She's a git to start in the morning...

Scott560 · Post by **Scott560** » Sun Dec 07, 2014 10:44 am

even though you can hear the relay clicking, can you hear the pump prime? it should go for 2 ro 3 seconds after ignition on (to fill the rail, purge any air due to heatsoak etc).

I once repaired a main relay and its failure was not that it wasnt clicking, but its output terminals were disconnected (by virtue of tired cracked solder joints), so you cant always confirm it works just by the clicking. Depending how hard it is to remove, it only takes 5 minutes to freshen up the solder...

Post by **Thebusofwoe** » Sun Dec 07, 2014 11:02 am

I have this exact problem with my b18 civic. Have to prime the bloody fuel system otherwise it's a good 15 second crank before a kind of hesitant/misfire sort of start lol. Prime it it's fine. The FPR tested out good on mine, have put it down to a fault in the fuel tank. Just can't be bothered with it atm.

Post by **4th Gen Doug** » Sun Dec 07, 2014 1:24 pm

Having the same problem with my Bimmer daily drive (takes ages to start if it's been stood for a few hours, often 'lumpy' when it has started until it's warmed up) - bloke on the 318 forum says that's its a temp sensor - not sure if that helps any.

I haven't replaced it yet, prolly won't help as they are 2 completely different cars, but the symptoms are the similar so I thought I'd mention it..

89 UKDM BA4 4WS (resto job!) · Post by **wurlycorner** » Sun Dec 07, 2014 1:35 pm

4th Gen Doug wrote:Having the same problem with my Bimmer daily drive

My advice? Use that nice 623i instead!

Post by **4th Gen Doug** » Sun Dec 07, 2014 6:04 pm

wurlycorner wrote:
4th Gen Doug wrote:Having the same problem with my Bimmer daily drive
My advice? Use that nice 623i instead!

Cutz · Post by **Cutz** » Sun Dec 07, 2014 6:25 pm

4th Gen Doug wrote:Having the same problem with my Bimmer daily drive (takes ages to start if it's been stood for a few hours, often 'lumpy' when it has started until it's warmed up) - bloke on the 318 forum says that's its a temp sensor - not sure if that helps any.
I haven't replaced it yet, prolly won't help as they are 2 completely different cars, but the symptoms are the similar so I thought I'd mention it..

i'm 100% certain that the ECT sensor isn't at fault as I've got an Apexi Power FC ECU with the hand display so I can watch all the sensor outputs, the sensor warms up just as spec.

Cutz · Post by **Cutz** » Sun Dec 07, 2014 7:09 pm

Scott560 wrote:even though you can hear the relay clicking, can you hear the pump prime? it should go for 2 ro 3 seconds after ignition on (to fill the rail, purge any air due to heatsoak etc).

I once repaired a main relay and its failure was not that it wasnt clicking, but its output terminals were disconnected (by virtue of tired cracked solder joints), so you cant always confirm it works just by the clicking. Depending how hard it is to remove, it only takes 5 minutes to freshen up the solder...

I'm certain the main relay isn't at fault, I have a spare one and have also opened up both of them to check for dry joints but they were good.

Infact, currently the best way I have to get the car started after standing for a while is to run the main relay a couple of times, i.e. ignition on for 3secs, off, on for 3 secs, off, start.

the main relay is definitely doing it's job, the problem is it's having to fill an empty rail and only 1 prime isn't enough to do it, it needs a couple of goes to get that fuel back up there.

I really need to resolve this as on these cold days it's really starting to drain my battery

89 UKDM BA4 4WS (resto job!) · Post by **wurlycorner** » Sun Dec 07, 2014 7:18 pm

In that case my suspicion would be air being drawn into the fuel lines somewhere? At the pump?
Did you say you'd put a different fuel pump in? Ratty had a problem with the uprated fuel pump he had fitted to his lude.

Or a faulty flexi fuel line in the engine bay (collapsed/perished internally etc) or blocked filter.

Also, while I think of it... Are prelude and Civic fuel lines the same diameter (any f the originals that you've kept and re-used, e.g. front-back under chassis ones) or are standard civic ones smaller perhaps???

Cutz · Post by **Cutz** » Sun Dec 07, 2014 7:31 pm

wurlycorner wrote:In that case my suspicion would be air being drawn into the fuel lines somewhere? At the pump?
Did you say you'd put a different fuel pump in? Ratty had a problem with the uprated fuel pump he had fitted to his lude.

Or a faulty flexi fuel line in the engine bay (collapsed/perished internally etc) or blocked filter.

Also, while I think of it... Are prelude and Civic fuel lines the same diameter (any f the originals that you've kept and re-used, e.g. front-back under chassis ones) or are standard civic ones smaller perhaps???

The flexi braided lines in the engine bay are all fine, fuel filter was replaced a couple of weeks ago, along with all the injector seals.

i'm pretty damn sure the fuel pipe diameter is the same front to back, and yes I did change the original civic fuel pump for a Prelude OEM unit...it was a squeeze but she got in there.

I'm pretty sure the fuel pump has a 1-way valve which could cause the fuel to drain back after a while so it's the next culprit to look into.

89 UKDM BA4 4WS (resto job!) · Post by **wurlycorner** » Sun Dec 07, 2014 8:17 pm

Cutz wrote: fuel filter was replaced a couple of weeks ago

Was this changed before the problems started, or after?