micah_m

My prelude isn't my daily, it's my weekend/summer car that I baby too much and don't put a whole lot of miles on. I usually drive it more, but it's been parked for almost 3 weeks. I went out to start it, and nothing. I can hear the fuel pump when I turn it to the on position, but when I try to start it there's no crank or clicking or anything. Just acts like I'm trying to start it without pushing in the clutch.

I took the battery out, and recharged the battery overnight. I put it back in and tried to start it, and still the same thing. After many trying different things and trying to get a crank or click or anything, I noticed my dash lights were already dim. I wouldn't think it'd drain the battery like that from trying to start it if it's not even trying to turn over, so maybe it is a battery problem? Maybe I'm wrong. The battery is only a little over 2 years old.

I tried jumping it with a battery pack as well, still nothing. If it matters, it is a 96 Si with an h22a with the internal distributor and converted to obd1. About 50k on motor, about 13k miles put on it since I did the swap almost 8 years ago. One more thing to add that I wouldn't think would matter but want to mention if there's any chance that could cause this problem, but I installed a viper alarm a couple years ago, is there any chance something with that is causing this?

Any ideas or things I can test? I will be taking the battery to have it tested even though it isn't very old, but wouldn't it click or try turning over if that was the issue? One more thing I noticed, the power locks do not work now with the charged battery in, neither with the fob or the lock switch on the door. Thanks in advance for any advice you might have!

micah_m

Update:

I had the battery tested and it came out fine. I went home and put the battery back in, and still wouldn't do anything. I finally took a hammer to the starter and tapped it several times, and it immediately fired right up.

Should I plan on replacing the starter ASAP, or will it be fine to drive since it's starting fine now? Like I said before this it had sat for almost 3 weeks.

Also the power door locks still are not working. So now I'll have to look around and try finding why that could be.

holmesnmanny

At some point the starter will refuse to start no many how many hard taps you give it. The good news is that they aren't hard at all to rebuild. You can get starter contacts from Larry B's starter contacts if you have a manual starter and brushes for an auto starter online.

micah_m

Thanks for the information man, I appreciate it! I'll definitely be looking into rebuilding it, I assumed I'd just have to replace the whole starter.

I was planning on taking it to a big all weekend car event I bring my prelude to every year, would it be stupid to take it and risk it with this starter problem? I'd hate for that to hold me back after looking forward to it for so long. It's about an hour drive. This might be a dumb question, but if the starter does fail completely, can I still bypass the starter and jump start it somehow to make it home? I was reading you can, but with an external coil distributor. Since mine has an internal coil, I guess I never found if I can still make it work.

micah_m

I'd hate to miss it, my brother and I always look forward to the show!

snobordboy

I would say search around for a junkyard or someone parting a car on craigslist or something, starter should be under $25 for a used one, and good insurance to avoid issues.

If the car is a manual you could bump start it easy enough, but it does put a bit of odd strain on things.

I would say a good thing to do, is check your wiring under the hood, and ensure all of the contact points and grounds are clean and snug, especially the ones to the starter and battery. I had a car acting like that, and it ended up having a loose connection inside of a wire crimp going to the starter.

holmesnmanny

Absolutely. Just be careful cause the car has to be in neutral or park or it will lurch forward and possibly hurt someone. The ignition needs to be on.

micah_m

After a long weekend, I'm back home to rebuild my starter. I took it off, and was first going to remove the starter solenoid and test it. For some reason I can't get it off, it looks much different than all other Honda starters I've seen pictures of. Most have a cap that screws off, but mine doesn't.

Am I missing something? Here's a picture between my starter on the left and one I bought at autozone. Instead of putting the autozone one on, I was hoping to rebuild my OEM one to keep that and return the autozone one.

holmesnmanny

The one on the left is for a manual transmission and the one on the right is for an auto transmission ?

micah_m

I know he looked up the part number for the manual transmission... I double checked the part number on the box and on the sticker on the starter and they both matched to be the one I need. Maybe it was sorted wrong from the factory?

It doesn't look like the solenoid comes off like the videos and pics I saw, my starter that I removed doesn't have that cap that's screwed on like all the others do

holmesnmanny

I already said you can get new starter contacts from Larry B's for like $20. You just swap out your old contacts for the new ones. Take that other starter back.

micah_m

I plan on ordering new contacts tonight, I stopped in and got the autozone starter before the weekend because I was considering just wasting the money for a new starter so I could get it going right away and not have to wait for shipping. That didn't happen, so I will be taking it back.

Maybe I'm blind or missing something on mobile, but on LarryB's website all of their starter parts are for trucks or Denso starters...mine is a Mitsuba. I tried looking up what the part numbers that I need are, but none of them match since they're all for Denso.

Is it most definitely the contacts? I was gonna remove and check the solenoid, I've been reading on other threads that it's a common starter part to go out on Honda's. I might see if cleaning the plunger and contacts will work to make it drivable till the new contacts are in and can be installed.

micah_m

I took it all apart, and idk how it's supposed to look but it all looks pretty filthy. I tested the starter for the solenoid of it, and that came out fine. Now just gotta do more research and see what the right part number for the contacts I need are, and I should be set to put it back together!

holmesnmanny

Normally Denso makes the manual transmission starters but it appears yours is a Mitsuba. Larry B's might sell the brushes for your starter but I did some research and found an ebay auction that sells the brushes.

STARTER MOTOR (MITSUBA) for 1996 Honda PRELUDE
31200-P13-005
31200p13005
This is the brushes at part 6

https://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/...ter+motor,4152
https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo...170166&jsn=346

Starter Brush Repair Kit Acura 1998 2005 Honda 1996 2005 Isuzu 1998 1999 See OE | eBay
16975

here is a youtube vid link

micah_m

Thanks for not only finding the right part number for what I need, but also for the links! I ordered it and it should be a simple install when I receive it next week. Your posts are very helpful and I appreciate that, thank you!

PreludeBC420

Glad you got it sorted out! I occasionally have no start, I believe my neutral safety switch is going bad

micah_m

Thanks! The neutral safety switch is what I thought the problem was with mine at first. Just with the way it wouldn't do anything at all when it didn't work, but turned over fine when it did.

micah_m

One more question, I received the new brushes and went to install it, and noticed a possible problem. The rubber mounts that slides into the end cover and holds it in place is backwards... Which means with the new one the brushes would be facing away from the end cover, instead of towards it.

Is this a problem? Can I still install this piece?

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holmesnmanny

That's so weird, I assume you tried to spin it around somehow and it didn't work. I would contact the person you bought it from.

micah_m

I sent him a message and he replied with this-

"Hi yes your starter has been replaced with a earlier version. The starters are interchangeable but the pieces are not. No one sells the brush holder for the earlier version the brushes have to be soldiered in.
If you want send the brush holder back I sent you and send your brush holder as well I will soldier in the brushes and send it back to you.
Thanks and let me know if that works"

I could send it in but would rather not wait 2 more weeks for shipping. Would it be a bad idea to twist it 180 degrees and have the wires crossed if I can get it to fit that way? Or if I'd cut rubber piece, flip it the right way, then glue and seal it on the starter so it will hold and prevent moisture from getting in?