1988 Prelude Si - Won't start
 

Hello Everyone,

I have an '88 Prelude Si that when you go to turn it over all it does is
click once. On the dash the battery and oil lights come on. I know it's
not the battery as all the lights are on and bright and the fans and the
radio works just fine. Am I looking at a starter replacement? I have the
Haynes manual for the car, is this something I should attempt myself?

Thanks,

Dave
'88 Prelude Si (100,000miles / 160,000clicks on the odo)

Re: 1988 Prelude Si - Won't start
 

> I have an '88 Prelude Si that when you go to turn it over all it does is
> click once. On the dash the battery and oil lights come on. I know it's
> not the battery as all the lights are on and bright and the fans and the
> radio works just fine. Am I looking at a starter replacement? I have the
> Haynes manual for the car, is this something I should attempt myself?

Does it start when you use booster cables? If so, it is most likely the
battery. You can't really tell very much as to the battery condition until
you load it down. Starting a car loads it down a lot so make sure before you
get your starter replaced.

Clean all contacts to the starter and on the battery well, especially the
fat lead to the starter. Use some fine sandpaper to do this.

If it still doesn't work, get a short piece of 2x4 and a hammer. Put one end
of the 2x4 on the starter and hit the other end with the hammer, creating a
mechanical shock. Sometimes you have to do this while you are starting the
car.
If it now starts, chances are that your starter is bad.

Hope that will help you figure out what's wrong.

Remco

Re: 1988 Prelude Si - Won't start
 

> I have an '88 Prelude Si that when you go to turn it over all it does is
> click once. On the dash the battery and oil lights come on. I know it's
> not the battery as all the lights are on and bright and the fans and the
> radio works just fine. Am I looking at a starter replacement? I have the
> Haynes manual for the car, is this something I should attempt myself?

Does it start when you use booster cables? If so, it is most likely the
battery. You can't really tell very much as to the battery condition until
you load it down. Starting a car loads it down a lot so make sure before you
get your starter replaced.

Clean all contacts to the starter and on the battery well, especially the
fat lead to the starter. Use some fine sandpaper to do this.

If it still doesn't work, get a short piece of 2x4 and a hammer. Put one end
of the 2x4 on the starter and hit the other end with the hammer, creating a
mechanical shock. Sometimes you have to do this while you are starting the
car.
If it now starts, chances are that your starter is bad.

Hope that will help you figure out what's wrong.

Remco

Re: 1988 Prelude Si - Won't start
 

On 2005-04-17 spamsux@rogers.com said:
>Newsgroups: alt.autos.honda
>Hello Everyone,
>I have an '88 Prelude Si that when you go to turn it over all it
>does is click once. On the dash the battery and oil lights come on.
>I know it's not the battery as all the lights are on and bright and
>the fans and the radio works just fine. Am I looking at a starter
>replacement?
The starter on my '85 Civic acted like that intermittently about 15
years ago. The solenoid contacts were badly burned/eroded. In shock
from the dealer price for a starter, and non-availability of a
replacement solenoid, I found a rebuilder who sold me the contacts
for maybe $10. Still working today, at 282K mi.

>is this something I should attempt myself?
Only if you understand what you are working on.


Tom Willmon
near Mountainair, (mid) New Mexico, USA

Doctor, I've asked everyone. We don't HAVE any fallopian tubes.

Net-Tamer V 1.12.0 - Registered

Re: 1988 Prelude Si - Won't start
 

On 2005-04-17 spamsux@rogers.com said:
>Newsgroups: alt.autos.honda
>Hello Everyone,
>I have an '88 Prelude Si that when you go to turn it over all it
>does is click once. On the dash the battery and oil lights come on.
>I know it's not the battery as all the lights are on and bright and
>the fans and the radio works just fine. Am I looking at a starter
>replacement?
The starter on my '85 Civic acted like that intermittently about 15
years ago. The solenoid contacts were badly burned/eroded. In shock
from the dealer price for a starter, and non-availability of a
replacement solenoid, I found a rebuilder who sold me the contacts
for maybe $10. Still working today, at 282K mi.

>is this something I should attempt myself?
Only if you understand what you are working on.


Tom Willmon
near Mountainair, (mid) New Mexico, USA

Doctor, I've asked everyone. We don't HAVE any fallopian tubes.

Net-Tamer V 1.12.0 - Registered