This morning when i tried to leave a friends house my car acted as if it had a dead battery. Nothing was left on overnight (dome lights, head lights, etc etc). I hung my head in shame, and figured I'd give it one more shot. It started right up, however, my check engine light was cleared (usually an o2 code) and my radio lost all the settings. Drove home with no problems at all.

Just tried to start it about 11 hours after all this and it's doing the same thing. I turn the key to the on position and everything comes on except the engine. When I tried to crank it the first time you could hear the starter click a few dozen times but won't turn over. I can get one or two clicks out of it now.

The terminals are clean and I think the battery is only 1 or 2 years old. I highly doubt its the alternator since I have no issues with dimming headlights or anything like that not to mention after sitting for a while it wouldn't start. What do you guys think it is.

 

bump for some help. The problem can still be the starter. Take it out and have it tested at advanced auto.

 

kinda sounds like your starter is junk. if it clicks then that is the starter solenoid working but if it won't crank its normally the starter. if it wasn't clicking id say check fuses or if it had a starter relay check that. try to see if you jump it if it starts if it does then its your battery. but click but no start as long as your dash lights stay on and your head lights don't dim to the point they almost go out its the starter.

cause of the rules i can't add another post but yeah try hitting the starter with a hammer there might be a dead spot in the bindex (wire windings)don't quote me on the spelling.... inside the starter you can try to hit it with a hammer but if it does start i wouldn't trust that starter i would replace it before you get stranded


id say about a 1/4 swing not really hard but just enough to vibrate it and you only need to hit it once or twice try it while someone tries to start it

starters normally don't give warning they just take a **** like right away i work for a company that does on site service and we do at least 3-4 service calls a week for fleet companies that starters just crap out

Modified by illinoishondaboy at 6:34 PM 5/3/2008


Modified by illinoishondaboy at 6:37 PM 5/3/2008

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by illinoishondaboy &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">kinda sounds like your starter is junk. if it clicks then that is the starter solenoid working but if it won't crank its normally the starter. if it wasn't clicking id say check fuses or if it had a starter relay check that. try to see if you jump it if it starts if it does then its your battery. but click but no start as long as your dash lights stay on and your head lights don't dim its the starter. </TD></TR></TABLE>

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by REAL TIME &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">bump for some help. The problem can still be the starter. Take it out and have it tested at advanced auto.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Should I hit the starter?

 

Also if it was the starter wouldn't I notice some other issues. If the starter was starting to go wouldn't it have started acting funny a little while ago rather than just straight up crapping out all of a sudden?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by illinoishondaboy &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
cause of the rules i can't add another post but yeah try hitting the starter with a hammer there might be a dead spot in the bindex (wire windings)don't quote me on the spelling.... inside the starter you can try to hit it with a hammer but if it does start i wouldn't trust that starter i would replace it before you get stranded
</TD></TR></TABLE>

Are we talking a tap or like half a swing?

I've never whacked it before. &lt;&lt;that's what she said

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by importdreamer &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Also if it was the starter wouldn't I notice some other issues. If the starter was starting to go wouldn't it have started acting funny a little while ago rather than just straight up crapping out all of a sudden?</TD></TR></TABLE>

Not necessarily. Check whether the starter connections are tight and not corroded. If you are sure the battery is fully charged, run wires from the battery directly to the starter. If it doesn't crank the engine, you have your answer.

 

took starter to auto zone and had it tested. It checked out, so did the solenoid. They told me to check my cables. Any other suggestions?

 

Sounds like a Bad Ground Maybe.... Check all those big black cables! And yeah, give it a little whack session, couldn't hurt.

 

A bad starter could be "fine" at times. If the starting keeps clicking then that is either an indication that your battery is low, your cables to the starter are bad, or your starter is bad and the secondary solenoid responsible for the rotational motion isn't energizing properly due to a bad electrical connection.

However, because your ECU and radio were reset, I'm inclined to think your battery is low. Take a voltmeter and measure your voltage when the car is off... should be in the neighborhood of 12.5 volts, give or take a few tenths. Then measure when the car is running... should be 14.7+ volts. If your voltage while off is low, the battery is the reason it's not starting. If voltage is low while the car is on, either your alternator isn't charging properly or your voltage regulator isn't functioning correctly. Either way, that points to a bad alternator.

 

Have you checked the water level in your battery lately?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Ice78transam &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Sounds like a Bad Ground Maybe.... Check all those big black cables! And yeah, give it a little whack session, couldn't hurt.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Replaced the battery last night, and still nothing. Re-installed the old starter after brushing off the teeth and cleaned the negative cable connections and the tranny ground. Also re-wired power wire for stereo amp and cleaned the positive cable. Try starting the car and she fired right up. Turned it off and on few times and started flawlessly. I'm thinking it was just all the corrosion everywhere. Thanks for the help guys.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by hushypushy &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Have you checked the water level in your battery lately?</TD></TR></TABLE>

they have batteries that hold charge with water now??

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Blk00EJ8 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">they have batteries that hold charge with water now??</TD></TR></TABLE>

I just popped open the cap on the battery in my del Sol a couple days ago and filled it up with water... so uh

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Blk00EJ8 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

they have batteries that hold charge with water now??</TD></TR></TABLE>

Do you know how a battery works?

 

yea i had the same problem thier is probably a bad ground it needs another source to turn over the motor what we did was install a push start button it would be a good idea to hide urs.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by hushypushy &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I just popped open the cap on the battery in my del Sol a couple days ago and filled it up with water... so uh </TD></TR></TABLE>

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by wakaranai &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Do you know how a battery works?</TD></TR></TABLE>

Do I honestly need to write "/sarcasm" after things I comment on? geez It's the electrolytic that is conducive to electrical charge, so for the record -- yes, I am familiar with how a battery works.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Blk00EJ8 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Do I honestly need to write "/sarcasm" after things I comment on? geez It's the electrolytic that is conducive to electrical charge, so for the record -- yes, I am familiar with how a battery works.</TD></TR></TABLE>

 

actually the whole "whack thing" really only applies on older types of starters. it sounds like you have a poor ground or you brushes in you start are worn and need to be replaced. it wont start probably because the brushes aren't making contact. it might catch sometimes which is why it'll start sometimes. but don't whack your starter it can mess with the magnets inside and they can fall off the housing in its a much more expensive repair.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Blk00EJ8 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

Do I honestly need to write "/sarcasm" after things I comment on? geez It's the electrolytic that is conducive to electrical charge, so for the record -- yes, I am familiar with how a battery works.</TD></TR></TABLE>

hmm, well to be quite honest, that was a pretty stupid comment. Whether you said it on purpose (to be funny or sarcastic or whatever) or whether you said it seriously at the time, that doesn't matter. I'm still trying to figure out why you posted that, but oh well, they can't all be zingers. Don't think too much about it

 

to each their own... not particularly comical at all, I admit, but it doesn't nearly approach the charts on h-t's all-time list of stupid comments. it definitely wasn't sig-worthy

moving along.... I think the OP is beyond his problem at this point. corrosion and build-up does bad things to electrical contacts.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Blk00EJ8 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
moving along.... I think the OP is beyond his problem at this point. corrosion and build-up does bad things to electrical contacts.</TD></TR></TABLE>

This is true. I've been driving it for about a week and I figure if it was the starter it would have crapped out again by now.