559geeser

I have a 98 gsr that I am having start up issues with. WHEN the car starts everything is fine but getting it to start is the problem. I am going to try and give you all the info I have on the problem so we can get to the bottom of this. I can not get my Integra to turn over on its ow n. If I jump it she turns over just fine. I get no crank, just the sound of the fuel pump priming. The last time she turned it on under her own power my buddy said he saw a spark from the starter. I have changed the starter 3 times had it tested at autozone checked battery changed wires from starter to battery changed wire from Alternator to battery tested alternator ugh changed spark plugs checked and even added ground wires. Is it possible that with no motor mount the car does not have enough of a ground? She has been sitting far to long with this problem any ideas guys?

fcm

My guess is you have a grounding problem to the engine.

You can check that by connecting a jumper cable, [booster cable] from the batt. neg.(-) to the engine, if that works, redo the main grounds, [batt. to chassis and chassis to engine].

If it makes no diff. try connecting the jumper directly to the starter motor case, if that works, remove starter and clean, [sand down] the contact area between stater motor and where it mounts to the engine/transmission. 94

hotshotinsol

hi im new here i really dont know where to go to for help but ill ask here first. i have a 96 del sol s with an ls-vtec swap car was running fine till last week car didnt want to start. i jumped the battery and it started right away i drove for over an hour no problems next day same issue. i replaced the battery and it is still doing it

fcm

Check/redo your main ground. 94

559geeser

Fmc how or why do you come to that conclusion? I am not questioning you to be an *** just so I have the knowledge? Does being able to jump start it tell you that it may be a ground issue? Or what about a spark from the starter? One time thing or part of the issue?

fcm

My shop, Dave Ward Auto Electric, run into your problem 4-6 times a week, in most cases it is a grounding issue, [most common electrical problem].

Boosting a car that will not start, and have it start, is a sign of a grounding problem, assuming batt. is good.

Redoing the OEM grounds on a 15 year old car can't hurt, even if it is not the problem.

As for the "sparking" at the starter, that depends on where the sparks came from. 94

559geeser

Ok I hear you. I'll have to look into that this weekend. One more since I have your attention is it possible that power is being drained when I start the car? Hopefully it is just a grounding issue.

fcm

Not sure I understand the question, anytime you try and start the engine the batt. is being drained, the cars starter draws more currant, [power] then anything else in the car. 94

559geeser

Hmm let's see if I can articulate myself better; is it possible that other things are draining the battery when I try and start it? As in maybe a lose wire against metal causing the battery not to give the starter enough power to turn over?

fcm

OIC. but unlikely, that would be a short and would cause far more problems then just "draining" the batt.

Have you tried using a jumper cable to supply the engine with a geround directly off the batt. yet?

Have you confirmed that the power lead from the batt. to the starter motor is properly connected?

Do you know where thew "sparks"came from off the starter? 94

559geeser

I am waiting for a response from my buddy if he has a better idea about the spark. The cable from the starter is new and yes it is connected properly

Let me get this straight, I have one end of the jumper cable connected to the battery neg. And the other end connected to the engine itself? Once I have that start the car and if it turns over that tells me I have a ground problem?

Back on the 7th you said if that does not work then try connecting that jumper to the starter. Now if that allows me to turn the car over then I can assume that its the starter? Or a grounding problem?

I am doing a few other things under the hood right now I have my vc being worked on getting ready for paint. I cannot check these options till I get that back on. Once I do check these things out I will post again. Thank you, great start to my joining for the Honda-Tech community

fcm

If adding the jumper from batt. neg.(-) to engine works you have a main ground problem, [batt. to chassis and/or chassis to engine].

If adding the jumper from batt neg.(-) to starter motor, [if batt to engine did not work] and that works, the starter is not grounding to the engine/transmission properly, remove and clean contact area of both the starter and where it mounts to the engine/transmission and remount and try again, [without jumper].

The VC does not need to be on to test the starter, just unplug the distributor to prvent engine starting. 94

hotshotinsol

Yea I just found out that when I turn off the car my climate controls are still working including the fan as if the keys are still in the ignition. Radio turns off tho...

gizmo775

if you start it with a jump all your grounds are good. if the grounds were loose it wounldnt even start even with a jump
maybe a relay?

mn6107

If u jump start and turns all the time..then maybe bad starter..with battery jump then bad connections or not enough groundsI