BMO98GSR

I have a 95 Honda Accord 4 cylinder automatic! I have been having a starting issue. Whenever I turn the key I get just a click. I changed the starter and it started for about 2 days and now I have the same issue again. A couple of hours later the car is starting fine. I warranted the started out just in case. Another day goes by and the same this is happening. Any ideas on what to check next??? Thanks for the help!

Lost Again

Do you have a volt meter?

Sounds like you have a bad connection or battery......a volt meter will help you with testing the connections, are you getting voltage to the starter, if so how much.

BMO98GSR

Going to the garage to test it now. Thanks!

BMO98GSR

I used my power probe to test it! I got 12.6V at the battery and 12.6V on the positive terminal! I held it on there and attempted to start and the lowest reading that I got was 12.2V. Running a battery test now....

Kayita

It does sound electrical. You're on the right track. You might want to turn on lights and have someone attempt to turn on car, see if lights stay on. If not, you have dirty battery connections, battery. If lights stay on but some dimming but not off, check for some loose connection on the starter. especially if the starter is new. Look at those wires going to the starter, see if clean and tight good connections there too.

Kayita

Well?

BMO98GSR

battery tested 640 CCA out of 650 CCA

paintb91

Try actually tapping the starter my boys celica I always gotta hit his starter with the hard side of a screwdriver cause his solenoid in his starter acts up..give it a few taps and it usually starts right up

CRX Si69

Check your main relay. The wires could be loose or the relay could be going bad.

CRX Si69

Of course the lights are going to dim when you're trying to crank the engine over, starter is trying to get as much cranking amps as possible thus dimming the lights while using that power.

BMO98GSR

I tapped the starter and just tried again about 20 mins ago and nothing.

BMO98GSR

I definitely think it is electrical. The radio started acting funny. Correct me if I am wrong but if the starter relay is BAD then the starter will do nothing at all, correct???

Lost Again

Not sure how a main rerlay keeps the starter from spinning.

OP-What was the voltage on the small wire on the starter when you were trying to start it?

bob441

Check your grounds and make sure your main starter wire is not broken internally , also if you have bolt on battery cables (where it attaches to the main wire )check there for loose connections,<<< this is what fixed my Integra with the same issue

paintb91

yea i agree with the connections being loose somewhere..for instance on my trucks steering column came loose just behind the dash the slightest push against the steering wheel it would pinch the wiring inside, shorting out the power and stalling the engine...my boys celica...alternator wire was sliced open..only a few links of the copper wire were still concected..eventually it started just like almost i guess lose its electricty right at that point..couldnt get his car to start one day in the pouring rain and i helped him out to find that..his car started to give some of the same symptoms, as the OP, just hours before it wouldnt start. so check along all the wirings for the harness or just long lengths of wire for "unhealthy" wires..any and all

Kayita

To: BMO09GSR**** Not sure if you have it fixed yet. Had not had chance to visit here. If you understand how it works, you can troubleshoot this. Not all starters are exactly alike but basically same principle. On the Starter you should have heavy gage wire goes directly to battery (should measure 12v). Check this wire (usually red wire) first. There will be one other smaller gage wire (usually Black/White) providing 12 volts to solenoid only when "ignition switch" is turned to START. Most starters have internal Solenoids now. Look for this wire with test light (or volt meter) when ignition in start position. This Selenoid is basically an internal Switch, switches the Heavy gage wire to the STARTER (super torque motor to turn engine). Due to the heavy current required here, an internal starter SOLENOID is required to switch that direct battery current to the starter, rather than a regular basic switch. So, in looking at all the good suggestion you were given by others, I am guessing you've looked over all connections. Check the lower gage wire all the way back to "Starter cut RELAY" in the I/P Fuse relay Block, then from the relay back to the ignition switch (there it might be Black/White wire). If you have other relays there, usually they may be the same, switch it with one like it, see if it works. If still no good, issue could go back to the ignition Switch. You can do it.

Kayita

Exactly, we who know and understand induction, ohms law and power formulas understand this.Which translates as I indicated that all is fine with the battery & battery terminals and that other things are happening, so we should move on to other things for trouble shooting like the Relay, ignition switch, wire connections, intermittent connections or the transmission range switch. I have outline troubleshooting techniques for all these on my postings.

Kayita

TESTING RELAY circuit, connections, wiring, ignition sw, transmission sw: This circuitry is a series of switches (ignition sw, starter relay, transmission grnd range sw, & solenoid) just to turn starter and crank engine. The relay (a coil requiring Grnd on one side and 12v on the other side in order to switch 12 from ignition switch to Solenoid to starter motor) is merely another switch, relaying power from multiple other sources. For example, if Transmission is not in PARK or Neutral (grnd), relay will not receive Ground (wire might be Green color). Thus when ignition is turned to START (12v to other side of relay coil), the relay will not operate and not provide 12v to solenoid starter and no 12v battery to Starter Motor to crank the engine. Therefore, this will be another area to check out. To check Transmission grnd wire (green color?) to "Starter Cut Relay" (should be solid ground), follow this procedure. Unplug the relay from socket, and on the empty relay socket find where coils of relay should be, hook a test light (or volt meter) directly to Positive of battery (must be to 12v+), with relay out and transmission on Park or Neutral, check each side of relay coil---light should turn on or 12v should be seen on one side of coil. The other side of coil will show nothing. If you see 12v or test light lights, you have a good transmission grnd. You'll have to now go & Check Relay or Ignition wire or ignition Switch. Transmission range Switch could be intermittent or going out, play & move gear lever to Neutral &/or Park, try turning engine in both positions. ***** Now, to check the "Ignition Start Switch" and wire from relay to ignition sw, follow this procedure. Leave the relay unplugged as before. Locate the relay coils again. This time hook one end of the Test light or volt meter to a GOOD Ground. Put your test light or volt meter to the opposite coil end, while turning the key to START, you should read 12volt or test light lights up on this coil end when you attempt to start engine with key. You have just tested both grnd and positive side of relay for circuit problems. You've tested wires to the ignition sw as well as the ignition switch itself and Transmission wires and transmission range switch. play with the ignition switch back and forth to detect any intermittent connections there. You should get good results at all times. If not you have bad ignition switch. If these tests turn out fine, and there is still no voltage on Solenoid wire when key is turned to start (small gage wire on starter) change relay. Sorry about long explanation, the engineer in me!

Kayita

Let me know how it goes.