i suspect a bad main relay in a 94 civic ex, only one i can get my hands on to swap out is a 93 integra, are they the same?

 

Look at them.

They relays can be a bitch to get out, but you should be able to snake your hand up there and unplug the plug, and visually inspect to see if it is the same as your car.

Better yet, it's probably quicker to pop the cover off yours and inspect for tiny hairline crakcs around the solder. SOmetimes they are real hard to see, use a magnifying glass.

 

Try simply re-heating the solder points on yours, worked for mine and many others. Better to remove it and add new, but if you are lazy do the first thing.

 

if there bad, is it possibly for the fuel pump to still prime when you turn the ignition on? or would that eliminate it

 

if the soldier points are cracked it might only prime sometimes.

try re-heating them or adding more solider, if they're cracked.

 

I've seen a bad relay prime the pump when you cycle the key, and then shut off when you start the car because the ground path had resistance with juice flowing in the system so that less voltage was available than needed to jump the solder gap.