Starting problem - NOT main relay

[Bran2a]

For over a year now I've been having a problem with my '88 Accord LXi not always starting. It seems to happen when the the weather is a little warmer (it didn't happen at all over the winter) and never happens first start in the morning. The engine turns over and I know it has spark...just won't start sometimes.

I know this sounds like a main relay problem...but I've already tried replacing that. I've also replaced the fuel filter and coil. And I can hear the fuel pump working. Once the car starts it runs fine, and if it doesn't start I know I can just wait a couple hours and it will start right up.

Does anybody have any ideas what this could be?

[integrasedan]

check ground/battery connections, clean, sand if necessary.

check battery charge.

[Bran2a]

Hey, I just want to give everyone an update in case anyone experienced the same problem as me. It turns out the problem was with a coolant sensor. When the coolant was warmed up (from driving the car) the sensor would give a faulty reading. So when starting the car the computer would think it was cold outside and give it too much gas, and flood the engine.

We tested the sensor by heating it by holding a blow torch near it and sure enough, it wouldn't start when it was hot. Also when it was warm, the sensor gave a resistance reading that was way off.

Hope this helps someone since this turned out to be a very frustrating problem for me.

[indmny453]

my car did the same thing and it turned out that it was the spark plugs. i put two dif sets of the same brand in it and the problem was still there changed the brand of the plug and the problem disapeared

[SpectreGunner]

I'm having the same problem, where is the coolant sensor located and is it easy to replace?

[Bran2a]

The coolant temperature sensor can be found in the cylinder head of the coolant crossover passage, and it just unscrews.

But there are a couple different temperature sensors that could be faulty so i would test them all. And if you haven't ruled out your main relay as being the problem i would start with that, since it seems to be the problem for other people the majority of the time.

[hondaokie]

Does the senor need to be replaced or adjusted?

[Bran2a]

I had to replace mine.

[grimple1]

woohoo i guessed right.... some other guy was having similar problems and i guessed the ECTS or the main relay.