Ok so the other morning I go out to my car after work and I try to start it. I turned the key and nothing happened. At first I thought well maybe it is the battery but then I noticed all my lights were on and the power still worked. So I pushed it and poped the clutch and it started and ran fine. When I got home I took the battery and starter to the shop and had then tested. The started turned over on the machine but the guy said it looked like the bendix was sticking and the battery showed up low. I charged the battery and took the car back to the shop and they tested the charging system and found that it is only charging at like 11-12 volts. Obviously the charging system is not working up to par could it be possible that the alternator and starter are both fried. I am kinda lost as to what to look for now and I dont want to end up buying parts that i dont need. thanks in advance... Adam

 

Could be the voltage regulator in the alternator is bad. Have you tried jumpering the starter to the battery to see if it starts? I actually have the exact same problem you're having but I believe my problem is a short somewhere that is somehow drainging the battery when the car is off.

My advice is to take the alternator out and get it checked by an alternator repair shop (not Autozone or something). I did this and the alternator checked out good even though Advance said it was putting out low voltage (just like you were told). The shop said that when you check the alternator on hondas, you have to put some type of load on it (like turning on the headlights or something) in order for the voltage to show correctly. Whether this is true or not, I have no idea. Good luck man.

 

thanks a lot for your post ill have to pull the alternator off this weekend and have it tested.

 

Oh, I should mention that pulling the alternator out of a hybrid civic is a bitch. I'm assuming you have a GSR motor, which is what I have. I just pulled mine a few weeks ago and found the easiest way is to take off the fuel rail and pull the alternator out from the top instead of from the bottom like the book says. Let me know if you have any specific questions.

 

thanks for the tip. I was dreading taking off the axle and all that crap again. do you know by chance if the 1.6 alternator will work on that.

 

A B16 alternator maybe, but i doubt the D16 one would work. And I felt the same way about taking the axle out. Pulling it out through the top is much easier and quicker.

 

grounds!! check your grounds coming from your battery, alternator, engine, tranny etc..
it sounds like a problem that a friend of mine was having with his car, turned out to be a rotted ground wire keeping the alternator from charging the battery.