raidacaipo

For example, if I drive to the store to pick up something real quick, I turn off the car and when I come back to try and start it, it doesnt start! It doesnt crank or anything it just clicks. I have to wait maybe 30 mins as the car rests and then it starts!

Im guessing it has to do something with the engine being hot? It does this to me when I turn off the car to run a quick errand and when I come back it wont start. I have to wait... Have anyone ever experienced this?

holmesnmanny

I would bet the house that your ignition switch is bad.

raidacaipo

How do you know? What are the signs of a bad ignition switch and is it hard and expensive to fix?

holmesnmanny

When the ignition switch contacts heat up(driving the car), the solder joints open, similar to what happens to a main relay, and they fail to function. After cooling down, the contacts close and work again.

raidacaipo

Your awesome man! Thanks this is very useful information and I also just found this link

http://www.honda.com/newsandviews/ar...=2002052353859

How much does it cost to replace the electrical components while retaining the key locks?

holmesnmanny

In that recall, the ignition switch is faulty in the on position contacts. I don't know what kind of car you have, but I had an aftermarket ignition switch that went bad after only 1 year and had the same symptoms you had. This is how I know about this. I pulled another from the junkyard and swapped it in and I was good to go. My original ignition switch wasn't even bad, but I bought the aftermarket one and just tossed my oem one.

Normally you just remov the lower ignition cover/dash cover and there is two 6mm bolts holding the ignition switch to the steering column. The other end has a connector that you disconnect.

There is a small chance that your battery terminal has a small film on it that is preventing a good contact. This is caused by a leaking/old battery going bad. Check that first. Sometimes you can't see the film. If not, then I would swap out the ignition switch.

raidacaipo

Yea I checked everything! The battery is new and the connections on it are solid. The starter is new, the connections on that is solid. The engine is fine, no turning issues. After reading everything on google, I am 100% it is the ignition electrical module. I just dont know what to order or how to install it. Can you or anyone direct me to links if possible? Thanks. I will continue searching in the meantime

holmesnmanny

It's best really to get it from Honda as it's only around a $50 part from them which is pretty cheap.
www.hondapartscheap.com is on the west coast
www.hondapartsunlimited.com is on the east coast

get it from whichever place is closest.

raidacaipo

Alright so I called the dealer and did some more research. Turns out that the ignition switch replacement might not be necessary. I spoke to a technician and he asked me if the car ever stalled while driving? Meaning, has it ever shut off and all the electrical components such as the radio, headlights, dashlights etc turn off while driving. I said no, therefore he tells me its something else other than the ignition switch. The symptoms are usually driving, then the vehicle stalls, and then you have problems starting the car and have to wait periods of time before it starts again. Now I have to replace my steps and figure out what the problem is.. Pain in the ***!!

Former User

When the starter won't crank, do the ON(III) continuity tests for the ignition switch.

raidacaipo

Check this out... This also happens

Former User

Test the battery.

raidacaipo

Brand new Battery

Former User

Have you tested it?

raidacaipo

How do you test out a new battery? I changed the negative battery connection on it and tightened all the wires. I also thought the battery was bad so I got the old one tested and it was still good but I still replaced it with a new one just in case.

Former User

You test a new battery the same way that you test an old one. If you don't know how, have an auto parts store test it for you.

More details are needed. When did you install a new battery? Before or after the problem started?

And has the alternator been tested?

raidacaipo

Yes the alternator works and it charges the battery. I brought my car to a local parts store, they hooked up the battery connections and tested it on my car. Everything looked fine. I still bought another battery with more crank power just in case and replaced it. The problem occured before I bought the new battery. Thats why I bought a new battery just in case it needed more crank power. The alternator has not been tested but from the battery test, the guy at the local parts store says its running fine. I also removed the negative battery connection while the car was running to make sure that the alternator was working and the car still ran.

Former User

Measure voltage across the 2 battery posts with a multimeter and have the alternator tested.

Never do this^ test. It's a great way to damage sensitive electrical components.

raidacaipo

I will post up another video soon! Sometimes when I crank, it makes a high pitch screeching noise on the third key turn that sounds awful then it starts. It sounds like a grinding sound but its definitely not the alternator belt being lose or a/c or p/s belts I replaced those also

Yea I only did it one time for this test but the problem is the same before and after

raidacaipo

What the?? Im going to try this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WiReOynIlmw#t=189

raidacaipo

Any other honda gurus out there?

Former User

Again, the problem sounds like a battery low on charge due to a weak alternator. If you are unwilling to do basic diagnostic tests, then you may be dealing with this problem for the long term.

holmesnmanny

When you have an issue and you are telling it to people that can only rely on what you tell them, you need to be as detailed as possible on what is happening and when.

When you started this thread you said it wasn't cranking at all, now you are saying it also has been cranking. This has a big bearing on the advice you get.

You need to start the car and test the voltage to determine if the alternator is not properly charging the battery which could be causing your car to not start.

raidacaipo

Its both... It cranks like in the video.. THEN after driving and shutting off the car, it will not start it only clicks so I would have to wait 30 mins for it to start.

I already said I took it to a local parts store and they tested the battery while it was on the car and they said all connections are good. They tested it while the car was off and starting the car. I was going to take off the alternator to get it checked at the local parts store but the man who tested my battery said it wasnt necessary because he checked the voltages with his multimeter and battery load hand computer..

I have been working on Hondas for a long long time and done many swaps. I am not new to swapping motors and diagnosing problems but I really cant figure this out.

More info: 97 Civic CX hatchback with JDM b18c completely stock with P/S A/C running on a p72 obd2 ECU with all emission components connected, BARD and no check engine lights. I did all the work myself if that helps

raidacaipo

What are basic diagnostic checks? Can you inform me? Do you mean to simply take off the alternator and get that checked? I barely installed a new battery and it does the same thing even when I just installed the battery and try to start it. Does the alternator affect a new battery during start up?

Did this it measures 12.6v within the range.


How do you perform this test?

Im going to start looking into other causes such as ignition coil, distributor cap and rotors, new spark plug wires, clutch switch, main relay fuse, there are so many things to check. And the cause of a high screeching, grinding noise at times right after the motor turns and starts. Maybe its a mechanical problem instead of a electrical problem that physically wont cause the motor to turn