Starting Troubleshoot (HELP!!)

[D.Choe]

A couple weeks ago I noticed that my car would take awhile to crank. For instance one morning I would try to start the car and it would just click repeatedly (I figured it was the starter going bad but I'll get to that later) and after a couple minutes waiting to try starting again it would finally crank. I thought it might be because my battery was low and found out that it was, so I bought a new battery.

Even after installing the new battery, the problems still occurred. My buddy told me to check the battery cables for battery acid build up and check to see if I'm getting enough voltage to my starter. Sure enough the voltage to my starter was off so I cleaned up the battery cables some, but my car was still not cranking right up. Then I thought it might be the starter, so after doing some research on honda-tech and team-integra, I found out that if you swap out the contact points using OEM Toyota parts it might help solve the problem. I went ahead and got the starter rebuild kit (contact points) and replaced them and put the starter back in and wired everything back up.

So this morning while trying to go to work, my car wouldn't crank period. I've checked to see if I messed anything up on the wiring for the starter, but everything's hooked up correctly and I triple checked just to make sure. I checked all my fuses and they're fine.

So here's what's happening:
When I put the key in the ignition and try to crank up the car, you can hear a whirring sound coming from the general direction of where the fusebox (next to the steering column) is. I can push-start my car and it'll run until I turn it off. The car has enough gas for it to crank and the fuel lines/pump seem fine. I called a couple places to see if I could get some electrical diagnostics done and said that it would cost ~$50 to just get it diagnosed. So now my car won't even start and I'm looking for your professional opinion cause it looks like I'm gonna have to walk to work tomorrow morning (~3.5 miles not terrible but would rather drive).

If there's anyone in the Athens area who can help, it would be greatly appreciated because I don't necessarily want to take my car to the shop and have them rape me on something I could've fixed for $5. If you can call me @ 404-717-9705 or PM, or reply to this thread every opinion will be generously taken into account. If you can help me fix my car I will pay you some cash and breakfast,lunch, or dinner and/or beer/liquor (depending on age). I'm planning to sell my car soon, so I really want to get this fixed and done right so the buyer can buy the car without any problems.

Thanks for looking and again it's greatly appreciated if I can get your professional .

OH YEAH! edit: car is a '94 GSR

if needed I will take video and upload to show you what's happening and will take pics of engine bay/interior if it'll help

EDIT: CAR IS UP AND RUNNING AGAIN WHOOOOOOO

PROBLEM WAS MY BATTERY CABLE TERMINAL $2 FIX LOL

[D.Choe]

oh yea and when the key is in the ignition and I try turning on my headlamps the dash goes blank and when I try turning on the high beams the headlamps turn off.

HALP!

[slostang]

if its clicking when you try to start it, check the solenoid switch.

[D.Choe]

if its clicking when you try to start it, check the solenoid switch.

I checked it and it seems fine because now I don't hear clicking instead it's replaced by a whirring noise.

[slostang]

you could be missing some teeth on either the flywheel or the starter gear, or the starter could not be throwing the bendix.

[OMG Its Platz]

damn david..if you were down here we could get if fixed...dad is a master dimond tech.

[D.Choe]

you could be missing some teeth on either the flywheel or the starter gear, or the starter could not be throwing the bendix.

I had the starter I rebuilt tested at a shop before I put it in my car and it was fine.

Don't think it's the flywheel or starter gear cause I can push start it?

I'm pretty sure it might be something electrical...

[D.Choe]

damn david..if you were down here we could get if fixed...dad is a master dimond tech.

tell that fool to come up here and fix my sh!t

I will pay handsomely in chicken fried rice and some dirt-bag sluts

[Elbow]

Check ALL grounds, check main relay, I take it no fuses are being blown. Clean all connections having to do with the ignition system.

[slostang]

I had the starter I rebuilt tested at a shop before I put it in my car and it was fine.

Don't think it's the flywheel or starter gear cause I can push start it?

I'm pretty sure it might be something electrical...

I still say its the teeth. you don't need a starter or flywheel on a car at all to bump start it. (except for using the clutch)

[D.Choe]

Check ALL grounds, check main relay, I take it no fuses are being blown. Clean all connections having to do with the ignition system.

thanks Simon I will double check these things ASAP

going outside in the 1000 degree weather yet again

I will reward you accordingly if I find anything wrong with what you mentioned

[Elbow]

thanks Simon I will double check these things ASAP

going outside in the 1000 degree weather yet again

I will reward you accordingly if I find anything wrong with what you mentioned

No problem. Let us know what happens and we can continue with ideas

[redrumracer]

ill say the started or as already mentioned the teeth on the flywheel. even though the starter was tested it could still be bad. its one thing to free spin and a totally different thing for it to turn the motor over. and as far as you light go that could be a grounding problem like simon said. you could have potentially not hooked up a ground wire or one may have came off when you were trying to get to the starter and you dont even know it. just closely check everything over and make sure there is nothing hanging loose.

[Elbow]

Also when it does run, if you push start it, how does it run?

[D.Choe]

ill say the started or as already mentioned the teeth on the flywheel. even though the starter was tested it could still be bad. its one thing to free spin and a totally different thing for it to turn the motor over. and as far as you light go that could be a grounding problem like simon said. you could have potentially not hooked up a ground wire or one may have came off when you were trying to get to the starter and you dont even know it. just closely check everything over and make sure there is nothing hanging loose.

yea I just went outside to check everything again and everything seems to be in place, but then again my chinky ass eyes might be overlooking somethign extremely small

a buddy of mine is gonna come over to help me out so hopefully he can catch something I haven't yet

thanks for the advice

Also when it does run, if you push start it, how does it run?

last time I push-started it, the car seemed perfectly fine, idle'd right at 1000 rpm and I could drive normally like nothing ever happened

[Elbow]

Hmmmm weird.

I would take every ground wire off, sand the connection and where it's connected and bolt them back down.

If it was the main relay I don't think it'd run. Does it turn over, click, anything when you try to start? Do you have to push the clutch in to start it?

[D.Choe]

Hmmmm weird.

I would take every ground wire off, sand the connection and where it's connected and bolt them back down.

If it was the main relay I don't think it'd run. Does it turn over, click, anything when you try to start? Do you have to push the clutch in to start it?

I'll probably do that tonight, but first I need some sand paper lol

I will get a vid to show you what happens when I try to start, but there's no clicking, no turn over, just whirring and yes I have to push the clutch in to start.

[Truegiant]

have you added any new grounds? I had a bad thermostat housing ground and it caused the same problem. i bought some 2 gauge wire at the parts store and made all new grounds for my engine. and when that later failed i just spliced into the starter signal wire under the dash from the ignition switch to the hot wire input on the starter. worked fine since.

[D.Choe]

JUST HAD TO GET NEW BATTERY CABLE TERMINALS

LOL THANKS FOR ALL THE HELP!!

[OMG Its Platz]

hhhhhhhaahahahahhah David...you CHINK!!! it was the eyes!...lol when you coming down to g-net?

JUST HAD TO GET NEW BATTERY CABLE TERMINALS

LOL THANKS FOR ALL THE HELP!!

[Elbow]

Awesome! Glad you fixed it!

[D.Choe]

hhhhhhhaahahahahhah David...you CHINK!!! it was the eyes!...lol when you coming down to g-net?

lololololol

probably this weekend going to see Butch Walker

[b16ftw]

lol i had the same problem not long ago. replaced my battery terminals and it was fine. lol wish i coulda seen this thread earlier for ya.