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starting problem: could be electrical, please help!!!

D

dibcompany

Registered Member
Joined
5 October 2004
Messages
36
My 92 just had battery replaced 2 weeks ago as maintenance.

Today I drove it and ran over a bump (maybe irrelevant) and parked it to go work out and when I came out the car wouldn't crank.

- Checked the battery (working fine)
- Got a boost still no crank
- Tried push starting with 3 guys there is no crank
- noticed the car stereo was on but when i turned the key it went off and stayed off

Does anyone know what could be the cause of this issue? before this I did have some loose wire connections below the steer wheel (car alarm module was bumping into other wires)

Since it's not the battery and I can't push start it could be starter? or wiring problem?

Has anyone else had this kinda issue? please help Thanx
 
Check the clutch pedal switch. If that little rubber/plastic thingy has fallen apart the switch won't engage when you depress the clutch pedal. If that switch doesn't engage, engine won't crank over.
 
The switch is under your dash attached to the pedal assembly. The rubber/plastic thingy that pushes on the switch plunger is in the clutch pedal arm. It is pretty common for the original ones(rubber) to fall apart from age. The replacements are a hard white plastic(probably delrin or nylon).
 
my car is currently stranded at a mall, i tried push starting with no avail. can i manually jump the starter with a 12v battery? just to get it to my house? can anyone tell me how to do this?

Thanks edin for your input
 
shouldn't I be able to push start even if the clutch switch is defective?? I had a battery problem before but i was ablet to push start with easy but today was different. This makes me think that the problem might be bigger than a quick fix...
 
jumping the starter is not a good idea imo...

if i were you'd i'd just call a tow truck (that has a very low bed ability) to come scoop you up and get it back to a more feasible work environment.

Have you checked all the fuses?? You said that you attempted to start the car and your radio went from :biggrin: to :mad:.... possibly burnt a fuse in there with that process.

You said car alarm module... are u sure your aftermarket alarm isn't disabling anything? I've seen that happen before where the alarm went faulty and served as a nice car disable since the module failed.

If it really is your starter, and it's failing, take a hammer and tap the starter lightly... if it's on the brink of failing the tapping usually works to get it running (but obviously needs replacing)

You never mentioned if you have power (in general) or not... do you have lights?

*bump*, then no start - have u checked the post connections at the battery. Quite easy if someone didn't crank them down ample enough to possibly have jolted them loose.

when you figure it out please don't forget to post solution here either.

good luck,
x
 
My battery was tested and it's fine.
Wiggle test with the key was performed.
There is no clicking sound when i turn the key. ( does this usually mean it's the relay?) I checked the relay and it looked fine to the naked eye.
What's puzzling to me is why I wasn't able to push start the car...

If it's the battery, connections to the starter, relay, clutch switch, shouldn't i be able to push start as long as i have fuel, spark, and working motor?
 
You can't tell if the relay is bad by just looking at it.

I'm thinking the problem is either your relay, ignition switch, or something your car alarm has done to perhaps disable power to the injectors or something to that manner.
 
thanks guys for the input,

I unplugged the wires for the after market alarm system, now the alarm is disengaged. same symptoms.

I was moving the seat and power seat stopped. So after radio, power seats but everything else is still working.

:frown:
 
After $200 bucks on flat bed tow, $20 on ohm meter and 24 hours of trying to figure out what when wrong!!!!

Car miraculously started like nothing ever happened. I test drove the car and it was priceless. I am still concerned what the cause was and does this eliminate some of the potential causes?

It probably isn't bad relay, bad switch, since i should have been able to push start the car. It probably is not the clutch switch since the previous owner shorted it (I didnt even know since the car always started without clutch being depressed). Starter probably is not the problem since it starts like a champ as I tested it like 25 times with 100% success rate.

The radio is back on and power seat works now. I think this only leaves the battery related problem as the most probable cause. I still haven't pin pointed the problem but once i do i will update. Thanks everyone for all your help. Doc, Edin, Ron thanks a bunch.

:biggrin:
 
dibcompany said:
After $200 bucks on flat bed tow, $20 on ohm meter and 24 hours of trying to figure out what when wrong!!!!

Car miraculously started like nothing ever happened. I test drove the car and it was priceless. I am still concerned what the cause was and does this eliminate some of the potential causes?

It probably isn't bad relay, bad switch, since i should have been able to push start the car. It probably is not the clutch switch since the previous owner shorted it (I didnt even know since the car always started without clutch being depressed). Starter probably is not the problem since it starts like a champ as I tested it like 25 times with 100% success rate.

The radio is back on and power seat works now. I think this only leaves the battery related problem as the most probable cause. I still haven't pin pointed the problem but once i do i will update. Thanks everyone for all your help. Doc, Edin, Ron thanks a bunch.

:biggrin:
Click to expand...


you're really quite bent on the fact that it can't be the main relay b/c of your 'push start'. Push starting a vehicle is primarily mechanical... the 'main' relay is quite a finicky piece on this car...

http://www.tegger.com/hondafaq/mainrelayoperation/index.html

relays can tear apart the debugging process b/c they have been known to fail/work on temperature, movement, jolts, etc....

good luck good sir,
x
 
My 91 had an intermitant starting problem that was solved by replacing the main relay. It's an inexpensive part and an easy DIY job.

Best of luck!
 
Determine if your car was equipped at one point in time or another with a starter disable or starter kill unit.

It could be malfunctioning or incorrectly removed.
 
My pure gut instinct on this is that it is a loose battery cable. If you haven't already, have a look at both ends of both battery cables. The ground cable is more prone to giving trouble, so I would start with that one.
 
VBNSX said:
you're really quite bent on the fact that it can't be the main relay b/c of your 'push start'. Push starting a vehicle is primarily mechanical... the 'main' relay is quite a finicky piece on this car...

http://www.tegger.com/hondafaq/mainrelayoperation/index.html

relays can tear apart the debugging process b/c they have been known to fail/work on temperature, movement, jolts, etc....

good luck good sir,
x
Click to expand...

Guys,

The main relay controls the fuel pump, NOT the starter. If the car will not crank it has NOTHING to do with the main relay.

HTH,
LarryB
 
having similar problem, Batt is new (bought it 1 week before the long trip)but i havent start my car for like 4 months. Batt was removed before the long trip( well the postive terminal was removed while the negative one remind on the batt). Had my friend try to jump start me with no avial. Cars cranks over good but wouldnt catch. What else can this be. My car started up like a champ right before the long trip. Could the batt still be dead even with a jump start? can the main relay cause this?
 
Check carefully the negative and positive terminals for tightness. The ground terminals stretch from being overtightened, a common issue. You can replace the ground strap, it is about $27. Make sure the ground and positive connector is pushed all the way to the bottom of the battery terminal. The terminals on the battery are tapered, so if it is not bottomed out it will be loose.

HTH,
LarryB
 
Larry Bastanza said:
Check carefully the negative and positive terminals for tightness. The ground terminals stretch from being overtightened, a common issue. You can replace the ground strap, it is about $27. Make sure the ground and positive connector is pushed all the way to the bottom of the battery terminal. The terminals on the battery are tapered, so if it is not bottomed out it will be loose.

HTH,
LarryB
Click to expand...

+1, loose connection :biggrin:
 
welp i figured it out. I guesss the batt. was really dead where jumping it wouldnt even help it start. I let the batt recharge overnight while i cried my self to sleep, woke up the next morning and thought i give it a try agian and bam! it started up like a champ.
 
I've had a similar problem that's happened a couple of times. For me I wiggled the wire to the starter near the positive connection on the battery when I was trying to determine if I had a loose connection. There is also a cable that goes towards the fuse panel in the front of the car. When it happened to me I didn't have any power to even unlock the car. I haven't investigated it further because it hasn't acted up again and there always seems to other things more important. Perhaps a winter project to investigate. I suspect a corroded or broken wire that when it's in a certain position won't allow enough current flow required by the starter, but there may be enough for lights with a low current draw etc.. If you aren't getting any power from the battery the car won't start even with a push. I know long winded but I'd be interested to know what you find if anything.
 

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