ChiliFries
New member
- Oct 16, 2008
- 3
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- 1
1997 Honda Accord 2.2L Automatic
Car was running fine and then one morning turn the key and nothing happens.. No click click or anything. All other power functions seem to work normal though.
The owner (a co-worker of mine I'm trying to help out) thought the battery was dead so it now has a brand new battery - The interior lights and everything powers up normal when the key is turned on and it dims a bit when you try to start it - The wire from the ignition to the solenoid tests at 12v like it should when key is turned to start - Positive cable to the starter is good and all connections are clean and read good voltage - All the fuses under the hood and dash are good -
I removed the starter from the car to clean and check everything. The Assembly has three connections on the solenoid. Two posts, one has the positive cable from the battery, the other runs into to the starter. The third is a spade connector that receives power from the ignition. This car has a pretty massive oil leak from the top somewhere and I thought maybe that was causing the issue. I got the starter separated from the motor and with all wires still connected I grounded it with a jumper cable directly to negative battery post and it worked perfectly every time the key was turned to start. I figured it must have just been a grounding issue due to the oil leaked on it. When I got everything cleaned, put back together and turned the key it actually worked this time and turned the motor over slightly, but it was very weak and did not start up. I thought it was fixed, but maybe the battery was just wore down from all the starting attempts. I tried to jump it off with my car and now nothing happens, just like before. Tried several more times and no luck, it is just doing the same thing it was doing to begin with.. nothing. I started testing voltage again at all the points and everything checks out. The only thing I can find that I don't understand is that with a multimeter connected to the two posts on the solenoid it goes from 12v to zero as soon as the key is turned to start. I would think it should have voltage whether the solenoid is engaged or not since I'm basically shorting it out. Other than that or unless something else it keeping the motor from turning over I'm not sure what else to do. Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks
Mike
Car was running fine and then one morning turn the key and nothing happens.. No click click or anything. All other power functions seem to work normal though.
The owner (a co-worker of mine I'm trying to help out) thought the battery was dead so it now has a brand new battery - The interior lights and everything powers up normal when the key is turned on and it dims a bit when you try to start it - The wire from the ignition to the solenoid tests at 12v like it should when key is turned to start - Positive cable to the starter is good and all connections are clean and read good voltage - All the fuses under the hood and dash are good -
I removed the starter from the car to clean and check everything. The Assembly has three connections on the solenoid. Two posts, one has the positive cable from the battery, the other runs into to the starter. The third is a spade connector that receives power from the ignition. This car has a pretty massive oil leak from the top somewhere and I thought maybe that was causing the issue. I got the starter separated from the motor and with all wires still connected I grounded it with a jumper cable directly to negative battery post and it worked perfectly every time the key was turned to start. I figured it must have just been a grounding issue due to the oil leaked on it. When I got everything cleaned, put back together and turned the key it actually worked this time and turned the motor over slightly, but it was very weak and did not start up. I thought it was fixed, but maybe the battery was just wore down from all the starting attempts. I tried to jump it off with my car and now nothing happens, just like before. Tried several more times and no luck, it is just doing the same thing it was doing to begin with.. nothing. I started testing voltage again at all the points and everything checks out. The only thing I can find that I don't understand is that with a multimeter connected to the two posts on the solenoid it goes from 12v to zero as soon as the key is turned to start. I would think it should have voltage whether the solenoid is engaged or not since I'm basically shorting it out. Other than that or unless something else it keeping the motor from turning over I'm not sure what else to do. Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks
Mike
