Car stalled, won't start, still won't start with new ignition switch... - Honda Prelude Forum

smoothludey · 04-06-2005, 10:36 PM

OK,

it's been a while since i've posted in here, but i have a 1998 Prelude with an fmax turbo kit, msd digital 6 ignition, a high voltage coil, etc....couple of days ago when the weather started to warm up i was driving home during rush hour...lots of stop and go...then my car stalls and won't start up again despite numerous attempts...the car cranks but won't fire. Anyways, to make a long story short, i figured it was the ignition switch recall cuz i'd never had it done so i towed it to the nearest honda dealership to have the recall done. Ok, so the new ignition switch is in and still it does not fire up. I have a fuel pressure gauge and it reads normal so i know its not a fuel delivery thing. So after much research these are some of the possibilities:

1. Main fuel relay
2. Distributor ignitor
3. IAC valve
4. Coil wire (malfunction)

my car currently has 98k miles, and she's had the turbo on since 50k...this has never happened before and didn't really hesitate, it just went.
Couple of things i've been considering:

1. it was rather warm that day, the first since winter and the stop and go driving made it rather hot under the hood, so i think something may have melted.
2. my clutch fluid is at a minimum and i remember late last year that it was running low due to maybe a leak cuz i kept filling it for a while when i was losing pedal pressure during the winter...could this prevent the car from firing up??
3. i could be losing compression becuz i am boosting and maybe some of the ringlands just gave...this is what i dread the most, but it doesn't seem all that likely...i really think it's an ignition problem.
4. i don't have an oil catch can...could the TB be all gunked up and not opening properly?

Please guys, i need help!!!

dohcpower v2.0 · 04-06-2005, 10:51 PM

few tthings to check out.

first off, does it crank? Can you hear the engine turning over?

If it does, look at your tach. Does the tach needle jump at all when you are trying to start it?

I would rule out the IAC valve... that wouldn't prevent the car from starting...

smoothludey · 04-06-2005, 11:53 PM

the car cranks, but i don't think the tach moves at all....

dohcpower v2.0 · 04-06-2005, 11:59 PM

if the tach doesn't jump at all, its usually the ignitor...

jc836 · 04-07-2005, 06:35 AM

You have an aftermarket coil and external box. These may well be your problem. Think NASCAR and why they use 2 sets-they can and do fail. You can easily test whether the MAIN relay is not working by watching the check light on the cluster-it should go out about 2 seconds after you turn the key to the ON position-not start. The ECU needs that time to test itself and everything else. The car cranks and you have fuel pressure-so that is ruled out.
One more time-go over your aftermarket components.

smoothludey · 04-07-2005, 04:05 PM

You really have to watch out for dealerships these days...the service guy wants $300 to do a diagnostic workup to determine why it's not starting...he says the tech needs 3 hours to figure it out and becuz i have aftermarket ecu/ignition system they can't hook up the little datacomputer to tell them what's wrong...what a bunch of monkeys. So I towed the car to another dealership and they charged me only 105 to figure it out....I'm almost positive it's an ignition problem, whether it be the coil or the ignitor. I'm not sure if i should order the ignitor from rockauto.com (179 bux vs 220 from the dealer) just in case it is the ignitor.

anybody have any other ideas?

G_Loc · 04-21-2005, 01:39 PM

Did they ever figure it out?

You should have disconnected all the MSD stuff and tried it w/ the stock ignition. My MSD coil went out on me one day causing the car to stall and it would not start. I put in the stock coil and it was fine

smoothludey · 04-21-2005, 07:34 PM

well, it's still not running...but i've tested the coil with a multimeter and the resistance across the leads were within stock specs, so i'm ruling out the coil for now. It's very difficult to put the stock coil back on becuz the adapter from the msd digital 6 are different. I'm really leaning towards the stock ignitor, becuz that seems to be a weak link with msd setups. I've got a replacement ignitor and i will try to install it this weekend.

y_b_lamron · 04-21-2005, 07:50 PM

I am having the same exact problem on my turbo lude and I also have the MSD ignition. I haven't tried to swap anything out yet but I am going to try to put a stock ignition back in. My parts still haven't come in so keep us posted on your findings this weekend with the ignitor.

Good luck.

smoothludey · 04-22-2005, 01:53 PM

hey lamron,

do you have a 350z and a turbo prelude?? Well gee, i have the same combo...just got the 350z 3 weeks ago, same color too...chrome silver.

give me your prelude setup, you got a built motor? how much boost?

y_b_lamron · 04-22-2005, 01:58 PM

yuppers, got both

Here is a link to my latest (and not last) "prelude is running again" thread

Prelude is running and got tuned!