Weird Honda

Maintenance/Repairs
1

My Fiancee’s '89 Honda Civic has a weird problem. If she drives it on a short trip (sometimes this happens not every time) and goes in somewhere and only stays a few minutes(5-30) then comes out the car turns over but won’t start. After it sits for a while(30 minutes or more) it starts right up and runs fine with no problem. This is an intermittent problem. I have driven it for a month at a time and it not failed to start even one time.

2

http://community.cartalk.com/posts/list/669017.page

There was a similar problem a while back. I’d check the things that were suggested to that poster or ask a mechanic to look the car over. If it’s a problem with the starter or wiring it may not be apparent, but you could narrow the problem down a bit to what’s not wrong.

My guess is a problem with the starter.

3

This is a common problem with these gear-reduction starters. The problem will become more frequent and worse. The answer is a replacement starter.

4 
Could you describe exactly what happens and does not happen when someone tries to start it and it does not start?
5

The easiest and cheapest fix and most common problem is the following:

6

Civic DX? LX? EX? This makes a difference. The main relay which runs the fuel pump is a good possibility . . . can you hear the pump run when you turn the key? By saying “the car turns over but won’t start” . . . I believe that the starter motor is turning. I have a simple fix if the car is a DX with a carb. This era Honda with carbs have a funky no-start issue after warm-up which goes away as soon as the car cools down, even just a bit. So you can either wait for the engine to cool down or read the owners manual . . . which states “starting a warm engine requires one pump of the pedal and then holding the pedal down half way while creanking”. It works. This won’t start a F/I car. Rocketman

7

That’s a pretty cool piece of trivia, rocketman. I wonder if that might solve the OP’s problem.

8

Guess I didn’t make it clear that it always turns over, so it’s not a starter. I’ll check the next time it happens and listen for the fuel pump. This is a F/I engine w/ california emissions equip.
Thanks

9

Works for my 89 Accord (carb’d DX). I tried almost everything . . . and then one day read the owners manual on starting procedures . . . and VOILA! Reminded me of Marty McFly banging his head on the steering wheel of the Delorean in “Back to the Future” ! Hey OP . . . give it a try. Rocketman