yesterday night, i got into some problems with my 97 1.6EL. It wouldn't start: *click click click* Oh great, I must of drained the battery I think. (maybe I slowly drained it over time by leaving the interior light on.)(I do this because when I deliver pizzas it's nice to have a light on at night.) This never caused me trouble before. It's a manny so I push start it and I'm away. I get to a red light and it's idling, then it just goes dead. Well atleast there's not too much traffic, try push starting again it tries to fire thought I had it but it wouldn't go. My friend tows my vehicle to my gfs 2 blocks away. We try boosting it, it starts but then dies before I can get it moving. Is it the alternator or a really dead battery? Sometime there was some nasty grinding sounds when I tried to start it when it's not running, but it always started. I don't know if this a related problem or what...

I've only had this car for a month and I'm a noob so I'm on here looking for some old hands at this stuff.

 

Nasty grinding sounds= starter
not starting= battery
as for the alternator, I would replace the battery first since it seems to be dead, if you have the battery warning light on then it means the alternator has taken a **** on you. That light is the charging malfunction light it doesn't mean you battery is low it means your charging system is messed up.

 

Is the so-called battery light on in the instrument cluster? This light is actually for the charging system (= alternator etc.). If it is on, this points to the alternator. If not, for now figure it is the battery. What is the battery voltage, using a multimeter?

If the battery is four or more years old, it's due. Get an Interstate. Besides, it is not good for the alternator to charge dead batteries; they are not made for this.

 

yeah its the alternator.

the battery only starts the car, the alt keeps it running.

 

(I got the service manual for my car. So I'll check and see what lights are coming on. But I'm thinking its the alternator. I'm going to try to do it myself. But I don't have a garage. I might be out fixing it in freezing cold canada weather. Maybe I can get it in my gfs dads garage. Too bad we're trying to fix the mustang that won't start too! I killed that one too. )

I was doing some reading on batteries. I went to the interstate batteries website and I can't find a retailer near me. Are the interstates deep cycle? I read that deep cycle batteries are good because you can drain them and then re-charge them but starter batteries if they get drained then they never get a full charge again? I don't know why one little light would cause my battery to die? Damn alternator I guess. Anyways I plan on upgrading my system maybe install some subs and maybe down the line a carputer...

so any recommendations?

 

I would seriously replace just the battery first. I know I wouldn't want to freeze my *** of changing the alternator if I didn't have to.

 

The battery Interstate makes for cars is not a deep cycle. The starter battery Interstate and others makes for cars is going to give you car-specific features that you will want. For more discussion, see https://honda-tech.com/forums/acura-integra-type-r-8/battery-options-809832/.

I understand Interstate btw is or was OEM on many Hondas and is highly reputable: Good life and fits perfectly in stock Hondas.

If it is old and has gone effectively dead a few times, the light could be the tipping point.

Battery has to be replaced first, like the others are saying. What is the voltage reading on it, using a multimeter?

 

How many miles on that civic? Can you turn your headlights on without the car started only the key in the ignition? I say replace the battery first, or use a battery from another car if you can just to get it runing and make sure before you waste money on a battery. Careful though, if you use a to big of a battery you'll spin the stater like a top. If not the battery then alternator. That gringing/crunching noise that happens sometimes when you try to start is the starter. Hopefully someone didn't get rid of a big headache on you, your problem might not be as simple as you wish for or think. It could end up being some bullshit electrical problem or relay/main relay problem...Try the battery, if that doesn't work post back.

 

He wrote in bold that it was a 1.6 EL not a Civic (although its basically just a 4-door Civic anyways...I'm just breaking your *****)



To the OP: If the car dies while driving, it is the alternator. No matter how dead a battery is, the alternator would keep the car going by itself, as it supplies current while the engine is running. If you push start the car and it continues to run until you turn it off and then it fails to start again, then you can be pretty sure its the battery.

 

NAh, Ive seen cars before with a battery so dead that they refused to run. Op could always have some other issue causing the car to die with a dead battery too. The car might be dying for some other reason but not restarting because the battery is dead. I say throw some money in a battery purchase. It's a maintanance item anyway and will eliminate that part of the trouble shooting process.

 

I'm not saying your wrong, but I've never seen that personally and it doesn't make sense using my (mediocre) knowledge of curcuits.

Can anyone chime in on that?

 

..I'll chime..I move cars at a car auction and I've driven thousands of cars and sometimes the battery is so dead the car will only run if we leave the jump box on it while we move it, sometimes bigger cars like Benz'z I'll have to put two jump boxes on it to start and have it run without dying..

 

well.. maybe the alternator was gone out on these same cars? a really bad battery can blow out a alternator thats working too hard to charge the battery.

anyways I'm having troubles removing the 3P wire off the alternator. its hard to pull it out? ne suggestions?

 

Best thing to do is to test your voltage when you get it started, if it reads 14 volts, then it's just your battery. If you can't get a hold of a multi meter, then simply rev the car up to 2k right after you start it, if it keeps running then it's a bad battery. When the battery is so bad, the alternator works extra hard to charge it; the harder it works, the harder it is to turn the alternator pully, that is why at idle it will stall out.

 

I've determined that I would like to replace the alternator, battery, and alternator belt. I'm trying to remove the alternator but I'm wondering how to pull the 3P connector off. Is there any clips or do I just yank on it hard? I can't really pull it hard. Ive been trying to get some pliers around it but it's hard to access from the top.

Am I correct in thinking that I have to pull it off from the bottom?

 

Just pull hard and it'll come off, put electrical grease on it when you install the new one.

Put on a pair of hand gloves to try and get a better grip...

Yeah work from the bottom, an 1.6el!?!? Hmm you might have to take the drivaxle off also...I'm not sure someone else please correct me if I'm wrong

 

STOP.. you sound like your about to throw money around when you still don't know the problem is

easy way - get a battery... not a new one... just a battery, get one from any car that runs and try it. then look to see if you threw a belt.. then look to see if all the wires are still connected.. like the starter, alternator, distibitor, battery. does the car crank? if so its not the starter. than check to see if you have spark remove the far right plug.. drivers side, put it in the plug wire and put the plug close to the valve cover and have someone "bump" start it. also check ALL your plugs and make sure there not toast, bad plugs = no spark. and if you already have the alternator off just take it to autozone or the like and they will test it for free

 

thanks I will get the alternator checked out after I remove it. I plan on getting it rebuilt or rebuilding it myself. It's less money then buying a new or rebuilt one.

maybe i'm stubborn but I'm getting that alternator out of there.

p.s. I tried with gloves on from the top its still very tight... will get the car on stands tomm

 

You mean you want to disconnect it? There is a lock on all Honda connectors. Do not yank on the connector. Look for a tab at the end where the wires attach to the connector. Push the tab towards the centerline of the connector and pull. If this does not work (and 99% of the time it will not), then get a precision (tiny) screwdriver head in there to help pry apart the two halves of the connector while still pushing the tab and pulling the two halves apart. Vacuum/grease debris sometimes makes disconnecting these a little difficult.

The drawings at the sites below may help:

Page 1, left column of http://media.honda.co.uk/car/owner/m.../pdf/23-a3.pdf
Example B, part 3 at http://www.in.honda.com/Rjanisis/pubs/SB/B00-039.PDF The tab is on the top left of the drawing there.

 

Alternator...once the car is running, its the alternators job to keep it running...

 

i had the same problem.
i changed the ignition coil and it started!
and started beautiful and better i may add