# 1992 overheats and won't start for hours sometimes

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/1992-overheats-and-wont-start-for-hours-sometimes/68173>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** accord, honda\
**Created:** [September 25, 2011, 4:24am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1992-overheats-and-wont-start-for-hours-sometimes/68173 "2011-09-25T04:24:37Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![jayjay205](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b4bc9f/32.png) [@jayjay205](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jayjay205)\
**Post date:** [September 25, 2011, 4:24am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1992-overheats-and-wont-start-for-hours-sometimes/68173/1 "2011-09-25T04:24:37Z")

</div>

What is the ECU and what does it do?

What is the sensor that won’t let my 1992 Honda Accord start when it is hot? I have lots of hours to sit and ponder this, but I have no idea why it does this. The local head mechanic banged twice on the cowling to the left of the steering wheel when it wouldn’t start to let me leave the gas pump area. He said the part is $98.00, but the installation…I guess that’s the extra $300 one must pay for anything there.

Any enlightenment would be appreciated. Also, I’m a handy-man and would like to install it myself. Is that possible under that cowling?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![shadowfax](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/shadowfax/32/13026_2.png) [@shadowfax](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shadowfax)\
**Post date:** [September 25, 2011, 3:19pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1992-overheats-and-wont-start-for-hours-sometimes/68173/2 "2011-09-25T15:19:14Z")

</div>

it’s probably your main relay. Hondas of that era were famous for issues with that. I’m not sure what the ECU would have to do with this - it’s the engine computer - the brain of the car.

As for overheating, you need to get that solved, because if you keep overheating you’ll damage the engine.