Accord type R not starting!
Discussion
Hi all!
I'll keep this concise. Wife parked up the Accord (51 plate facelift with 80k on the clock)on Sunday morning and I went to use it yesterday. Turned the key and the engine caught but died after 1 second approx, I put it down to the engine being cold and not turning the key for long enough. I was pretty sure this was the case but it subsequently won't start at all.
Battery is 4 months old but charged it overnight. Reading 12.68V on my multimeter and 10V when cranking the engine.
Tried to jump start it off my Insignia, no joy.
Plugs removed and all smell of petrol, wiped down and put back in.
Checked for spark with 1 plug removed, Ok.
Battery clamps are clean and tight. Earth points look ok.
Only thing i can think of is that the starter is not turning over quick enough. It has always given a tiny squeak when the key is turned but never failed to start. Now it feels like it would catch if it was just turning a wee bit quicker and sounds like it is turning a bit slower. The starter itself also gets really hot after a couple mins of cranking but i guess this could be normal as it's not been designed for turning over constantly.
Anything else i can check? Will starters from other Accords (or 2.2 Prelude) fit or does it have to be Type R specific?
I'll keep this concise. Wife parked up the Accord (51 plate facelift with 80k on the clock)on Sunday morning and I went to use it yesterday. Turned the key and the engine caught but died after 1 second approx, I put it down to the engine being cold and not turning the key for long enough. I was pretty sure this was the case but it subsequently won't start at all.
Battery is 4 months old but charged it overnight. Reading 12.68V on my multimeter and 10V when cranking the engine.
Tried to jump start it off my Insignia, no joy.
Plugs removed and all smell of petrol, wiped down and put back in.
Checked for spark with 1 plug removed, Ok.
Battery clamps are clean and tight. Earth points look ok.
Only thing i can think of is that the starter is not turning over quick enough. It has always given a tiny squeak when the key is turned but never failed to start. Now it feels like it would catch if it was just turning a wee bit quicker and sounds like it is turning a bit slower. The starter itself also gets really hot after a couple mins of cranking but i guess this could be normal as it's not been designed for turning over constantly.
Anything else i can check? Will starters from other Accords (or 2.2 Prelude) fit or does it have to be Type R specific?
Can't push it! It's on an awkward gravel driveway, I just moved here a few weeks ago so don't know anyone plus my wife (who usually gets roped into these things!)is still recovering from the birth of mini-me no.2 who's arrival caused the purchase of aforementioned sports saloon 
I did consider pushing it with my company Insignia but didn't want to scratch the Honda!
I did consider pushing it with my company Insignia but didn't want to scratch the Honda!
I had a starting issue with my ATR last year, turned out the head gasket had gone!
Most of the time it was ok, but sometimes when stood overnight or hot it just wouldn't start, did a bit of digging on accordr.org and after getting a compression and sniffer test done it transpired the HG was gone between cyl 3 & 4.
If you've been cranking it and cranking it there's a good chance you may have flooded it, there is a small fuse panel on the driver's side of the dash which is revealed when you open the door, in there is the fuel pump fuse, the key is on the panel cover.
Pull it out and crank the car over for a while, you'll probably need a jump pack or leads connected so you don't flat the battery, then re-insert it and try starting it up again. Use a combination of closed and open throttle, sometimes open throttle worked for me, the car would start but be very lumpy and need a few seconds of open throttle to clear it out.
The other thing it could be is the coil pack in the distributor, it's a funny set up as it has a coil pack under the dizzy, it's not a mechanically driven dizzy, you can see the parts here:
http://www.lingshondaparts.com/honda_car_parts_sel...
If you're not already signed up, sign up to http://www.accordr.org/ there's not much the guys don't know about ATRs.
Most of the time it was ok, but sometimes when stood overnight or hot it just wouldn't start, did a bit of digging on accordr.org and after getting a compression and sniffer test done it transpired the HG was gone between cyl 3 & 4.
If you've been cranking it and cranking it there's a good chance you may have flooded it, there is a small fuse panel on the driver's side of the dash which is revealed when you open the door, in there is the fuel pump fuse, the key is on the panel cover.
Pull it out and crank the car over for a while, you'll probably need a jump pack or leads connected so you don't flat the battery, then re-insert it and try starting it up again. Use a combination of closed and open throttle, sometimes open throttle worked for me, the car would start but be very lumpy and need a few seconds of open throttle to clear it out.
The other thing it could be is the coil pack in the distributor, it's a funny set up as it has a coil pack under the dizzy, it's not a mechanically driven dizzy, you can see the parts here:
http://www.lingshondaparts.com/honda_car_parts_sel...
If you're not already signed up, sign up to http://www.accordr.org/ there's not much the guys don't know about ATRs.
My ATR has been in the garage for a year while I decide what to do with it (ran fine when I stopped using it), from memory the crank sensor can cause these problems having read the problems pages on accordr.org for the 12 years I owned mine.
HG at 80k is quite early, I know they can go from 120k upwards. Mine never had any issues starting in 190k.
Good luck.
HG at 80k is quite early, I know they can go from 120k upwards. Mine never had any issues starting in 190k.
Good luck.
Thanks chaps!
I had a look round the engine bay and found a couple of frayed -ive cables and cleaned up some terminals. Still doesn't seem to turn over quick enough to start, even with a jump lead between the engine block and the battery -.
Removed the starter and opened it and it has that funky smell you get from burned out windings. Hopefully it's the culprit and just doesn't have the torque required to turn over a reasonably high compression engine.
Never had an issue with it starting before now so hopefully not the HG!!
I had a look round the engine bay and found a couple of frayed -ive cables and cleaned up some terminals. Still doesn't seem to turn over quick enough to start, even with a jump lead between the engine block and the battery -.
Removed the starter and opened it and it has that funky smell you get from burned out windings. Hopefully it's the culprit and just doesn't have the torque required to turn over a reasonably high compression engine.
Never had an issue with it starting before now so hopefully not the HG!!
No Joy! Fitted 2nd hand starter and the issue is still present.
Plugs out and cleaned (wet with fuel), spark present at all plugs. Opened oil cap and can see valve train moving when it's cranked so it's not a cambelt failure.
Battery charged and jump leads connected to insignia, it turns over quick enough and a couple of times sounded like it was trying to start but never quite caught.
Compression tested it, fairly sure i got the procedure correct. Pressures from pass side to drivers side:
100
90
130
160
Whats the next step? Surely not the HG at only 80k? Could it have dropped a valve or would this result in no compression on that cyl?
Pretty gutted, it looks terminal and I've only had it 6 months and just did all the belts 6 months ago, plus it's an amazing drive!
Plugs out and cleaned (wet with fuel), spark present at all plugs. Opened oil cap and can see valve train moving when it's cranked so it's not a cambelt failure.
Battery charged and jump leads connected to insignia, it turns over quick enough and a couple of times sounded like it was trying to start but never quite caught.
Compression tested it, fairly sure i got the procedure correct. Pressures from pass side to drivers side:
100
90
130
160
Whats the next step? Surely not the HG at only 80k? Could it have dropped a valve or would this result in no compression on that cyl?
Pretty gutted, it looks terminal and I've only had it 6 months and just did all the belts 6 months ago, plus it's an amazing drive!
Sign up to accordr.org and post in the engine help section, you'll be given some pointers quickly and Andy from VTEC Direct usually posts on there too.
Mine went inbetween cyl 3/4 which iirc is 1 at the dizzy end, 4 at the passenger end, so you may have an issue with cyl 3 & 4 reading 90 & 100.
Hopefully it's something simpler.
Mine went inbetween cyl 3/4 which iirc is 1 at the dizzy end, 4 at the passenger end, so you may have an issue with cyl 3 & 4 reading 90 & 100.
Hopefully it's something simpler.
All now seems to be well in Honda land :-)
I put a tiny drop of oil into the cylinder with the lowest compression reading and turned the engine over with no plugs in. Heated plugs with gas torch and put back in. Connected jump leads to Insignia and turned engine over with throttle open, after 30 secs it started and ran a wee bit rough, then after 15 secs it settled and ran fine.
Seems I originally flooded the engine which fouled the plugs and repeated attempts to start washed the oil out of the bores and lowered the compression to the point it wouldn't start. That's my theory anyway! Re-did compression test this morning and all cylinders are between 200 and 210 psi. Driven 20 odd miles in it and it seems to be perfect, fingers crossed!
Oh, and after 2 weeks I'd gotten used to the Insignia and forgot just how sharp the Accord is to drive!
I put a tiny drop of oil into the cylinder with the lowest compression reading and turned the engine over with no plugs in. Heated plugs with gas torch and put back in. Connected jump leads to Insignia and turned engine over with throttle open, after 30 secs it started and ran a wee bit rough, then after 15 secs it settled and ran fine.
Seems I originally flooded the engine which fouled the plugs and repeated attempts to start washed the oil out of the bores and lowered the compression to the point it wouldn't start. That's my theory anyway! Re-did compression test this morning and all cylinders are between 200 and 210 psi. Driven 20 odd miles in it and it seems to be perfect, fingers crossed!
Oh, and after 2 weeks I'd gotten used to the Insignia and forgot just how sharp the Accord is to drive!
Holy thread revival etc etc.
This exact thing has happened to me. Unfortunately none of the above solutions have worked.
We think it may have been caused by my old man starting it to move it and then turning it off before it got properly warm.
Possibly an automtic choke issue, letting too much fuel into the mixture?
This exact thing has happened to me. Unfortunately none of the above solutions have worked.
We think it may have been caused by my old man starting it to move it and then turning it off before it got properly warm.
Possibly an automtic choke issue, letting too much fuel into the mixture?
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