New key, engine cranks, won't start

[LizVH]

Hi all. I have problems with starting my '96 Odyssey... yesterday I had three incidences where I started it only to have it stall within a couple of seconds. It would take me a few minutes to get it started again without it failing, and only then it was possibly because I really revved it while turning it over. It had absolutely no problems while I was driving it, though, or idling at traffic lights. This morning it will not start at all, it is turning over well but not firing. It is a very cold morning, I don't know if this is relevant at all! When I turn the ignition on I can hear a low hum that I assume to be the fuel pump.

Does anyone have any idea what the problem could be? Any assistance would be greatly appreciated, thanks!

[carriedi]

you might want to pull a spark plug wire off the cap and check to see if you have spark. Keep the spark plug wire close to the cap and watch for the spark to jump from the cap to the spark plug wire while someone else cranks the engine over.

[LizVH]

Thank you. We have done as you suggested, and the verdict is.... no spark whatsoever. Other posts I have read have suggested that this might be a problem with the ignition itself, do you have any ideas about this?

[carriedi]

you may have spark from the coil not getting to the plugs. a short in the coil, a bad rotor (burned through), the screw fell out of the rotor... you will need to check inside the distributor. if it looks ok, you may want to have a mechanic check it for coil output, signal to the coil, crankshaft sensor, tdc, cym, ECM

[LizVH]

Thanks! The coil is something that was suggested to us today, and we would have looked except the 8mm spanner is mysteriously absent and we couldn't get the distributor cap off without it! It looks like it is staying there for the night now, it can be tomorrow's challenge. Thanks again, I will let you know how I get on :-)

[LizVH]

So! When I took the distributor cap off, I saw that all the points were really corroded and bought a new one, ever hopeful that that was the issue. No such luck. I guess there comes a time where you have to admit you are a complete amateur, so I called an auto-sparky who came to our house, tested it, changed the coil and now the car is running like magic again. Just like that. Makes me wish I had done it a week ago! At least I have learned a fair bit in the process :) Thanks for your help, you were spot on!

[blearyeye]

Honda Accord 2006. The battery died on the remote. When I tried to replace it, I couldn't get the screw loose that holds the clam shell together, so drilled it out. Got a new clam shell with blank key, took it to a hardware store and got the key cut.

* New key: the engine turns over but the green key icon flashes and the engine won't start.

* Old key: the engine turns over and starts.

So ... is there something about the car security that the new key fails to satisfy? I don't see anything that looks like a chip but it might be buried in the plastic I suppose.

[carriedi]

Honda uses an immobilizer system with the factory key. If you use a key that isn't programmed it will not start. You have to have the key programmed in to make it to be seen by the immobilizer module as a legitimate key to start the engine.

[blearyeye]

I called my local dealership's parts dept, discussed the history (had to drill out the screw, got a blank online, had a hardware store cut it). The person I talked to explained about the chip and told me how to pry it out of the old key. And, offered to do it for me if I brought it in.

So that's what I did. They were very nice about it and took care of me promptly at no charge. Altogether I spent about $35 ($10 for the blank, $25 for the cutting). I also came with a second remote and they loosened the screw so that I could replace the battery without ruining the housing.

Thanks for all the help!

--Bill