I recently bought a 96 Accord. It's in great shape for it's its age but I'm having a problem that is driving me insane! Every day when I go out to start it up its crank no start. It doesn't seem to matter if it's hot or not. It take out the fp relay a few times and fiddle with it and it usually starts and then runs good for the rest of the day. I can drive it anywhere and leave it parked for hours and it has no problem starting back up. Until the next day. It's right back to messing with the relay to get it fired up.

The guy I bought it from said he changed the fuel pump, fuel pump relay and computer. I don't know how I can trust what he said because he obviously lied about there being no problems at all. I do know for fact he replaced the relay and computer. The first day I had it and it did crank no start, I listened and no fuel pump coming on when I tried to start it. I had it towed to a mechanic and they said the wire from the engine to the fuel pump needed replacing. So they did it. They also replaced the relay. They charged me 400 to do this. Well the relay isn't bad. I can change it with the new one or the old one and it eventually starts either way. Now I do hear the fuel pump working and the injectors working when I turn it over. Still the same thing every day when I try to start it the first time. I'm thinking maybe it's a fuel pressure problem. Also the computer the guy put in is the wrong computer. It's for an automatic transmission. The mechanic told me it's fine but the check engine light will always be on because the computer sees a failure in the automatic transmission solenoid because I obviously don't have a automatic transmission. They said the car was in great shape other than that. Any help or ideas would be much appreciated.

Like I said, it's in very good shape for its age for the most part. It has 192k miles on it. No codes up other than the computer thing I mentioned. The engine is clean and no apparent leaks of any kind. The gas tank is full and it's freshly maintenanced.

 

Well, if pulling outthe fuel pump relay and putting it back in .. is what works to get the engine started
Then would assume that the area where the fuel pump relay lives has a problem
Have heard of the main engine relay as having problems with the circuit board, cold solder joints
Retouch with hot soldering iron and fixed.
Your issue should be with the fuse box
Maybe the wiring is loose.

Would check with test light when not starting
While cranking engine, see if there is two pins with power
The other two should be ground

 

I actually just went out and bought a test light yesterday. I had thought about a wiring problem like you mentioned. I'm going through wiring slowly over the next few days to see if I can find anything. Going to check the fuses as you suggested as well. Today it made me extremely happy. It's the first time I went out and it started without me doing anything. I just let it prime in the on position before trying to start it. Waited about 3 minutes and it fired right up. I reflowed all of the solder joints on the relay yesterday. I may have fixed it by doing that.

Thanks for your input. Definitely helps!

 

Well, I will be glad if it actually does help.
Hope you find the cause and get it fixed
Fingers crossed

 

It seems to be fine now. I did check all of the fuses and much of the wiring. Everything looks good. I haven't had the problem in 2 days now after reflowing the relay. So problem solved for now. I had a old relay from the guy I bought it from. The mechanic I took it to installed a new one. So I ended up with three relays. I thought surely I couldn't have three problematic relays but I think I do. If I put the two that I didn't reflow in I get the same problem. So undoubtedly I had three bad relays or something I'm not seeing caused them to go bad.

I'm going this week and getting injectors looked at and maybe replaced. I just noticed earlier that when idling if I give it just enough gas from barely stepping on the peddle it acts like it wants to die. It hasn't died doing that yet but I'm going to nip it in the bud.