1992 Honda Civic Starting Problem
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Honda-Tech Member
Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 33
Likes: 3
1992 Honda Civic Starting Problem
Hello Folks -
I seem be developing a starting problem : I've noticed these past few days that the car is "struggling" to start.
i.e. it seems to slowly wind up when cranked and once the engine gets going it runs fine.
Today I went to the PO and dropped off mail. The engine was normal running temperature.
When I returned to the car, it would just not crank - not a sound - not
a noise - just silence. I walked into the PO and waited for about 10 minutes to get change for the bus ride home.
Just on a whim I tried to restart the car after "it cooled a bit" and it started up as mentioned above.
I drove it home.
Battery voltage reads 12.5, Alternator reads 14.5, and I went to Advance Auto and they did a diagnostic which
says the battery is fine : 475 CCA. I would imagine the starter is also fine - i.e. not burned out. No burned out
fuses. Igniter / coil are fine. The main relay - I don't know ? Is it the ignition switch - I noticed "recently" that there are
times when the switch does not complete the circuit to run the radio and I have to toggle it a bit.
So this is mysterious - Any one know what is going on ???
I seem be developing a starting problem : I've noticed these past few days that the car is "struggling" to start.
i.e. it seems to slowly wind up when cranked and once the engine gets going it runs fine.
Today I went to the PO and dropped off mail. The engine was normal running temperature.
When I returned to the car, it would just not crank - not a sound - not
a noise - just silence. I walked into the PO and waited for about 10 minutes to get change for the bus ride home.
Just on a whim I tried to restart the car after "it cooled a bit" and it started up as mentioned above.
I drove it home.
Battery voltage reads 12.5, Alternator reads 14.5, and I went to Advance Auto and they did a diagnostic which
says the battery is fine : 475 CCA. I would imagine the starter is also fine - i.e. not burned out. No burned out
fuses. Igniter / coil are fine. The main relay - I don't know ? Is it the ignition switch - I noticed "recently" that there are
times when the switch does not complete the circuit to run the radio and I have to toggle it a bit.
So this is mysterious - Any one know what is going on ???
Honda-Tech Member
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 4,063
Likes: 287
Re: 1992 Honda Civic Starting Problem
^^ The clutch safety switch could be one of a couple possible no crank, no start scenarios. Ignition switch as well (op mentions having to jiggle it a little bit) <-- lol
Or the starter signal wire loose. I've had the clutch switch gone out of my own EG for a long while now, it did the same thing so I bypassed it. My starter signal wire also comes off at random (I can't even bullshit an explanation as to how THAT happens). The little spade stud on the starter itself works its way loose sometimes too. There's a nut hidden in the little plastic shroud over it that can be tightened. Sometimes the little stud comes loose causing a poor connection. Well, it has on me a few times (I couldn't possibly be the only fella to have that happen). Your battery sounds fine unless you've got a dead cell, then it may show good voltage but turn quickly to garbage really fast. I dealt with that not long ago also. Drained super fast but would still charge AND I was getting positive voltage from the neg post. Again, I couldn't even reasonably lie an explanation on that either. Lol.
Summary:
Clutch safety switch
Ignition switch
Starter signal wire
Check out those as well.
Or the starter signal wire loose. I've had the clutch switch gone out of my own EG for a long while now, it did the same thing so I bypassed it. My starter signal wire also comes off at random (I can't even bullshit an explanation as to how THAT happens). The little spade stud on the starter itself works its way loose sometimes too. There's a nut hidden in the little plastic shroud over it that can be tightened. Sometimes the little stud comes loose causing a poor connection. Well, it has on me a few times (I couldn't possibly be the only fella to have that happen). Your battery sounds fine unless you've got a dead cell, then it may show good voltage but turn quickly to garbage really fast. I dealt with that not long ago also. Drained super fast but would still charge AND I was getting positive voltage from the neg post. Again, I couldn't even reasonably lie an explanation on that either. Lol.
Summary:
Clutch safety switch
Ignition switch
Starter signal wire
Check out those as well.
Honda-Tech Member
Joined: Jan 2018
Posts: 1,903
Likes: 180
From: Mississippi
Re: 1992 Honda Civic Starting Problem
^^ The clutch safety switch could be one of a couple possible no crank, no start scenarios. Ignition switch as well (op mentions having to jiggle it a little bit) <-- lol
Or the starter signal wire loose. I've had the clutch switch gone out of my own EG for a long while now, it did the same thing so I bypassed it. My starter signal wire also comes off at random (I can't even bullshit an explanation as to how THAT happens). The little spade stud on the starter itself works its way loose sometimes too. There's a nut hidden in the little plastic shroud over it that can be tightened. Sometimes the little stud comes loose causing a poor connection. Well, it has on me a few times (I couldn't possibly be the only fella to have that happen). Your battery sounds fine unless you've got a dead cell, then it may show good voltage but turn quickly to garbage really fast. I dealt with that not long ago also. Drained super fast but would still charge AND I was getting positive voltage from the neg post. Again, I couldn't even reasonably lie an explanation on that either. Lol.
Summary:
Clutch safety switch
Ignition switch
Starter signal wire
Check out those as well.
Or the starter signal wire loose. I've had the clutch switch gone out of my own EG for a long while now, it did the same thing so I bypassed it. My starter signal wire also comes off at random (I can't even bullshit an explanation as to how THAT happens). The little spade stud on the starter itself works its way loose sometimes too. There's a nut hidden in the little plastic shroud over it that can be tightened. Sometimes the little stud comes loose causing a poor connection. Well, it has on me a few times (I couldn't possibly be the only fella to have that happen). Your battery sounds fine unless you've got a dead cell, then it may show good voltage but turn quickly to garbage really fast. I dealt with that not long ago also. Drained super fast but would still charge AND I was getting positive voltage from the neg post. Again, I couldn't even reasonably lie an explanation on that either. Lol.
Summary:
Clutch safety switch
Ignition switch
Starter signal wire
Check out those as well.
Honda-Tech Member
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 4,063
Likes: 287
Re: 1992 Honda Civic Starting Problem
Thread Starter
Honda-Tech Member
Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 33
Likes: 3
Re: 1992 Honda Civic Starting Problem
EVERYONE - THANKS VERY MUCH FOR ALL THE SUGGESTIONS -
IT WAS THE STARTER - I CHANGED THE UNIT WITH AN AUTOZONE #16914
INTENDED REPLACEMENT FOR A MITSUBA Sm-302-48. (AUTOZONE
HAD PUT IN A NIPPONDENSO UNIT IN THE BOX - SO I HAD TO BIKE
OVER AND GET THE RIGHT PART !)
IT CRANKED UP AND RAN RIGHT AWAY.
JUST TO BE ON THE SAFE SIDE I PLAN TO REPLACE ALL THE FRAGILE
COMPONENTS - THE IGNITION (COMBINATION) SWITCH, CLUTCH SWITCHES,
AND THE IGNITER.
I MEAN THE CAR IS 28 YRS OLD AND IS STILL RUNNING ON ALL THE
"OLD" COMPONENTS !!!
IT WAS THE STARTER - I CHANGED THE UNIT WITH AN AUTOZONE #16914
INTENDED REPLACEMENT FOR A MITSUBA Sm-302-48. (AUTOZONE
HAD PUT IN A NIPPONDENSO UNIT IN THE BOX - SO I HAD TO BIKE
OVER AND GET THE RIGHT PART !)
IT CRANKED UP AND RAN RIGHT AWAY.
JUST TO BE ON THE SAFE SIDE I PLAN TO REPLACE ALL THE FRAGILE
COMPONENTS - THE IGNITION (COMBINATION) SWITCH, CLUTCH SWITCHES,
AND THE IGNITER.
I MEAN THE CAR IS 28 YRS OLD AND IS STILL RUNNING ON ALL THE
"OLD" COMPONENTS !!!
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