Starting Problem - Car Troubleshooting


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Starting Problem

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Abgrund
New User

Dec 12, 2010, 4:27 PM

Post #1 of 3 (1633 views)

Starting Problem	Sign In

I have a 96 Civic with an unusual starter issue. Battery power is good but sometimes, always after sitting for a while, there is no starter response - or the starter will engage momentarily then die. No click, nothing, on repeated turns of the key. It starts readily by pushing the car (manual transmission) and I also discovered that even if the car doesn't start (the ignition was turned off), the starter resumes working normally after even a fairly slight jolt to the engine.

Today I finally got a chance to test it when it wasn't starting. A straight jump to the starter solenoid turned it, sure enough - then I tested the ignition switch for start and it was fine. It's as though the starter circuit is dependent on both crankshaft position and temperature (it never fails when hot), which makes no sense at all to me.

Sidom
Veteran / Moderator
Sidom profile image

Dec 12, 2010, 11:54 PM

Post #2 of 3 (1619 views)

Re: Starting Problem	Sign In

What you need to do is test power on the small trigger wire going to the solenoid when it isn't starting. If there is no power there (which there probably isn't if you can jump it) then that's the circuit you need to trace down. If this car has an AM alarm system on it, I would bypass it during the failure to make sure that isn't the culprit..

How exactly did you test the ign sw to verify it was good?

Abgrund
New User

Dec 13, 2010, 5:06 PM

Post #3 of 3 (1609 views)

Re: Starting Problem	Sign In

It always starts fine when warm, and usually when cold. Trying the switch over and over, jiggling it, etc., doesn't help, same with the clutch switch.

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