eg ferio

ok...heres the deal....the past week i noticed my car would turn over pretty weak but eventually it would turn on. as the days progressed it would have a tougher time trying to turno over. today it finally gave up.... i tried to jump start it but i got nothing..all i hear is a click and nothing everytime i try to turn on the car. i held the key for like 5 seconds and i saw smok come out of the engine bay. car still has power but it just doesnt turn on and i tried turning it over again and when i hold it smoke comes out from the engine bay. My question is ...is that signs of a bad starter? could that cause the smoke to come out or what would cause it? my car is a 92 civic with a b16a2

B18CivicEH2

where exactly is the smoke coming from???i dont think a bad starter would smoke up...but not 100% sure on that..

Archidictus

Are you hearing a single click or a series of rapid-fire clicks? Do you have even one single friend? Can said friend turn the key while you look in the engine bay to see where the smoke is coming from?

Everything we say is completely worthless until we know the answers to these questions. If it's a rapid-fire click, the starter's not getting enough power from the battery. If the starter is trying to function but is burning up because the flywheel is jammed up, you have some serious problems.

eg ferio

its just a single click, yes i have friends but all of them are busy at the moment"i'll try to get my mom to turn the key"..lol...but yea its just 1 click and if i keep the key turned for like 5 to 10 seconds it makes a veerrrry weak intention to turn over then i see some smoke come out. it seems to be from the starter area but i wont be 100% sure till i look at closely.

MonkeyBoy668

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by eg ferio &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">yes i have friends but all of them are busy at the moment</TD></TR></TABLE>

He's lying! (sorry, couldn't resist)


Archidictus is right, you need to have your head in the engine bay and turn the key.

But also remember, wherever there's smoke, fire is sure to follow - before anyone turns the key again, find a fire extinguisher, and have it in your hands when they're turning the key. Let me tell you from experience, it really sucks to see flames in the engine bay when you don't have one in hand.

eg ferio

nobody loves me...lol....anyways thanx for the advice.....ill make sure i; have one handy

eg ferio

ok i just checked where the smoke was coming from.....i had someone turn the key and hold it and after like 10 seconds it makes a small attempt to turn over and the smoke comes out of the starter.. not too long ago my i had to tap my starter with a screwdriver to turn on the car so thats why im thining it might be a bad starter, im just worried about the smoke

Archidictus

Yeah, it's your starter solenoid shitting the bed. Take the old one out and return it as a core at your local NAPA or Advance and get a new one

eg ferio

can i just replace the solenoid or should i just get a new starter?

MonkeyBoy668

On my Honda you have to disassemble the starter to replace the solenoid. The solenoid parts are very cheap but I'd say it depends on whether you believe you can take the starter apart, replace some parts, put it back together again - and still have it work.

Replacing the complete starter is easy but expensive, replacing just the solenoid (or the failed parts of the solenoid) is harder but cheap.

Archidictus

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by MonkeyBoy668 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">On my Honda you have to disassemble the starter to replace the solenoid. The solenoid parts are very cheap but I'd say it depends on whether you believe you can take the starter apart, replace some parts, put it back together again - and still have it work.

Replacing the complete starter is easy but expensive, replacing just the solenoid (or the failed parts of the solenoid) is harder but cheap.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Where do you get the solenoid? I've never been able to find a parts store around here that sells JUST the solenoid for any newer car's starter (1994+). Napa, Advance, Autozone, etc. They don't part out starters.

Please let me know.

eg ferio

i just took out my starter and its all burnt and crispy inside...any ideas on what can cause that? sorry for my ignorance




Modified by eg ferio at 12:12 PM 1/27/2007

Archidictus

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by eg ferio &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">i just took out my starter and its all burnt and crispy inside...any ideas on what can cause that? sorry for my ignorance</TD></TR></TABLE>

If things are bound up inside it, the solenoid will try to rotate the nose cone and bendix but it won't be able to. The heat generated by this exertion will cause smoke and fire. This is the result

You saw the smoke...good thing you pulled it before you layed on the key some more and caught something important en fuego

eg ferio

ah..i see..thanx for the input...now i need a new starter

bart2546

At least you found the problem..but also this ends your decision to try to find just the solenoid, now you know that you need the entire starter and your decision is made for you. Good luck!