Will not start

Tiny
VRB1283
  • MEMBER
  • 1999 ACURA CL
  • 76,000 MILES
Help! It has been an awesome car, but I am having some troubles lately. One morning I went to start my car to leave for work, and it would not start. I had just driven it the night before and it ran fine. No check engine light or any signs of why it might not be starting. After checking it out, I really thought it was the fuel pump. So I bought and replaced the fuel pump, filter and plugs. Still will not start. Fuel is still not getting to the cylinder. I also checked all fuses and all were fine. After racking my brain over what it could be, I have two buddies that are telling me it could be a couple of things: #1 main relay or #2 crank sensor. I took out the relay to see if I could see any cracks, and it looked okay to me. Ironically our other car died too so we had to drop $600.00 into that to get it up and running. I need to fix the car, but I want opinions on what I should try first. Has anyone else had this problem or maybe have some insight as to what the problem may be?
Saturday, March 24th, 2012 AT 5:43 PM

21 Replies

Tiny
FIXITMR
  • MECHANIC
  • 9,990 POSTS
Did you try spraying some gas into intake to see if it fires?
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Saturday, March 24th, 2012 AT 6:08 PM
Tiny
VRB1283
  • MEMBER
  • 4 POSTS
Yes, I did and it does fire.
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Saturday, March 24th, 2012 AT 6:10 PM
Tiny
FIXITMR
  • MECHANIC
  • 9,990 POSTS
Does fuel pump prime cycle come on when key is turned to on? Two to four seconds.
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Saturday, March 24th, 2012 AT 7:17 PM
Tiny
VRB1283
  • MEMBER
  • 4 POSTS
Yes.
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Saturday, March 24th, 2012 AT 9:32 PM
Tiny
FIXITMR
  • MECHANIC
  • 9,990 POSTS
Have you checked injectors for pulse?
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Sunday, March 25th, 2012 AT 12:34 AM
Tiny
VRB1283
  • MEMBER
  • 4 POSTS
Yes, and there is no pulse.
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Sunday, March 25th, 2012 AT 12:45 PM
Tiny
FIXITMR
  • MECHANIC
  • 9,990 POSTS
Have you checked for codes to see if computer working right?
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Monday, March 26th, 2012 AT 5:34 PM
Tiny
DON74KEY
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 1999 ACURA CL
  • 6 CYL
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 141,000 MILES
Six cylinder two wheel drive automatic 141,000 miles

Drove to school fine. Just changed battery and alternator two years ago. Car has power. Went to lunch, turned key and nothing. No sound from engine at all. Lights come on inside and everything. First time for this problem to occur. Ideas?
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Sunday, January 22nd, 2017 AT 10:28 AM (Merged)
Tiny
JAMES W.
  • MECHANIC
  • 2,394 POSTS
Do your interior lights go out when you turn key to start? If "no", check for power at starter solenoid on key start. If you have power at the solenoid (small wire) you probably have a bad starter.
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Sunday, January 22nd, 2017 AT 10:29 AM (Merged)
Tiny
PARKOURISM
  • MEMBER
  • 3 POSTS
All the lights would come on when I put the key in. The car had power and everything but the car would even try to turn over when I would turn the key. Had the mechanic look at it and turns out it was something called the relay switch. It should be a little black box located low under the steering wheel to the left as close the the door as you can get
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Sunday, January 22nd, 2017 AT 10:29 AM (Merged)
Tiny
STACYKRAMER
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 1999 ACURA CL
  • 1.3L
  • 6 CYL
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 200,000 MILES
Green Key light flashing will not start.
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Sunday, January 22nd, 2017 AT 10:29 AM (Merged)
Tiny
HMAC300
  • MECHANIC
  • 48,601 POSTS
Try resetting security system if no manual look online.
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Sunday, January 22nd, 2017 AT 10:29 AM (Merged)
Tiny
SPUNKYINKC
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 1999 ACURA CL
  • 4 CYL
  • FWD
  • MANUAL
  • 196,000 MILES
Four cylinder front wheel drive manual 196000 miles

My car sat for five days. Would not start. I had the clutch and brake pressed down, turned key, engine would not turn over. The dash lights came on, dimmed if I kept the key turned. I could not hear the normal clicking I would have expected but my wife who was outside the car said she heard a click, but it was not a repetitive click, it was a click, then a few seconds later, another click, etc. Took battery to local parts store and it tested with 12.91 volts, 651 of 675 CCA's, and state of health reading was on the border of the good area and the starting to show wear. Note: There are three areas shown on the health reading, bad, wearing, and good. The battery is forty months old and has a eighty four month warranty. I tried to jump my car with my wife's Honda Pilot. The car would not jump. Only one time did I get even a faint attempt at the engine trying to turn over.

Any thoughts on what to test next? I did not want to replace the battery and then find out it is the starter, alternator, relay switch, pedal switch, etc. Also, the car is currently stuck in my garage.

Thanks
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Sunday, January 22nd, 2017 AT 10:29 AM (Merged)
Tiny
JIS001
  • MECHANIC
  • 3,411 POSTS
If the battery is okay and you hear a faint click under the hood, then most likely it is going to be the starter that has failed or the engine is seized up? But that last answer is a bit extreme but has happened. If you can access the starter check for battery voltage at the starter cable. Have someone try start the car and see how much the voltage drop. The starter should turn over with at least 9 volts. If it drops even lower or 0 volts you have a bad battery or you have high resistance in the cable like corrosion build up. Also, try to access the crank bolt and put a socket and a ratchet and see if you can turn the engine over manually. If you cant the engine is no good. If you do have good voltage remove the solenoid wire an have the key turned to the run position. You should see battery voltage there when you turn the key to the run position (start). If you do not see battery voltage then you will need to get a wiring diagram on the starting system to fault trace the circuit.
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Sunday, January 22nd, 2017 AT 10:29 AM (Merged)
Tiny
SALTIASLI
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 1999 ACURA CL
  • 6 CYL
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 140,000 MILES
Six cylinder two wheel drive automatic 140,000 miles

It does not start at all even though he changed the battery coupe of days ago. He changed the battery the other day, and when we jump start it, it works, but if he drives it, the car shuts down, total shut down, no electricity, no lights on dash board. And if he jump starts it, and turns the lights, the engine shuts down, and after like a minute, the electricity on the dash board comes back but he has to jump start it again. What seems to be the problem?
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Sunday, January 22nd, 2017 AT 10:29 AM (Merged)
Tiny
KHLOW2008
  • MECHANIC
  • 41,814 POSTS
Hi saltiasli,

Get the ignition switch checked, it could be faulty causing the dashlights to go off.
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Sunday, January 22nd, 2017 AT 10:29 AM (Merged)
Tiny
T & T AUTO INC
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 1999 ACURA CL
  • 6 CYL
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 112,000 MILES
Six cylinder two wheel drive automatic 112,000 miles

Purchased car with out key took door lock off and had key made key opens door and turns over engine, but will not start nearest dealer is 245 miles would like to start car to take to dealer to get right key.
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Sunday, January 22nd, 2017 AT 10:29 AM (Merged)
Tiny
KHLOW2008
  • MECHANIC
  • 41,814 POSTS
Hi T & T Auto Inc,

Vehicle is equipped with immobilizer system and without the correct key, you would not be able to start it. There are no bypass procesures available as the immobilizer system is incorporated into the PCM.

The only other way apart from the correct key is to use a substitute PCM together with the correct key. Plug in PCM and tape the correct key to the vehicle key and use it to start the vehicle.
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Sunday, January 22nd, 2017 AT 10:29 AM (Merged)
Tiny
  • MEMBER
  • 0 POST
  • 1999 ACURA CL
  • 186,000 MILES
I have a manual. It will not start. I took it to a shop and they replaced the cables it was fine after I picked it up. Then the next morning rolls by and it will take me a few tries and it would crank up. It would do this at a cold start usually. This morning I am not able to start it. Why? Help.
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Sunday, January 22nd, 2017 AT 10:29 AM (Merged)
Tiny
ASEMASTER6371
  • MECHANIC
  • 52,797 POSTS
You need to have the fuel pressure tested and spark test to determine where the issue is at.

Roy
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Sunday, January 22nd, 2017 AT 10:29 AM (Merged)

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