I have a 98 civic lx Manual transmission. Yesterday morning the car was fine. I moved it around in the drive way. Well yesterday afternoon I went to start it and it would not start.

The symptoms are weird. When I try to start its almost like the starter is not fully engaging (sound) cupled with the sound you get when you turn the key to start the car when its already running (the high speed grinding sound).

I am getting power to the starter and the battery is fine. I also looked at the teeth on the flywheel visually there were none broken from where I could have seen.

I am going to get the starter tested today. Any ideas are appreciated.

thanks

 

Defective starter solenoid. 94

 

hopefully that what they will say at autozone/advanceautoparts. I haven't checked actual voltage going to the starter(it was late last night). I would rather it not be something with the flywheel or a harness issue.

Thanks for your reply

 

well I just took the starter to two places to have it checked out. It passed both times. I guess I'll have to get my multimeter and check the battery. What should I be seeing voltage wise on the starter(care off, car cranking)?

 

Bench checking a starter is not foolproof, I would do a bypass jump, [starter installed].

Voltage at batt. cable post on starter, [test at the post not the nut holding the cable in place] should be the same as at the batt. pos.(+) post, [again, test at the post not the batt. cable clamp] in fact test it all the way from the batt., neg. probe on batt. neg.(-) post, pos. probe on batt. pos.(+) post, then the cable clamp, then the terminal at the starter motor and then the post on the starter motor, there should be no diff. in voltage at any point, once you are at the starter post move the neg. probe to the cars chassis or engine, again there should be no diff. in voltage.
The above applies to when cranking to start, there will be a voltage drop but it should be the same at each test point. 94

 

i would say starter....