Car won't start - Clicking starter - loose ground?
 

So I parked my car yesterday, ran into Starbucks for 5 mins to score a drink, came back out and my car wouldn't start.

When I turn the key all the way, the starter clicks, and the relay clicks. When I turn the key to "on" I hear all kind of whines and hums, the dash lights flicker, the "open door" noise disappers, basically everything goes haywire.

-Battery is good (and fully charged)
-Starter is good
-Grounds are good (t-stat housing/chassis/tranny/valve cover)
-Main relay is good
-All fuses are good

What the hell happened? When I push start the car, it runs fine.

Re: Car won't start - Clicking starter - loose ground? (EnzoSpeed)
 

Out of ideas https://honda-tech.com/forums/images...es/emdgust.gif

Re: Car won't start - Clicking starter - loose ground? (EnzoSpeed)
 

Battery cables and connectors.

Re: Car won't start - Clicking starter - loose ground? (Turbogixxer)
 

I know, but I'm stumped. It's a new battery with new terminals and the grounds are all aftermarket 4 gauge with gold terminals.

All I can think of is that it's not the negative side but the positive side. Where does the 12+ power go after it enters the underhood fuse box?

Re: Car won't start - Clicking starter - loose ground? (EnzoSpeed)
 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by EnzoSpeed &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I know, but I'm stumped. It's a new battery with new terminals and the grounds are all aftermarket 4 gauge with gold terminals.

All I can think of is that it's not the negative side but the positive side. Where does the 12+ power go after it enters the underhood fuse box?</TD></TR></TABLE>

it goes to the fuses. You have a 4 guage wire that goes from teh battery to the starter to power the motor. I would check that wire.

Try to crank the motor (12v to the s-termial on the start) and measure the voltage going to the starter. You hcan always run a battery test, record the data, then place the postive side connector of the tester on the 4 guage wire at the starter and see the data. A big difference in data means the wire is bad. That will cause your problem.

Re: Car won't start - Clicking starter - loose ground? (EnzoSpeed)
 

could be the starter just took a shit..........try tapping the starter with a hammer and see if it starts?

OR it could be a bad ignition switch.......i have see a few of those go bad recently.....

Re: Car won't start - Clicking starter - loose ground? (non-VTEC)
 

The problem is definitely not the starter or ignition switch.

Power is not looping somewhere, like there's a short. The lights are dim and the hazards won't even turn on (relay just buzzes). But the battery is fully charged.

Basically, all the symptoms of a dead battery but the battery is a one year old Optima yellow top and it's fully charged.

I just doubled checked the grounds, as well as the power wires going to the starter and fuse box.

Re: Car won't start - Clicking starter - loose ground? (Turbogixxer)
 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by EnzoSpeed &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">The problem is definitely not the starter or ignition switch.

Power is not looping somewhere, like there's a short. The lights are dim and the hazards won't even turn on (relay just buzzes). But the battery is fully charged.

Basically, all the symptoms of a dead battery but the battery is a one year old Optima yellow top and it's fully charged.

I just doubled checked the grounds, as well as the power wires going to the starter and fuse box.</TD></TR></TABLE>

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Turbogixxer &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Battery cables and connectors.</TD></TR></TABLE>

https://honda-tech.com/forums/images...s/emsmilep.gif

How did you test everything? IF you charge the battery or think it is charged?

Re: Car won't start - Clicking starter - loose ground? (Turbogixxer)
 

I checked all the wires with a multitmeter. I had the starter tested at AutoZone. I tried charging the battery, but my charger goes straight to trickle because it's already fully charged.


https://honda-tech.com/forums/images...es/emdgust.gif

Re: Car won't start - Clicking starter - loose ground? (Turbogixxer)
 

Go to autozone and have them check it this way.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Turbogixxer &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">You hcan always run a battery test, record the data, then place the postive side connector of the tester on the 4 guage wire at the starter and see the data. A big difference in data means the wire is bad. That will cause your problem.</TD></TR></TABLE>

It sounds like a connection problem.

Re: Car won't start - Clicking starter - loose ground? (Turbogixxer)
 

There goes 5 hours of my life. It was my new Optima battery https://honda-tech.com/forums/images...es/emdgust.gif . There goes $180 https://honda-tech.com/forums/images...s/emthdown.gif

Re: Car won't start - Clicking starter - loose ground? (EnzoSpeed)
 

I smell a ninja edit https://honda-tech.com/forums/images...s/emsmilep.gif

I've contacted Optima. Trying to get a refund. Apparently the model 51 yellow tops are notoriously defective.

Re: Car won't start - Clicking starter - loose ground? (EnzoSpeed)
 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by EnzoSpeed &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I smell a ninja edit https://honda-tech.com/forums/images...s/emsmilep.gif</TD></TR></TABLE>
I got pwned by this: <TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by EnzoSpeed &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">When I push start the car, it runs fine. </TD></TR></TABLE>
and then had nothing to contribute. https://honda-tech.com/forums/images...s/emsmilep.gif https://honda-tech.com/forums/images/smilies/emthup.gif