key on.

Eventually I get it started. When it does start, I notice a click from
under the dash(relay) when the check engine light goes out. The S3
light also quits lighting(flashing).

At first, when I would hear the click under the dash, the engine would
start with no further problems. However, lately, when I hear the click,
it starts and stalls, placing me back to the no start, flashing s3
scenario. After several rounds of this, I finally get the thing
started.

I've never had trouble starting when the engine is cold. This only
happens after I have been running the car for a few miles or more.
Also, since the weather has been hot, it is happening much more
frequently.

Any ideas?

TIA

On 2 Aug 2005 23:56:57 -0700, "El Chico Gordo"
<machine_nine@yahoo.com> wrote:

>Hello;
>
>I have a 91 Integra GS that once it gets up to operating temp,
>sometimes fails to start. I've observed these symptoms:
>
>The car runs fine until I shut it off to go into a store. Upon
>restarting, the engine starts and then stalls.
>
>When I try to restart it, it will not start and in about half of the
>times, the s3 indicator is flashing after the check engine goes out
>during key on.
>
>Eventually I get it started. When it does start, I notice a click from
>under the dash(relay) when the check engine light goes out. The S3
>light also quits lighting(flashing).
>
>At first, when I would hear the click under the dash, the engine would
>start with no further problems. However, lately, when I hear the click,
>it starts and stalls, placing me back to the no start, flashing s3
>scenario. After several rounds of this, I finally get the thing
>started.
>
>I've never had trouble starting when the engine is cold. This only
>happens after I have been running the car for a few miles or more.
>Also, since the weather has been hot, it is happening much more
>frequently.
>
>Any ideas?
>
>TIA

The S3 light is an unusual wrinkle, but for hot start problems you
should first check out the Main Fuel Injection Relay.

Do a google search on "honda main relay".

"Natman" <nat_mann@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:iom1f1pbo528o3ukrf4sst07rbpjb4vn1d@4ax.com...
> On 2 Aug 2005 23:56:57 -0700, "El Chico Gordo"
> <machine_nine@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
>>Hello;
>>
>>I have a 91 Integra GS that once it gets up to operating temp,
>>sometimes fails to start. I've observed these symptoms:
>>
>>The car runs fine until I shut it off to go into a store. Upon
>>restarting, the engine starts and then stalls.
>>
>>When I try to restart it, it will not start and in about half of the
>>times, the s3 indicator is flashing after the check engine goes out
>>during key on.
>>
>>Eventually I get it started. When it does start, I notice a click from
>>under the dash(relay) when the check engine light goes out. The S3
>>light also quits lighting(flashing).
>>
>>At first, when I would hear the click under the dash, the engine would
>>start with no further problems. However, lately, when I hear the click,
>>it starts and stalls, placing me back to the no start, flashing s3
>>scenario. After several rounds of this, I finally get the thing
>>started.
>>
>>I've never had trouble starting when the engine is cold. This only
>>happens after I have been running the car for a few miles or more.
>>Also, since the weather has been hot, it is happening much more
>>frequently.
>>
>>Any ideas?
>>
>>TIA
>
> The S3 light is an unusual wrinkle, but for hot start problems you
> should first check out the Main Fuel Injection Relay.
>
> Do a google search on "honda main relay".
Or go to http://tegger.com/hondafaq/faq.html#stalling

Mike

That was it. Opened the thing up and resoldered the connections to the
clamping diodes. The series clamping diodes generate enough heat to
cause the solder connections to go bad over time. Honda should have
used silver solder to prevent such a problem.

I found out while troubleshooting that the S3 light blinks when the
relay is removed. It's probably detecting whether the relay coil is in
circuit... probably with the bad solder joint, the computer thinks that
the relay is not there.

Me car runs like a top now :-)

Natman wrote:
> On 2 Aug 2005 23:56:57 -0700, "El Chico Gordo"
> <machine_nine@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
> >Hello;
> >
> >I have a 91 Integra GS that once it gets up to operating temp,
> >sometimes fails to start. I've observed these symptoms:
> >
> >The car runs fine until I shut it off to go into a store. Upon
> >restarting, the engine starts and then stalls.
> >
> >When I try to restart it, it will not start and in about half of the
> >times, the s3 indicator is flashing after the check engine goes out
> >during key on.
> >
> >Eventually I get it started. When it does start, I notice a click from
> >under the dash(relay) when the check engine light goes out. The S3
> >light also quits lighting(flashing).
> >
> >At first, when I would hear the click under the dash, the engine would
> >start with no further problems. However, lately, when I hear the click,
> >it starts and stalls, placing me back to the no start, flashing s3
> >scenario. After several rounds of this, I finally get the thing
> >started.
> >
> >I've never had trouble starting when the engine is cold. This only
> >happens after I have been running the car for a few miles or more.
> >Also, since the weather has been hot, it is happening much more
> >frequently.
> >
> >Any ideas?
> >
> >TIA
>
> The S3 light is an unusual wrinkle, but for hot start problems you
> should first check out the Main Fuel Injection Relay.
>
> Do a google search on "honda main relay".

Had the same problem with my 91 Integra for 2 years. Last month,
finally removed the main relay and resoldered all solder joints. No
more problems......cranked on the hottest days so far.....104*F

Natman wrote:

>On 2 Aug 2005 23:56:57 -0700, "El Chico Gordo"
><machine_nine@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
>
>
>>Hello;
>>
>>I have a 91 Integra GS that once it gets up to operating temp,
>>sometimes fails to start. I've observed these symptoms:
>>
>>The car runs fine until I shut it off to go into a store. Upon
>>restarting, the engine starts and then stalls.
>>
>>When I try to restart it, it will not start and in about half of the
>>times, the s3 indicator is flashing after the check engine goes out
>>during key on.
>>
>>Eventually I get it started. When it does start, I notice a click from
>>under the dash(relay) when the check engine light goes out. The S3
>>light also quits lighting(flashing).
>>
>>At first, when I would hear the click under the dash, the engine would
>>start with no further problems. However, lately, when I hear the click,
>>it starts and stalls, placing me back to the no start, flashing s3
>>scenario. After several rounds of this, I finally get the thing
>>started.
>>
>>I've never had trouble starting when the engine is cold. This only
>>happens after I have been running the car for a few miles or more.
>>Also, since the weather has been hot, it is happening much more
>>frequently.
>>
>>Any ideas?
>>
>>TIA
>>
>>
>
>The S3 light is an unusual wrinkle, but for hot start problems you
>should first check out the Main Fuel Injection Relay.
>
>Do a google search on "honda main relay".
>
>

had the same prob your starter is goin out

Bigdog_4277 wrote:
> had the same prob your starter is goin out

Oh my...

I have a 91 teg also...
**exactly** where is the main relay?
Is it in one of those typical aluminum boxes and you just need to crack it
open to work on the contacts?

Thanks very much for the advice!

--Steve

PS the car is also 'surgy' when at part throttle sometimes, sometimes when
cold sometimes when hot...I am thinking this is the same issue--am I
correct?




"B.Creech" <bcreech61@nc.rr.com> wrote in message
news:cW8Ke.105800$3j2.3705102@twister.southeast.rr .com...
> Had the same problem with my 91 Integra for 2 years. Last month,
> finally removed the main relay and resoldered all solder joints. No
> more problems......cranked on the hottest days so far.....104*F
>
> Natman wrote:
>
> >On 2 Aug 2005 23:56:57 -0700, "El Chico Gordo"
> ><machine_nine@yahoo.com> wrote:
> >
> >
> >
> >>Hello;
> >>
> >>I have a 91 Integra GS that once it gets up to operating temp,
> >>sometimes fails to start. I've observed these symptoms:
> >>
> >>The car runs fine until I shut it off to go into a store. Upon
> >>restarting, the engine starts and then stalls.
> >>
> >>When I try to restart it, it will not start and in about half of the
> >>times, the s3 indicator is flashing after the check engine goes out
> >>during key on.
> >>
> >>Eventually I get it started. When it does start, I notice a click from
> >>under the dash(relay) when the check engine light goes out. The S3
> >>light also quits lighting(flashing).
> >>
> >>At first, when I would hear the click under the dash, the engine would
> >>start with no further problems. However, lately, when I hear the click,
> >>it starts and stalls, placing me back to the no start, flashing s3
> >>scenario. After several rounds of this, I finally get the thing
> >>started.
> >>
> >>I've never had trouble starting when the engine is cold. This only
> >>happens after I have been running the car for a few miles or more.
> >>Also, since the weather has been hot, it is happening much more
> >>frequently.
> >>
> >>Any ideas?
> >>
> >>TIA
> >>
> >>
> >
> >The S3 light is an unusual wrinkle, but for hot start problems you
> >should first check out the Main Fuel Injection Relay.
> >
> >Do a google search on "honda main relay".
> >
> >

"Steve" <someone@microsoft.com> wrote in
news:-5GdnbJpduciLZreRVn-tw@comcast.com:

> I have a 91 teg also...
> **exactly** where is the main relay?

on the left side of the driver's footwell,up underneath the dash.

> Is it in one of those typical aluminum boxes and you just need to
> crack it open to work on the contacts?

no,it's plastic cased,and snaps off easily.
Resoldering is easy,saves you at least $50.
Check tegger.com for info and pix.
also;http://www.markl.f9.co.uk/howto/elec...main-relay.htm

>
> Thanks very much for the advice!
>
> --Steve
>
> PS the car is also 'surgy' when at part throttle sometimes, sometimes
> when cold sometimes when hot...I am thinking this is the same
> issue--am I correct?
>
>
>
>
> "B.Creech" <bcreech61@nc.rr.com> wrote in message
> news:cW8Ke.105800$3j2.3705102@twister.southeast.rr .com...
>> Had the same problem with my 91 Integra for 2 years. Last month,
>> finally removed the main relay and resoldered all solder joints. No
>> more problems......cranked on the hottest days so far.....104*F
>>
>> Natman wrote:
>>
>> >On 2 Aug 2005 23:56:57 -0700, "El Chico Gordo"
>> ><machine_nine@yahoo.com> wrote:
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >>Hello;
>> >>
>> >>I have a 91 Integra GS that once it gets up to operating temp,
>> >>sometimes fails to start. I've observed these symptoms:
>> >>
>> >>The car runs fine until I shut it off to go into a store. Upon
>> >>restarting, the engine starts and then stalls.
>> >>
>> >>When I try to restart it, it will not start and in about half of
>> >>the times, the s3 indicator is flashing after the check engine goes
>> >>out during key on.
>> >>
>> >>Eventually I get it started. When it does start, I notice a click
>> >>from under the dash(relay) when the check engine light goes out.
>> >>The S3 light also quits lighting(flashing).
>> >>
>> >>At first, when I would hear the click under the dash, the engine
>> >>would start with no further problems. However, lately, when I hear
>> >>the click, it starts and stalls, placing me back to the no start,
>> >>flashing s3 scenario. After several rounds of this, I finally get
>> >>the thing started.
>> >>
>> >>I've never had trouble starting when the engine is cold. This only
>> >>happens after I have been running the car for a few miles or more.
>> >>Also, since the weather has been hot, it is happening much more
>> >>frequently.
>> >>
>> >>Any ideas?
>> >>
>> >>TIA
>> >>
>> >>
>> >
>> >The S3 light is an unusual wrinkle, but for hot start problems you
>> >should first check out the Main Fuel Injection Relay.
>> >
>> >Do a google search on "honda main relay".
>> >
>> >
>
>
>



--
Jim Yanik
jyanik
at
kua.net

Jim Yanik <jyanik@abuse.gov.> wrote in
news:Xns96B8C66F6560Bjyanikkuanet@129.250.170.83:

> "Steve" <someone@microsoft.com> wrote in
> news:-5GdnbJpduciLZreRVn-tw@comcast.com:
>
>> I have a 91 teg also...
>> **exactly** where is the main relay?
>
> on the left side of the driver's footwell,up underneath the dash.
>
>> Is it in one of those typical aluminum boxes and you just need to
>> crack it open to work on the contacts?
>
> no,it's plastic cased,and snaps off easily.
> Resoldering is easy,saves you at least $50.
> Check tegger.com for info and pix.



http://www.tegger.com/hondafaq/start...html#mainrelay



> also;http://www.markl.f9.co.uk/howto/elec...main-relay.htm


That URL is outdated. The new URL:
http://www.marklamond.co.uk/howto/el...main-relay.htm



--
TeGGeR®

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