What would cause my car not to start when it's raining?? Is it electrical? or other?

[tanyaa7574]

Please Help me! Sometimes my car doesn't start in when it's raining or when it has been raining........ For instance, It worked this morning... Went to work early, came home put my girls on the bus .....ran back home really quick.... Jumped back in the car to go back to work.... And it won't start..... DEAD... except full battery power..... What would cause this??... I drove it just a few minutes ago?... What do you think it is?... any one........ Please help... I need to fix it to get me through the winter?

Signed...... Mom who needs help! Anyone willing to offer free advice??

[Christ]

if it cranks but doesn't start, it's probably moisture getting into the distributor, if it doesn't crank at all, it's probabaly the little wire on the starter solenoid... both are easy fixes

[tanyaa7574]

Originally Posted by Dr0pZ0n3

if it cranks but doesn't start, it's probably moisture getting into the distributor, if it doesn't crank at all, it's probabaly the little wire on the starter solenoid... both are easy fixes

when you say both are easy fixes , can you help me out a little, I will be doing this by myself........... what little wire on the solenoid??... I currently have a sylicone adhesive that my last boy-friend put on between the distributor cap and the rotor.......... would that be a problem????

I don't mean to sound stupid.....I am just mechanically inclined.......... I would rather take help from someone who knows what they are talking about , rather than being raped financially from a stranger

Thank you for everything

[Christ]

READ ENTIRE POST BEFORE TOUCHING ANYTHING

well, since you put it that way, lol

You should remove the silicon from the distributor cap.. it has a rubber seal under it already. if you have some emery cloth or really fine sandpaper around, you can sand the button on the rotor, and try to clean up all the little "nipples" (sorry, dunno what else to call them) inside the cap.

clean out the ignition module (you'll see it.. has a lil tower thing on it that the cap button plugs into.)

Get some silicon cleaning (electrical protectant) spray and clean everything outta there, and just get a new cap, as it's probably cracked. (even a hairline in the plastic can cause a misfire at low engine speeds)

If you check on the back of the starter (upper rear end of transmission, pass-side, as you're facing the front of the car, where you'll be working on it from) there are three wires that go to it... two bolt on, those should be fine, although you can take them off ONE AT A TIME and clean the contacts w/ a wire brush, but you will also see a smaller (maybe 12 or 14 gage) wire w/ a spade (square push-on) connector. that wire is probably corroded/dirty, or the cap for it is missing.. best thing to do is trace it back as far as you can, cut it off, and splice a new wire onto it, w/ a new spade connector thats' the same size. again, use some electrical parts cleaner, and spray inside the hole in the back of the solenoid where that wire goes, then clean it out w/ a bottle brush or something somewhat stiff, being careful not to bend/break that connection off.

If you can't find a suitable cover for that wire once it's in, find an old spark plug wire laying around, and remove the short side of it (the side that goes on the distributor) place that over the end of the wire, put the wire on the contact, then slide the boot down over it, then push it onto the little relief there that the normal cover snaps onto.


Since I just re-read your post, FIRST THING YOU SHOULD CHECK is to make sure that when it's wet, and you turn the key, you should hear a series of clicks from behind the dash, just where your left foot rests on the floor.. there is a relay under the dash that tells the ECU to kick on, and tells the fuel pump to prime.. if that isn't functioning, then you need to replace it, as it will continuously get worse, until eventually your car doesn't start at all.

to replace that, you have to remove the fuse panel from under the dash, then it unbolts or unplugs from teh back, and you just pop a new one on. it's a big white box.

THAT IS YOUR MOST LIKELY CULPRIT, AS IT'S PRETTY COMMON ON OUR CARS.
So save yourself some time and money, and check that first.. the only real way to test it is to listen for clicks, and listen for the fuel pump to kick on, then shut back off. You should also see the check engine light come on for a few seconds, then blink back out.

THIS WILL ONLY OCCUR WHEN YOU TURN THE KEY TO THE "ON" POSITION, WITH THE ENGINE OFF.

also, are you getting any check engine lights? if so, pull back the pass-side carpet and check the number of blinks you see in the ECU window (the hole in that metal cover) make sure you count the steady blinks two or three times, as you could be getting more than one service code.

Should be something like this:
1.1.1.1.1.1.1----1.1.1.1.1.1.1----1.1.1.1.1.1.1 == code 7
1----1.1.1----1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1 == code 1,3,9

The ones are light on, dot is between fast blinks, dashes are long pause. (maybe one second)

[tanyaa7574]

Originally Posted by Dr0pZ0n3

READ ENTIRE POST BEFORE TOUCHING ANYTHING

well, since you put it that way, lol

You should remove the silicon from the distributor cap.. it has a rubber seal under it already. if you have some emery cloth or really fine sandpaper around, you can sand the button on the rotor, and try to clean up all the little "nipples" (sorry, dunno what else to call them) inside the cap.

clean out the ignition module (you'll see it.. has a lil tower thing on it that the cap button plugs into.)

Get some silicon cleaning (electrical protectant) spray and clean everything outta there, and just get a new cap, as it's probably cracked. (even a hairline in the plastic can cause a misfire at low engine speeds)

If you check on the back of the starter (upper rear end of transmission, pass-side, as you're facing the front of the car, where you'll be working on it from) there are three wires that go to it... two bolt on, those should be fine, although you can take them off ONE AT A TIME and clean the contacts w/ a wire brush, but you will also see a smaller (maybe 12 or 14 gage) wire w/ a spade (square push-on) connector. that wire is probably corroded/dirty, or the cap for it is missing.. best thing to do is trace it back as far as you can, cut it off, and splice a new wire onto it, w/ a new spade connector thats' the same size. again, use some electrical parts cleaner, and spray inside the hole in the back of the solenoid where that wire goes, then clean it out w/ a bottle brush or something somewhat stiff, being careful not to bend/break that connection off.

If you can't find a suitable cover for that wire once it's in, find an old spark plug wire laying around, and remove the short side of it (the side that goes on the distributor) place that over the end of the wire, put the wire on the contact, then slide the boot down over it, then push it onto the little relief there that the normal cover snaps onto.


Since I just re-read your post, FIRST THING YOU SHOULD CHECK is to make sure that when it's wet, and you turn the key, you should hear a series of clicks from behind the dash, just where your left foot rests on the floor.. there is a relay under the dash that tells the ECU to kick on, and tells the fuel pump to prime.. if that isn't functioning, then you need to replace it, as it will continuously get worse, until eventually your car doesn't start at all.

to replace that, you have to remove the fuse panel from under the dash, then it unbolts or unplugs from teh back, and you just pop a new one on. it's a big white box.

THAT IS YOUR MOST LIKELY CULPRIT, AS IT'S PRETTY COMMON ON OUR CARS.
So save yourself some time and money, and check that first.. the only real way to test it is to listen for clicks, and listen for the fuel pump to kick on, then shut back off. You should also see the check engine light come on for a few seconds, then blink back out.

THIS WILL ONLY OCCUR WHEN YOU TURN THE KEY TO THE "ON" POSITION, WITH THE ENGINE OFF.

also, are you getting any check engine lights? if so, pull back the pass-side carpet and check the number of blinks you see in the ECU window (the hole in that metal cover) make sure you count the steady blinks two or three times, as you could be getting more than one service code.

Should be something like this:
1.1.1.1.1.1.1----1.1.1.1.1.1.1----1.1.1.1.1.1.1 == code 7
1----1.1.1----1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1 == code 1,3,9

The ones are light on, dot is between fast blinks, dashes are long pause. (maybe one second)

wow, since you gave me so much to think about and look at, at one tme,.... I appreciate the help and will get back to you asap..........

Let me go and look at the car.......... thank you so much for your help!

[FrodoGT]

More likely than the fuse panel under there is the Main relay, located very close by, just behind your coin holder on the left side of the steering wheel. That tells the fuel pump to kick on and it is probably the most common failure on these cars that can stop them from turning over. It usually does it on very hot days but CAN do it anytime. The car usually just turns over and over and never starts.

[Christ]

yep, sit there and turn the key on and off until you get the test light in the CEL..

[KoDKingVegeta]

Originally Posted by FrodoGT

More likely than the fuse panel under there is the Main relay, located very close by, just behind your coin holder on the left side of the steering wheel. That tells the fuel pump to kick on and it is probably the most common failure on these cars that can stop them from turning over. It usually does it on very hot days but CAN do it anytime. The car usually just turns over and over and never starts.

Thats what happend to mine. It would start whenever it felt like it. Most of the time it wouldnt start when it was really cold outside. Or when it had rained.

[turtlecrxsi]

I remember my main relay getting wet when it rained. It would start but I usually had to wipe the dirt off it first. I just relocated it to a safer location further inside the car and it seemed to work without issue. I actually never had to replace it. GL

[Christ]

frodo.. lol... just so you know, I wasn't referring to changing the fuse panel... the main relay is clipped/bolted to the back of it, that's why I said the white box on the back of the fuse panel

Originally Posted by me

Since I just re-read your post, FIRST THING YOU SHOULD CHECK is to make sure that when it's wet, and you turn the key, you should hear a series of clicks from behind the dash, just where your left foot rests on the floor.. there is a relay under the dash that tells the ECU to kick on, and tells the fuel pump to prime.. if that isn't functioning, then you need to replace it, as it will continuously get worse, until eventually your car doesn't start at all.

to replace that, you have to remove the fuse panel from under the dash, then it unbolts or unplugs from teh back, and you just pop a new one on. it's a big white box.

[FrodoGT]

The main relay is black. And is not bolted to the fuse panel, its on its own bracket on the sidewall of the car just in front of the door, about 1ft up inside the dash.

I seem to have deleted my picture of its location from when I yanked my dash out.

This is a pretty bad picture but you can get an idea of where its at, notice the picture is taken facing the drivers side door, as you can see the speaker grille in the left edge. The best reference for location is the hood latch.

http://www.tegger.com/hondafaq/mainr...8-91-civic.jpg

[Christ]

then what the hell is the white thing on the back of the fuse panel that I have a spare of sitting in my glove box? I thought the main relay on 84'-87's was the black thing on the firewall.. either way, lady, check your main relay before doing anything else.

[FrodoGT]

That white thing SHOULD be the module that controls your wipers, door beeper and some other things im forgetting.

[Christ]

wow.. really? so I can break that bitch open and take out the door/seatbelt beeper? SWEET! most annoying things there ever have been.

[FrodoGT]

Yeah ive seen people do it by opening it and desoldering the damn thing, be warned though, theres one in the little dome warning lights up at the top too. You can kill the whole thing by just cutting the wires up there and putting the cover back on. I discovered my crx had been "modded" when I put the antenna for my viper system up there.

Sorry for threadjacking.