First start up, ran for few seconds, died. Main relay is good.

ASSISTANCE Stock Engine-Bay Components
1

Searched, but like some problems, they’re different from each other and can’t really be found searching…

So anyway it ran at first for a few seconds, but died shortly thereafter. Was a port on the intake manifold not plugged, but is now.

So the main relay was clicking, and the fuel pump was priming for a few tries, but then stopped all together. I used a spare main relay that I know is good, and tried it, and still nothing.

After a couple more tries, I do believe I heard it click once, which if memory serves, would have been the click off after fuel pressure would build, but I’m not really too sure considering the pump didn’t even turn on.
So it’s not throwing any codes, checked and replaced anyway the main relay fuse under the hood as well as the ignition fuse, still nothing.

If the pump just decided to go bad on us, would that make the main relay not even click at all?

This is for a friends cars, and he really needs it running again.

Any help would be great.

2

Check the powers to the PGM-FI Main Relay, there are three of them, a 12V constant, a 12V switched, [hot in run and start] and a second 12V switched, [hot when cranking to start only] also check the ground to the PGM-FI Main Relay.

What should happen…

Turn ign. switch on, to run position not all the way to start.

The cluster will light up including the CEL.

At the same time the PGM-FI Main Relay will “click” twice, the 1st click is the injector relay, the 2nd click is the fuel pump relay [may sound like one click as they are very close together].

At the sme time the fuel pump will start priming, for no more then a few sec.

There will then be a 3rd “click” from the PGM-FI Main Relay, [fuel pump relay turning off].

At the same time the fuel pum will stop priming and the CEL will go out.

The above will happen every time you turn on the ign.

If all/any of the above is not happening, the problem is PGM-FI Main Relay “related”.

Start by confirming ground and powers to the PGM-FI Main Relay.

If it is indeed a 90 Integra…

12V constant is yellow/white, fuse 38 -10A, engine bay fuse box.
12V switched, [hot in run and start] is black/yellow, fuse 24 -15A, under dash fuse box.
12V switched, [hot when cranking to start only] is blue/white, fuse 18 -7.5A, under dash fuse box.
Ground is black. 94

3

I’m not really following here. I’m looking for the fuses you’re talking about here and don’t see them. Fuse 24 under the dash is the alternator solenoid valve. 18 is the starter signal. The 10amp I saw under the hood is the ECU fuse.

So yes, I’m at a loss as to what fuses you’re talking about. And I checked on my Integra, and the cel pops on for a second when the pump primes then goes off like normal before i start it. His doesn’t come on. I tried another ECU and still nothing.

4

How does the fuel pressure look when you’re cranking the engine?

A very rudimentary way to see if it’s getting fuel is to crack the banjo bolt on the filter… it’ll make a mess when you turn the key to On (not start), but will let you know if you are/aren’t getting fuel.

5

Well once again, I’m taken aback on how dumb things can be. Fuel injector ground wasn’t 1,000,000% tight, so of course…

But now it sounds like it wants to turn over, but just kind of pops. Firing order is correct, mechanical and distributor timing are all at 0, but nothing. He didn’t get new plugs yet, but we’re going to. It’s still odd even now though, as before it started right up, but then died, obviously now that the ground was loose, but now it doesn’t want to at all.

Meh, going to get new plugs and go from there.

6

Ignition timing should be at 16 degrees BTDC. Make sure you’re using resistance type spark plugs. Check resistance through the wires. 25kOhm max resistance. NGK coppers are fine and are about $2 each. When I put my motor together it would run fine for 10 sec then immediately drop a cylinder and sound like a Subaru & repeat that pattern until it would eventually die. I attempted to get away with just cleaning my old NGK iridium plugs with one of those little plug media blasters from harbor freight and I guess I did it one too many times. New coppers and it was taken care of. Not saying that’s your problem but start with the easy stuff. Make sure the injector plugs are well seated and the retainer pins are seated correctly. When the Cam timing is at 0 degrees the rotor in the distributor should be pointing at #1 cylinder. Verify that as well as the condition of the cap & rotor.

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id check all under dash fuses thoroughly. i had this happen last year. i tried two dizzys two relays and was starting on the fuel pump whem my buddy came checked fuses with test light. one wasnt broke in middle like a normal fuse but was still bad. It was like the closest one to. the firewall on the bottom half of the fuses

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[QUOTE=Boosted_90Teg;2282289]Well once again, I’m taken aback on how dumb things can be.wasn’t 1,000,000% tight, so of course…

But now it sounds like it wants to turn over, but just kind of pops. Firing order is correct, mechanical and distributor timing are all at 0, but nothing. He didn’t get new plugs yet, but we’re going to. It’s still odd even now though, as before it started right up, but then died, obviously now that the ground was loose, but now it doesn’t want to at all.

Meh, going to get new plugs and go from there.[/QUOTE] What “Fuel injector ground” ???:sipread:

Sorry, my fuse numbers are from the Haynes manual, it’s easier just to check to see if you have all three powers at the PGM-FI Main Relay. 94

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Well that’s what I call it, lol. It’s the ground that bolts to the thermostat housing. And when I meant timing at 0, I just mean the distributor is right in the middle, with an even room for adjustment on either side.

I just got brand new NGK Coppers, didn’t help. Used a different fuel pressure regulator, nothing.

Checked all fuses, all are good. It’s getting spark too, just not sure how strong. I’m going to borrow a distributor from a friend just to see. Because I’d rather throw borrowed parts on it to see what’s wrong than throw money at it.

And FCM, the main relay just wasn’t clicking because the ground on the thermostat housing was loose.

But it sounds like it’s right at the edge of turning over, but just won’t. When I took the injectors out of my integra, one of them was stuck open (or closed) and his car needed one and I might have put the bad one in, so I’m going to switch that as well tomorrow.

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OIC, “thermostat housing grounds”.

So fuel pump primes properly now?

I assume you mean it’s right at the edge starting when you say, “But it sounds like it’s right at the edge of turning over”

If it was not “turning over” you would have a starter motor issue, an engine does or does not crank, [turn over] and an engine does or does not fire, [start].

Not trying to be anal about termanology, but it can get confusing, just like “fuel injector ground”. 94

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That’s my bad. Yes, it’s right at the point of starting. You can hear little pops once and a while, like it’s missing or something.

The whole thing shakes like it’s trying but can’t. I hate OBD-0 cars, no REAL on board diagnostics, lol.

12

Sounds almost like a timing issue.

If it’s getting fuel and has good spark, it should start… if mechanical timing was off and it was fired up, valve damage could have occurred and now lacks the compression to fire up.

Is this a built motor with performance goodies? Or just a stock-rebuilt motor, or a simple stock motor swap?

If the timing belt has been taken off/installed, as I said, timing could have been incorrect.

You’re positive it was timed correctly? A compression or leakdown test is what I’d try to do to ensure the motor wasn’t damaged by incorrect timing.

13

This also happened to me on my build. I tried everything…grounds, §§§§§, plugs, etc. In the end I swapped in another ECU…BAM problem was fixed. I dont know how my ecu all of a sudden went bad, I kept it indoors for over a year during my build. Weird, but if you have access to another ECU, give it a shot.

14

My motto has always been, “If something’s wrong, it’s probably something stupid.”

I accidentially put in my B1 cams instead of the A1’s which the valve lash was already set for. So it was holding numbers 1,2 and 3 open slightly letting out all the compression, and #4 was only making 90psi. Did the valve lash and all are at 150-ish (new rings). Set the lash properly and BAM! Idles like a champ and super super smooth.

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Nice man. Glad to hear it wasn’t what I thought (bent valves).

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Lol, yea. Well even if it were, I have like 4 spare LS heads, and even more spare LS valvetrain, lol.

17

Sounds like the same issues I had on my 91 GS. I reset the ecu. Working ok now.