In this thread I described the problem with my 1990 Accord not starting if it’s recently been running. (e.g. if I run a quick errand, and it’s only been sitting for a few minutes, the starter doesn’t catch until the car gets to “rest” for a while - anywhere from 3-20 minutes).
This weekend it happened again and took forever to cool off enough to restart.
We called the Auto Parts shops and looked in the Haynes Manual, and there are TWO relays - the MAIN relay and the STARTER relay.
How do I know which one is causing the problem? I know in my previous thread, the suggestions were the MAIN relay. But a starter relay wasn’t even mentioned, so I guess I’m just double checking before I drop $100+ on a new relay that’s non-returnable.
The car probably has 10-15 different relays, not just two (although the aftermarket parts store may only provide two).
The reason all the answers in the other thread said “MAIN relay” is because it was the only real suspect for the symptom described – not the STARTER relay, not the COOLING FAN relay, not the LIGHTING relay, etc.
If the starter is cranking the engine, the starter relay is functioning. A typical symptom of a faulty starter relay is turning the key to the “start” position and having essentially nothing happen. You indicated that it was cranking, so there was no reason for anyone to mention the starter relay.
The typical symptom of a faulty main relay is turning the key to “start” and hearing the starter motor function (rhythmic “ruh-ruh-ruh”, which will slow down as the battery discharges), but the engine failing to “catch” and run.
I recently got a main relay for a '90 Accord wagon from a Honda dealer. It listed for about half of what you mentioned.
Another symptom of a bad starter relay, at least for my car, was that turning the key would start the car, but as soon as I released it the engine would die.
Did mean “symptom of a bad main relay”? I have seen Honda main relays act that way, but I don’t see how it’s possible for a Honda starter relay to cause that.
I did this myself, but only after I had bought a replacement. Now I have a spare that I carry around in the car, just in case. Hondas are infamous for bad main-relays.
oops, you’re right, wrong part. The wires directly behind the ignition keyhole were bad. when I took them out the part where the key inserts was burnt out. Um, so ignition wires?
