The hard start showed up 10 months and 20K later and dealer told me this was "normal." I then began the turn the key to on and wait a few seconds and it would start with no problem but when I told my old BMW mechanic he said bull, its the fuel pump and with a little prodding I got the dealer to check it and you know what? It was the fuel pump. Now it starts right up! 6mt

 

In your case it may have actually been the fuel pump. Matter of fact it may be the same problem for others. However the owners manual does state at times the engine may be hard to start.

 

I know about the owners manual and the various threads on this problem but I never bought in to the explanation from the manual or the dealer. Performance cars should fire up immediatly.

 

In most of time, my car goes up right away. Today, my car did fire up immediately after sitting in the garage for a week. IMO, from the info and experiences from friends, I have to agree that "a few seconds" wait could be very helpful if cars hesitate to start.


I believe it's the cause of the Honda/Acura's design... and our owner manual states it well.

 

Oh puhleeze - do you honestly think Honda would perpetrate a falsehood in the owner's manual? I can understand not believing a dealer, because I have heard incredible nonsense spouted by them - but not the mfr.

There are valid technical reasons why it may take a few extra cranks for an engine to fire up, in the interest of ULEV. Startups create a ton of emissions, compared to closed-loop operation. Mfrs the world over use all sorts of technology to minimize that - my S2000 has an electric air pump that helps burn the rich start-up mixture, for example. Basically, the goal is simple - one wants the leanest mixture that will allow the engine to start and run smoothly, from a cold start to a hot start. While I generally dislike anecdotes as "proof" of anything, I can only say that i have had only 1 or 2 start-ups since June when I started to wonder if the car was right - both were hot starts. All the rest fired up fast and ran smooth, from open to closed loop.

I always turn the key to run, and wait for the fuel pump relay to cut off (a second or two), then turn the key to start. (Well, on the S2000, I do this, then push the start button). This technique ensures the fuel rail is pressurized.

Of course there will be bad fuel pumps, but to suggest that they are covering up for bad fuel pumps in the manual is nutty, and since the manuals are written and printed far in advance of shipment with the car, they must have had Nostradamus forecast that their fuel pumps were poor.

 

Wait your saying that its better to put it in run for a second then to start from there? or u put it in run then back down to off and up again to start? and is this good for the starter?

 

he means RUN position (not CRANK, and not back to OFF), this puts juice to the fuel pump to build pressure (it takes time for the pump to build enough pressure for injectors, etc).

 

we actually had one at my dealer that when you turned the car of fuel pressure dropped to 0 within 5 sec. than when you tried to start it you would have an extended crank. we replaced the fuel pump and it fixed it.