Hi everyone.

I've just swapped a b18c1 into my CRX. One issue I'm facing is the starter only works intermittently. It seems to work every time if I contact the solenoid directly to the battery but only works sometimes if I use the key.

I've already check the main relay, it's perfectly good.

I also have a rywire budget B series harness if that has to do with anything.

Should I just try replacing the starter?

Thanks

 

Could be the ignition switch, but that would be totally unrelated to your recent swap. Double check all your grounds around the engine bay, battery cables, etc. Sounds like the starter is fine.

 

Depending on year, there is an interlock relay activated by the clutch pedal. Sometimes that fails. Trace the wiring from the ignition switch to that relay. If the wire from the ignition switch goes hot when you turn the key, but the wire from the relay does not, either bad relay or maybe bad switch on the clutch pedal. If you're stuck, just bypass the relay but make sure you don't crank when in gear.

 

Related to the clutch interlock, if the rubber stopper is too squished or falls out the clutch switch will fail to engage. I've had mine fall apart from age and it presented this way.

 

Once I had same issue where the little wire for the solenoid (?) on the starter was barely touching and making a connection, so sometimes it would start and other times it wouldn’t. Super frustrating I would literally push start the car to get it going then one day I was checking all the wires and noticed the connector wasn’t all the way on…100% fixed after that… so easy and I just missed it.