my 5th gen lude has been giving me real problems...

the car has 60,000 original miles on it ..
and was working fine for the last year...then all the sudden it doesn't want to start...the starter has been checked out and is 100% o.k. the ignition switch was also checked and is in tip top shape...battery is full charged... when i go to start it all i hear is fast clicking...(like a relay click)

and the car wont start...no CEL's

and get this...when i turn the combination light switch to parking lamps..they work fine but when i give it that second turn ...so the headlights can come on...it makes that relay clicking noise and the headlights don't come on...

all the fuses are fine...i don't understand...what is going on...

PLEASE help....

 

I know you said that you're battery's fine but it sounds like your cars not getting enough current to the electrical system. The clicking your hearing when you turn you lights on is probably a relay trying to click over but not getting enough current to do so. Check your battery posts. Maybe they're loose. See if you can twist it with your hands. This happens sometimes when people put extra powercables and such on the 10mm bolt but on the wrong side of the post hole.

 

i agree, a connection definitely seems loose, or a ground is loose...if you didnt have the combo switch demons, I would have suggested checking the ignitor in the dizzy if it will turn over but not fire, that is if you are running stock ignition....just my .02

 

I say clean your battery terminals.

 

battery terminals were cleaned...and the cables were secured and double checked...

i have a greddy TT installed and it measures "real-time voltage"

and when i turn the key to acc it reads 11.7 volts...

plus i just got done doing a continuity test on all positions of the ignition switch and it checked out good...

so what now?

 

double check everything again

 

I bet if you were to try and jump your car, it would start.... All though 11.7 volts is close, 13 is the magic number.

Something is draining your power. You have an alarm, audio system, or anything electrical that could be staying on, or shorting out?

 

no...nothing of that nature...

btw, i tried to jump w/ battery charger/jumper...and that did nothing...

 

starter solenoid

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Turbo Sam &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">starter solenoid </TD></TR></TABLE>

That would have been my next comment!

 

If all that fails check the fuel pump

 

Do you still have the stock deck in the car? If you do this might be a malfunction with the theft deterrant system, where for some reason or another the car isnot recognizing the coding in the key.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by littlechoppab20 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I bet if you were to try and jump your car, it would start.... All though 11.7 volts is close, 13 is the magic number.

Something is draining your power. You have an alarm, audio system, or anything electrical that could be staying on, or shorting out? </TD></TR></TABLE>

No, with the car not running the magic number is 12.6 for a fully charged battery in top-notch shape

 

i had the same problem in my 90 crx dx, it was the thermostat housing ground. check it.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by slowsh &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">If all that fails check the fuel pump</TD></TR></TABLE>why the **** would the fuel pump not allow the engine to even turn over???

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by rjr162 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

No, with the car not running the magic number is 12.6 for a fully charged battery in top-notch shape</TD></TR></TABLE>

every autoparts store that i ever bought a battery from, says that i can't return the battery if its less than 13 v? do you think they over charge them? and they are supposed to e at 12.6 ish?

yeah i would check your grounds, sounds like a fluttering relay, and the fact that you headlights are messed up id definatly check the main ground, not just at the battery, but at the other end too

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Gerhard_001 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Do you still have the stock deck in the car? If you do this might be a malfunction with the theft deterrant system, where for some reason or another the car isnot recognizing the coding in the key.</TD></TR></TABLE>that's not the problem, the theft deterrent in the radio is not realted to the immobilizer system in the car. the starter is obviously not turning if all he hears is a clicking noise


seriously, some of you people need to re-think giving advice. b/c obviously you are not properly equipped to do this.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by prelittlelude &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">every autoparts store that i ever bought a battery from, says that i can't return the battery if its less than 13 v? do you think they over charge them? and they are supposed to e at 12.6 ish?
</TD></TR></TABLE>

"12v" automotive battery use 6 cells, each cell when properly charge and in good shape produces 2.1v. 2.1v x 6 cells = 12.6v total in a battery

i'll go break out my automotive text books next for you guys and scan them if you like

 

I'm still curious, have you at least tried to jump start your car with some jumper cables yet?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by nsxlr8 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I'm still curious, have you at least tried to jump start your car with some jumper cables yet? </TD></TR></TABLE>
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by boost-stupid &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">no...nothing of that nature...

btw, i tried to jump w/ battery charger/jumper...and that did nothing... </TD></TR></TABLE>

maybe you guys should try some freakin reading comprehension too

 

you should read anywhere from 13.4 to 15 with the car running (depends on alternator etc), but the battery its self should not read over 12.6. If it were at like 13 or something it's actually overcharged, and that's not a good thing for them. This is actually a question found on the basic level MECP test also.

 

well....my battery with both cables unplugged reads...11.8v

with them pugged it also reads..11.8 v

with the car turned to acc it reads...11.7v - 11.6 v

and when i go try to start it it reads... 11.4v

i also checked the voltage at the s terminal on the starter..and when turning the ignition to start it reads..
.4v -.5 v

so something is definatly wrong here...

today i checked:

starter cut relay...good
headlight relay..good
dimmer relay...good
combination light switch...good
all fuses...good

and looked over all of the grounds again..
and the fuel pump primes every single time i turn the key to ign II


what i have noticed:

-if i turn the headlights on..they will work, but if i try to start the car w/ them on
i get clicking noise and the headlights go out and so does the indicator lamps on the dash and so does the interior lights...

then the headlights won't work for a couple of minutes...

after that it is just the same sequence over...and over...

 

what did you use to try and jump the car with?
like what kind of charger?

 

sams right batttery should be 12.6+ and prob ur dist. (ignitor) check if you have spark, fuel, compression

 

i fogot the name of the charger... i'm at work right now..

when i jumped it the setting was 12v 125amp..and the needle went to "ready start"...