**EDIT** For people searching, my alarm relay was faulty!

Here's my problem in a nutshell:

96 DC4 LS

Car won't crank *only during the day while its in the sun*, starts like a champ at night or when its been in the garage. So during the day I just have to use some jumper cables to jump the terminals on the starter.

At first I was lead to believe it was the ignition switch upon testing all the usual suspects under the hood. So, after wasting $50 on a new one from Acura, it doesn't work. So whats next on my list? Well I've heard of main relays failing when they heat up, but they usually cause the engine to bog out once they get hot. I tried a new one anyways, but that didnt work either.

Now that I've wasted $110 on new crap that doesnt work, can anyone PLEASE give me even a hint as to what the hell is going on?? I'm now thinking about the alarm relay but I don't know what brand it is since I bought the car with it already installed.

Help me HT, don't fail me now!


Modified by DC4Shocker at 7:53 PM 5/11/2007

 

Does the starter turn over? Test the wire going to the starter and see if its getting pwr...if it is, then its likely a bad starter.

 

my friend had this happen after he installed a msd... some of the wires weren't on correctly... a msd in the garbage and a new ecu it was fixed

 

Well like I said, it doesnt turn over when its been in the sun, so the only way to crank it is to take some jumper cables and connect the terminals on the starter.

The starter is in excellent shape.. as a matter of fact its brand new. The problem is that it isn't getting power once it has been in the sun.
If someone is more familiar with the wiring than I am, please educate me becase I was under the impression that the starter circuit consisted of the main relay and of course the ignition switch.

I have other things connected to it like my alarm and my turbo timer. The turbo timer was eliminated with the new ignition switch and that didnt fix the problem..

Any ideas??

 

If the car turns over, it isn't the main relay.

Double check the ground to the battery, transmission and engine, then trace the wireing from the fuse box/battery to the starter - inspect and if you have a multimeter check for continuity between them during the daytime. Although, I'm thinking it has to be coincidence that it only starts at night.

If the starter is brand new, it could be defective. Wouldn't be the first time that has happened.

 

Ok so here's an update, I jumped all the connections on the alarm relay therefore eliminating it and the starter still does not get power after its been in the sun!

92TypeR, when my car only starts at night or in a garage for 2 entire months, it is not a coincidence
My grounds are all in order, the wiring from the battery to the starter is fine, else "jumping the terminals" would not work either.

All this evidence lets me single out the ignition curcuit, which from my knowledge includes the main relay, the starter switch, and my alarm relay. Does anybody know anymore about this?

 

i was having the same problem with 89' crx. i was told it was the coil, i changed the dizzy and it was doing less. It still did it every now and then but not as it was. It kind of helped the problem but didnt sovle it. I end it up sellin the car anyways

 

Try changing the cable going from the battery to the starter. I had the same problem in my 95 LS and found out the the wire was corroded as **** on the inside so I went ahead and changed out all the wires and connectors.

 

Guys You keep missing what he said

daytime= no start
nighttime= started

I got this funny feeling your problem has to do with moisture somehow. Whether it's on the starter or the ignition coil. What's the weather been like down in FL. lately. It could be drying up by night fall and allowing the car to start. Does the car try to crank over at all or is it completly dead in the morning?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by CubanLynx84 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Guys You keep missing what he said

daytime= no start
nighttime= started

I got this funny feeling your problem has to do with moisture somehow. Whether it's on the starter or the ignition coil. What's the weather been like down in FL. lately. It could be drying up by night fall and allowing the car to start. Does the car try to crank over at all or is it completly dead in the morning? </TD></TR></TABLE>

First, thanks for actually reading my post haha. During the winter here its actually wet and foggy at night and dry during the day. I park in my garage at night and it will always start, but even if I'm parked at the gf's house it will start at night too.
So even when its dry during the day, the starter will not recieve any power.

The actual problem that is occuring is the starter isn't getting any power, so its not cranking at all. Something is not connecting when its hot! I have a feeling the problem has to do with the expansion of metal when it heats up, but I've checked everything obvious! At this point I need a miracle...

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by DC4Shocker &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

First, thanks for actually reading my post haha. During the winter here its actually wet and foggy at night and dry during the day. I park in my garage at night and it will always start, but even if I'm parked at the gf's house it will start at night too.
So even when its dry during the day, the starter will not recieve any power.

The actual problem that is occuring is the starter isn't getting any power, so its not cranking at all. Something is not connecting when its hot! I have a feeling the problem has to do with the expansion of metal when it heats up, but I've checked everything obvious! At this point I need a miracle...</TD></TR></TABLE>

When you say the starter doesn't receive any power, you mean it won't crank over and just clicks as you try to start, if so then try tapping it with something. Or you mean you get no electrical power to it whatsoever? I don't think it heat expansion I think it's moisture cause if it's foggy at night then moisture set in and when it warms up some rust must be seize some parts together. I would take the starter out and open it up to see if there is rust inside. also did you check the rotor in the dist cap by any chance?

 

The starter recieves no electrical power. I can easily start my car during the day, it just requires attaching the starter directly to the battery using some jumper cables.