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A Dawg Jr
05-29-2003, 07:16 PM
I got my car a couple weeks ago and I still haven't figured this out. Sometimes when I go to start the car I turn the key and get nothing. I mess with everything, brake in, clutch in, in first, but some times it just won't go. I sat in the school lot for 5 minutes today trying to start the damn thing. It usually starts right up, but sometimes I do something wrong I guess and it won't go. Where do I have to position everything? Most of the time I can't have the brake in, just the clutch and in first, then it goes. But sometimes not 0_o

AccordEpicenter
05-29-2003, 07:21 PM
maybe its the starter? Do you get a click or absolutley nothing? My gfs POS chevy corsica (hate that freaking car) almost never starts the first time, it clicks, but the starter works when it wants to, but tonight it refused and i had to turn the engine a little by hand ( you can get enough leverage on the alt fan, at least on her car) and it started.. but what a bastard to deal with

A Dawg Jr
05-29-2003, 07:37 PM
Absolutly nothing. I turn it to start, and nothing happens the key just stops. It's wierd. And I have to take the key out and then put it back in if I want to even hope it'll start. I don't know what the problem is.

MrBen
05-29-2003, 07:50 PM
Have you tried lubing the keyhole with graphite? I doubt it will do anything, but I guess it's worth a shot. Sounds like a starter problem though.

MattsAccord
05-29-2003, 08:45 PM
sounds just like a starter problem

YK86
05-29-2003, 09:34 PM
Does the dash lights come on? Do you hear any clicking? Might be the main relay.

89lx
05-29-2003, 09:39 PM
It could be your ignition switch, my car was doing that same exact thing and I put a new ignition switch in and it works perfect

A Dawg Jr
05-29-2003, 09:55 PM
Ya, all the lights come on. But no clicking. Just turn the key, and absolute silence. But thanks for the help, least I know what to look for now.

Blue Impact
05-29-2003, 10:55 PM
No clicking and absolute silence means bad ignition switch.

cdscowboy
05-29-2003, 10:59 PM
or main relay...that same thing happened to me....sometimes it'd start right up, others it'd take a while to start up...pain in the ass....cost like $130, I think

ACCORD EX
05-29-2003, 11:51 PM
WD-40 in the switch ! it helped me ! :)

MIKE

Gregs89AccordLxi
05-30-2003, 12:14 AM
maybe your clutch cable needs adjusting? hows your battery?

AccordEpicenter
05-30-2003, 04:44 AM
Im thinkin either starter or ignition sw

ACCORD EX
05-30-2003, 08:33 AM
here is what i wrote before !

does all lights work fine ! if yes >

1. check the out put of the battery when car is off shouldn't be less than 12 V ( battery is fine )

2. check the out put of the battery when car is @ idle shouldn't be less than 14 V ( alternator is fine )

3. check the both battery terminal and engien ground .

4. check teh little wire going to the starter ( B/W wire ) see if it is loose . ( if it's not loose proceed to next step )

5. take this little wire off , turn on the ignition , connet a wire between the + of the battery to the starters terminal ( where the wire used to hook up ) if the starter turns and the car comes on ( WARNING : once the car is on disconnect the wire immediatly or you will damage the starter )

IF the starter turns on , so there is an open in the B/W wire , or therr is something wrong with ignition switch ! ( Spray some WD40 in there it really helped me )

IF the starter doesn't turn replace it !

hope this helps ! good luck !

MIKE

SiR
05-30-2003, 09:27 AM
Originally posted by ACCORD EX
WARNING : once the car is on disconnect the wire immediatly or you will damage the starter )
Thats what I had to do, but i just use a screw-driver, its much easier to take off when it has already started. Always keep on in my glove-box incase!



Originally posted by ACCORD EX
IF the starter turns on , so there is an open in the B/W wire , or therr is something wrong with ignition switch ! ( Spray some WD40 in there it really helped me )
I'm going to try that cuz im have trouble with my ignition sometimes. Would silicon penetrating oil work as well?

ACCORD EX
05-30-2003, 01:32 PM
never tried it ! i don't know !:rolleyes:

MIKE

od2681
05-30-2003, 01:46 PM
ok this is probably stupid...but have you checked ur terminals...maybe they get loose once in a while..like mine...

TJ89Accord
05-30-2003, 05:49 PM
Do you have and alarm? An old one that you never use maybe? Maybe there is some sort of starter kill on it that you don't know about. Take the bottom dash off and check out all the ignition wires. Good luck...

tim

infecto
05-30-2003, 06:53 PM
Well its either the battery, the fusible link is burned or the solenoid is fucked.

A Dawg Jr
05-30-2003, 06:58 PM
it's not the battery. Radeo plays, lights come on. I don't THINK there is an alarm. There might be. What do I look for when I get the dash off?

infecto
05-30-2003, 07:22 PM
First off it could still be the battery. Usually if the battery is going dead the starter will engage but not turn but even if its not clicking it could still be the battery might not be enough juice to push it out and turn it. Because the lights will still come on eve if its not fully charged. I would say first thing to do is to try and jump it or go take it to get tested at like advanced auto. Then whats with taking the dash off? I would say test the basics before you get into that. Our cars do have fuses for the starters right? I thought they did...don't have the tech manual in front of me at the moment but if they do check the fuses as well. Another thing is to check the battery connections just incase and the wire going to the starter itself. Withe the alarm deal I highly doubt there is an alarm in your car or a kill switch itself if its pretty much a random thing for the starting. Usually a starter will sometimes start then stop and continue working later right before its about to die. If there is really no click when you turn the ignition It could be the solenoid and you should test that. I would say the best way to test it would to just take the starter off and plug the battery to it with jumper cables. Doesn't take longer then 10-15mins to get it off if that even. Not sure what else to say. =)

A Dawg Jr
05-30-2003, 07:29 PM
Alrght, well I just went to the gas station. I got in my car to leave, turned the key, nothing. Turned and pulled out. Just to mess around, I put the clutch in, THEN put the key in and turned it, nothing. Took out, released. Put key back in, turned it to I, put clutch in, started up.

Leaving gas station, AND I CAN'T GET THE DAMNED THING TO START! My car was sitting half way out of the damn parking spot because it was rolling and I didn't have the brake on. I sat there for 5 damn minutes. I don't know. It's just nothing when I turn the key. It'll finally go, but still, it's kinda rediculous. The solenoid? What is that? and how do I test it? Sorry I'm getting confused between that, the starter, igition and all the ways I need to test. And where is the starter located? sorry, I know nothing.

infecto
05-30-2003, 07:54 PM
I would say if you want to do this yourself but the manual on your car that will help alot. And I highly doubt your combos to get it to start have anything to do with it starting just luck, as I have said starters get to be real finicky when there about to die. And because you are having it work sometimes and not others I bet its the starter/solenoid itself. The starter is located on the left side of the engine under all the damn stock air intake hoses. Best to take those off to get to it. ANd the Solenoid is practiclly part of the starter. The starter is a cylinder shape good sized sticking out of the engine horizontally. The solenoid should be located right ontop of the starter as a part of it and it will be a smaller size cylindrical shape. I have never tested the starters while they are still in the car. At any rate there is only two bolts on it and the bottom one should need a universal to manuver the socket. Pop those two bolts off and the starter should be able to be pulled right up. If you feel safe enough to test it yourself do it, if not take it to advance or something like it and get it tested. I forgot where you put the neg cable on the starter to test it now but I know you put the positive where the solenoid connection is. At any rate the best thing to do is go get it tested if you dont' feel comfortable.

A Dawg Jr
05-30-2003, 08:23 PM
I feel like an idiot. I heard on this other thread that the clutch needs to be ALL the way in for the starter to ingage. I went out and tried it with it just above all the way down, nothing. Tried it all the way down, START. I tried 5 more times and everytime it went right up. God I feel so dumb. Thanks for the help though.