Ok first off, I'm not a car person so speak slow and in detail if possible. Also if I miss some information please let me know so I can update here. Begin "Wall of Text":

A few days ago I took the main relay out and I re-soldered all of the joints on it to remedy a starting and stalling problem. I tested the car and it seemed to work just fine. This morning I tried starting it and it took a try or two but it seemed to start ok. After about 3 miles or so I was getting up to 45 mph and it seemed to almost skip a beat while it was changing gears and the check engine light came on. Then the next time it changed gears the S light started flashing. A half mile later I was stopped at an intersection and when I started driving again it seemed to have a hard time changing gears and then it stalled. It wouldn't start back up for a few minutes but when it did the check engine light came on immediately after I put it into drive. Then it stalled after a few yards of driving. This time the S light was off. My mom got the car started after about 20 minutes of sitting by the side of the road. It stalled after she got it moving but the second time she drove it home somehow without it stalling.

Before I fixed the main relay, it would have a lot of trouble starting (it seemed to be fixed for a while when I got a new battery for it) and it would stall randomly without the check engine light being on but sometimes I would have a blinking S light. The S light would come on randomly during a gear change. I don't think the main relay is the problem anymore but I'm sure it was since there were multiple cracked solder joints before I fixed it.

Here's some extra info:

The car is a 1990 Honda Accord EX 4 door sedan. Automatic Transmission. It has some new parts like the battery and apparently a new distributor cap and some other stuff. I believe the fuel filter and pump were either replaced or were working before I got it. It also has a keyless entry/keyless start thing (module?). Sometimes the keyless start would work in place of the key however since it got warm outside I can start the car no problem first try. This morning it took a couple tries but it wasn't really cold out.

The car stays on when it's idling (although it seems to idle a bit roughly). I read somewhere that the check engine light coupled with a blinking S light indicates some sort of transmission problem and I don't know if that could cause it to stall. Also ever since I got the car it would change gears late, at least that's what I think. Before it would change gears, the RPMs would fluctuate quickly between about 1k RPMs and 5k until it changed gears and then it would be smooth again.

If I missed anything let me know. Thanks in advance for any replies.

 

welcome to the forum. After reading the information you wrote, I beleive you still have a problem with the main relay. Main Relay does cause the following, when warm the car will turn but not start. After the first start of the day, drive to a location, park and shut down, it will not start for 5-15 min. After restarting, it will run ok for a while, but will stall, or shut down and need cool down period, then restart and drive for a while, some time repeat, sometimes go for a long time.

 

Ok, I will attempt to fix it again and if that doesn't work I'll just buy a new one. I still think it's weird that the check engine light was on and the S light was flashing when it stalled when it never used to do that before when it stalled. Hopefully it's just the main relay and not something worse. Thanks for the reply.

 

have u changed the transmission fluid on the car yet

 

Ok it's been a while since I've posted anything new here. We ended up bringing the car to a guy to fix it and he checked everything and put a new Main Relay in. It's not the fuel pump since that works.

Anyways, my dad told me to ask about an Ignition Control Module or something like that. Does it work intermittently before it dies or does it just die and not work at all?

 

hi, yes it does sound like a ignition control module problem. Its located inside the distributor housing. pull a spark plug cable out frm the spark plug n use a screw driver to ground it to the body earth n have someone start the car. You shld see a blueish spark going to the ground. if the spark is yellow then its the module which is the problem. Alternatively when the car wont start, u can do this to see if there's a spark at all? sometimes b4 the module fails totally it stalls from time to time like how u desribe yr problem. good luck

 

Ok the Ignition Control Module was replaced, the distributor cap and the rotor were replaced. Took it for a test drive with an average speed of 30 MPH. Ran smooth for the first 15 minutes and slowly began to run rougher until it stalled. It wouldn't restart. The engine would turn over but it wouldn't catch. If it's anything like the last times it will start up again in about an hour.

Are there any other suggestions?

 

sounds like a coil problem now, take the side of the ignition lead which goes onto the spark plug & ground it to earth with a screw driver & get someone to crank the engine, u shld see a spark if not then change the coil. it should work. If it starts when the engine is cold, try again n see if the coil gets pretty hot, if u cant hold it with yr hands try using a cloth soaked in cold water & cool the coil down again, if it starts when the coil is cold then definitely the coil is the problem. All the best!

 

According to my dad, the coil will get cold before he can get to it because it's underneath the distributor cap and inner cover. Could there be something in the fuel tank clogging up the fuel pump? Also, today it wouldn't start cold.

 

It's good if u can't start cos its easier to get to the problem now. normally if u cant start its either a mechanical problem or an electrical problem. If u wana know if the fuel pump is the problem,try pulling off a line from the fuel pump which comes to the injector rail. Leave the hose off and start the car, u shld see fuel coming from the pump, if that happens means the fuel pump is fine. But sometimes if u happen to always drive until the fuel gets pretty low in yr tank the pump cld clogged up & cause intermittent stalling like u described. take the pump out. its located in the fuel tank. Check to see if yrs does have an in-tank fuel pump. change the pump and see how it affects the running.