2nd Generation Specific (1986-1992) 1986-1992 Discussion including performance modifications and technical support sections.

car wont start

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Old Sep 8, 2004 | 04:50 PM
  #1  
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From: columbus ohio
car wont start

87 N/A automatic

ok i drove the car this morning and everything fine. got of work and nothing. i can turn the key and the idiot lights come on guages come up and i can turn the radio on.
i looked briefly at the fuses under the hood and they seemed to be fine too. i tried jump starting the car but no luck. perhaps i should have put the negative on some bolt or something instead of the battery.
you can turn the key and it goes ummmmmm.
wont start at all i guess in terms it wont turn over
im not sure if its the fuel pump , starter or engine seized up.

the engine has 20 000 miles on it now. body of car 104 000 im not sure if the fuel pump was ever replaced nor the starter

i pumped the lights up and they seemed to go right up and were on kind of dim but then again i looked at them fro mthe side and during day light too.

any suggestions
im going back out there tonight i was told to try and move the belts and see if you can turn the belt by hand to see if it seized up


please help if anyone can.l thanks again.
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Old Sep 8, 2004 | 05:05 PM
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From: columbus ohio
should i try a new battery ?
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Old Sep 8, 2004 | 08:09 PM
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ok i replaced the battery and all the lights worked fine turning liights etc.
i noticed when i turn the key over the brakde light comes on the light for the emergency brake . but either way they dude at the auto place said that i can rule out the fuel pump cause the car should still turn over and try to start. so i guess my last guess is the starter.

from reading the manuel changing that should not be hard. anyone know where it is located? picutre didnt show where.

also pulled on the belts and everything turn so im rulling out engine seizure.


does anyone else have any suggestions?

please let me know
thanks again
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Old Sep 8, 2004 | 08:11 PM
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try unflooding it?
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Old Sep 8, 2004 | 08:35 PM
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wel i dont think it flooded it did that ever sence i tried doing it the first time after work not diff.

anyone else?
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Old Sep 8, 2004 | 08:36 PM
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Grab a long-handled screwdriver and tap fairly hard on the starter, from under the driver's side of the car. Can't miss the starter, it's the little round thing right beside the tranny, with the big wires going to it. See if that helps.

Do the lights go dim when you turn the key, or no change?
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Old Sep 8, 2004 | 08:45 PM
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from what i have opserved no change in the lighting.
i can have radio on all the lights and on

there has been no attmept to turn over at all ever sence the first try this afternoon

is it near the wheel or further up?
thanks for the help i will give that a shot before callling the tow truck to have it towed to my house so i can put that darn starter in.

sucker is going to cost 150 bucks
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Old Sep 8, 2004 | 09:59 PM
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You also have an inhibitor switch you should check out, down on the tranny, looks to be on the left side, but it's hard to tell with these FSM pictures. If it's not working right, you'll never get power to your starter. Try "jiggeling" your shifter a little, see if that helps...
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Old Sep 8, 2004 | 10:13 PM
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Before you drop the cash, if you can get the car to your house, and remove the starter, any auto parts store will test it for free...

Just so I'm (And everyone reading this thread) is 100% clear, is the engine Cranking? You said it wasn't turning over, but that's generally held to mean when the engine runs under it's own power. Is the engine actually spinning at all when you turn the key (Cranking)? If not, i'd guess starter, or the power lines going to the starter, or some derivitive of teh starter (as everyone else is suggesting).
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Old Sep 9, 2004 | 06:26 AM
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From: columbus ohio
yea the engine does NOT crack over.

so im going with what you all said and try the hole starter thing. i hope that fixes it . should there be a new starter in there sence a new rotary engine was put in? i would assume that new rotary engine would come with it. well i put the car in neutral and back in part so jiggling the shifter wont help much i dont think sence i have moved it back and forth. thought perhaps it was not in gear all the way.

im going to attempt to hit the starter i guess to see if it takes me home and then take it off and take it to a auto parts store.

your saying tap it witha wrench of some sort or screw driver. how about a jack pole. what you use to jack up the car?

thanks for the help.
i greatly appreciate it.
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Old Sep 9, 2004 | 07:31 AM
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From: Lower NY
a 3 ton floor jack, then place two jack stands under the frame, where the lower arms of the suspension meet it. It will give you enough clearance.
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Old Sep 9, 2004 | 08:11 AM
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before you replace the hole starter you may want to take it apart and there are two brass pieces that get worn out and that is about 90 percent of why these starters fail especially oem ones. My friends dad is a master mechanic at toyota and he said he has rarely changed a starter that wasn't this. I forgot what they are called but you can get them at the dealer for like 5 to 10 bucks at the most. When my celica won't start and it was my starter I did this and sure enough thats what it was.
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Old Sep 9, 2004 | 08:19 AM
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not a bad idea, i hope that is it though

also would be nice if you had some pics of these parts your talking about i have not knowing cause i would hate to put it back together to find out it went out again.

i guess if i do get the new starter, its just one more less part to worry about replacing.
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Old Sep 9, 2004 | 08:23 AM
  #14  
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Originally Posted by midnightride42
not a bad idea, i hope that is it though

also would be nice if you had some pics of these parts your talking about i have not knowing cause i would hate to put it back together to find out it went out again.

i guess if i do get the new starter, its just one more less part to worry about replacing.
actually i just remembered, i have a working starter for an S4 automomatic
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Old Sep 9, 2004 | 09:02 AM
  #15  
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you will see the two brass clips. Its what the starter makes contact with to get the car started they just ware down.
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Old Sep 9, 2004 | 09:52 AM
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Are you talking about the brush holders or the bruhes, Honda dude?

Midnight- if you have a multimeter, and you want to do a little troubleshooting so you're not wasting your money, check for start voltage with key held to start at the little terminal on the starter solenoid (beside the big terminal up top there). Check voltage, to ground, should be about 10v if the starter is cranking, maybe 12v if not. If you get voltage, then you can start thinking starter. While you're under there, take a look at all of the wiring connections, make sure they're nice and tight, and clean...

If no voltage is present, it's back up in the wiring. Ignition switch, inhibitor switch, wiring...
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Old Sep 9, 2004 | 10:11 AM
  #17  
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From: columbus ohio
how much are you asking for your starter?


thanks for the advice i will deff. look at all the wires plus check the fueses in the cabin which i have yet to do.

i hope thats all thas wrong with it.

i dont think its the wiring cause i drove the car fine that morning now prob starting
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Old Sep 9, 2004 | 04:33 PM
  #18  
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I have a 88 n/a doin the same thing, but when it just sits there in the on position, it'll make this long annoying buzz, like the same buzz when u hit redline. any ideas what that might be?
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Old Sep 9, 2004 | 06:37 PM
  #19  
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yea i do believe mine has the buzzer too like the coolent buzzer typ of buzzer.

either way jacked up the car and hit the starter a few times it wanted to start ones but only ones and thas it
i even used a metal pole to make the two bolts at the end touch to try and make it start that way but no such luck.

called every freaking place around here parts place they want 150 bucks and i get 50 back when i return core. but here is the catch of coarse no one hasthem in stock so i have to wait till the 20 unless i wanna pay 5-10 bucks for shipping it faster then it will be here by the 13-14

sucks

im going ot try the junk yards tomorrow and see what i can find there
i still hope this is what is wrong .
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