dhoff024

Hey my girlfriends brother drives a 97 accord dx with an AT it is his first car and I try to help him keep it running good since he doesnt know anything about cars. The other day I did a tune up for him changing the plugs, wires, cap and rotor. After that it ran fine and there were no problems but today he got in it and it wouldnt start. It wouldnt even turn over it would just click and spark at the battery. So we jumped it and it started and we drove it to the gas station and then it wouldnt start again and we jumped it again and took it back home and I was thinking that the battery wasnt holding a charge but we bought a new one and now it still wont start and you cant jump it now either. I searched around on here and on the internet itself and really couldnt find anything that was exactly whats happening here but from some other posts on here it sounds to me like it is either the starter or ignition or something maybe even a main relay or something but I have been searching and cant find anything I figure that you guys can help. It would be greatly appreciated.

phootbag

Check your work. That's where I'd start.

dhoff024

I checked my work and the spark plugs are gapped right the wires are in good and one the cap correctly and in the correct order and the rotor seems fine to me. Its weird because yesterday we jumped it and it started and let it sit and then it started on its own so I figured it was fine then we drove it to the gas station and it wouldnt start there so we jumped it again and it started and then parked it at home and it wont start or jump. It doesnt even crank it just clicks like a dead battery. I think that it is a starter or maybe an ignition or main relay. But I figure you guys might be able to diagnose it better than I can.

0Janet@bisimoto

This sounds like a dumb question but did you check the battery. See if its holding charge.

P_Adams

Sparks at the battery are not good, often causing hydrogen explosions (Bad). They are often indicative of bad cables / cable ends. This can keep not only the car from starting, but charging as well.

If the car still won't start, try this:

Positive battery cable:
Batt Positive (jump(er)) to batt positive (Jump(ee)).
Batt Negative (Jump(er)) to Engine Bracket (Jump(ee))

See it it starts
If it does, recharge the new battery and replace BOTH cables.

P

dhoff024

Ok thank you I will try this tomorrow and let you know how it goes I just cant figure this out because it was running fine and now its not starting and ive never seen it spark or not even try to turn over but thanks I will try that and let you guys know the results.

dhoff024

Hey I tried what you said about jumping it with the negative on the engine bracket and it started right up so tomorrow I am going to go to the autoparts store and get the cables and install them. Thank you for your help I asked alot of people about this and basically all of them said it was probably the starter you are the first person to tell me to do this so thanks alot I appreciate it.

P_Adams

Thanks for the kind words, let me know how it worked out.

If you're interested,
By jump starting your car this way, you effectively took your boat anchor of a discharged battery out of the equation; allowing all the cranking potential of the other car to activate your starter.

Conventional jump starting cable configurations aren't really effective until the dead (discharged) battery recovers

now you know.....

P

dhoff024

I just got done replacing the cable and it works and starts great thank you agian for the help I appreciate it.

P_Adams

I'll keep my fingers crossed
Glad it worked out.

P