Honda Car Forum

OK guys, need some quick advice. Went out to get lunch and nothing
happens when I turn the key. No radio, no click, no nothing. Happened a
few weeks ago, then stated fin the next day, and ever since.

I figure it's the ignition switch, or loose harness to the switch.

Any chance the main relay could also cause this?
Do they ever fail intermittently?

Anything else?

Quick tip to get it started so I can get home tonight?
--
- -
Rex Burkheimer
Fort Worth TX

Rex B wrote:
> OK guys, need some quick advice. Went out to get lunch and nothing
> happens when I turn the key. No radio, no click, no nothing. Happened a
> few weeks ago, then stated fin the next day, and ever since.
>
> I figure it's the ignition switch, or loose harness to the switch.
>
> Any chance the main relay could also cause this?
> Do they ever fail intermittently?
>
> Anything else?
>
> Quick tip to get it started so I can get home tonight?

Well, I went online to order the switch and relay.
Ignition switch is $130
Relay has 3 choices, depending on which number is stamped on it.

--
- -
Rex Burkheimer
WM Automotive
Fort Worth TX

"Rex B" <rex@inoli.com> wrote in message
news:112s0rha0117d2b@corp.supernews.com...
> Rex B wrote:
>> OK guys, need some quick advice. Went out to get lunch and nothing
>> happens when I turn the key. No radio, no click, no nothing. Happened a
>> few weeks ago, then stated fin the next day, and ever since.
>>
>> I figure it's the ignition switch, or loose harness to the switch.
>>
>> Any chance the main relay could also cause this?
>> Do they ever fail intermittently?
>>
>> Anything else?
>>
>> Quick tip to get it started so I can get home tonight?
>
> Well, I went online to order the switch and relay.
> Ignition switch is $130
> Relay has 3 choices, depending on which number is stamped on it.
>
> --
> - -
> Rex Burkheimer
> WM Automotive
> Fort Worth TX

The main relay is just a fancy fuel pump relay AFAIK. Shouldn't cause the
"no activity" condition.

That doesn't leave much - the ignition switch or the battery. If it is the
ignition switch the headlights will come on normally, if the battery is bad
the headlights won't (obviously).

Intermittent batteries are becoming downright common. About half the bad
batteries I've had in recent years have failed that way. Apparently the
connections inside the battery at one post or the other crack and don't
quite make contact. If you can get current to start flowing, the contacts
will weld slightly, enough to magically restore the battery!

If the ignition switch is being troublesome, it is possible to open it and
work the contacts over with the existing grease inside the switch. It's
pretty spooky doing that away from home, though. You may be better off
cycling the switch on and off until it hopefully works.

If it is the battery, turn the headlights on (to provide a load and to guage
your progress). Hit one of the terminals sharply with a small hammer if one
is available, something improvised if not. Don't risk breaking the case,
just a medium whack. Check the lights and repeat with the other terminal if
necessary. You may have to be persistent, and if you have a voltmeter or
test light available you will probably want to verify the voltage is missing
at the posts before getting carried away. If that gets it going, replace the
battery.

Mike

On Tue, 08 Mar 2005 13:45:31 -0600, Rex B <rex@inoli.com> wrote:

>OK guys, need some quick advice. Went out to get lunch and nothing
>happens when I turn the key. No radio, no click, no nothing. Happened a
>few weeks ago, then stated fin the next day, and ever since.
>
>I figure it's the ignition switch, or loose harness to the switch.
>
>Any chance the main relay could also cause this?
>Do they ever fail intermittently?
>
>Anything else?
>
>Quick tip to get it started so I can get home tonight?

Simple trick that might work- stick the tip of a pocket knife or small
plain screwdriver between the battery posts and their clamps and pry
and twist a little. Or if you have wrenches handy, slacken the clamps
and rotate them a bit on the posts and try again.

Before deciding it's the ignition switch or main relay, check all
battery cable connections at battery, starter and neg cable grounding
point. Check under the battery cable connections at the clamps for
corroded copper, sometimes there's only a few strands left among and a
lot of green crud. See also:
http://www.tegger.com/hondafaq/faq.html#stalling

Rex B wrote:
> Rex B wrote:
>
>> OK guys, need some quick advice. Went out to get lunch and nothing
>> happens when I turn the key. No radio, no click, no nothing. Happened
>> a few weeks ago, then stated fin the next day, and ever since.
>>
>> I figure it's the ignition switch, or loose harness to the switch.
>>
>> Any chance the main relay could also cause this?
>> Do they ever fail intermittently?
>>
>> Anything else?
>>
>> Quick tip to get it started so I can get home tonight?
>
>
> Well, I went online to order the switch and relay.
> Ignition switch is $130
> Relay has 3 choices, depending on which number is stamped on it.
>
check the battery & the battery terminals first. unlikely to be main
relay as you're typically still be able to crank the engine - it just
won't start. if you do buy a new main relay, [not a bad idea to have a
spare given that they /do/ fail] it's the one labeled "RZ-0063".

John Ings wrote:
> On Tue, 08 Mar 2005 13:45:31 -0600, Rex B <rex@inoli.com> wrote:
>
>
>>OK guys, need some quick advice. Went out to get lunch and nothing
>>happens when I turn the key. No radio, no click, no nothing. Happened a
>>few weeks ago, then stated fin the next day, and ever since.
>>
>>I figure it's the ignition switch, or loose harness to the switch.
>>
>>Any chance the main relay could also cause this?
>>Do they ever fail intermittently?
>>
>>Anything else?
>>
>>Quick tip to get it started so I can get home tonight?
>
>
> Simple trick that might work- stick the tip of a pocket knife or small
> plain screwdriver between the battery posts and their clamps and pry
> and twist a little. Or if you have wrenches handy, slacken the clamps
> and rotate them a bit on the posts and try again.
>
> Before deciding it's the ignition switch or main relay, check all
> battery cable connections at battery, starter and neg cable grounding
> point. Check under the battery cable connections at the clamps for
> corroded copper, sometimes there's only a few strands left among and a
> lot of green crud. See also:
> http://www.tegger.com/hondafaq/faq.html#stalling
>

Well, you guys were on the right track. It was a dead battery, left the
lights on when I got to work. This is the only car I own that doesn't
have a "Lights on" warning buzzer, and it bites me every now and then.
The last time I had a no-start condition, it wasn't the battery, and
I never figured out what it was, except it started fine next day. I just
assumed (there's that word) that that problem had returned.
Thanks for the reality check

--
- -
Rex Burkheimer
WM Automotive
Fort Worth TX

On Wed, 09 Mar 2005 09:06:26 -0600, Rex B <rex@inoli.com> wrote:

>Well, you guys were on the right track. It was a dead battery, left the
>lights on when I got to work. This is the only car I own that doesn't
>have a "Lights on" warning buzzer, and it bites me every now and then.

There's an east cure for that. Under the dash near the steering column
is that annoying seatbelt buzzer. At least that's where it was on my
CRX. It's not hard to rewire this between the park light bus and the
ignition bus, with a small diode in the circuit. If the ignition is
turned off there are enough loads on the ignition bus to make it look
like a ground to the buzzer, and if the park lamps are still on, it
will buzz at you. The diode stops the the ignition voltage from coming
back the other way when the park lights are off.

"Rex B" <rex@inoli.com> wrote

> >>OK guys, need some quick advice. Went out to get lunch and nothing
> >>happens when I turn the key. No radio, no click, no nothing. Happened a
> >>few weeks ago, then stated fin the next day, and ever since.
> >>Quick tip to get it started so I can get home tonight?

Push start?

> Well, you guys were on the right track. It was a dead battery, left the
> lights on when I got to work. This is the only car I own that doesn't
> have a "Lights on" warning buzzer, and it bites me every now and then.

The headlight switched would've been a nice clue. :-)

> The last time I had a no-start condition, it wasn't the battery, and
> I never figured out what it was, except it started fine next day. I just
> assumed (there's that word) that that problem had returned.
> Thanks for the reality check

Probably the clutch switch.

I added a small radio shack $6 sonalert between thedash illuminatin
and the oil
peasure switch. Took about 30 minutes and you have to pull the cowling
off the
gauges. I added a 1n4002 diode.
Somewhere I have the exact wires that I intercepted.
I have misplaced a folder with all my Honda notes, including the info I
promised
Tigar.
Terry