Author Topic: Is it the starter? Help please... (Read 1233 times)

parasound · « **on:** June 17, 2005, 05:55:54 pm »

2000 Civic SE coupe. Has a brand new battery, the car won't start. When you turn the key you hear click. Is it the starter, maybe the solenoid?

Is there anyway to nail this problem down without crawling under the car?

The car runs fine once it is bump started!!

Thanks!

ericthejet · « **Reply #1 on:** June 17, 2005, 07:52:45 pm »

Have you checked the battery yet? How are its connections, tight and clean? Does the batt. have fluid?
Remember that the alternator is designed to maintain the battery and not recharge it. How is the tension of the crank to alt. belt?

articsteve · « **Reply #2 on:** June 17, 2005, 07:58:31 pm »

OK, lets start at the beginning. Mileage please and what brought on the new battery?

Was the starter acting up prior to absolute failure or did you just get in it one time and then one click only?

Actually, if you can hit the starter with a hammer or give it a good poke with a steel pipe and it starts then it is the starter.

tpl · « **Reply #3 on:** June 17, 2005, 08:01:02 pm »

Could be solenoid, starter or the engine ground connector. Is the click definitely from the region of the starter under the hood

Try turning on main lights so you can see them against a wall and then the starter.
possibilities

1) lights go out someone else will have to answer: Does the civic have a power saver relay that turns off major consumers when you try to start? and, are the main ligths included in that relay.

2) lights go very dim but not out batt voltage is dropping severely. shorted starter, shorted solenoid OR bad engine ground/battery ground. Could be that the starter drive isn't working but then I expect you would here the starter motor running.

3) lights stay bright starter solenoid could be bad or the main heavy current connection between batt and starter is disconnected and the low current relay connection to do the solenoid is working.

and many other things possible but the solenoid does click so there is voltage getting to that.

I am not familiar with civics but I'd wiggle the thick wires batt to starter and batt to body and see if they are loose or corroded in any obvious ay.

There is a currently a Jim Kerr article on this on the CD website

(Message edited by tpl on June 17, 2005)

Scaerio · « **Reply #4 on:** June 20, 2005, 12:33:37 pm »

If he's seen this thread, Barrie must be smiling like the cat that swallowed the canary...

barrie1 · « **Reply #5 on:** June 20, 2005, 01:47:14 pm »

No I never laugh or smile at someone else's problem with their car. It dosen't matter who the builder is but I prefer to try and help them out if I can. All makes have a problem sooner or later and rubbing it in dosen't prove anything. This car is 5 years old now so its at the time when things start to go wrong. I also suspect the starter or solenoid on this car. I agree with Artics thought of hitting on the starter to see if the brushs are jammed in the one spot. With the car in nuetral I would try to turn the engine over by hand to clear this spot and see if it makes any difference.

articsteve · « **Reply #6 on:** June 20, 2005, 04:06:22 pm »

If he's seen this thread, Barrie must be smiling like the cat that swallowed the canary...

I too don't understand the above quote.

Unfortuantely the original poster has not yet replied.

dash · « **Reply #7 on:** June 20, 2005, 04:34:15 pm »

Artic-I think the quote relates to Barrie's bad experience with a Honda-which is not totaly fair because Barrie always offers helpful and objective advice.

Scaerio · « **Reply #8 on:** June 20, 2005, 06:00:29 pm »

It was supposed to be a joke. Barrie had a really bad experience with the only Honda he ever owned, and is often at odds with those on the board that worshipp the big "T" and the big "H" due to his love of GM products.

And I know that Barrie is a source of quality advice around here.

(Message edited by gkjsooley on June 20, 2005)

Scaerio · « **Reply #9 on:** June 20, 2005, 06:02:45 pm »

Everyone needs to lighten up. Did everyone around here catch some sort of tree huggin' lesbian feminist disease?

(Message edited by gkjsooley on June 20, 2005)

articsteve · « **Reply #10 on:** June 21, 2005, 12:16:24 am »

Everyone needs to lighten up. Did everyone around here catch some sort of tree huggin' lesbian feminist disease?

I think it would be nice to keep the tech section strickly tech.

barrie1 · « **Reply #11 on:** June 21, 2005, 01:19:56 pm »

I took it as a joke the way that Ken intended it to be. No Problem with me on this at all. I do understand his thought behind it as well as I did have a very horrible experience with the one and only H product that I owned. This car is 5 years old so its at the time frame when things do start to go sour for an owner. He should probably take it in for a load test on the Battery and starter which will show how much draw is coming from it. That will be the fastest way of diagnosing this glitch.