GSRaCeRbOI

As I was getting ready to leave to come home this evening I get in my car but leave the door open because it was pretty hot today and I wanted to start the motor and have the motor and alternator/charging system running so that I can open all the windows and sunroof w/o using power straight from the battery (like when the motor isn't running).. anyway I turn my key for the 95 GSR and notice my car try to start but it sounds odd...

lets say normally it sounds like this:
crank-crank- crank then motor/car starts everything is fine...

today it was like this:
crank crank crank STOP.. pause for like 2 seconds.. I'm still holding the key NO CRANK.. after 2 seconds motor starts up like normal and car also runs and drives fine..

what caused that 2 second pause where I had the key in the start/crank position but nothing happened and how come it started after the pause? I doubt the dome light (door being open) could have drawn that much power to make the starter just stop or something...

do you guys think my starter is dying? it was about upper 80's to 90's today if that has anything to do w/ it.. this just started TODAY and when I got home and the car can die/wish to not start if it wants to.. I shut off the motor and started it again and it didn't do this it started like normal...

I checked the fluid in the battery and all seems well... also hooked up my battery charger which also has a power meter and it was in the "charged/good" near 100% area

any ideas what the problem is? I started it up again just right now and it didn't do that pause when it was cranking.. what could it be?

I'm going to go out to my car right now and get a multimeter reading of the voltage and I'll reply w/ what voltage shows up..

thanks in advance for any input/replies/advice, etc..

EDIT: OK just came back from the garage.. w/ the alarm disarmed and everything else OFF the battery voltage reads 12V DC.. I went to start it up and it starter up like normal again.. like 3 cranks and the motor fired up... voltage read w/ the motor running is almost 15V DC...

I'll see if I have time tonight to drive to the autopart store and have them load test the battery and electrical/charging system.. but do you guys have any guesses as to whats wrong?

its a 95 w/ approx 120K...battery is about 1 year old, spark plugs are about 3K old, wires are maybe 3-5K old, cap and rotor is new (less than 1K miles), fuel filter is new (less than 1K miles), I can't think of what it could be... all the work was done by me.. I've done all these maintenance items many times and I know it was done correctly.... car has not been worked on in the past couple weeks, no CE lights, and everything was fine after the recent cap/rotor and fuel filter changes...

oh yeah just to cover all bases.. I had enough gas to drive the 30+ miles home.. the tank wasn't empty.. right now its about 1/4 after a 30+ mile drive..


[Modified by GSRaCeRbOI, 6:24 PM 8/29/2002]

Thrillhouse

i have an ls mine did the same thing today it scared me!!!!! I dont know what it is.

GSRaCeRbOI

Lolz thats wierd.. do you live in So Cali too? u think it was something w/ the weather conditions and the battery or something? mine only did this ONCE and it was today... after I got home where the car could die/need a tow if it wants.. I tried to duplicate the problem and couldn't... it only did it once.. wierd...

if any1 knows whats wrong help me and thrillhouse out.. all the way driving home I was scared that it was the ignitor (since this is a common problem on honda/acuras) or something and that it would leave me stranded/stalled on the freeway in traffic where every1 and their mom on the 405 would hate my *** cuz I'm blockin a lane.. but luckily I made it home.. there are NO driveability problems.. I kept looking at the RPM guage to see if it would act funny or jump or fluctuate or anything but it didn't... everything was normal after it started up.. and it hasn't done it again.. any ideas? thanks in advance every1...

aight I'm going to go out to dinner now and drive the car again.. lets see how it starts up and runs...


[Modified by GSRaCeRbOI, 6:26 PM 8/29/2002]

AlphaKennyWun

my 95 starter went bad this year. It was actually the solenoid. Water is what usually damages it. Your starting problems will probably just get worse as the weeks go by. I was like you....battery? starter? ignitor? ahhh!
Well it was the starter. Just get it rebuilt. You can get it rebuilt in like 4 hours and then its like new again. It was so easy and inexpensive. Cost like 80 bux.


[Modified by SO3Burner, 11:01 PM 8/29/2002]

GSRaCeRbOI

thanks for the reply... so did yours have the same symptom? like it cranked then paused and your still holding the key in start position and wondering why the hell isn't the car responding.. then all of a sudden it fires up and everythings normal (no driveability, RPM fluctations, everythings normal?)

also I just came back from dinner and going out a bit.. and didn't experience any of this odd starting again..

so did you wait for your starter to completely die? or you replaced it and everything has been fine? hmm $80 isn't bad... I'll have to look into my helms manual to see how to perform the job... whats the warranty if any on a rebuilt one? you got it at autozone or something? or does the dealer parts counter sell rebuilt ones? or where did you get it rebuilt at? I'm gonna check how much a new one is.. thanks for your reply..

EDIT: just did some price checking...

http://www.acuraautomotiveparts.net
20038 001 1 MOTOR, STARTER (RMD) 266.89 213.52

http://www.autozone.com
1995 ACURA INTEGRA
4 Cylinders 01797 1.8L VTEC DOHC
WITH MANUAL TRANSMISSION

DURALAST-IMPORT 17204 LLT $55.00 $159.99

BECK/ARNLEY 187-0585 1 YR $85.00 $204.99


Kragen/Checkers/Shucks:

AUTOLITE 17516 $55 core charge + $137.99
Starter: w/ MT (ND, GR)
Limited Lifetime*

BOSCH SR1297X $66 core charge + $200.99
Starter: Reman. Repl.; AT; 1.2kW Nippondenso System

BECK/ARNLEY 187-0585 $177.99
Starter: Reman.

WORLDWIDE 17204 $55 Core Charge + $157.79
Reman.; Mfr: ND; OGR; Manual Transmission
LTD LIFETIME REPL


S03burner: hmm don't see any for $80... care to share where you got yours from?

what do you guys think of the AutoLite one from Kragen? its the cheapest at $137.99 but also has a lifetime warranty/replacement... I figure since the Acura one for $213.52 is remanufactured also.. I might as well get whatevers since its not new and the Autolite one has lifetime replacement.. you guys think its OK?




[Modified by GSRaCeRbOI, 10:10 PM 8/29/2002]

GSRaCeRbOI

no one else has encountered this or has a fix?

GSRaCeRbOI

ttt so no one has encountered this problem or has a fix? I want to be sure its the starter before I spend the money on a new one and spend my time to replace it...

oddly enough in the last couple days of usage the car has not done this again...