90_Si

I did a search and did not come up with a whole lot that was applicable. The engine is a sohc zc. In the morning when I start it, it will not start the first time.. but on the second time I turn the key it starts perfectly.The main relay came to mind, but usually it is the opposite. The engine has a new timing belt, distributor cap/rotor, water pump, spark plugs, ignition wires.. basically anything that would ever wear out has been replaced. It has also had a can of seafoam ran through the fuel/vacuum/crank case. The distributor cap and rotor made the start much smoother and such in general terms, but did nothing as far as the issue at hand. It only happens in the mornings, so once it has been driven for the day it starts just fine. It seems the engine has to completely cool down for it to start the delayed start. I am at a loss for what it could be, any help or ideas would be appreciated.

garageEF

bump cause im having a similar problem.

EFM_ookie

can u hear the main relay click when it doenst start?

90_Si

No, everything sounds normal other than it wont actually start on the first turn of the key. The weird thing is is that on the first go round I can let it turn over 10 times or two times and it wont start, but in either case if I let the key off and then turn it the second time it starts right up completely normally. It does this on every single cold starts, but once it has been started, whether for just a second or driven all day it starts normally until the car sits overnight and then the problem arises again.

garageEF

try priming your fuel pump a few times before trying to start it.....just to see if it is a fuel pressure issue.

90_Si

How do I prime the fuel pump?

garageEF

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 90_Si &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">How do I prime the fuel pump? </TD></TR></TABLE>
just click the key to "on" a few times...you will notice the check engine light coming on, then turning off after a few seconds...that is your pump priming.

90_Si

just did it and after priming it it started normally. I am assuming it has sat long enough to have cooled to where the issue would arise.. I will do it again in the morning to make sure. That fits my assumption that it is something to do with the fuel system. As far as fixing it, is it going to be a matter of having to get a new fuel pump?

garageEF

definatley a fuel issue.....when you turn your car off...there is enough fuel in the system for it to start normally for an hour or so....im sorry but i have no idea where you would start to diagnose your problem...best of luck to you

90_Si

well at least I know specifically where to look for the problem now, thats a start.

garageEF

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 90_Si &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">well at least I know specifically where to look for the problem now, thats a start. </TD></TR></TABLE>
your welcome

i_VTEC

The same thing happens to my 88 CRX Si. The first start of the day, when i try and start the car it turns over and sounds fine, but it wont start. But as soon as i do it the second time it starts right up........

garageEF

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by LS-VRex &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">The same thing happens to my 88 CRX Si. The first start of the day, when i try and start the car it turns over and sounds fine, but it wont start. But as soon as i do it the second time it starts right up........ </TD></TR></TABLE>
well now you know what the problem is....

sorwdfish

its your ignition key starter. switch it out... every time my car sounds funny i take it in to the mechanics and have them diagnose my car for free. then they tell me the problem so i tell them ill come back when i get payed and never do so i know whats wrong with my car for free.

drhonda

I realize this is really really old, but did someone ACTUALLY figure out the solution?

cjwang2

I had this problem recently. I changed my Fuel Pressure Regulator and the car starts up right away each time now.

drhonda

Time to find the fuel pressure guage.

Tyson

sometimes its the ignition switch in the key assembly in the steering column. (this was pointed out earlier btw, did you try??) spray some WD40 inside.

sometimes its the battery connectors not being tight enough.

sometimes its the starter.

never heard of the fuel pressure regulator being an issue tho... but if they say so...

drhonda

I get spark in the no start first crank situation. I don't see what wd40 would do to my key? I've driven cars with a bad ignition, this is not one.

The battery? No. The car will sit for days and fire right up.

The starter? No, it turns over just fine and fast.

THis is my thoughts on fuel pressure regulator. I can prime it as much as I want still no start on the first try. Second try it fires up like it should. Mine is temperature dependent, summer months its fine. Its only when its colder. Back to my theory. The fuel pressure regulator works on vacuum, well, there is zero vacuum without the motor turning over. So once the motor turns over a couple times it creates enough vacuum for the fuel pressure regulator to do its thing. Hence why it start flawlessy the 2nd attempt. The seal on mine must shrink just enough to not seal in the cold and lose it over night. During the day the engine holds temp long enough and sitting in the sun must be enough to expand that seal. Once I find my fuel pressure guage I will know soon enough. The cheapest one I found was at napa for $65. I'm a mechanic not a parts changer. I diagnose. Especially on a car with 250k miles and it still starts.

Tyson

thanks for the explanation. glad ive never had to deal with this issue myself.

so why'd you ask??

oh, regarding fuel issues, ive also found that it takes a lot of cranks to get it started, particularly when sitting overnight. priming the system by turning the ignition half way and then back again before fully cranking helps reduce the number of cranks to start a lot.

what i've found is that the injectors are leaking internally around the electrical contacts and causing a loss of fuel pressure. the injectors also get really dirty, particularly around the manifold and its clear to see which one(s) is leaking the most.

cant fix the injector, need to replace.

drhonda

Because this is a forum, there was a question, in my opinion it was never answered. People use this for information. So later down the road if someone else has this issue this maybe a place for them to start diagnosing their own problem.

I unfortunately am going through this issue and did a google search to see if someone else had the issue. I have already, tested, coil, ignitor, cleaned out FITV, IACV, new rotor, cap, plugs, wires. I'm ready to test fuel. Unfortunately a buddy borrowed my guage and he's on vacation, so I'm going to have to wait a week.

Tyson

btw, if the question really hasnt been answered in an ancient thread, its best to START A NEW THREAD. that way ppl reading the thread dont have to go thru a bunch of useless posts.

if you REALLY want to reference an old thread, just link it. and THEN ask the question.

that way it will REALLY be useful "later down the road".


youre not very good at it...

drhonda

I also don't need to provide technical advice.

CyBiL Ization

Umm...For the record, his information IS REALLY useful "later down the road" because look... Here we are... And it is now "later down the road" and the info I just read about the fuel pressure regulator problem was really helpful to me in diagnosing the problem that I am having with MY car now. So, it actually was really useful to include it in THIS thread after all.

What ISNT useful is a comment like yours, with no information about car repairs whatsoever... just reprimanding someone about petty nonsense. People come to this forum to find information about how to fix their cars...not to read someone's petty, meaningless gripe of the day. The only part of this thread that is USELESS is the part that YOU wrote.

Caoboy

You know what's really useless?

Making a useless post about how useless somebody's post was from five years ago.

That is really useless.