beanss

Hello Hondatech, recently I have encountered a starting problem with my car.It is a Ek hatch with a B series swap. My car has been starting up and running perfectly fine,that is until two nights ago when I got into my car and try to start it I get nothing,except a single click. I have all lights on my cluster, radio, headlights, everything but ignition I guess. My fuel pump also primes. We were able to push start the car but other than that anytime I try to start the car I just get a single click and no start. I have gotten my battery and starter checked, both were fine.I'm guessing there is a short to ground as no voltage is getting to the starter? Or starter relay? This happened the same day that I replaced the stock clutch line from the master cylinder to the slave cylinder if that has anything to do with it. It's just odd how this happened out of nowhere and I was able to start the car atleast three times that same night. Please help with any info.Thanks

joeshmo

I think it is very likely you would know if there was a short to ground. My car used to do similar. The first time my battery terminals had come loose, the second time the ground wire for the starter (it has its own on the D series) failed to make good contact.
And is the click coming from the motor or from somewhere else? My guess is definitely somewhere else, probably a bad relay, especially if there isn't 12v at the starter. I'm not sure where the relay grounds too in your case, but I would check that.

beanss

Thanks for some help. Your right the click is not coming from the motor but from a relay from what I can hear.Just not sure which one or where to find the starter relay to see.

pwebb0207

how much voltage is getting to the starter?

beanss

I'm not sure but my battery is sending out the 12v but its not reaching the starter for some reason. The starter was tested at an advance auto.

California98Civ

I'm not clear what this means. You are saying that you tested the voltage with a voltage meter and it showed 12v?

beanss

Sorry for the confusion, I should have said I had the battery tested at advance and it showed the battery still had 12v. So, I'am assuming that since the battery is good and I have checked my terminals and wires that the 12v is trying to go to the starter but maybe a bad relay is causing it to not? I really need to know where I can find the starter relay.

Former User

The starter has two terminals, one for power to the motor (large wire) and one for power to the solenoid. The click sound you hear suggests that voltage reaches the solenoid. Now use a multimeter to check whether battery voltage also reaches the motor terminal of the starter. If so, the starter is almost surely bad.

beanss

Thanks for some more help but, the bad starter can be ruled out. I don't have a multimeter but I went and got a new starter and still same thing. So now I don't know what the problem could be.

joeshmo

New starter- 80$
New multimeter- 10$
Go buy a multimeter to see where you lose 12v.
I agree, it is likely the solenoid or solenoid ground.

beanss

Thanks, I did not not know multimeters were that cheap,fortunately I was able to get my money back for the starter. Anonther question, is where is this solenoid?

Former User

In general, if the starter clicks, the solenoid is usually fine.

Don't guess. You need a multimeter to pinpoint the problem.

jasonek98

try connection a ground wire to the started, had the same problem

beanss

Thanks for the help everyone, I went and got a multimeter yesterday and did some diagnosis. Turns out I was getting the wrong starter, long story. But now that I got the right starter the car was running perfectly until I get it home, it is now doing the same thing "one click" again, so know it seems there is another problem besides the starter.

FAMz_DOMANi_MB4

does the car has alarm??

beanss

Figured out the problem, battery needed to be charged, car is back to normal now.Thanks.

grumblemarc

iTrader: (4)

Wait-a-minnit. I thought you said in the very first post that you had the battery checked? How could they possibly have missed that?

beanss

Well turns out that the battery was good the whole time, I replaced it with a new one today and still I'am getting the same problem that I had in the first post. I must have a serious wiring problem or maybe my ignition switch? I'm really not sure what to do with this car anymore.

joeshmo

I still bet it is your ground wire. I doubt it is the ignition switch if it still clicks when you turn the key.

Check the damn ground wire and the resistance from the negative terminal on the starter to the ground post of the battery.

beanss

Ok I've checked that out now. Ground is fine. My battery was relocated to the rear from last owner, but we even replaced the 4 gauge wire he used with a 0 gauge from the ground and car still does same thing. The problem seems that the starter is not coming into contact with the flywheel. When we apply voltage directly to the starter it spins and the plunger operates. When we use the key and the factory wiring all you hear is the plunger but, no spin. Oddly,when I was mistankenly given a automatic starter it seemed to come into contact with the flywheel and start the car up, versus when I get a b16 or manual b18 starter neither seems to engage the flywheel.

Former User

For your own good, don't post until you have measured voltage at the the two starter terminals. Without those measurements you are wasting the time of our members.

beanss

We measured 11.8 -12.5 volts fluctuating at the starter terminals.It appears to be getting the correct amount of voltage.

Former User

What did you use as ground in the two starter voltage tests (motor and solenoid)?

beanss

Not sure if this answers your question but, we used the frame as a ground for the negative lead and the positive lead to the power wire- dircectly at the starter where the nut screws on to attach the power wire. To test how much voltage was actually getting to the starter.

Former User

Redo the voltage tests using the transmission as ground. Do you get the same results?