Bad Starter?

[CycloWizard]

1990 Acura Integra LS with about 210,000 miles. I've done just about everything you can think of to this car over the last ten years. Anyway, last few years I've lived in St. Louis and it gets toasty here in the summer. It doesn't always like to start when it's hot. I poked around online and it looks like a lot of people have had problems with this car in this manner due to the main relay (which controls the fuel pump) malfunctioning in the heat. So I've been trying to find a new relay without much luck, finally ordered one through NAPA but it hasn't come in yet. Car wouldn't start Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturay, or this morning. It was only about 70°F this morning when I tried to fire it up, so now I'm worried that something else is going on. It's cranking but not getting any gas, which is why I thought the relay was the problem. It was making a clicking sound, which I think is generally associated with the starter failing.

So, I suppose my question is: how would one go about causing a starter to go bad? If I've tried starting it numerous times for the last few days without much luck, I would guess that that stresses the starter quite a bit. I've never changed the starter since I got the car and it wouldn't be a big problem, but it's expensive and I'm poor so I need to be sure. Any advice would be appreciated. :beer:

 

[fstime]

I believe Acura/Hondas have this problem with the main relays going out, the heat just kills them.

My Acura was sitting for 2 months or so in the summer months while I was away and my relay also went.

Replaced it for $65 or so and works fine again.

There is even DIY guides on some forums, at least for my car(Acura RL).


By the way, don't keep trying to crank it before you get the part, your only going to kill your battery.

 

[CycloWizard]

Originally posted by: BouZouki
I believe Acura/Hondas have this problem with the main relays going out, the heat just kills them.

My Acura was sitting for 2 months or so in the summer months while I was away and my relay also went.

Replaced it for $65 or so and works fine again.

There is even DIY guides on some forums, at least for my car(Acura RL).


By the way, don't keep trying to crank it before you get the part, your only going to kill your battery.

Meh, I can make my own battery if it comes down to it. Nine years of engineering school has some benefits. I'll replace the relay as soon as it gets here, but I need to know if the starter is bad as well so I can get this thing up and running again. It's gotta last until next May.

 

[Funyuns101]

That sounds like the problem I ran into a few months ago. My car (11 years old) wouldn't start, I'd hear a "click" and then all the electronics would come on like the radio, air (no a/c, but fan vents), windshield wipers, etc.
My car died right by a Sears Auto; I had them test my battery first and try to jump the car... and eventually we figure out that it was the starter.

Could very well be the starter, but I'm not a car tech.

 

[natto fire]

When you say you are getting a clicking, it is coming from the starter solenoid and it is not cranking?

Yes, the main relays are very prone to failing, but one way to check is to turn the key to the "on" position and wait for the CEL to turn off. At the same time, you should hear the main relay clicking as it disconnects the fuel pump from priming.

I have the wiring diagram if you want to use off the shelf relays (you will need two as the main relay is really two separate relays in one case) and hack up your harness. I guess you have one on order, but I seriously hope you did not pay too much for two relays in a fancy case. Especially if your plans for this car come to fruition.

From the end of your post, are you saying that you were getting a clicking and no cranking? If so, then it very well could be a starter problem, or the starter not getting the correct voltage, or current. The main relay only controls the fuel pump and the ECM, so it failing should not affect the cranking at all.

 

[Wolfie]

You said you tried to start this car 5 days straight and it didn't start? I would make sure the battery didn't get drained down to nothing after that many attemps. If the batt is chargeed completely, then I would start looking at the starter. How long did you crank on it to try starting it? Too long could cause heating issues and cause a starter to fail. Try tapping on the starter with a hammer (only do this with another person and make sure they know what they are doing) while you try cranking on a starter. Sometimes they do get bad brushes and sometimes (not all the time) the starter might just kick in when tapped. But make sure the Batt is fully charged first.