Electrical Question 1991 Honda

[wizarddrummer]

My car is a 1991 Honda Accord SE

Several weeks ago my car was running normally (well, normally for it. It has a few quirks) and then one day I went to start it and it would not start or even try to start. I could tell something was different when I was turning the key trying to start it.

Normally when I started the car I would hear clicks, the fuel pump engaging and I knew there was a spark because the car would start (most of the time) on the first try or it would start after sputtering the second or third try.

Now when I try to start the car it just turns over. No clicks, no fuel pump sound engaging and definitely no spark.

I did some research and came across several places that said that when this happens it usually means that the Master Relay has gone bad.

Is it possible to bypass the Master Relay?

I'm just wondering if I can bypass the master relay some how by cutting some wires and then splice them together or put some kind of ... I don't know ... light switch or something in there so that when I turn the key the other stuff will happen (clicks, fuel pump and spark) so I can drive the car.

I don't have the cash at the moment to fix it by going to the parts store or even a junk yard to get the part; and I'm not sure if that's even the problem; other people seemed to point to the master relay.

Here are some recollections over the last year or so that might help someone diagnose this problem. Don't know if any of these things are related or not.

-- on several occasions while driving around if I stopped (for a minute or so) to go into a store to buy a soda or a snack when I came back to start the car the car would not start or even try to start. The remedy? I would take the cable off the battery; let it sit for a few minutes, reconnect the battery and it would start. The difference between then and now is that I heard the clicks and the fuel pump engage. There is no consistency. On one day I could go and do errands all day long, stop several times with no incident; other days it might the third or fourth time that I turn off the car that it would not start. Weather did not seem to play a factor. I live in Mexico near the border, so it's basically SoCal weather here dry and cool.

-- Occasionally when I stepped on the gas while in drive the transmission would feel like it's trying to upchuck itself on the street with lots of rumbling and vibration with very little forward motion. Sometimes the green [S] light would be flashing and sometimes not. Remedy: Sometimes moving the shift lever back and forth would set it right and then it would work normally. Sometimes I had to remove the cable like I had to do when it wouldn't start.

My knowledge of cars is limited to the days of points with gap settings and dwell and timing lights.

Appreciate any help or advice.

[wiseguy01]

if you are near an autozone have them check your battery cause a main relay will cause nothing to work hence the name main relay but if you turn the key on and there is lights in the dash and dome lights and any other lights work than it is not the main relay sounds like either battery has bad terminal or is going bad and or bad ground

[wizarddrummer]

Originally Posted by JamesSmith2099

Hello Friend....One question in my mine to clear with you that I have done BE(Electronics) and interested in this car electrical field. So how to start it for learning everything?

What?

Your comment does not make any sense to me.

[wizarddrummer]

Originally Posted by JamesSmith2099

It is not related to your previous post but in general I want to ask my question??????

I'm sorry I'm still confused.

Is your question... "What do I have to do to start learning how to fix Honda and other automobile electric systems?"

If I understand your question my best advice is to continue with school.

There are hundreds of documents and You Tube videos regarding car's electrical systems.

Normally I don't make this mistake but I posted a related question on this forum
http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbul...88#post6930288

There is more information about my problem which is now solved and links to sites that contain a plethora of information regarding Honda's electrical system.