wastedfaith

I have a '95 manual B16A3. I just bought it roughly 3 weeks ago and a few days after I got it I started getting the *click* of a soon to fail starter. I could get it to start after 5-10 clicks but yesterday it stopped clicking entirely. I removed the starter and took it to AutoZone to have it tested. It failed so I bought a new one. I installed the new starter and I'm still not getting anything when I turn the key. The battery is fine, the ignition switch is fine, and the spark plugs AND wires are brand new. If I push start it, it runs perfectly until I kill it. Then (of course) it won't start again. I've checked all the fuses and they're all fine. I am out of ideas so I decided to turn to you guys to see if you could give me some ideas/advice. I hope I made the right choice... ANY AND ALL FEEDBACK/QUESTIONS/COMMENTS will me much appreciated.

Thank you,
JEREMY

oXeNo

Is the new starter doing the same thing your old one was? Or Is it not trying to start at all?

wastedfaith

The old starter was clicking a few times before it would actually turn then it just stopped clicking and that's when I decided to take it to have it tested. It failed the test so I bought the replacement. Upon installation, it still won't even click. I took the new (refurbed) starter back to have it tested just to make sure and it passed the test. So I reinstalled it and still have the same problem. I'm guessing it's electrical but I tried running a secondary ground straight to the chassis and also tried straight wiring the lead to the battery. Still no luck.

oXeNo

Well i'd have to say its electrical as well. Well it may not be a ground, did you check to see if there was power going to the starter?

wastedfaith

Yes. And there is.

oXeNo

Well idk what to say then, I have heard of people getting parts from a auto store that they said it worked and passed but no matter what it wouldn't work. I've seen it happened to my gfs step dad he got a new alternator for his camaro and he had to take it up there to get another one cause the first one they gave him didnt work.

Linked

if you have a multimeter or test light, have a friend attempt a normal cranking attempt with clutch depressed and everything, and check for voltage at the "S" terminal of the starter, which is the BLK/WHT wire for my 94' d16

wastedfaith

UPDATE: I ran a wire straight from the starter to the battery with the key advanced and it turned right over with no problem. So my question now is this...Where does the clipped wire (not the bolted one) run to? Does it run through the main relay? May that be my culprit?

BTW: Thanks to all of you.

Linked

what terminal did you connect directly to the battery? was it the bolted wire?

if thats what you did then cranked it over fine then you need to replace to cable going from the bolted terminal on the starter to the battery, yours is bad

delsolo95

im having the exact same problem. when i jump a wire from the male spade on the starter to the (+) battery itll start every time.

Khoa_DC2

Prolly bad if your starter still good but push start it and while it's on try to start it again to see if it makes noise lol

sowellman88011

the starter usually clicks when ur not getting enough power (ie the battery is bad) but its also hard on the starter. i bet ur cable running from ur battery terminal to the starter is bad. either a break tear or bad corrosion in it not letting the juice flow from the battery to the starter.

hyperblu

Test your relays

wastedfaith

Well after swapping relays and that not being the problem, I decided to just install a push button start. I ran one wire from the battery through my firewall and the other from the starter through the firewall. It has worked great since. HOWEVER...When I first bought the car I noticed that part of the top plastic spout on the radiator was cracked off and missing. There was a slight leak so I ordered a replacement radiator immediately (it will be here in about 5-6 days). Well today I nearly overheated and was luckily right by an autozone so I just pulled in there. I popped the hood and so much of the plastic spout had broken off that the hose was hardly connected. I wrapped the spout with electrical tape a few times then forced the hose over the tape and installed a brand new "twist-style" hose clamp. When I went to start the car to test out the seal it wouldn't turn over. It's not like last time where it's a starter issue cuz it's actually cranking this time just not turning over. It doesn't make any sense to me. I removed the distributor cap and wiped it clean thinking maybe when coolant sprayed around under the hood a few drops may have gotten in there. I replaced the cap and plug wires (in correct order) and it still won't turn over. This is very confusing to me since the only thing I really messed with was the cooling system. Could it be possible that pieces of plastic are lodged somewhere in the cooling system preventing it from starting? Cuz if that's not a possibility my next suspect would be the alternator. Or maybe the plugs themselves got wet somehow. I guess I'll give it some time to dry and try again in a bit but until then I'll be looking around on here to see if I can find anything helpful. Thank you all for you comments and suggestions. I really hope to get this thing running right cuz I really enjoy driving it.

NotAJDMFanBoy

What relay did you replace? I had a similar problem on a 1993 EX coupe. It would crank sometimes, but not always. Replaced the main relay (gray, had a brownish plug, under the dash on the driver's side), clean the contacts, it worked fine for the next month I had it...and then sold it

wastedfaith

I swapped the starter relay (near the main relay) with another relay (I think the horn). Still won't start. It's really aggravating cuz I just bought it and have already put almost $2,000 in it. The engine and transmission are great but the last owner just didn't maintain anything other than oil changes.

hyperblu

main relay...

wastedfaith

ya think?

wastedfaith

I took the main relay out and it looks weathered like it got wet at some point somehow. weird...but yeah, I ordered another one and will be swapping it the day I get it. if it's not that I'll have to assume that my starter and alternator coincidentally went bad at the same time...

hyperblu

Then dont ask for help, jerk.

wastedfaith

that wasn't meant to come across as sarcastic. sorry.

wastedfaith

I ordered the main relay and installed it. No luck. I guess I'll check the fuel pump and distributor next. After that I have no idea what else to do. Anybody got any other ideas?

Former User

A bad main relay would not cause the problem you are having. Cancel the order.

My guess is that the original starter was fine.

Check this:

wastedfaith

The original starter was tested and failed. The new starter was tested and passed. I had to straight-wire the starter and install a push button start to bypass whatever was preventing the car from starting. It worked just fine for a few days after installing the new starter but then the radiator hose broke loose and it ran a little hot. After installing a new radiator and replacing the main relay (which I received already, so no cancelling that) I'm still not having any luck. Ron, what am I looking for exactly? A broken piece? And wouldn't the clutch pedal switches be irrelevant now since I installed the straight-wired push button start?

Former User

It's a plastic/rubber stopper that presses on the starter switch at the top of the clutch pedal. Is it missing or broken?

Describe exactly how the start button is wired into the starter circuit.