Alright honda-techers.. Dealing with a 1993 Honda Civic DX that wont start. Story is... casual driving to go visit a friend at a school in the rain and I hear a weird clicking sound, so I turn the car off and try to start again, but the car wont start. The starter doesn't sound... the only sound you hear is the first clicking sound when you try to start the car. The car will push start and will start with a wire touching the positive terminal on battery to starter solenoid. So I've been using a wire to the starter solenoid to start my car because it's my daily driver to school. Had a friend of mine bench test the starter and he said that it still works fine so we're not going to say straight up that starter is the issue. The car has always started fine in the past, so to me it is really random that it just happened out of the blue. My friend and I have been trying to figure out what could be wrong with the car, but so far, no luck. Today, drove the car to school and home by wire to starter solenoid again, but when I get home, I turn off the car and hear a clicking sound coming from under the steering wheel. Sound was coming from the main relay under the steering wheel dash.

It was making a continuous clicking sound and was wet. I believe I have a weak seal and water is and has been leaking inside my car through under the dash somewhere. According to information, main relay doesn't seem to be the problem so I'm ruling that out for now.
Anyways, immediately after you turn off the car after driving it, usually if you don't wait too long, 30 seconds at the most, you will be able to start the car up again, so I don't really know if there is something wrong or if something is just getting weak (battery, starter?). Anyone with any positive informational input would be greatly appreciated.

 

anyone with info about this device and what it does will be helpful also...

 

did some research, this is the main relay I believe.. gonna try using a buddies relay to see if this fixes the problem.. if it does, will order a new relay.

 

well if this all started when it was raining and it was wet and thats what was cliking then id bet thats you problem good luck keep us posted

 

It is the PGM-FI Main Relay, it has the injector relay and fuel pump relay in it, it will "click" once when you turn on the ign. to run, [not start] you will hear the fuel pump prime for a few sec. then another "click" from the PGM-FI Main Relay the fuel pump will stop priming and the CEL will go out, car is ready to start.

The PGM-FI Main Relay has nothing to do with the starter, your problem with starting the car, [cranking to start] can be a number of things from the ign. switch, [no power to starter lead] the starter relay or most likely the CIS, [clutch interlock switch].

MM&Y of car would help.

first thing I would do is unplug the CIS, there will be two wires in plug, [unless you have cruse control], what you need to do is install a jumper in the plug between the black wire and the blue/black lead, this will supply the starter relay with the ground it needs to energize, [close] when the key is turned to start, try it and let me know, CIS is high up on clutch peddle, starter relay is under dash, usually someplace in front of center console, depending on MM&Y of car. 94

 

thanks for the info, is 93 DX civic by the way... also, usually immediately after turning off the car, you will be able to start it back up again.. don't know if something is bad or getting weak..

 

Ok I didn't try FCM's idea yet but what I can tell you is that

1) The starter is getting power from the battery

2) When I turn the key to start the car the starter lead also gets power.

3) I've pulled the starter out and bench tested it and it seems to work fine plus I can simply jump the starter to make my car start given that my key is on the on position.

4) I've check for any bad wiring but could not see any the only place I haven't look yet is under the dash so the only thing left is to look under dash and try what FCM said

I still think it could be a bad starter because every now and then, right after I turn the car off, I can start the car fine.
Planning on replacing starter and starter relay with known working ones to see if the problem will be resolved... will update and post.

 

Replace the starter contacts and see if that makes a difference. You'll have to visit your Toyota dealer for the contacts as Honda doesn't sell them.

 

fixed, both main relay and starter were both going bad, replaced both and problem was solved! Thanks HT!