Really happy to have found this web page, and I hope someone with experience can help me. I'm a 65 yr old disabled veteran and I bought a 2002 CR-V about 4 months ago and have had starter problems ever since. First I thought it was loose wires and had a shop do the work because from the youtube videos I watched it's a b*tch just to get to the dang thing to tighten the wires (remove throttle body, intake manifold, etc) and it's so hot here in Florida that I just couldn't handle it. Plus I live at a marina with my dog in my boat, so there's nowhere to work on it here.

So, after having a shop put new terminals on the wire ends and snug them up, the problem kept happening. I go driving, it heats up, I turn off engine to get groceries or whatever, and when I get back in I have to wait at least 1 1/2 hours before the darn thing will cool down enough to start. This thing has left me and my dog, and any passengers (3 ladies so far, and a dude) stranded, and that's just unacceptable. If someone meant to do me (or us) harm, we'd be in real trouble, and couldn't get away.

I've looked all over online and rockauto.com and carparts.com are the 2 sites with the cheapest remanufactured starters. And even those are really rough on me since I've been in a legal battle with the V.A. for the past 9 1/2 years to get my "service connection" status on my disability, so they've made my life incredibly rough, and I'm already having to ration every dime just to eat through each month. This last month I was down to 2 bananas and a can of soup a day. It's the toughest challenge at the worst time in my life. So getting a starter isn't fun when they want an arm, a leg, and my ******* for one, used. Seriously, a salvage yard here wants $209 for a used one! And Honda (dealership) wants $368.70 for a reman!

MY QUESTION: Does anyone know a starter interchange that will work? Something off a Civic or any other model with a 2.4L engine, auto tranny, 2 wheel drive Honda. So far all I know is the years 2002 to 2006 will work, using a CR-V starter from those years. But if I knew that another model Honda starter would do the trick, I'd have a much wider range to search, and hopefully find something more affordable.

Anything you can advise me in this matter is most appreciated. I honestly never knew a starter could cost so much.

Thanks a lot for your time,

Joris

 

rockauto has reman options, they even have a Denso for 128 plus a 80 dollar core. What you do is you purchase it and then after installing you go back to the site and go to the return section and print out a return shipping label for the core. You put the old back in the box and send it back after putting their discounted return shipping labe on the box and then they just take the small return shipping amount out of the $80 core. You will get back like $70 or so.

I, myself, have purchased the Pure Energy option for my Civic and I have driven about 40000 miles with no issues thus far and it's a bit cheaper than the Denso. I would get the Pure Energy option if it was me.

be sure to plug in this code in the "how did you hear about us" to apply a 5 percent discount 4865365539985758

 

Thanks Manny. I saw the reman options, too. I'm looking for cheap but reliable, so the Pure Energy is looking better so far. One thing I noticed is, OEM starters had an internal solenoid, and when I was looking on used starters on ebay I saw some with external solenoids. The starter fits so tightly in there under the intake manifold that I was curious if the ones with an external solenoid would even fit. Just about have to use a shoe horn to get the starter in as it is. So for now I'm aiming to replace with an internal solenoid starter.

Also, I asked the dealership if they sold a rebuild kit and they said they stopped carrying them, and only sell complete starters now. So they don't want you repairing your own since it's cheaper. Be nice to get the kit and save money, especially for guys like me who don't have much wiggle room in their finances.

Thanks again, I do appreciate the input, and if I go that route I'll be sure to enter the discount code.

I'm still hoping to hear from someone who might know if a starter from a different model Honda would fit (re: my interchange question). Found a cheap one from a 2003-2005 Honda Accord. Looks to be the same size, but that doesn't mean it will work. But as far as price goes, it's the best price I've seen, and something that will certainly fit my budget.

 

Starters at Picknpull are $21 with a $6.99 core, $21 for a starter is about as cheap as your going to find.

With that said, you or a friend will have to pull the starter from the car.

There is one on eBay, [stock/used] for $45,,, 2005 Honda CRV A T Engine Starter Motor SM 61206 N4 | eBay 94

 

Yeah, I was thinking of finding a U-Pull-It yard locally just this morning. Thanks, FCM, and thanks for the ebay link, too.

 

FCM, I am watching another one from an Accord with SM-60209 on the label, and the one you shared has the number SM-60206, saying it's from a CR-V. The one I'm looking at is newer and in better condition and cheaper. That's really why I'm asking for someone knowledgeable to tell me if these are interchangeable starters, meaning you can use either one on either vehicle. I know scrap yards have an interchange index for parts, but I asked the Honda dealer and he wouldn't tell me (or course, he wants to sell me an expensive new Honda OEM starter for some fat bucks).

The starters look identical, except for the SM- numbers. My fear is that the number of teeth on the gear are different, like maybe one flywheel is smaller in diameter than the other, so the number of teeth differ. Or the bolt pattern is different. Anyone out there able to shed light on this? Sure would be a great help.

 

UPDATE: My previous message (see below this) is void. The deal fell through, they didn't even have a starter available. The dolt that told me they had one didn't know what they actually had. I went out there and found the car didn't even have an engine in it. But I did take the driver window motor and regulator and the lock since my brother said he could make my lock work with my key. So, two problems fixed, but I STILL NEED A STARTER!

HEY! I just called my local U-Pull-It yard and they have one in a 2003 CR-V I can get for $24.99 (+ tax)! So I'm going in the morning with my brother and I'll have the problem resolved, as long as the starter is good. I figure if they wrecked the car they had to start it first, so it should be good enough, at least for a while. Thanks you guys for the help, it was good to meet you.

 

Yes, it's true, they didn't have the starter, or an engine in the CR-V at all. So nice to waste time and gas and hopes on the say of a clerk that has no clue what they even have in the yard. So, for now, I still really need a starter. Oh well, what's the point in stressing over it.

 

Experience from cold days in the Balkans.
The lube in the ignition key plug stuck hard, it turns but no way the starter to turn except by plugging it with a wire directly from battery to + on starter (bypassing ignition signal from the switch).
You may have faulty key plug lube,
Just spray in the key hole a bit of wd40, until it splashes underneath the steering column flaps. Wait 5minutes to the wd40 dissolve any stuck lube inside, and then turn on key again.
If it starts, that's it.
Don't worry Wd40 dryout itself.

Hope this helped.

 

As a rule Honda will keep the same part number if the part number is the same so you'll often see new vehicles using part numbers that are 25+ years old for little parts like nuts and bolts. The part numbers between CR-V and Accord starters are different, so the starters aren't the same, but I don't know what's actually different, sometimes it's as simple as being made by a different company. In this case both starters are made by Mitsuba though. Sometimes the gear reduction is different, sometimes it's the mounting flange, sometimes it's the gear drive. The only real way to know is to get one and try it. I can tell you that the K24 engine used in the CR-V is a fair bit different than the one used in an Accord. Different intake manifold, different throttlebody (TPS is wired backwards) different oil pan, etc.

Have you contacted your local starter/alternator rebuilder? They can usually rebuild a starter for a fair bit less than a new one.

Also, as a rule Honda starters and alternators are very expensive, most of the other parts are quite reasonable though, usually cheaper than Toyota, and Hyundai/Kia.