Car starting problem (Won't crank!)

[Ronald_Type-R]

Allright, this problem has been goin on for a while, and I'm seriously getting annoyed by it..

Well, this problem actually started about..5 months ago or something? As soon as the weather got a bit colder...Hmm well, at first, this symptom only happened in the morning when the car's cold..I would turn the key to the on position, and the car won't start...No, it won't even crank on me! It'll just make a 'click' noise, and it won't do anything for a while..I have to keep turning the key back and forth for a lil bit, and then it'll crank up and start fine..After it starts, there won't be any problem...Lights won't dim, idles smooth, no problems whatsoever..Oh and my capacitor would read either a constant 14.4V or 12.8V (It keeps switching back and forth for some reason..) And as the day goes by, if I didn't leave the car off long enough to let it cool down, I'd be able to start it fine..That happened for about a month, and then the symptom went away, and I was able to start the car fine until about 3 weeks ago, it started doing this again..

This past week it's gotten very bad tho...This morning, the car won't crank for about 5-7 mins! I had to keep turning the ignition key on off on off on off and it'll jus make the 'click' noise, sometimes it cranks for a little, and then it stops..After 7 mins, it started, and everything's normal again..WTF? Oh and also, for the past week, when this problem got worse, if I turn the car off, go in the bank for 5 mins, or fill up gas or something, and then try to turn the car back on, the main fuel relay won't catch...So now I have two problems...One, the car only cranks when it feels like it, and second, when it does feel like cranking, the main fuel relay won't catch, and I'm jus screwed, 'coz my car jus won't start on me...Jus now it took me almost 15 mins to start my car after I filled up gas...Freakin embarassing, ppl r lookin at me like I'm trying to steal my own car

N e wayz, does any one have any idea what could've caused this? I'm thinking somewhere around bad grounding, but I dunno..I've checked the battery terminals, everything looked fine..And like I said, as soon as the car starts, everything is normal...There's no sign of bad grounding or whatsoever....As for the main fuel relay, I'm still thinking the bad grounding, 'coz when the weather is normal, and the car cranks normally whenever I turn the ignition on, I never have any problem with the relay..

So I don't know..I'm seriously clueless, and I'm just wondering if anyone has any idea/advice/opinion/suggestion...I almost bought myself a grounding kit and a voltage stabilizer, but I don't wanna buy something that I don't know for sure will fix this little problem of mine..

Anyone ever have similar problems? Well, besides the 'car cranks but it won't start' problem, 'coz we all know that's jus a faulty relay Hehe..

Any comments would be appreciated guys..Please help, I'm seriously tired of trying to start the car while banging on the bottom dash jus to get the relay to catch....Thanks in advance

Ronald

[xfactortype1]

since no ones replied..ill try

if this probably been intermittent for like 6 months..im thinking it might be your ignition switch....your main relay is also problematic, but people usually have trouble with this in warmer, humid weather. other possibilities could be weak ignition coil, or ignitior. your telling me that once it does start it runs fine, leads me away from the battery and alternator.(usuallly you get a cel, or battery light on).

1)-ignition switch intermittent failure 90% possibility
2)-main relay failure 2.5% possibility
3)-bad ground 1.5% possibility
4)-intermittent engine coolant temp sensor failure .5% possibility
5)-other misc, ignition related, fuel supply( usually get CELS) .5% possibility

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/90-91...10162456QQrdZ1

link above is for pic only- not endorsing anything

let us know

reguards tom d

[TysCb7]

I've had the exact same problem and it's very embarassing/annoying!, what I have found is if you hold the key on instead of cranking back forth then push the clutch in and out it will start easier than using the key I don't know if you have an auto or five speed though, the battery may not be holding its full charge either, next time it happens hook up some jumper cable and im willing to bet it will start on its first try. it may also just be a bad starter solenoid. update if you find the problem.

[92HondaPower]

I'd check main relay first. We had an accord come in at one point, and the one technician kept mis-diagnosing the car. He even put a damn fuel pump in the car, it turned out to be the relay.

[Ronald_Type-R]

Hey guys, thanks for the input!

I took out the main relay today, opened it up, resolder all the joints, put it back in...The relay works fine now..The fuel pump would always kick in, no problem with that..However, I'm still stuck with the 1st problem, where the starter just won't kick in..

Tom, for the ignition switch intermittent assumption..Correct me if I'm wrong, but if the ignition switch is faulty, then nothing is supposed to go on when I turn the key to the 'II' position right? I know with my dad's CRV last time, he had an ignition switch problem, where I would turn the key to the on position (not start), and nothing would go on..Not the lights on the cluster, the main relay won't kick in, and so on...But with my car, everything kicks in fine..It's just that when I turn it to 'start' position, the starter won't kick in..

Some people say that it could be the 'contacts' on the starter, and that it's easy and cheap to replace..What exactly is that n e wayz? Is that the same as the starter solenoid that TysCB7 mentioned? Sorry, I'm not too familiar with starters and its chumbawamba, so I really don't know what the 'contacts' are supposed to look like, or whatever else related to the starter..

I'm guessin that I might have to take out the starter and have a look at it..How hard is it to take the starter off anyways? Any pointers?

Thanks so much for all the help guys, hope I can get this problem figured out soon..

Ronald

[Riceburnin91]

HEY GUYS ITS YOUR STARTER!!!!!!!!!!

[TysCb7]

Yep contacts/solenoids I've taken apart starter, its not all that hard it just takes patience putting it back together.

[Riceburnin91]

Its Raelly Easy To Take It Off I Think Its Only 3 Bolts That Hook Up To The Tranny And Plus The Gruond Wire!!!!!! :d I Know Im A Mechanic

[Riceburnin91]

Removal

there are (2) bolts that go to tranny that hold the starter ::::And one bolt that is under neath ur starter which is pretty difficult to remove!!!! ::you might want to remove the intake and i think that water pump that goes over your starter!!!!:::: you will need a 14mm wrench a rachet with a short and long 14 mm socket and a 10mm to remove the ground wire bolt!!!!!!

[Ronald_Type-R]

Allright, I will definitely have a look at my starter...As soon as it stops raining

I'll keep you guys updated..Thanks so much for all the help guys!

Ronald

[Ronald_Type-R]

Yep contacts/solenoids I've taken apart starter, its not all that hard it just takes patience putting it back together.

there are (2) bolts that go to tranny that hold the starter ::::And one bolt that is under neath ur starter which is pretty difficult to remove!!!! ::you might want to remove the intake and i think that water pump that goes over your starter!!!!:::: you will need a 14mm wrench a rachet with a short and long 14 mm socket and a 10mm to remove the ground wire bolt!!!!!!

Those are some awesome pointers, seriously..Hehehe thanks bros

[Riceburnin91]

Hey No Problem Just Wanted To Help Out Another Cb7 Brother!!!!!!! :d

[Riceburnin91]

HEY COLL MAN WE POSTED AT THE SAME TIME!!!!!!

[xfactortype1]

yes that is mostly true, but if the contacts are corded for the starter then it wont catch.

and you didnt mention it worked in accessory..so i didn't know

regaurds tom

[accordztech]

wack that starter with a long 3/4 extention and a hammer it will start....