Texasmark

2009 Element Ex 2.4 engine 110k miles: Car was bought and lived in NY for at least 2 years in the salt. Bought in Dallas area in Jan. Not a lot of miles put on it. Sits in a garage. No problems, worked great. Battery Walmart Maxx 51R 535 or 625 CCA...forget which 6 months old, fully charged verified. I load tested it and it appears to meet the spec in the service manual (8v min at 360 amps) butttttt?

Recently, when attempting to start, after sitting for a week or so, the starter bendix would slam the drive gear into the flywheel but would not turn the engine.....just a grunt. Working through the options including new starter, I am down to corrosion at the battery terminal harness connector crimp, not the connector-battery part but the crimp of the high current connector wires to the relay box and battery to starter wiring. Even though it looks corroded externally, does the crimp maintain continuity within? I put an ohm meter across the junction and read zero Ohms. Don't know if it's still zero at 300 amps.

I did find the battery ground wire had a corroded lug to the engine casting tab so I redid that to a solid engine bolt but apparently that had no effect on the outcome.

Other question is I assume the starting solenoid is within the starter assembly as there is the small control wire attached to the starter apparently for activating the high current switch supplying main power to it, like is performed in other make of vehicles by a remote starter solenoid. The power wire to the starter goes directly to the starter from the battery terminal, does it not? Confused as at the battery + terminal, 2 large wires are crimped to that lug, one going to the relay box and the other heading off toward the starter.....what's in the relay box to require a #2 (looking) AWG wire, same size as the other one seemingly going directly to the starter?

Is corrosion at the starter lug crimp a corrosion problem if the lug to starter connection under the rubber boot is nice and shiny?

Just trying to get some ideas since I just got everything put back together yesterday, very carefully with a new intake manifold gasket and all the stuff connected back up and really don't want to have to tear it all out to go down and check the crimp at the starter since it's still doing what it did. However, I did remove the spark plugs and without compression it will slowly roll the engine. Going to take the battery to WW for a warranty replacement today. Hope that's it but really feel it's not.

Thoughts appreciated. Thanks, Mark

canister

Jump it with the booster cable and see if it helps. If it does, fix the joint.

Texasmark

Good idea. Thanks

Texasmark

Got a new battery today and knew that wasn't my problem. With the new battery the engine roll was better but way slow....on an engine that you touch the starter and it leaps to life. Then i felt the terminals and the starter case and both were hot, being a new starter I knew it wasn't shorted internally and the brushes were new so it dawned on me that something was loading the engine. After some thought I removed the accessory (used to be called a fan belt but Honda has electric fans) flat belt and went to each pulley driven by the belt and felt how easily it turned.

When I got to the alternator, it didn't budge......BINGO. The smoking gun. Went in and touched the ignition switch and the little darling jumped to life, Headed to "Honda Parts Now" www as soon as I close this and get some parts. Gotta have the storm to get the rainbow. Wink!

canister

Good one, glad you troubleshot it so efficiently. I did not come across a seized Honda alternator yet. Mine on the Pilot shorted and drained the battery though when it had to be replaced. Still turns freely. You can buy a bearing kit and rebuild relatively easily.

Texasmark

I am going to do that and probably put brushes in the starter core which I wasn't required to submit either.....just clean them up, fix them and put them on the shelf for a rainy day. Interested in the amount of wear on the electrical contact parts. Things are horribly corroded and wanted to change them out anyway as part of the 100k mile replacements like fluids, plugs and now this. It gave me an opportunity to clean the butterfly in the air intake which, when dirty causes irratic idling in my Chevy Silverado. Other thing I found was the water pipe that goes across the front of the engine for water to the heater and this butterfly (correct name is eluding me at this minute) had numerous rust spots where the welds were made when manufactured and that was just an accident waiting to happen. And then there was the highly corroded Knock Sensor that I had to remove to get the starter out....replaced it too. And then the accessory belt that looked to be ok when removed, proved to be the original....surely time to swap that. Should be good to go for another 100K.

Nice chat. Mark