Topic: 1987 Honda Prelude Si (fuel injected) starting problem

Getting more difficult to start the car-
Turns over just fine (new battery)
Starter seems fine
Nothing smoking
Problem either when engine hot or cold
Once it starts and warms up, it runs basically fine and we can race....accelerates fine...idles fine...does not stall

So, you'll think I'm nuts, but I "Pump the throttle" and then it starts up! Not instantly, but relatively quickly.
Actually, I pump the throttle while starting the engine, in a very specific rhythmic pattern:
Chugga-(pump)-Chugga-(pump)-Chugga-(pump)-Chugga-(pump)....and after about 5 or 10 times, it starts right up...
Without this, it usually will not start at all....

(Jay should start a radio talk show like Car-Talk where I could just call in---Jay-Talk, Lemons-Talk, Hooptie-Talk, etc.)

Any ideas, suggestions?  Someone mentioned checking the resistance on a temp. sensor?

Thanks
mz

MarioKart Driving School: 1987 Honda Prelude Si (Opus #28) 
Loudon, NH 2014 - Millville, NJ, Lightening 2019 (RIP)
New and improved: 1987 Honda Prelude Si (Opus #11) Pittsburgh, PA 2021 - ??
and finally won something, Class C Win: Loudon, NH 2022

Re: 1987 Honda Prelude Si (fuel injected) starting problem

I'd check the main relay, it's a fairly common problem. You can pop the case off and re-solder the joints.

Re: 1987 Honda Prelude Si (fuel injected) starting problem

1+ on the main relay

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Re: 1987 Honda Prelude Si (fuel injected) starting problem

My daughter's Civic had that same problem, crank it for a while and randomly pump the throttle while it sputters and fires briefly until it finally starts and then runs great all day. After I replaced the IAT sensor and the main relay (the usual suspects), it turned out to be the distributor.

Everybody grab your brooms, it's shenanigans!

Re: 1987 Honda Prelude Si (fuel injected) starting problem

Once the car will continue to run without throttle, does the idle surge-fall-surge?

I'm assuming the engine control system is similar to the all the late 80's Honda stuff - what's the light on the ECM box suggest?

Re: 1987 Honda Prelude Si (fuel injected) starting problem

OK, so the plan would be:
- Replace/re solder Main Relay
- Change distributor
- Replace Intake Air Temp. Sensor
- Lastly:
Once the car will continue to run without throttle, does the idle surge-fall-surge?----Me no understand

I'm assuming the engine control system is similar to the all the late 80's Honda stuff - what's the light on the ECM box suggest?
----what light? on what ECM box?  Do I have those?

I'm off to the Pittsburgh race in the AM....better start packing...

MarioKart Driving School: 1987 Honda Prelude Si (Opus #28) 
Loudon, NH 2014 - Millville, NJ, Lightening 2019 (RIP)
New and improved: 1987 Honda Prelude Si (Opus #11) Pittsburgh, PA 2021 - ??
and finally won something, Class C Win: Loudon, NH 2022

7 (edited by fleming95 2019-04-10 10:20 PM)

Re: 1987 Honda Prelude Si (fuel injected) starting problem

MZAVARIN wrote:

OK, so the plan would be:
Once the car will continue to run without throttle, does the idle surge-fall-surge?----Me no understand

I'm assuming the engine control system is similar to the all the late 80's Honda stuff - what's the light on the ECM box suggest?
----what light? on what ECM box?  Do I have those?

Idle surge - on the CRX/Civic/Integra-based Hondas I've seen the idle has oscillated high-low-high-low... every few seconds.  (Sounds like RACECAR to me by now.)   

One on the MAP sensor had had its vacuum line to the intake removed, so the MAP was seeing atmosphere all the time and this was not good.  Plugged the vacuum line back into the MAP and it settled down.

ECM light - sounds like the Prelude is the same as the Civic/Integra, where the ECM sits down in the passenger side footwell.  Turn on ignition, count flashes.

Here is an Autozone page that popped up:
https://www.autozone.com/repairguides/H … 528005f5a6

with:
http://repairguide.autozone.com/znetrgs/repair_guide_content/en_us/images/0900c152/80/05/f5/ae/large/0900c1528005f5ae.gif

for the blink codes.

Good luck -

Re: 1987 Honda Prelude Si (fuel injected) starting problem

fleming95 wrote:

Idle surge - on the CRX/Civic/Integra-based Hondas I've seen the idle has oscillated high-low-high-low... every few seconds.  (Sounds like RACECAR to me by now.)

We ran a gen6 Accord for a bit.  99, V6 (J30a).  We had this issue pop up on us and our solution ended up being the throttle position sensor.

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Re: 1987 Honda Prelude Si (fuel injected) starting problem

We had idle surge on our Civic. Our solution was to ignore it.

Everybody grab your brooms, it's shenanigans!