Starter crank but car not starting

[Jin1976]

Went out to find Mugen sock for my ill looking brake reservoir. Stopped at a shop. Could not find one available. Put the key into ignition, hear the fuel pumping but no click sound and try to start the engine. I can hear the starter cranking but the engine didn't start. 3 times I did plus one with pressing the accelerator pedal to pump the fuel but the car still did not start.

Had it towed to my friend workshop. We did check the fuel pipe to the engine and there is fuel. After some cooling down we crank the car and it start the first try. Classic case of bad Main Relay?

Btw I have not change the fuel filter after probably 70K miles. Will change both tomorrow since dealership close today. Anything else I need to look at?

Thanks.

 

[Jett]

Classic case of bad Main Relay?

Yes

 

[Jin1976]

Thanks Jett. Hopefully the dealer got one in stock.

Yes

 

[Jett]

You can usually temporarily revive the main relay by tapping on it. This is helpful to determine if it is indeed the problem.

If you have difficulty obtaining a main relay in Brunei it is possible to repair the main relay. (Mine was repaired almost six years ago and it has not given any trouble since.) It is a very simple repair that you could do yourself with a soldering iron. Search this forum for "main relay" for details.

 

[Jin1976]

Update:

Got the Main Relay today and will be collecting the car after work. Hopefully that will save the problem. Btw the dealer thought the culprit could be the igniter on top of the engine. Any input on this?

 

[Jett]

igniter By this do you mean a coil pack or coil packs? NSX has six individual coil packs - I doubt that coil packs would cause the car not to start. Rough running - yes. Not start - no.

 

[Jin1976]

It's a small rectangular thingie ontop of the throttle body directly under the four small metal tubes.

igniter By this do you mean a coil pack or coil packs? NSX has six individual coil packs - I doubt that coil packs would cause the car not to start. Rough running - yes. Not start - no.

 

[Jett]

Okay, I had to look that up in the service manual and research the topic a bit. Are you getting a check engine light? Check the service manual for discussion of ignition system beginning on page 23-88. On page 23-90 you will note that the main relay is part of the circuit that includes the ignitor.

I think it is possible that it is the igniter, but the ignitors really don't seem that failure-prone (it is possible, but...) so I would suspect the main relay first. Although I do see a couple of instances of igniters failing.

If you are in doubt, try tapping on the main relay with the engine off and running (if you can get it started) and see what effect that has.

Have a look at this thread.

 

[Jin1976]

Got the car two days ago. I can hear click sound after the bussing sound of fuel being pumped. After that the car start everytime. I tried to crank the car after a long run and it start everytime. Seems like the problem was the Main Relay.

Thanks everyone for the input.:smile:

 

[Jin1976]

The car failed to start again last Saturday. Went to the workshop the car came up with code 15. Ignition output signal. Replaced the ignitor and the car seems to be idling very well and the car stops running rich too. Will be driving the car all week just to see if that was the cause of the problem.

 

[WM_NSX]

Did you get a CEL for the igniter failure?

 

[jrehner]

yuk yuk--if u could find my thread on this problem u would see where ppl said that if the starter is turning over then it's the ignition switch--I got a new main relay and that wasn't the problem and then got the above info--I think replacing the ignition harness under the dash was pretty simple if ur skinny enough to get under there without removing the front seat--I am but it was still a tight fit--neway had the same issues--nvr knew when the car would start and if u kept trying it would finally start until it won't--lol

Neway I tried to clean the contacts on the old one first but one was burnt and it didn't work--just unplug the harness and remove the two small bolts and it be off--if u can get urself under the dash.

If that's it the part # is 35130-SLO-AO1

 

[Jin1976]

Code 15. Ignition output signal.

Did you get a CEL for the igniter failure?

 

[jrehner]

Time will tell cause it would start and run for a few weeks and then have problems again (of course I do not travel far) So if the problem comes back look to the ignition. I was tapping on the main relay too and it seemed to start up after doing so but apparently just coincidence as ultimately it would not want to start again at some point.

 

[Pr3ttyboiGs400]

I have the same problem but worse. Car won't start and none of the power inside the car working beside headlight, signal lights, and power lock. With all these research seem like the main relay but I'm not so sure. Anyone have this problem before?

 

[sojusoulja]

I have ignition problems as well. Upon reading posts I switched out my main relay. But car still has problems starting occasionally. I'm not sure where to start. I thought about changing park plugs and coil packs but don't think thats the problem since plugs were changed about 20K miles ago and coil packs looked good upon removal.

I havn't had any CEl's. I may look into the ignitor theory.