MrB20VTEC

Hello everyone. I have done a search on HT and on Google and have found contradicting responses so I figured I would post and see what everyone has to say. I have a 94 Del Sol So with a B20VTEC. The car was sitting for a good while but I recently got it running again. To get the car started I had to replace the battery and the starter. Since then, I have had to replace the starter at least 3 other times. More recently, I was not able to start the car using the key on the first try but, could start it jumping the starter from the battery. After that initial start, I could use the key. Today, I went to jump the starter using the battery and the starter made a lot of funny noises (hopefully it didn't **** up anything in the transmission), and the car would not start. I got in the car and tried starting it using the key and all the car did was give me really rapid clicking noises. I was told to make sure it wasn't coming from the dash (starter relay) and I made sure that it was coming from the starter. Any help you guys could give me would be appreciated.

crazyhorse2011

Make sure the battery isn't dead. Use a jump pack or jumper cables to confirm.

If the jump start produces the same results, it's not battery related.
If the jump start makes your car turn over or start, your current battery is flat and you need to look into causes of how it drained out so fast, for example is there a short somewhere. Did you check the ECU for engine codes?

Get back with me with the info i requested and we will work from htere.

MrB20VTEC

From what I am seeing, the car is not currently throwing any codes. As far as the battery, I gotta wait for it to stop raining to get it on some jumper cables.

crazyhorse2011

You jumped the jumper harness by the glove box and got no flashes in the CEL?

MrB20VTEC

Didn't do that. No check engine light is staying on after the fuel pump primes but, I can do that.

crazyhorse2011

yes so key in ignition turn to RUN (not starting engine) and CEL should turn on for 2 seconds, pump primes, then CEL shuts off.
This is normal operation.

If you are unfamiliar with code retrieval on OBD1 civics you should do a lookup, on youtube or google and you can find how. The gist of it is short out the 2 prong plastic connector hanging under the glove box near the passenger door with a paperclip or length of wire and turn ignition to RUN (not start) and watch what the CEL does. It will flash out codes. long flashes are 10, short quick flashes are 1. So LONG-LONG ----- SHORT-SHORT-SHORT is code 23. Write it down and wait for the next code. If there's only one code it will do it over and over with a longer pause in between each sequience. If there are no codes I believe the CEL just stays lit? Someone correct me if im wrong

MrB20VTEC

Aight so I jumped the ecu, no codes. Put the battery to charge with jumper cables on my daily driver for about 15 minutes. Put the battery in the del sol, started right up. Looks like I'm gonna have to try and figure out why the he'll the battery is draining so quick and get a tender for when I let the car sit more than a week.

crazyhorse2011

Check your grounds. It's possible the battery also was faulty with an internal short

MrB20VTEC

These autozone starters and batteries are gonna be the end of me

crazyhorse2011

Yeah stop messing with that stuff. ORder a starter from rockauto.com. You'll spend way less.

And get a battery at menards or some other third party vendor not an autoparts store.

MrB20VTEC

The only upside to the autozone parts is that they are under lifetime warranty. I can't tell you how many times I've gotten a new battery or a new starter this year alone.

crazyhorse2011

right. but seriously save yourself the labor. get on rockauto right now and order a new/reman starter. when it comes, install it, clean up the autozone starter and return it.