20 min the fans have turned off but the starter will not roll over at all?

VADER3234

MEMBER
1996 HONDA ACCORD
4 CYL
FWD
AUTOMATIC
186,000 MILES

Car will start fine around town but after a twenty mile drive I'll park the car as I turn it off the cooling fans start and run with the car off for 5 to 15 minutes. When I come back after about 20 min the fans have turned off but the starter will not roll over at all. All the dash light come on correctly but all I hear is a relay some where clicking on and off with the key. I've tried turning the key on and off over and over and once in awhile it will start, but that does not happen often. I've also done the old trick of tapping the starter with a wrench, that used to work on an old forklift I used to own. Anyways If I leave the car alone for about two hours and then try to start it, it starts just fine like nothing was ever wrong with it. It started having this problem about a year ago and I figured it was a bad battery being drained by the fans so I purchased an optima battery and it seemed to fix the problem but then about six months latter it started doing the same thing again. Any solutions?

4 Replies

KHLOW2008

MECHANIC
41,814 POSTS

Hi vader3234,

Problem could be due to a intermittently failing starter solenoid. When problem happens, you need to check if power is getting to the starter solenoid.When problem occurs, disconnect the starter solenoid wire and use a remote wire to apply voltage to the solenoid to test if the starter works. If it does not, the starter is failing. This sounds like the starter is having problems or the battery needs to be load tested these guides can help us fix it.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/starter-not-working-repair

and

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/car-battery-load-test

Please run down these guides and report back.

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Friday, June 25th, 2021 AT 12:24 PM

VADER3234

MEMBER
5 POSTS

There are two big wire on the solenoid one from the battery, one from the solenoid to the starter, and then a smaller wire that I imagine is from the ignition switch relay, when it fails again I put a test wire onto the big wire that goes from the solenoid to the starter, if I turn the key and no twelve volts then its the solenoid or ignition switch. And then as soon as I tap on the starter while turning the key on it starts then that should mean its not the ignition switch but the soloid, right? Maybe? LOL

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Friday, June 25th, 2021 AT 12:24 PM

KHLOW2008

MECHANIC
41,814 POSTS

Yes, the symptom described indicates the solenoid is not contacting to provide the power to the starter field coils.

If the solenoid clicked when ignition is turned and power is not present at field coil, that would confirm a bad solenoid contact.

There are 2 types of starters and for one of it, the contacts can be replaced. The solenoid is not visible and enclosed in a arrow shaped housing if looked from rear.

If the solenoid is the cylindrical type, it is non serviceable. You can however replace the solenoid without replacement of the complete starter. It would be good to look at the starter carbon conditions before proceeding with repairs. If they are worn, getting a new or rebuilt starter would be the better choice.

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Friday, June 25th, 2021 AT 12:24 PM

VADER3234