D7KWagon

Symptoms:
Car would have trouble starting in severe cold, would have to have key turned all the way on, and hold it for several seconds, sometimes 20+ before the starter would begin turning, and it start slow and pick up. Some times I'd have to go out, try to start it a few times, then wait ten minutes, then turn the key and it'd start up fine.

This past summer these starts began happening in the middle of the day, randomly -- sometimes just fine, sometimes with having to hold the key. This time I've had no luck starting it and have had to roll start it two times.

I've checked to see any fuses (I've been told it as 14 that is the starter fuse) and nothing is blown?

Had the starter checked, and solenoid and they both checked out fine.

Had the battery checked, and it was above CC amps.

Took ground from negative battery cable and wire brushed it, it was real loose and scraggly, so I re twisted and electrical taped it, same with one attached to the right side above the light onto the valve cover.

Important notes that might have to deal with relays:
Previous owner seems to have modded the car so it can start without the clutch engaged, looked underneath dash, saw there was a yellow connection unplugged, plugged it back in and nothing happened.

Previous owner also mentioned having to replace the ignition switch before (he was forewarning me about how picky Civic Wagon's were about parts and they're not like any other civic of their gen), so I'm thinking there might be a problem area there as well.

I'm going to take a test light and have someone crank the ignition and see if powers getting to the starter, any other points of interest I can look into?

Any advice would be helpful, I have a ~400 mile beach trip coming up so time is of the essence!

D7KWagon

Update:
Hooked up a voltmeter to the car's battery, it read 12.3 volts, then attempted to crank car with voltmeter attached and it did not drop any volts at all, but when the clutch was engaged for some reason, the battery dropped to 11.9 volts?

smilindave

buy a good (not from advance, autozone,oreillys etc) ign switch
Regards
Dave

MemoryCRX

I was going to say the ingnition switch is posibaly bad, however it was replaced. I would check the starter relay under the dash bolted to the hood release.

D7KWagon

Thanks for the help! So I took the main relay off and then decided to take it apart (thinking it was the newer kinds you could solder) and decided to manually trip the two copper contacts, and the car started right up,

So I thought it was the resistor in it that was bad and got one shipped from Texas. I just plugged it in and it didn't work.

But when I checked the volts coming into the relay when the key was in the cranking position it still read 12? Could this still be the ignition switch?

D7KWagon

So I took apart the ignition switch and it looked like the pictures below. So I cleaned it up and tried it, but it's not working still? Anymore ideas?

br8crumb

how about you clean the trans ground aka thermostat ground.................. hot/cold it expands/shrinks and can cause slow starts............

danascavone

Hey! This almost sounds like my problem? I replaced the starter in my CRX, the battery and fuses are good, but it still wont even crank?? No noise whatsoever from the starter-even though I have all of the lights and sounds on the dash? Another thing-it will push start but wont jump start from another car?? Anyone have any suggestions for me?? Thanks much!!