nateasham

Hello i have a 97 del sol with a b18c5 swap. recently my starter has started to just give off a single click when i turn my key. originally i thought it was a bad wire because a change of wire fixed it for about a month. then it started again, when i loosened off the wire to the starter from the battery i noticed that the positive post on the starter would move in and out of the starter about 1/4", positive post circled in red with direction of post movement.(not my starter but picture taken from thread linked below for visualization)

it would seem to me that this could be a simple repair instead of having to replace the whole starter. while searching for answers (which i couldn't find anyone who listed the positive post loose as being a problem) i found this thread Rebuild your starter for less than $20 - Team Integra Forums - Team Integra on replacing the starter contact points. does anyone think this may fix my starter or have a different idea on what to do with my loose positive post. the starter solenoid clicks in nice and solid when i turn the key and short it to the battery too.

EsotericImage

iTrader: (8)

Get those wires securely fastened then come back to this thread.

Lose battery post would be the 1st place to start

turbohatch96y7

iTrader: (15)

Op first off apply voltage to the starter solenoid directly to rule out any wiring or ground issues.

To do this place a 10 gauge or thicker wire to the solenoid from positive cable to the starter (thick batt cable)

If the starter turns over then the problem is either a loose wire. Key switch or a ground.

When doing this remember to have the car in neutral and the e brake on

nateasham

I have electrical continuity from battery positive post through my starter wire to the positive post on the starter. continuity from the starter case to chassis. and continuity from the chassis to negative battery post.

i have swapped both the battery and the starter cable out of my civic into the del sol with no change. i have not tried a third wire but like i said i have continuity in both and my civic starts fine on the battery and cable i tried.

88CRX_SiR

Make sure that the nut holding the post into the starter is tight.

I've had them back off and create slop with the post before. Taking the positive cable off and tightening the the nut that hold it in place helps.

turbohatch96y7

iTrader: (15)

So youre just going to ignore my post?

OK..

Good luck. If someone tells you to change your head gasket its out of my hands now

gato5254

try ground wire from the battery directly to the starter, i know you checked the positive wire but had this problem with mine 2 of my grounds broke and my car would sometimes start. So
1.Neutral
2.e-brake
3. ground from battery (directly to starter)
4. start car from switch(turn keys)
5. no start from switch(turning keys)then test from direct with screwdriver on the starter.
6.nothing replace starter any b motor starter will work cheapest is the 99-00 civic SI autozone pepboys carquest whatever.
7.drink beer
8.DON'T DRIVE DRUNK

nateasham

how did i ignore your post? i put power directly to the starter, saw it there with my volt meter. and therefore posted that i had electrical continuity all the way through the system. if that was a misunderstanding of what you meant please elaborate more.

nateasham

#3Will have to try this when i get home, but individually the volt meter reads connection
#6off topic slightly but if any b series starter works why are they different price? is one better than another?

tony_2018

There's always power to the starter because it has a direct connection to the battery, its the smaller wire you need to look at.

gato5254

yes voltmeter reads connection but does not tell you how good the connection is. think about battery terminals lights turn on but no crank clean terminals and bamm it starts.

NO I don't think there is a difference between the starters but just buy one with lifetime warranty. different prices yeah. Looking at them some have bigger solenoid, bigger body, but If you think about it most of the time when starter goes bad it's the solenoid bigger smaller they just get messed up.

tony_2018" There's always power to the starter because it has a direct connection to the battery, its the smaller wire you need to look at."

that's why you jump it if it dos not start from turning keys. with a screwdriver or wire whatever.

tony_2018

Thats not what type.

nateasham

Thanks for all the help guys, All my wires are band new wires no corrosion at all, the problem started right after i swapped the new wires that's why i originally thought them to be the problem, but i have since ruled it out. the solenoid clicks the same when shorted to the battery as it does when the key is turned to crank. The problem is that the positive post for the starter is loose it can be pulled straight up out of the starter a quarter inch and pushed back in. i tried pulling it up and tightening the tension/holding nut and tested it again. NO CHANGE. i tried pushing it into the starter and tightening the nut, this didn't really work because, as i tightened the nut the bolt just came up with it and would not stay pushed in. would replacing the contact points mentioned in the thread i linked in the original post solve this connection issue. i didn't want to remove it before i knew what I'm wanting to try and already have the parts to do so and i didn't want to have buy a $189 (civic SIR) -$210 (integra VTEC) starter if i can fix it by replacing the contact points. should i just remove it and open it up and inspect it/take pics (I've never looked in a starter before)? any tips or tricks to removing it? it looks like a simple 2 bolts to remove. if I'm removing the starter anything else right there i should look at?

gato5254

$$189-$$$210 what autozone, o-reilly, pepboys $90, $90, $85 lifetime 99 civics Si starter. Maybe cheapier some where else. I dont know why you would want to fix that starter i mean it's an 15plus year old part. I understand if money is tight, but down time some times cost more. but if you fix that wire that is loose with the $20 kit your talking about how long is that solenoid going to last??????

Starter | 2000 Honda Civic SI 4 Cylinders 1.6L MFI VTEC DOHC | AutoZone.com

List: Starter - 1999 Honda Civic | O'Reilly Auto Parts

Product Results Starters | Pep Boys

tony_2018

If you have an idea just post it and we'll tell you if its a good one. If you have no idea's on getting this to work than replace the starter.

nateasham

Thanks Gato5254 but i live in canada. here the SI has a D16Y8 i know cause that was my first honda and i thought it had a b16 till i found out later. SIR has b16 in canada. none of those sites you listed ship to canada. i do like to try any buy local for 2 reasons,
1. shipping to canada tends to drain the bank IF you can even get shipping to canada. 2 shopping local is nice to keep money local. that being said ill order online if i save more than $30
if your aware of a canadian parts company that still sells for low cost or some company that ships here that would be GREATLY APPRECIATED.
edit: i found a bosch starter from autopartsway.ca for $169 would anyone speak against this starter if i choose to replace it can be viewed at http://www.autopartsway.ca/partlist....ransCTStandard
its not that i cant afford the starter but if i buy one its commin out of the savings for the koni/GC i wanna order soon so i would have preferred a repair if it was simple/low cost.

@ tony_2018 the original question is if the $20 rebuild i linked in the first post might fix the loose positive post on the starter since tightening the nut did not fix this.
but at this point im leaning towards replace whole thing and just being done with it so i can drive it a few more times before i park it for winter.

nateasham

OK i bought a new starter. i don't like wasting as much time as i have into trying to fix a single bad part. I just want to say thank you to everyone who input and helped try to figure it out.

tony_2018

I don't really know how that post is held to the starter but dude, simple googling showed me all there is to know about those 2 parts that were listed on Team-integra.

nateasham

ya i took off my starter to replace it with one i had bought. every visible part of my original starter looked as good as the new one so i popped the end cap off and it was ridiculously easy to remove those contact pieces. mine were real dirty/browned so i cleaned them up with a stiff bristle brush and replaced them. then reinstalled the starter, CLICK. tried other battery again started right up. took back the new starter, and bought a nice yellow top optima(i wanted one anyhow since I'm in cold winter climate, previous owner had a huge over sized battery in there). haven't had a problem since in 3 days. i ordered the new contacts in although here each part cost me $30 but whatever i could see that my contacts were worn. this was so easy I'm kicking myself in the head for not just trying in the first place.

nateasham

for anyone who like me, thinks you might be too NOOB to do this, your wrong. If your problem sounds like mine try it only took me like 20 mins to check and clean and replace.

tony_2018

Yeah no ****. It doesn't hurt to try to get your hands dirty, instead of waiting around for people to tell you whats wrong with your car.