Hi my girlfriends 92 LS (Auto) had been having a problem not cranking over while it was hot last week, so I took the starter out thinking the plunger or brushes might be bad, to autozone, where it failed all tests (3 I believe), so I bought a “Premium Reman” one they “luckily” had around (Duralast is all they carry) and it started right up. Well today was warm again (its winter here) and the car is doing the exact same thing it started this morning but after driving it we got to our destination and shut it off, but when I immediately went to turn it on, starter doesnt’s crank over, so we waited till it got cold at night to go pick it up and it started right up.
Description of Problem:
I turn the Key and can hear the fuel pump prime and the master relay click (no blinking S3 light), but when I turn the ignition I can hear the starter relay click but no crank. Is there a way I can check the starter, because I feel they sold me a faulty one and want to verify before attempting to take it out again.
Any help is appreciated, and thanks in advanced!
I’m sure you searched on main fuel relay?
I wouldn’t think it would be the main relay if the fuel pump is priming and he can hear the starter click…
I would check grounds and battery voltage first. The grounds are something that maybe didn’t get a solid connection when you hooked everything back up and the battery could just be a little tired from the previous starter being bad. I’d double check grounds, clean up the battery terminals and put a trickle charger on it. It may very well be that new starter, but this stuff should be easy.
Yeah I searched and even took it out for inspection, checked to solder points on it, and they looked just as good as when I redid them when she first got the car (she had a blinking S3 light problem), which prevented it from starting (it would crank though) and it was fixed by re-soldering the points on the relay. I even placed it in the freezer since the car starts up like normal when its cold out, to see if contraction in the relay would affect the car the same way as the cold weather, but nothing changed.
Cleaned the terminals when I swapped the starter out. The only ground that has me thinking it the one to the starter (connected on a bracket), which at first I forgot to place on the long bolts that come with the starter and if wouldn’t crank because of it but when I put it on it started right up. My question is would a ground be affected by cold weather(contraction?!)? Because it starts up like nothing when cold, just that after driving it and shutting it off it won’t start till it gets cold again(usually an hr after). Luckily its winter, but her not having a reliable car sucks! Ill give the ground a check though!
Also the car’s battery charges and holds its charge fine and the lights on the dash are as bright as ever, the car just won’t crank.
Hey guys I was just looking the starter over and notice that where the cable with the nut (not the little one that goes plugged in) gets tightened at is loose and its not the nut because its tightened as much as possible, but the whole thing was flimsy. I tightened it, but still nothing! Could that being loosed have caused some damage to the starter? All the grounds are in great condition and in their correct places.
prob starter cut relay. when they get hot, they dont work. the starter cut relay is behind the radio in the dash, a booger to get to and replace. at the starter, grab your multi-meter and make sure you have a constant 12v at the starter cable. then there is the solenoid wire, that shold have 12v when you turn the key to the start position. have someone start the car, if that wire does not have 12v, it has to be either starter cut relay or clutch safety switch…normally not clutch switch…which leads us back to starter cut relay.
Thanks for the help ryanesry12, I checked the starter cable and that does have a constant 12V, but when I went to check the solenoid cable it doesn’t get anything, and if I bridge the battery+ terminal and that cable I am able to start the car. My question is if it is the starter relay which I hear click every time I go to start the car, or a problem elsewhere (starter solenoid)?
Quick question I checked for the starter relay where this post said to check at:
http://forums.g2ic.com/showthread.php?193469-DA-Starter-Relay-with-Pics&highlight=starter+relay
I know he states in it its for a manual DA and my girl has a Auto, but its not located in that spot. Where would it be located in the Automatic DA?
Never mind no Starter Relay on a Auto! So what clicks every time I turn the ignition?
I appreciate the help guys, I figured it out…The alarm the car has in it has its Starter Interrupt Relay, which ended up being the culprit. Now anyone have any idea where I could find another one for the alarm or would it be best to buy a whole new system, because her car can easily be opened with another Honda key.