Help! Car won't start

[MichaelD]

I have searched through the forums, but have not found anything that fits my situation yet

I went to leave work Friday afternoon, and car would not make a sound when I tried to turn it over. No click from the starter, but you can hear the fuel pump going. All the lights and gauges turn on. I tried to charge the battery, and got nothing. Gague in the car was reading 12volts, when hooked to the starter I got about 15v. No change. Not a sound.

So, I had a friend push me, and I popped the clutch and started the car. The Acura and Honda dealerships were already closed, so I went to Advanced Auto across the street. I hoped it was just a battery and brought it in and they tested it and told me it was bad (of course they would ) So, I bought a new one. Hooked it up, and got nothing. They had no clue what was going on, so I had them push start me, and I drove home.

Went to bring it in on Saturday, and it started up perfectly!! So I turned it on and off a few times and was running great. Drove it around the block, and came home and it still started fine. Even took it out that night and everything was great. Started it yesterday just to see if it would go, and fired right up.

Got in this morning, and nothing!

I have tapped the starter solenoid while having someone tried to start the car and got nothing. I have checked the wires on the starter as well and everything is good.

Could it be the Main relay behind the pass. seat? I tapped it (very lightly) but that made no difference.

Could it be the ignition switch?

Sorry for the long post!

 

[drew]

Could it be the ignition switch?

if you can push start it, but it doesn't crank...sounds like the ignition switch, starter or the thick cable inbetween.

Ignition switch is the most likely place to start, it many cases it can be cleaned in a few minutes.

Next is the connection to the starter to see if it clean and tight.

Drew

 

[MichaelD]

Thanks Drew! I hope it just needs to be cleaned! That would be great. I will take a look at it this evening.

 

[davidf]

If all else fails, then definately check the starter solenoid. Normally if a starter goes bad at least you hear the solenoid clicking trying to ingauge the bendix. You can have a bad solenoid and still have all your lighting/gauges. Good luck.

 

[DutchBlackNsx]

Very simmilair what my car was doing before i shot me engine.
Sometimes it started, sometimes not. What always worked was connecting the startsignal on the starter directly to the +pole in the fusebox (realy easy thing to do). This made me believe it was the ignitionkey which was faulty, but i tried all sorts off things with that, and never got any further.

I never found out what was wrong, i'm getting a new engine in at the moment, which also includer another starter..

However, i do remeber i went around tit with me fuke, which showed the starter was getting a signal, but simply was no high enough.

 

[richn001]

I remember having a similar issue with my Accord. I replaced this electronic starter module for like $100 and it fixed everything. Hope that helps.