Help '89 EX-i intermittent no start

[Anaudiophile]

My '89 Accord EX-i has started to intermittently not start and seems to be worst after a hot soak situation. It will try to run for about a second and just die as if the key was turned off. This has occurred up to about 20 times/key cycles and then for no reason start and run fine. There are no other symptoms, the car runs fantastic otherwise. It has done this during a couple of cold starts too, except it has started and ran for about 5 seconds with a nice idle flare to @1800 rpm and once it settles around there it would just quit as if the key was turned off.
It definitely feels like an ignition problem because it quits immediately! I've never had a problem with the vehicle in 5 years since I bought it. I suspect a distributor ignitor problem but I hear they usually act up when hot and don't generally start and run fine after a few key cycles??
Can anyone shed some light on this for me? Thanks muchly in advance!!

[mpumas]

Could be coil, igniter and maybe main relay. The main relay problem is usually caused by a bad solder job so that is the cheapest thing to fix if you do it yourself. Coil and igniter are changeable individually, so if you feel it is an ignition problem, take your pick and replace it. The igniter can be tested. If it works and everything before it tests OK, it is the coil. Igniters and coil are about $60.00 each.

[Anaudiophile]

Thanks for the info. I checked the main relay tonight for curiosity sake and the solder looks fine. I have a few newer used ones kicking around that I might try seeing that it doesn't look like they've changed them over the years.
Do you know the procedure to test the igniter?? I know early 90's Accords with the coils in the distributor had bad coils now and again, but my recollection of the external coils have been fairly good. So, I'm leaning towards an igniter. However, my local jobber wants $170 for one. I'd kinda like to know a proper test procedure for it when I catch it in the act!!

Thx