Dead car any mechanics

[Kev Williams]

We have juice to the lights.
No juice to the starter.
Lets work backwards:

If there WAS juice to the starter, AND the battery cable connection was bad, then just trying to start it would finish the disconnect there would be no power...
For now, battery connection seems ok

IF there is power to the starter solenoid, the starter solenoid should clack or click
-solenoid does nothing.
IF the solenoid does nothing but is otherwise energized in the start position and it's seized, it would very much dim the lights.
-lights don't dim

So this means:

the solenoid connection is compromised,
OR-the solenoid is bad within itself, burnt contacts or broken inside,
OR-the solenoid may broken---it happens, and this will result in a totally dead key--
chapsolenoid.jpg

OR- the solenoid isn't getting power at all in the START position.

This means some voltage tests need to be taken.

On the solenoid, first check the battery LINE IN wire, it's the broken one in my pic. The one directly below is LOAD OUT to the starter motor. The LINE IN should ALWAYS have power, as it should be directly connected to the battery.
IF no volts, THEN check the battery to starter wire and connection(s)..
IF yes volts, then:

check the low amp 'trigger' wire for power with the key in the START position. If there's 2 low amp wires, one will be ground, If no power on one, check the other.
IF no power on the trigger wire,
THEN- either the wire or connection is faulty,
OR the starter relay is faulty,
OR the ignition switch is faulty.

When it gets to this point, finding which relay is the starter relay and just replacing it is the easiest way to troubleshoot, UNLESS you're willing to figure out which wire is the starter HOT wire off the ignition switch in the jungle of wiring under the dash. If you are and can find it, it should show volts in the start position.

As for your drain, it sounds like driving it doesn't charge the battery, meaning bad alternator or voltage regulator. You could also have a faulty stereo's memory eating too much power, or maybe a light is on somewhere all the time. My wife's Mustang's GPS display decided to not shut off one day. I've pulled it's fuse AND the main power plug an it STILL draws power constantly because the memory input is separate.

Anyway, car electrical issues suck, good luck!

[Frederick Skelly]

Totally unrelated comment...... every time I see the title of this thread come up on the screen, it reads as "Dead car mechanics" and I go "What the heck??? Oh. Yeah. That's right."

Sure hope your problem gets resolved quickly Bert. Car trouble stinks.

Fred

[Bert Kemp]

Well I had time to day to look for the starter , I could look down a very narrow opening in the exhaust manifold and see it down there. So I found a piece of threaded rod 1/4" that would fit thru that opening and reach the starter. Had my neighbor turn key while I tapped on the rod with a mallet and guess what ? It started . It turned over real slow at first but then caught and turn quick enough to start. Took it to the shop and told him what I did and he said he'd check it out and do what needed to be done. So hopefully in a few days I have a running car again and no bank account. Thanks everyone for all the suggestions they worked

[Ronald Blue]

Sounds like you have two problems. An excessive drain on the electrical system and a starter issue. Have the mechanic look into that battery drain issue as well. A starter that cranks slowly and picks up speed indicates a draggy starter. The battery drain issue likely destroyed the starter. As battery voltage drops amperage increases. High amperage will create excess heat. This likely goes back to before you purchased the car.

[Bert Kemp]

Yea The cheesy Honda dealer sold me a car with a bad starter.I'm sure they know it. They also sold it to me with only one Key with a promise to get me another one. Well that hasn't happened either

Sounds like you have two problems. An excessive drain on the electrical system and a starter issue. Have the mechanic look into that battery drain issue as well. A starter that cranks slowly and picks up speed indicates a draggy starter. The battery drain issue likely destroyed the starter. As battery voltage drops amperage increases. High amperage will create excess heat. This likely goes back to before you purchased the car.

[Greg Cuetara]

Bert it sounds like you may have figured out the issue. I had a problem a year or two ago with my plow truck and it did exactly the same thing. Battery was draining, it had a had time starting etc. i took out the starter thinking that was it and found a bad ground to the starter. It was a little 22 gauge wire under the car and had rusted out and had an intermittent connection so it would start most of the time but not all the time and when it would not start there was nothing...no click click click...I got the starter back in and fixed the ground wire and things have been good for the past two years. Let me tell you though in the middle of winter in the north east trying to get under a car where you have to unbolt the starter then turn it 90 different directions and each time move it a fraction of an inch to finally get it out was a pain in the keester...

Good luck solving your issue.
Greg

[Bert Kemp]

Greg I know all about it, lived in NH for 40+years. logged my own land for my firewood for 20 of those years. Trudging thru 3 feet of snow in 10 degree temps and the wind blowing, dragging 1" steel cable to hook up to the trees and drag them out. Snowblowing a 900 foot driveway up and down hill.Oh the good ol days

Bert it sounds like you may have figured out the issue. I had a problem a year or two ago with my plow truck and it did exactly the same thing. Battery was draining, it had a had time starting etc. i took out the starter thinking that was it and found a bad ground to the starter. It was a little 22 gauge wire under the car and had rusted out and had an intermittent connection so it would start most of the time but not all the time and when it would not start there was nothing...no click click click...I got the starter back in and fixed the ground wire and things have been good for the past two years. Let me tell you though in the middle of winter in the north east trying to get under a car where you have to unbolt the starter then turn it 90 different directions and each time move it a fraction of an inch to finally get it out was a pain in the keester...

Good luck solving your issue.
Greg