I have 97 ex coupe with the orignal d16 motor.

I went to start my car this morning, and the lights came on (seatbelt, srs, cel)
and I went to push the key all the way to the "start" position, and it just clicked, and all the lights shut off.

I went and disconnected the battery and cleaned the post and the clamp. But the clamp was really loose, I can easily take it off and put it on the post with one hand. So I reconnected the battery, figuring it might have just been the build up of all the crub of the post. I put the key in, the lights go on (seatbelt srs etc.) and the same thing happens, click.

Then I tried it one more time, cleaning it very carefully, and i reconnected it, went to start my car, and all the lights flickered, and the click that the ecu makes kept going, so from the passenfger footwell i hear "click click click click click click"

So then I figured out that i dont know what the hell is wrong, and here i am.

It did this once before, and i disconnected and reconnected the battery and it fired up just fine, so i figured it would do the same thing this time.

Can you guys help me figure this out??

 

Hook your car up to a jump. Right now it seems like it could be a starter or battery (maybe even alternator problem).

Try jumo starting it, then tell us what happens. We'll be able to narrow it down from there.

 

If it seems like the car has full power, but when you go to start it and nothing happens or you hear a small faint click noise, your atarter is probably taking a **** out on you.

Try this:

Have someone with a hammer and a long metal or woden rod of some sort ready to knock on the starter while you ttry and crank the car. If they tap the starter (it sits on the top of your tranny case) and the car fires up, then you at least need a starter post kit. If no post kit is avaialble then you need a starter.

I'm thinking your car isn't turning over at all, right?

 

Yeah that's what I was getting at...

My starter just recently went. I popped it off, cracked it open and pulled out the solenoid. I cleaned off the inside and outside terminals on it and now it works like a champ. But I just wanted to make sure he didn't just completely drain his battery, because sometimes that clicking sound is just caused by bad connections.

 

I jump started the car from my moms battery, and it fired up extremely fast, then I drove it down to sears, radio on, lights on. And I bought a new battery, this works fine, so I assume if it was the starter, it still wouldnt work w/ a new battery, right??

So now i just have to see if the battery lasts a while, b/c if it dies fast, i should assume an alternator problme, correct??

Thanks for the help so far guys!!

 

yes, see how much voltage the alternator is putting out. should be around 14 volts when charging.

 

how would I go about checking the output of my alternator??

Thanks!!

 

any voltmeter should work.

 

Sounds like a dead battery or a dead starter. Jump\charge the battery. If it still clicks, try a new\working starter. Assuming the lights turn on, the radio turns on etc etc, i would think it to be the starter.

HTH,

-Nick-