streetglower

iTrader: (13)

Well all day today I was working on figuring out the problem with my driver side door lock and un-installed my locking assembly and then re-installed it and put everything back together. Well when I went to start my car, it was like it wasnt catching a spark quick enough, then it would start. So I turned my car off and then back on, and it did it again. finally a few more times, the car wouldnt start. It would just make clicking noises. But then when we hooked the car up to jumper cables, the car started right up. And now it is ok. Do you think the battery is going dead or the alternator?

jrock2324

iTrader: (6)

When u took the jumper cables off did the car stay on?

RSDCivic

iTrader: (1)

I'm gonna go ahead and say its just the battery... did you have the car on to listen to music or anything like that while you were workin on the lock? If so then it was def. the battery. Happened to me before once, had the car on listenin to music while I was washin the car one afternoon, music was still playin but I couldn't get it started, totally shot the battery without even realizing it

NoToRiOuSxPiNoY

iTrader: (1)

Battery. But get your alternator checked just in case.

fuchs

iTrader: (2)

If the car stayed running after you remove the jumper cables, the battery was almost dead. Just drive around and let it charge up. If when you remove the cables the car dies again, it's the alternator.

CivicsRdBest

^^ Exactly.

Most likely though, it is just the battery.

streetglower

iTrader: (13)

after we removed the cables, the car stayed on. I didnt have the music on or anything while working on the car. I am going to take it to autozone tomorrow to have them test the battery and alternator. How will I know if I need to replace the battery?

fuchs

iTrader: (2)

With the car off, check the voltage on the two posts. You should have 12 V. anything lower than say 9 V, your battery is probably going bad.

streetglower

iTrader: (13)

thanks for the word of advise, what about the alternator

fuchs

iTrader: (2)

Your battery starts the car. Your car operates on the alternator. The whole time you are driving the alternator is charging the battery to keep it at 12V. If the car drives normally than your alternator is fine.

HappyGilmore

You sure you didn't pinch any wires causing a short somewhere?

streetglower

iTrader: (13)

Everything is fine now. I think I just drained the battery somehow.

sephy

i know this is an old thread... but i thought you all may want to know that the clicking you hear when your car wont start isnt the spark firing... it's actually a safety measure thought up by honda (or toyota... or both! i forget) that keeps you from ruining your engine... if your battery doesnt have enough charge then instead of trying to turn the engine over with not enough power (thus reducing your engine life), the power stops at that "clicking" device (i forgot the name ) and just clicks away... irritating as heck but helps you out in the end

edit here... if you want to easily check if it's the alternator that's doin the damage then just unhook the negative cable from the battery while the car is running... if it shuts off, then it's your alternator (as the battery should only be tapped for starting the car)... yep...

tinman

Yep, old thread. That clicking is the starter solenoid. No safety here. Just not enough power to hold the solenoid in AND turn the motor. When this happens the solenoid bounces and you hear clicking.

The factory honda battery is very weak. It does not take much to drain it. BTW, measuring the battery to see if it has 12 volts is not an indication of it being good.

Even a pretty much dead battery can still measure 12volts. The amount of CURRENT the battery can deliver is what counts. That's why batteries are LOAD tested with a 50 amp load. A good battery has to maintain about 12 volts under load for a certain amount of time. A bad battery may read 12 - 12.5 volts, but as soon as you put a load on it, the battery collapses to a few volts. A load tester is cheap, actually. I bought mine at Harbor freight tools on sale for $10.

As has been preached on this forum countless times, if you mod your car and install ICE, get a better battery or best an optima. Factory battery is only meant to (barely) start the car. Hey, they have to save money somewhere...

streetglower

iTrader: (13)

oh well, problem was fixed, I think I just left a light on at the time and it drained the battery. I got it jumped and everything is fine now.