Father sent me a 96 3.2TL form Long Beach, CA to Tallahassee FL. Car worked fine first few weeks. Two weeks ago AC blower went out car sat for a week while I was out of town. Drove it for 4 days now it won’t start. It has been very humid and there was condensation inside the car. It seems to not be getting any fuel. Plenty of juice in battery, father said car had been recently serviced and was sound, just has 200,000 miles and was regularly serviced.
Father is wrong. Car is quite unsound. Have father spend some actual money on his little bunny to get her into a real car.
Ok let’s get some more information.
How do you know the battery is OK? When was the last time the plugs and wires were replaced? How full is the tank? When was the last time the air and fuel filters were replaced?
Have someone check the main fuel pump relay under that dashboard. If the relay is bad, which is common with high-mileage Honda vehicles (Acura is Honda), the fuel pump won’t run.
A new relay might solve the problem.
Of course, it could be something else, but the fuel pump relay is a primary suspect.
Thank you for you comment, you might keep you personal opinions to yourself, it will save you any further embarrassment. I a 40 year old grad student and I feel lucky that my dad cared enough to send something that will last the next few years. Then he will buy his SON the new BMW he promised like he did for all his other kids. Sucks to be you sorry to hear about your daddy issues.
Oh sorry that wasn’t loving was it.
Be Well
Thanks taking it to the shop might be the fuel pump relay. Get back to you about the filter.
That is what my dad said thank you for the comment.
Be Well
McP’s comment about the relay has been repeated numerous times on this forum by guys who spent some years as Honda mechanics. That does seem to be a weak spot in these cars.
You could also get a Haynes manual at the local parts store. That’ll tell you how to test for fuel delivery and pressure as well as to test for spark. The tools to do these basic tests are pretty cheap (you can pick them up when you get the book) and that’ll allow you to truely test to see which is missing. It’ll also allow you to save money in the future by doing much of your own work, and if you’re like most grad students the money saved will be a godsend.
Sincere best.
I’m a little late to this party, but when you say it won’t start, do you mean that it cranks but won’t fire, or that when you turn the key, nothing happens? If it’s the latter, then your main relay is not the culprit. If it’s the former, then it could be your main relay, but cluing in on your comment about the humidity, it could also be that your distributor cap has a crack in it and is letting in moisture, which is screwing with the electrical connections inside. If it’s that, you’re in luck - you can get a new cap for that vehicle for around 20 bucks. The main relay is pretty cheap as well.
Come back in and give us a few more details about what exactly it does when it refuses to start, and we might be able to help you narrow it down further.
Oh, and 200,000 on a Honda product, assuming it’s been well-cared for, is not an issue. It’s not all that difficult to get them to go double that and more, provided you can keep the body from rusting out around you.
Thanks I remember the show a few months back on humidity and problems with electrical stuff so I went that direction in my thinking. Ok when I turn the key to position 3 the starter engages and that is all no sputtering no backfire no combustion. I followed the directions in the owners manual that came with the car. I attempted this several times waiting the suggested 10 seconds between each try still no cigar. My dad has had regular service on the car and had the ABS sensor replaced just recently, he said he had put several thousand in repairs over the last year or so that is why he sent it to me as apposed to trying to sell it. He said it should last forever if I kept it up he got over 300,000 miles out of his first Legend. I had a flat bed pick it up today to take it to the shop. I get the Haynes manual and the tool for the basic parts. I’ll laugh if it was just the distributor cap. Thanks I’ll keep you guys posted.
Be Well
Peace
Half a tank and the plugs and wires are new. Still checking on the filter question.
You get the prize it was the fuel pump relay. cost $85 not bad, the blower motor is bad so no ac for me. $1300 is not worth it. Thanks for your input.
Be Well
Peace