wont start when warm

[robbyrob016]

My 1.5L non vtec civic gets warm pretty fast, like within 15-20 mins of driving the needle is clearly between the Hot and Cold engine temp guage. I went stopped inside the store really quickly and when i came back out (3 mins) it wouldnt start for like 2 more mins of cooling down. can anyone tell me what to do? do i need coolant, or is it my fuel pump?? any help would be nice.

[Casey]

sell it and ride public transportation.

[robbyrob016]

sell it and ride public transportation.

Im not sure how this helps me... i just want some suggestions on how to fix this thing so if it stalls in traffic i dont have to walk my ass home.

[CSquared]

My 1.5L non vtec civic gets warm pretty fast, like within 15-20 mins of driving the needle is clearly between the Hot and Cold engine temp guage. I went stopped inside the store really quickly and when i came back out (3 mins) it wouldnt start for like 2 more mins of cooling down. can anyone tell me what to do? do i need coolant, or is it my fuel pump?? any help would be nice.

If the car isnt starting after driving at normal operating temperature it could be your starter on the way out. Coolant wouldnt prevent your car from starting if that's what you are asking.

When you attempt to start the car does it crank? Does it do nothing at all? Does it click? Need details.

Hypothetically if it was your starter and you have any mechanical skill... You could pull it and bring it to your local autozone to be tested.

[blackboi50]

yea we need more details..........1

[robbyrob016]

umm, okay well like it doesnt do it all the time but like i went to the bank the other day and when i came out like 3 minutes later it cranked, but didnt 'roll over' i think is what its called...(it didnt start) then it cooled for a little bit and started no problem. i have like a manual/haynes thing and it says it could be the fuel pump, or something like that. but my friend was driving it like yesterday and stalled it in traffic... lol, (not me by the way) and it wouldnt start, so we had to wait and turn everything off until it turned green. then it started on the first try. does this help?

[static]

If your car is overheating then your lucky you haven't seriously fucked it up already, or else your gauges are faulty. If your temp gauge goes above the middle then you should pull over and let it cool down. Also make sure your fans are kicking in, because vtec motors run hot as hell.

[Casey]

sounds like the main relay or the ignition switch.

[robbyrob016]

okay, thanks. so should i take it to get like a diagnostic check? and the previous owner said something about the O2 sensor needing to be checked, but i havent looked into that yet. how would i go about that?

[robbyrob016]

If your car is overheating then your lucky you haven't seriously fucked it up already, or else your gauges are faulty. If your temp gauge goes above the middle then you should pull over and let it cool down. Also make sure your fans are kicking in, because vtec motors run hot as hell.
What would it do to the car that would make it fuck up? im curious cause i just got this as my first car, and its the only way i get to school and work, so if it fucks up... im screwed. thanks for the input

[B16a2 Civic]

doubts its the o2 sensor, from what i've researched.
i'd go with these other answers you were given.

[robbyrob016]

its not the fuel pump. they either work or they don't.
just check different things..coolant level. just go ahead and put a new thermostat in cause its cheap insurance

give it a tune-up.(new spark plugs, wires, rotor cap, rotor, and fuel filter)

and yeah, it does kinda sound like a main relay going bad. take it out and cheack it with a voltage meter. its in the fuel and exhaust section of your haynes manual.
Hey, i just got back from Kauffman and they said that it was most likely the thermostat.. and they went ahead and filled the coolant for me, so yeah i guess ill research that and possibly replace it. thanks guys, hopefully this will be the only thing to wrong with it the rest of the year. lol

[Casey]

Hey, i just got back from Kauffman and they said that it was most likely the thermostat.. and they went ahead and filled the coolant for me, so yeah i guess ill research that and possibly replace it. thanks guys, hopefully this will be the only thing to wrong with it the rest of the year. lol

ok you want to trust tire slingers to diagnose your car? That is the last place I would ever take my car for any diag work.

In the past 24 hrs I have had 2 cars towed to me from tire shops misdiagnosed and repaired incorrectly. And another that the shop could not figgure out how to hook the scan tool to the DLC so they told the customer he needed a computer.
TIRE SHOPS AND QUICK LUBES ARE NOT REPAIR SHOPS

[anf1tch21]

i know .....tire shops=bad idea

[SDBCIVIC]

car will run if o2 is bad and u will get a check engine light. should not stop it from cranking.
i would replace the plugs,wires and distributor cap with rotor button for starters.

the thermostat should not keep it from cranking either and if you are not sure just take it out and try it without the thermostat. just takes your car a while longer to heat up that way.

i would say either spark sys, or ignition sys ie... switch or relay.
cheaper to replace spark sys though and never hurts.

[green91]

im 99% positive its your main relay. replace it. have a good day

[pitbull325]

You don't say what year your car is, I've dealt with the same issue in 88-91 civics. I think it is your fuel pump relay. Get up underneath your dash, and if you look right above the handle for you hood release, you should see a relay and some wires going to it. Reach up there and wiggle it next time it won't start (there's a little opening in the plastic underdash trim piece, coincidence?) and see what happens. I kept my roomate's 91 hatch starting for months this way. Also try turning the key to the on position and get a helper to lay down on the ground on the driver's side and see if they hear the fuel pump whir for a few seconds when you do that. If you don't hear the fuel pump whirring, then it's your relay, pump, or the wiring.

[green91]

You don't say what year your car is, I've dealt with the same issue in 88-91 civics. I think it is your fuel pump relay. Get up underneath your dash, and if you look right above the handle for you hood release, you should see a relay and some wires going to it. Reach up there and wiggle it next time it won't start (there's a little opening in the plastic underdash trim piece, coincidence?) and see what happens. I kept my roomate's 91 hatch starting for months this way. Also try turning the key to the on position and get a helper to lay down on the ground on the driver's side and see if they hear the fuel pump whir for a few seconds when you do that. If you don't hear the fuel pump whirring, then it's your relay, pump, or the wiring.


Congrats on bringing back a 9 month dead thread. And main relays are the #1 cause of no start when warm condition. It is a relay than controls among other things the fuel pump. There is no dedicated fuel pump relay.