this one's got me puzzled. '95 protege with 45K miles on it. runs like a top, good gas mileage, great pickup, couldn't complain at all about performance. but every now and then if i shut it off and then try to start again within 5 mins or so (like at gas pump, to open gate), it won't start. can't hear the fuel pump kick in and anyway, i've already replaced it. if i let the car sit a few hours, it will start instantly. so. . . i know the computer won't turn on fuel pump relay if it doesn't detect a spark. therefore, could be . . . relay, computer, distributor, maybe fuel pressure regulator? no 'check engine' light at this time although sometimes on for a day or so and back off. if it's the distributor, would it always run so perfectly and only intermittently not spark? never fails or misses a beat, no skipping, runs perfectly as long as i keep it running. only fails to crank if try to restart immediately. any clues? would resetting the computer fix it? i did disconnect battery, put foot on brake, turned ignition on to discharge for reset, didn't help. help!

 

oh, yeah, I can't FIND the fuel pump relay. seen some posts here that say under the hood-- NOT, under the dash-- haven't found, my service manual says to take out front and rear console and side panel to remove relay, but does't say WHERE it is. diagram doesn't show location of relay. anybody know before i start tearing the interior out looking for it?

 

I had very similar problem with my '93 LX. The problem was a bad part in the distributor itself. I forgot the name for it but it is a part with a magnet (?) in it and a wiring connector plugs into it. Note, I'm not talking about distributor rotor.

 

thanks sashko1, i'll be looking at that if fuel issues don't pan out. i worried it might be that. but, i DID find the location of the fuel pump relay--is behind a black panel just to left of where passenger left foot would be. and you don't have to remove the front and rear console like the service manual says, the side panel over the relay can be removed after taking out the little plastic "plug" that holds that side of the front console on that side. pull out the side of the front console and then pull the black side panel out from that side (edge fits under the console). then the relay is in plane view fastened to a bracket with a 10mm nut. i took it out and cycled the relay with wire jumpers on the battery terminals over and over about 20 times with a meter on the load connectors of the relay and it works perfectly. but i couldn't hear the fuel pump turn on when i replaced it and i've put a new pump in about 3 months ago, so that means some problem between the relay and pump. i removed the gas tank access panel with the pump on it and pump didn't run. saw some discoloration on the plastic connector that goes through the tank panel to the outside (the "via"), so i pulled out the plastic connector plugged into it and . . . .it was completely burned up! don't know how it was even working. called the "pump wiring harness", a pair of wires about 4" long with a plastic connector plug on each end and no parts house in town has it. i'll check dealer tomorrow and then junk yard if dealer doesn't have. the mystery is . . . why would it start cold and then not restart after running? got some thoughts on that and i'll post again tomorrow after i find a harness and get it running again.