1988 honda accord lx will not start when warmed up

Please help ? My 88 honda will start in the morning drive to work or the
store, turn the car off for 5 min get back in start up drive about 100
yards and die. trying to restart it, it sputters once and runs a few
seconds and dies. It won't start again until the car cools down I take it.
when it cools after 30 40 min starts up and runs till i shut it off then
repeats the whole cycle again. also it seems to have a problem simalar to
high and low revs when warm, but it is not an LXi like the posts i read in
the search it has carborator. Some one help I don't want to loose my job
over car problems thanks, K__lio

 

It sounds like it could be a vacuum leak. The carburetor base gasket is
particularly problematic on these cars. Search the newsgroup at
http://tinyurl.com/e27zy for past discussions of this problem. Also check
for other sources of vacuum leaks such as the distributor vacuum advance and
cracked vacuum hoses. Also check the choke operation. Post back with the
results of your findings.

Eric

 

If you haven't changed the fuel filter recently, this would be a good time
to do so. The part that makes me doubt the fuel filter is actually the
problem is that it doesn't bother you until you shut off the engine; usually
they are the greatest problem while driving.

The symptoms do point to a fuel delivery problem, though. The engine burns
off what is in the float bowl, then... nothing. The symptoms are those of
vapor lock - when the fuel pump gets hot and the fuel inside vaporizes so it
won't pump. The simple diagnostic for that (and a band-aid solution) is to
put a wet rag on the fuel pump and see if the engine will start a minute or
two later. Or you can put the wet rag on the pump when you park it and
remove it when you get back in the car.

Mike

 

Excellent idea, except that if the 88 is the same as the 87, the fuel
pump and filter are both inside the fuel tank.

 

Ow! Sort of puts a crimp in this recommendation....

Mike

 

Okay, I found out some information today, when the car died today we found
out there was no spark. we took the ignition coil off and brought it up to
be tested. the stores volt meter wasn't working so a waste of time and gas.
I came home and we put it back in. It started right up. Does the coil work
when cold and not when warm ? or what. Is it possible. The parts store
said we have to order - - 14 days from delaware. Are junkyard coils
dependable? There is also an ignitor box or some thing that might
manfunction, (get warm). 234.00 and everybody wants to sell me one with no
returns on electrical stuff. K__lio

 

yes, it's possible.

sure. one will get you out of your current predicament pretty much for
certain - if your diagnosis is correct.

go the junkyard route to start with. you may decide you want to buy new
at a later date, but at least you're up & running.

 

found an ignition coil at a yard $10.00, replaced it, it did the same thing
as original problem, oh and there s fuel getting to the carborator at all
times, just no spark when it gets warm i got a new distributor and rotor
in case this was a problem

 

things to check:

cap
rotor
condensor
leads
coil
power to the coil.

and not necessarily in that order.

 

what about the spark pick up inside the distributor,
or the reluctor and how do i check them?

 

the spark pickup will be replaced when you replace the cap - something i
recommend you do if all the other checks are ok. assume the reluctor
works, unless you can see it's physically damaged. definitely check the
condensor - if it's shorted, you'll have no power to the coil. i had a
weakening condensor on mine earlier in the year and the spark was
getting weaker & weaker. replacing the condenser put a whole new punch
back in the car.