hey all, newbie here.

i've got a '98 (stock & standard). anyway, sometimes the engine wont turn over. the clutch is pushed in all the way and the dash lights/stereo come on, but it wont start. i had a starter problem in my old corolla but i used to hear a 'click'...on the civic i don't hear that. thankfully after i release the clutch then press it in again and try to start, the car starts.

any ideas what the problem might be?

 

Briefly check your clutch safety switch to see if you still got the little plastic plug. Samething happen to me and then finally broke and I was not able to start my car but it's a easy fix.

Oh and if you find small pieces of blue hard rubber pieces under the driverside floor mat then that piece is starting to break.

This is just one of those things to check.

 

thanks for the info, crx.
i need to pick up a haynes manual....i guess i just look at the top of the clutch pedal arm under the lower dash area?

 

well it's getting a lot worse now. sometimes i need to turn the key 10-15 times before it will start. on the weekend i replaced the starter bc my mechanic thought it was that, but it's still doing it.

is there anything else i can check? i don't have lots of cash to spend repairing "could be's"

 

X2. Also, on my EJ1 I had the actual clutch saftey switch fail. I went to leave an Arbys one night a couple years ago and it wouldn't start. Dash lights were on and everything seemed normal but when turning the key to slot III the engine would not spin over. A buddy of mine was there and he pushed my car and it bump started just fine. So I drove home and later checked the clutch safety switch. Clip was still fine and still plugged in. I bent a piece of wire and jumped the terminal to bypass the switch and she started right up.

 

rookie question, but how exactly would i bypass it?

i forgot to update. now sometimes i wont release the clutch....i'll leave my foot on it and just keep trying to turn the key from off to position III and sometimes the engine will turn over. do you still think it's the clutch safety switch?

 

If it doesn't click it might be your relay.

 

Unplug the electrical clip going to the switch. Take a paper clip(unfold it and shape it into a "U" shape)or any wire and jump from one pin to the other to bypass the switch.