GTUser

I don't know how to describe exactly what's happening with my car when I start it. It sounds and feels like the battery barely has enough power to turn the starter over. Really sluggish on starting when I turn the key. This began happening when the temps dropped into the teens a couple of weeks ago and has continued.

At first I thought it was the battery going bad with the very cold temps so I put it on a charger a couple of times a week to keep the charge up until I could buy a new battery. This didn't seem to help nor would it show taking much of a charge. I had the battery tested on Friday and it showed fully charged. I next thought it could be a bad, loose, or dirty connection on the starter or the ground at the starter. I checked those connections today and all is tight and nothing appeared wrong at that end of things.

The engine always turns over and starts with the first turn of the key but it is real sluggish when cranked. I guess it could be the starter going out but has anyone experienced this and know what is going on. Anything I should check or be aware of concerning other symptoms or related problems?

T2monster

what weight oil?

Wizz

I would like to know as well. Having the same problem w/ my TII.

powrdby13B

checked your grounds recently? Take a voltmeter and measure voltage at the starter. Remember 12 is low.

GTUser

Running Castrol 20W50 oil but the same thing happens if I let the engine warm up completely and then turn it off and try to start it again. I thought it just might be a cold engine and very cold, heavy oil but if that were the case it should not drag when restarting a totally warmed up engine?

Aaron Cake

iTrader: (1)

Wow...20W50 is almost solid as these temps. Move to 10W30. Very bad for start up.

Check your battery voltage while cranking the car. Should never drop below about 12V. Try swapping in a known good battery.

After that, look at the starter. Pull it off and bench test it. It should not draw huge amounts of current (ie. no huge sparks) and should rotate easily in your fingers.

SirCygnus

iTrader: (1)

really, i have a brand new optima battery and it shows 10 volts, but it can crank the car to high heaven. replace the honda battery and get an optima redtop.

GTUser

Got in the car today, temps in the high 50s and still sluggish, went to eat lunch with wife and afterward got in the car and it didn't even turn the starter over, just got the single clickwhen I turned the key, bad starter. Went into some other stores and messed around for a while and went back out to get it rolling and pop the clutch to start it but it start up. I'm pretty sure my problem is a bad starter.

I have checked the alternator and it is putting out 14 volts while the car is running and was just replaced last month.

Aaron Cake

iTrader: (1)

You've got problems.

Either you have a constant drain on the system, keeping the battery voltage low. Or your alternator is totally dead, and is not charging. Or your voltmeter is just wrong. Either way, the battery should show ABOVE 12.5V after a rest period after being fully charged.

That said, in the past two years, the quality of the Optima battery has gone into the toilet. Don't waste your money on Optima. If you want a good AGM battery, get a Deka or an Exide. All the EV racers have given up on the Optima...

GTUser

Thanks AC for the Optima info. I had planned on upgrading to an Optima if my problem had been the battery. Are teh batteries you mention normally available thru most autoparts stores or must they be ordered thru racing speciality shops?

GTUser

AS it turned out the starter finally refused to turn the engine and thereby proved that its was the problem. So on Monday I called the local Alternator and Starter rebuild shop in Raleigh and they said they didn't think they had a replacement starter on the shelf but if I could bring my starter in they would would check it and rebuild it if they couldn't find a replacement.

As it turns out I had the turbo starter and they rebuilt it on the spot, took about 3 hours before I could pick it up. Installed it on Tuesday and the car starts and runs as strong as ever. I also took the extra time to resecure the air pump pipe that had lost one of its supports when the new RB catback exhaust system was installed. I fabricated a couple of spring hangers for the air bypass pipe and secured them in place with the heat shield bolts. I also cleaned out the oil cooler where a lot of leaves and junk had accumulated between it and the radiator.

Car now has a new starter, and is in better shape than before the starter was replaced.

The only cost on this repair was the rebuild of the starter motor, $129.00 and a couple of hours of my labor to remove it and reinstall it plus do a few minor maintenance items under the car since I was there anyway.

GTUser

bumped for info