So it's not the starter... EDIT: Fixed.

"Andy Sheehan, StreetsideStig" (AndySheehan-StreetsideStig)
06/16/2016 at 11:38 • Filed to: None

My ‘98 Civic LX 5-speed (d16y7) will not start. It seems like the starter is not getting a signal.

-Fuses are good.
-Battery is good.
-Replaced the starter to no effect.
-The car runs fine after a push start.
-There are no security immobilizers.
-The clutch pedal switch seems to be working.

It pretty much has to be something in the ignition cylinder, right?

EDIT: There are two switches on the clutch pedal arm. The lower is for cruise, and was in good shape. The upper is for the starter, and the rubber stopper on the arm designed to make contact with it had broken and crumbled. I unplugged the back of the switch and jumped it, and it worked fine. Thanks for all your help, everyone!

DISCUSSION (22)

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > Andy Sheehan, StreetsideStig
06/16/2016 at 11:42

No external solenoid? I’m assuming you checked for that, so probably the switch.

Andy Sheehan, StreetsideStig > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
06/16/2016 at 11:44

I’m pretty sure the solenoid is internal. Dang, I should probably look that up.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > Andy Sheehan, StreetsideStig
06/16/2016 at 11:48

External solenoids show up in the oddest places. All about convenience of the main wiring harness to access main batt and packaging of the starter, you would think, but if that’s the case why the hell does a late ‘80s/early ‘90s F-series use one?

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > Andy Sheehan, StreetsideStig
06/16/2016 at 11:49

Also, I’m pretty sure I should mock you for replacing the starter and not noticing whether it had a solenoid or not.

interstate366, now In The Industry > Andy Sheehan, StreetsideStig
06/16/2016 at 11:59

On F/H series it’s external.

Is the car cranking at all? When my 4th gen Prelude wasn’t cranking, it was a little rubber stopper on the clutch switch. But the switch itself was fine.

If it is cranking, my brother had a similar issue with his Y7 last year. Turned out to be the distributor coil of all things.

DynamicWeight > Andy Sheehan, StreetsideStig
06/16/2016 at 12:05

Clutch safety switch!

Andy Sheehan, StreetsideStig > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
06/16/2016 at 12:21

Shoot. I don’t even know what a starter solenoid looks like. Is it the round bit on top of the other round bit?

Andy Sheehan, StreetsideStig > interstate366, now In The Industry
06/16/2016 at 12:22

It’s not cranking. The clutch switch seems to be fine, but I haven’t taken it apart.

Andy Sheehan, StreetsideStig > DynamicWeight
06/16/2016 at 12:23

The clutch switch seems to be fine, but I haven’t taken it apart. It’s not sticking, but I suppose the contact could have failed internally. I haven’t had any issues with it before, though.

Andy Sheehan, StreetsideStig > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
06/16/2016 at 12:24

Okay, I found it. Yes, it’s internal.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > Andy Sheehan, StreetsideStig
06/16/2016 at 12:28

Most starters are a single cylinder if they have an external solenoid, and a double cylinder if they have an internal solenoid, though there are exceptions. Like high capacity starters with a gear drive, sometimes. The easiest clue is the wiring - if the starter has a main harness lead and main battery lead connected on the same post and some secondary smaller posts, it has a solenoid on it. If the starter only has a big power leg running to it, usually external solenoid.

interstate366, now In The Industry > Andy Sheehan, StreetsideStig
06/16/2016 at 12:46

Yeah, for me the switch itself was fine, but the rubber stopper that it rests on when the pedal isn’t open decayed. I knew it was that when I noticed there were little bits of rubber in the footwell. It’s a $3 part at Honda and they always have them in stock because it’s a universal part, but it’s an absolute pain to replace because it’s at the top of the pedal and we had to come at it from below. I had to take the driver’s seat out to get the new one in.

Andy Sheehan, StreetsideStig > interstate366, now In The Industry
06/16/2016 at 12:52

I’ve heard this from the forums, as well. I’ll definitely check it out when I get home. Thanks!

DynamicWeight > Andy Sheehan, StreetsideStig
06/16/2016 at 13:00

Seems like a cheaper and easier to replace piece than a solenoid. Maybe you could figure out a way to short it to test it? All I know is, every time a car suddenly does nothing when you turn the key, it turns out to be some sensor. Everything else seems to tell you it’s about to fail for some time before it does.

Andy Sheehan, StreetsideStig > DynamicWeight
06/16/2016 at 13:03

Yes. According to the forums, I can unplug the switch and jump the plug.

DynamicWeight > Andy Sheehan, StreetsideStig
06/16/2016 at 13:56

Perfect, let me know how it goes!

Wagon, semi manual, not brown, turbo because volvo > Andy Sheehan, StreetsideStig
06/16/2016 at 21:55

Sounds silly and you may have don this. Check the cables and contacts to make sure everything is connected. Run a continuity check where possible. I was fooled once by a bad ground cable connection. 3 hours of chasing imafinary gremlins caused by one loose nut.

Andy Sheehan, StreetsideStig > Wagon, semi manual, not brown, turbo because volvo
06/17/2016 at 08:57

Those are the WORST. It ended up being the transmission interlock switch. But good advice, to be sure.

Andy Sheehan, StreetsideStig > interstate366, now In The Industry
06/17/2016 at 09:02

Update: It was the stopper. There are two switches on the clutch pedal arm. The lower is for cruise. That’s the one I’d checked yesterday. The upper is for the starter, and the stopper on the arm had broken and crumbled. I unplugged the back of the switch and jumped it, and it worked fine. Thanks for your help!

Andy Sheehan, StreetsideStig > DynamicWeight
06/17/2016 at 09:02

Wagon, semi manual, not brown, turbo because volvo > Andy Sheehan, StreetsideStig
06/17/2016 at 22:53

That is another palm to the forehead fix. “All i needed was the spare key/screedriver to fix my car.”

DynamicWeight > Andy Sheehan, StreetsideStig
06/20/2016 at 11:34

Wooooo! I’m so stoked you got it fixed.