My starter just died
Should I pull it out and have it checked/tested? I was told it's got a "lifetime warranty" on it, or should I get a new one?
( It has been about 4/5yrs since I put it in )

I was looking at [ PartsTrain.com - Starter - 10 products found for your 1994 Honda Accord EX 4 Cyl 2.2L ] but I'm not sure what brand, etc. to get.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

with starters, you get what you pay for. as well as any other aftermarket electrical equipment. i have brought starters back to life simply by taking them apart, cleaning them, and putting them back together. i would just get a starter from the junk yard that tested good. but that's me.

if your going for a brand new part, don't skimp out. get Honda genuine.

 

Well, not sure if it is the starter. It does "click" when you turn the key. I took the battery in to have it tested and they say it's fine. Cleaned the posts, terminals, and all the cables. Still won't start up, just "clicks" and it's becoming a bit frustrating.

 

Try this first. Sometimes the aftermarket 'rebuilders' use too little or too much grease. This may be causing the starter to stall/stick.
Or the switch for the motor has become dirty or failed.
How the starter works is when you turn the key to III(Start) the solenoid is activated, this does two things it brings the gear drive out to engage the flywheel and it presses a switch at the end of its travel. If the solenoid does not make full travel it will not close the switch, or if it does make full travel the switch may be corroded/dirty.

But, since you have replaced it in the past, I would verify that the main battery lead to the starter motor is intact and has a clean tight connection on the starter first.

If you can have someone else try to start the car as you tap on the starter motor.

 

^ I need to do this still. But here's what I have done.



Positive Terminal: https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B9iM...it?usp=sharing

Negative Terminal: https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B9iM...it?usp=sharing

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B9iM...it?usp=sharing
Bottom end of the Negative Terminal.
[it's as clean as the top side. sorry for the crappy iPhone picture]


The car powers on. The dash lights up, lights come on, clock has the right time, radio comes on, etc.

 

So a buddy of mine mentioned that I should just bypass the solenoid with a screw driver, until I can take care of it the right way. Is there any negative to doing it this way?

 

There is no easy way to use a screw driver to jump the terminals. This is a Honda not a Chevy small block. Even if you were to bypass the wiring and jump the solenoid directly, the current problem seems to be that the solenoid or starter switch is bad, so the starter may still not turn. And if the starter cable lead is bad, then it still will not work.

Need to find out why the starter is not fully activating.

Best bet would be to remove the battery, move the intake tract tubing out of the way, and pull the starter.

Ghetto fabulous way of testing using jumper cables.
Attach the red cable to the main lug on the starter, use a jumper wire between the main lug and solenoid, the other end of the red cable directly to the positive terminal on the battery. Black cable to the negative terminal, and then just touch the starter case. The starter should activate. If it does not, unhook the cables and manually rotate the motor, one way will be easy the other way will have resistance, rotated the gear the harder way. Connect cables again and see if the starter spins. If it does, there may be a bad winding in the starter. If not then the starter may require a rebuild.

Generic exploded view of F series starter...


Do you have a multimeter? If so, remove the solenoid(#7) and check for continuity between the two main lugs when the switch is closed. If no continuity then the switch is bad and will need to be repaired or replaced.