Honda Car Forum

I have a 1992 Honda Prelude SR with about 193,000km on it. It has a heck of
a time starting on cold mornings (I'm in Vancouver, Canada and it's starting
to get pretty cool out here, so my troubles are just starting). It will
turn over fine over and over and over again, but it will not actually start.
It will sound as if the engine is going to engage, but it can never quite
"hold it" and actually get it started. I know it's not great to do for a
fuel-injected car, but the only way it will start is to actually give it
some gas while it's turning over. After about 1-2 minutes of playing, I can
usually get it started. Once it has been started once it's fine for the
rest of the day. It'll fire up no problem. In warmer weather I've never
had any problems with it. In the last year I've had the following done:


- New Upper Radiator Hose, Thermostat, Thermostat Gasket, Rad cap + rad
flush and cooling system sealer

- New Fuel Filter

- Tune up from Honda Dealer: 4x "Spark Plug NGK", Rotor Head Assembly, Cap
Assembly.

- New Battery (within 2 months).



After I had the Tune up from Honda, it seemed to be starting better, but I
think the weather was getting warmer too (may have just been a coincidence).
Now that we're back to having cold weather (around freezing level) and I'm
having the same problems I seem to think that may have been the case.



I had some people suggest a new TW Sensor (???) (is this a computer
temperature sensor, which incidentally someone else suggested?), a fuel
pump, and a few other things I can't remember.



Any ideas or tips to look for?



Also, if it's relevant, when the car is actually running, it runs great. No
apparant loss of power while driving or anything.



Thanks,



Ryan

rrradford@yahoo.com

Ryan Radford wrote:
>
> I have a 1992 Honda Prelude SR with about 193,000km on it. It has a heck of
> a time starting on cold mornings (I'm in Vancouver, Canada and it's starting
> to get pretty cool out here, so my troubles are just starting). It will
> turn over fine over and over and over again, but it will not actually start.
> It will sound as if the engine is going to engage, but it can never quite
> "hold it" and actually get it started. I know it's not great to do for a
> fuel-injected car, but the only way it will start is to actually give it
> some gas while it's turning over. After about 1-2 minutes of playing, I can
> usually get it started. Once it has been started once it's fine for the
> rest of the day. It'll fire up no problem. In warmer weather I've never
> had any problems with it. In the last year I've had the following done:
>
> - New Upper Radiator Hose, Thermostat, Thermostat Gasket, Rad cap + rad
> flush and cooling system sealer
>
> - New Fuel Filter
>
> - Tune up from Honda Dealer: 4x "Spark Plug NGK", Rotor Head Assembly, Cap
> Assembly.
>
> - New Battery (within 2 months).
>
> After I had the Tune up from Honda, it seemed to be starting better, but I
> think the weather was getting warmer too (may have just been a coincidence).
> Now that we're back to having cold weather (around freezing level) and I'm
> having the same problems I seem to think that may have been the case.
>
> I had some people suggest a new TW Sensor (???) (is this a computer
> temperature sensor, which incidentally someone else suggested?), a fuel
> pump, and a few other things I can't remember.
>
> Any ideas or tips to look for?
>
> Also, if it's relevant, when the car is actually running, it runs great. No
> apparant loss of power while driving or anything.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Ryan
>
> rrradford@yahoo.com
------------------------

Ryan,

Do a Google Search on this group for 'Main Relay' and look at this

http://members.rogers.com/john-ings/MainRelay.HTM

Especially, listen to your main relay / fuel pump while doing the 'lamp
test' described in your owner's manual. You should hear the fuel pump
run for a maximum of '2 elephants'. If it's running for four or five
full seconds, you've got an injector which is leaking down your fuel
system pressure overnight, and flooding your engine.

P.S. It's OK to hold the pedal to the floor . . . It says so in your
manual. (although your weather isn't exactly cold, where I come from)

'Curly'

---------------------

Just for future reference, it turns out that after several dignostics it was
the oxygen sensor. Was changed, and everything seems to be working fine
now.

"'Curly Q. Links'" <motsco_@_interbaun.com> wrote in message
news:3FA5358C.498DE2A3@_interbaun.com...
> Ryan Radford wrote:
> >
> > I have a 1992 Honda Prelude SR with about 193,000km on it. It has a
heck of
> > a time starting on cold mornings (I'm in Vancouver, Canada and it's
starting
> > to get pretty cool out here, so my troubles are just starting). It will
> > turn over fine over and over and over again, but it will not actually
start.
> > It will sound as if the engine is going to engage, but it can never
quite
> > "hold it" and actually get it started. I know it's not great to do for
a
> > fuel-injected car, but the only way it will start is to actually give it
> > some gas while it's turning over. After about 1-2 minutes of playing, I
can
> > usually get it started. Once it has been started once it's fine for the
> > rest of the day. It'll fire up no problem. In warmer weather I've
never
> > had any problems with it. In the last year I've had the following done:
> >
> > - New Upper Radiator Hose, Thermostat, Thermostat Gasket, Rad cap + rad
> > flush and cooling system sealer
> >
> > - New Fuel Filter
> >
> > - Tune up from Honda Dealer: 4x "Spark Plug NGK", Rotor Head Assembly,
Cap
> > Assembly.
> >
> > - New Battery (within 2 months).
> >
> > After I had the Tune up from Honda, it seemed to be starting better, but
I
> > think the weather was getting warmer too (may have just been a
coincidence).
> > Now that we're back to having cold weather (around freezing level) and
I'm
> > having the same problems I seem to think that may have been the case.
> >
> > I had some people suggest a new TW Sensor (???) (is this a computer
> > temperature sensor, which incidentally someone else suggested?), a fuel
> > pump, and a few other things I can't remember.
> >
> > Any ideas or tips to look for?
> >
> > Also, if it's relevant, when the car is actually running, it runs great.
No
> > apparant loss of power while driving or anything.
> >
> > Thanks,
> >
> > Ryan
> >
> > rrradford@yahoo.com
> ------------------------
>
> Ryan,
>
> Do a Google Search on this group for 'Main Relay' and look at this
>
> http://members.rogers.com/john-ings/MainRelay.HTM
>
> Especially, listen to your main relay / fuel pump while doing the 'lamp
> test' described in your owner's manual. You should hear the fuel pump
> run for a maximum of '2 elephants'. If it's running for four or five
> full seconds, you've got an injector which is leaking down your fuel
> system pressure overnight, and flooding your engine.
>
> P.S. It's OK to hold the pedal to the floor . . . It says so in your
> manual. (although your weather isn't exactly cold, where I come from)
>
> 'Curly'
>
> ---------------------