Honda Car Forum

It was stalling out on me while I was driving it. I had to wait a few
minutes before it would start again. The last time it stalled on me...I
let it sit for a while and tried to start it and it woudln't even turn
over. It's not the battery and not the spark plugs, I've changed them
already. Anyone that can help?

"blinteg165" <nduprat33@hotmail.com> wrote in
news:844e1ca7837aa6cceab5a4fba530cf49@localhost.ta lkaboutautos.com:

> It was stalling out on me while I was driving it. I had to wait a few
> minutes before it would start again. The last time it stalled on me...I
> let it sit for a while and tried to start it and it woudln't even turn
> over. It's not the battery and not the spark plugs, I've changed them
> already. Anyone that can help?
>
>


Did it just die, or did it stumble and run poorly before it stalled?

Did the MIL light up?

A repeated sudden die-out is usually the igniter.

--
TeGGeR®

The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
www.tegger.com/hondafaq/

> It was stalling out on me while I was driving it. I had to wait a few
> minutes before it would start again. The last time it stalled on me...I
> let it sit for a while and tried to start it and it woudln't even turn
> over. It's not the battery and not the spark plugs, I've changed them
> already. Anyone that can help?

Just making we're on the same page: with not turning over, you mean "not
cranking" or do you mean "cranking but not actually catching and starting"?

If the car is not cranking at all, it may be your starter or something
related to the starter.
Do you hear a 'click' under the hood when you turn the key?
If you don't, measure the voltage between the fat wire to the starter and
ground (be careful to not short anything, because that is capable of
delivering a lot of current). No need to start the car -- just measure the
voltage.
If you see 12V or hear that 'click', put a piece of wood on the starter
(like a 2x4) and whack the piece of wood with a hammer -- not too hard, but
hard enough to mechanically shock the starter.
If the car now starts while hitting the wood, chances are your starter is
bad. Check and clean all connections first, though.

If you don't see 12V on that fat wire, follow it back to the battery. Clean
both ends and inspect the crimps.
If you do see 12V on the fat wire but don't hear the click, check the
voltage on the smaller wire on the starter. Start the car. If you don't see
12V there, there's a chance that your ignition switch is bad or the wires to
the ignition switch are bad somewhere.

Before we go too far diagnosing, let us know what the car is doing.
Remco

"RemcoW" <whybcuz@yahoo.com> wrote in news:qasQd.4145$Vp3.2420@fe11.lga:

>> It was stalling out on me while I was driving it. I had to wait a few
>> minutes before it would start again. The last time it stalled on
>> me...I let it sit for a while and tried to start it and it woudln't
>> even turn over. It's not the battery and not the spark plugs, I've
>> changed them already. Anyone that can help?
>
> Just making we're on the same page: with not turning over, you mean
> "not cranking" or do you mean "cranking but not actually catching and
> starting"?


"Wouldn't even turn over..." I missed that part. Ignore igniter warning in
my last message.

--
TeGGeR®

The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
www.tegger.com/hondafaq/

Well it kind of gurgled when it stalled. The maintanence required light
came on, but someone i know told me to hit the button under the dash to
make it go off, which was obviously a bad idea. It clicks when i try to
start it now, that's it

> Well it kind of gurgled when it stalled. The maintanence required light
> came on, but someone i know told me to hit the button under the dash to
> make it go off, which was obviously a bad idea. It clicks when i try to
> start it now, that's it

That maintenance required light reset is just that -- it does not affect the
operation of the car, so it might have been a coincidence that it does not
start now.

That 'click' is coming from the area of the starter, right? If so, it comes
from the relay mounted on top of the starter - the noise tends to be pretty
loud.

Try reseating the connections to the starter and battery - make sure they
make good contact. Also make sure that your battery voltage does not droop
too far when you are starting the car (it shouldn't go lower than 10V,
depending on the shape of the battery).
Whack the starter, described in my other post to see if you can get the car
started again.

It is a good chance it is your starter - they go bad sometimes. To replace
it isn't horribly difficult and replacement starters should not cost you too
much.
Here's one on ebay that might work for you (check it first):
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...item=795407823
9&category=6763&sspagename=WDVW


Remco

"blinteg165" <nduprat33@hotmail.com> wrote in
news:7cb0e48d9094fedca9da87ba2bce21e2@localhost.ta lkaboutautos.com:

> Well it kind of gurgled when it stalled. The maintanence required light
> came on, but someone i know told me to hit the button under the dash to
> make it go off, which was obviously a bad idea. It clicks when i try to
> start it now, that's it
>


Check Remco's messages. Do what he says first, then explore further later.
Batt connections/starter is first suspect.

--
TeGGeR®

The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
www.tegger.com/hondafaq/

"RemcoW" <whybcuz@yahoo.com> wrote in news:qasQd.4145$Vp3.2420@fe11.lga:

>> It was stalling out on me while I was driving it. I had to wait a few
>> minutes before it would start again. The last time it stalled on
>> me...I let it sit for a while and tried to start it and it woudln't
>> even turn over. It's not the battery and not the spark plugs, I've
>> changed them already. Anyone that can help?
>
> Just making we're on the same page: with not turning over, you mean
> "not cranking" or do you mean "cranking but not actually catching and
> starting"?
>
> If the car is not cranking at all, it may be your starter or
> something related to the starter.
> Do you hear a 'click' under the hood when you turn the key?
> If you don't, measure the voltage between the fat wire to the starter
> and ground (be careful to not short anything, because that is capable
> of delivering a lot of current). No need to start the car -- just
> measure the voltage.
> If you see 12V or hear that 'click', put a piece of wood on the
> starter (like a 2x4) and whack the piece of wood with a hammer -- not
> too hard, but hard enough to mechanically shock the starter.
> If the car now starts while hitting the wood, chances are your starter
> is bad. Check and clean all connections first, though.
>
> If you don't see 12V on that fat wire, follow it back to the battery.
> Clean both ends and inspect the crimps.
> If you do see 12V on the fat wire but don't hear the click, check the
> voltage on the smaller wire on the starter. Start the car. If you
> don't see 12V there, there's a chance that your ignition switch is bad
> or the wires to the ignition switch are bad somewhere.
>
> Before we go too far diagnosing, let us know what the car is doing.
> Remco
>
>

The OTHER half of the circuits are the grounds.
Check for corroded or hi-resistance grounds,too.
--
Jim Yanik
jyanik
at
kua.net

> The OTHER half of the circuits are the grounds.
> Check for corroded or hi-resistance grounds,too.

Good point, Jim. Check them grounds too.

Thank all of you, I'll keep you updated. I live in NY and we just got a lot
of snow so I won't be able to look at it until it melts.