just clicking, engine not turning over...sometimes

ASSISTANCE Stock Engine-Bay Components
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[QUOTE=djet311;2063920]omg, how has no one suggested the [SIZE=“4”]fuel relay[/SIZE]…? I bet this mainly happens when its hot, no other common factor? (Heat can be from the heater system, I use to get this issue in the summer and winter; took YEARS to find the problem)

This is EXACTLY what the fuel relay does, mainly caused by a crappy soldering within the relay. EASY FIX, open the relay, re-solder the contacts with a PHAT bead of solder.

I’ve bought a brand new relay, from Honda directly… and had this issue still. Opened the relay, noticed crappy solder points, re-soldered the contacts, NEVER had the issue again.[/QUOTE]

In my original post I said I just replaced my MFR…

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Get a starter solenoid rebuild kit. That’s what I did. Worked like charm.

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What’s the going rate on starters for a 93 Integra GS?

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If you’ve got a multimeter, check the voltage going through your positive batt cable. I had a 3v drop in my positive cable months ago which was causing erratic starting problems and electrical system delays,and ended up cutting about 2 inches off my positive cable (at the battery end) and attaching a new terminal to fix it. When I removed the insulation from the cut off piece of wire, I had quite a bit of corrosion all over inside.

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Well, I know that you said you just replaced the main fuel relay but I had the same exact problem and as it has been said here before… it WAS the main fuel relay. Honda techs know this is a problem on these. Even the new ones don’t have good enough solder.
If that still doesn’t do it, check your connections. The dumbest, most minuscule thing is usually the problem because we think that it could NEVER be that…

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Post #3 I stated it was 12.64 volts

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[QUOTE=sry2say;2065288]Well, I know that you said you just replaced the main fuel relay but I had the same exact problem and as it has been said here before… it WAS the main fuel relay. Honda techs know this is a problem on these. Even the new ones don’t have good enough solder.
If that still doesn’t do it, check your connections. The dumbest, most minuscule thing is usually the problem because we think that it could NEVER be that…[/QUOTE]

With the MFR the symptom is the car cranks but never starts…or starts then idles rough and dies, then just cranks without starting (on hot days) Since I replaced the MFR I’ve never had this happen. So I believe the MFR is fine.

My problem is I turn the key and the engine doesn’t crank, just the one click when I turn on the ignition.

Today I was stuck for about 5 mins cause it happened again. I turned the ignition about 10 times without anything…I went for a walk for about 5-10 mins and tried her again, it took me the 4th try befoe the engine finally cranked and started.

Where is the ignition relay located? I’d like to check that unless most people think it is the starter?

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Yeah I read your battery reading but I meant check the cable voltage at the starter end. Like I said in my case, I had a 3 volt drop between the battery and the starter and while I couldn’t see anything directly wrong with the cable, there was a problem under the cable’s insulation at the battery end.

Just tryin to suggest things to check before ya blow unnecessary money.

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[QUOTE=Kaosprophet;2065395]Yeah I read your battery reading but I meant check the cable voltage at the starter end. Like I said in my case, I had a 3 volt drop between the battery and the starter and while I couldn’t see anything directly wrong with the cable, there was a problem under the cable’s insulation at the battery end.

Just tryin to suggest things to check before ya blow unnecessary money.[/QUOTE]

Understood…I’ll check out some things this weekend. So if I jump my starter with the battery does that tell me the starter is fine?

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Imo, if you can jump the posts on the starter and it engages and turns the engine over say 10/10 tries, the starters fine. This is provided you’re getting solid voltage at the starter. :cross:

I’ve personally had 4 different instances of starting problems with my g2 and all of them turned out to be ridiculously simple problems, but some were difficult to track since I wasn’t really looking for them. :argh:

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the starter is pretty buried under the distributor, correct? How do you guys jump that thing in such cramped spaces?

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[QUOTE=Kaosprophet;2065549]Imo, if you can jump the posts on the starter and it engages and turns the engine over say 10/10 tries, the starters fine. This is provided you’re getting solid voltage at the starter. :cross:

I’ve personally had 4 different instances of starting problems with my g2 and all of them turned out to be ridiculously simple problems, but some were difficult to track since I wasn’t really looking for them. :argh:[/QUOTE]

Can you list out what each solution was so people can go out and try them?

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1: June 2004 - The first one I had was because I bought a set of those eGay projector headlights when I first bought the car as a cheap/quick replacement for the mangled ones. The ground on the passenger side headlight wasn’t contacting fully in the 3 pin harness which for some reason caused my foglights to partially illuminate, radio would shut off at random, heater blower refused to work, and I couldn’t start my car unless I jimmied the headlight harness then retried starting. I have no clue how the headlight ground ties into all of it but once I replaced both sides of the headlight harness, the various electrical problems and starting problem went away.
Note: Avoid them eBay projector headlights. Wiring is poor quality, deflector globes inside come loose and dangle, then ya gotta peel the headlight lense and casing apart to get them out. PURE GARBAGE.

2: Spring 2006 - The little ground wires going from my radiator support to my valve cover, and the ground going from one valve cover bolt to another, kept melting and the car wouldn’t start. I’m extremely suspicious of this one because it was the only thing that was consistently burning out when the car wouldn’t start. Upgraded the wires to 8/10g wire, instead of melting apart they’d build up a lot of the blue-green copper corrosion and the problem would return. Changed the wires again to x2 8g wires between the valve cover bolts, a thicker core 8g wire from the radiator support to the valve cover bolt, ground a clean mating surface on the radiator support and the melting problem and corrosion problem went away. Wires don’t even heat up anymore. This one could’ve just been the mating surface between the wire terminal and radiator support. I’m still lost to the purpose of those little ground wires and how it affected my starting system. :squint:

3: Summer 2008 - Battery to engine ground cable. Radio would shut off when I’d push my brake pedal, heater blower motor would work erratically, and car wouldn’t start at random. Not sure where the problem in the cable was but the negative battery terminal started building corrosion (full coverage amounts) within a couple days so I bought a new ground cable/terminal, ground down the contact surface on the motor, coated any contact points in dielectric grease and put the new cable on. No more starting issues and no more corrosion issues.

4: Feb 2009 - Positive battery cable corrosion at the battery end. This one I dealt with for about a month, pop starting the car when needed, before [mentally] breaking down and spending an entire Saturday evening and into the night with a mechanic friend, a multimeter, and a bunch of Red Bull. It was 2 or 3am and was checking random shit when I noticed the 3v drop in my positive cable. The terminal had very little corrosion buildup but there was corrosion behind the terminal going into the insulation so I cut the terminal and enough wire till I saw clean copper in the insulation, grabbed a terminal off my buddies Fiero project, slapped it on and viola… my voltage drop at that point bounced between .4-.9v and the car started with no issues after that. I eventually bought a brand new terminal for it and whatnot but didn’t have another starting issue till my MFR went out in July.

I didn’t count the MFR going out as a starting problem cause it didn’t exactly stump me. Whenever I got the car started with these problems, she ran fine.
Just couldn’t start her unless I pop started it or repeatedly tried starting with the key until it would miraculously start.

And feel free to flame me for the projector headlights. I still flame myself for buyin those. :excite:

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Starter relay location:
Remove the passenger side knee panel under the glove box. With a flashlight you will see it; To the left of the blower. Basically directly behind the right air vent of your center console. To be sure, when you turn the key you will likely here it click (since the problem is after the relay).

Funny, I picture a bunch of us accross US and Canada all turning our keys around the same time and getting pissed because you’re sitting in a hot car that won’t start, you’re starting to sweat, and you just want it to work one last time.
My last time was this morning.

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I just went outside and tried jumping a couple posts on the starter but it wouldn’t crank. :squint: You might have to have a 2nd person push the clutch in so that switch isn’t a factor. If my wife was around I would’ve had her do it for me and I’m not sure if I jumped the right spots… I got a spark though :excite:

And there’s plenty of room to get a folding set of allen wrenches in there to act as a jumper or anything else conductive. Just don’t be skeered of the sparks.

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How r those solder points looking on the fuel relay?

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Any Norcal G2 owners willing to work with me on this problem? I can swing by if you know what parts I need to check out…lemme know…

Also, I’ve got the OEM alarm on this car which doesn’t work anymore, would that contribute to the intermittent starting issues?

email: tenbaggio@hotmail.com

How do I remove the top of the steering column so I can check the voltage at the ignition switch? Does it pop right off?

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There are screws underneath the steering column. Take those out and then pull it up.

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Dad’s mechanic said it’s the starter since it happened a few times when I was showing him, he heard the click and the starter wouldn’t turn over. He said the click tells me the starter is getting juice, let’s hope he’s correct.

How much are starters anyway?

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have you checked the ignition switch? i had the same problem in the video posted, and it was the ignition switch have intermittent connection problems with the tumbler when the key was turned to the start position.