Cass_EF

So about two months ago my car wouldn't turn on. it wouldn't turn over, all there was, was a clicking sound.
Replaced the battery, replaced the starter. and it still would start, found out that the problem was the grounds to the battery. So i fiddled with the grounds and it started.
Worked for about a week, then one day it died out on me on the middle of the road and the battery warning light on the dash turned on.

I tried turning it on right away cause i was blocking traffic, and it didn't turn over all you heard was a clicking sound. By some miracle i got it to turn on just long enough to get home. And now its the same as when the problem started, it just clicks. i was wondering if there is a proper way to ground the battery.

Its a 1990 Civic LX B20Vtec swap. i bought the car like that so i don't know what they did to it exactly. I really need some help with this.

baller status

Shame on you for wasting your money and not diagnosing the battery and starter first. Those two parts are easy to diagnose and represent about $100 each.

The ground wires on just about every Honda I have worked on have deteriorated to the point of failure. It's one of the first things I replace.

You'll need a table vice that has a built in crimper, or some large crimpers (which tend to be expensive). In a pinch, you can use some smaller crimpers like the Channel Lock 909s which are commonly found at places like Home Depot.

Find a local electronics supply store that will sell you stranded wire by the foot. You'll want a few feet of 2 or 4 gauge, and a couple feet of 8 gauge. You'll also want some ring terminals. Don't waste your money on gold plating or on amp kits that can run upwards of $100!

The last thing you will need is a battery terminal that isn't a stupid design and that's small enough to grip the battery post tightly. The ones they sell at auto parts stores suck ***.

If you like a clean look, you can get some heat shrink tubing and a heat gun from Harbor Freight. Honda doesn't feel that insulating ground wires are necessary, but that may be the reason why all the stock grounds need replacement.

Using the recommended tools and supplies, and the old grounds as a guide, fashion some new replacement grounds. I recommend sticking to the OEM layout. Transmission to frame rail to negative battery terminal, with an 8 gauge split to the upper core support. Then an 8 gauge from the driver's frame rail to the engine mount bracket and then to the valve cover (Use a 10mm threaded hole directly into the valve cover, and NOT one of the mounting nuts). I recommend adding an 8 gauge branch to the driver's side of the upper core support.

I recommend against running a ground to the thermostat housing as some have done. These grounds are your sensor reference grounds, and you're defeating the purpose by adding a ground here.

Depending on how your positives look, you may want to replace those too. Battery to the starter should be heavy gauge and fusebox to the alternator should be 8 gauge minimum. Use heat shrink and split loom liberally.

rallypoint_1

^x2!! I replaced my grounds and postive wires with 4awg and the difference was amazing. Car started up fast!! I did the Big 2 update. Did not update the alternator wire. But ya, the Oem wire was corroded. I crimped and then used a propane torch with solder to secure the ends.







To starter

Cass_EF

Honestly yes it was very dumb to not diagnose the starter, as for the battery it turns out it was bad. I got it replaced with a new one. So the problem was fixed, but ill be sure to do as you said and check and change the gauges of the grounding wires to make sure that this doesn't happen in the future. Since the car was a swap i have no idea where the original grounds led. But, Thanks a lot!

Cass_EF

Where did you run your ground wires too?

rallypoint_1

Grounds were routed to the stock locations. Neg from batt to chassis. Chassis to transmission. Valve cover to bulkhead.

sstupid

To

Cass_EF

The problem still persists. it worked for a day then the battery warning light turned on, and no matter what i do it stays on. Could the main relay have something to do with it?

rallypoint_1

Main relays are notorious for going bad. I replaced mine. It would start sometimes and sometimes no. Would crank but no start. Are you throwing any codes??

4drEF

Let's try adding more grounds to make sure yours are good or bad.
Use a set of jumper cables, but don't connect to the positive on battery.
Connect one jumper to the negative battery post and the other end to an ear on the distributor. Connect the other jumper from the negative battery post to an unpainted bolt on the chassis. Use the stock ground cable to chassis locations if you want.
See how that starts up.

Also, take look at your thermostat housing. There should be two ground lugs screwed onto the housing. This is a common problem to have the screw loosen or the wires corrode.
One of these grounds is for the main relay causing the problem you describe.

Cass_EF

no codes. i figured it was electrical problem since the battery light would come on and the car would die when its on, and won't turn on when the battery light on the dash is on

Cass_EF

i have two grounds. both from the battery terminal, only one goes to the chassis and the other to one of the bolt on the starter. i was messing around with the grounds that is why they're set up like that, thats how i left them last.

sstupid

The main relay won't cause this issue.

Cass_EF

any ideas why it would be having this problem? ill take any ideas right about now.

Riceburner247

iTrader: (1)

So where are you at with this?

Have you re-configured ground wires to what the stock routing is?
Have you checked the voltage of your battery lately? I don't care if its new.
Have you checked the positive cable from the battery to the starter?

Cass_EF

Yes, I've tried repositioning them to the stock locations, from the battery to the chassis and from the chassis to the transmission.

Nope have not checked the voltage, I'm taking the battery to an auto zone to get it checked later on.

I checked to make sure that the starter was getting enough current, since i put a starter switch in my car and wired it directly into the starter it should try to turn over even though the car is off, but it doesn't even do that, it just clicks.

4drEF

Have you tried injecting grounds with jumper cables?

Cass_EF

how would you go about doing that? also i only found one lug screw that you were talking about, i think its been like that since i can't find the other

Riceburner247

iTrader: (1)

I'm starting to think wires have been hooked up wrong or something. If your battery has good voltage, grounds are intact, and wiring to the starter is correct then it should try and turn over.

You need to invest in a voltmeter or test light to check things out.

Cass_EF

So I decided to replace everything. And car turns on now. But it won't stay on. I got it to stay on, but that's what happened last time, and it wouldn't turn on anymore after that. So I really have no idea what is wrong with it now. Anyone have any diagnosis?