DIY: diagnose unable to start your car
11-04-2006, 01:27 PM
#1
DIY: diagnose unable to start your car
i picked a 94 civic manual starting system it looks funny but is informative first we just have the wiring diagram.so your car wont crank.
1st check battery take it to any part stores and have it checked for cca(cold cranking amps) that is the best way to check a battery.you can also check for 12 volts get out you multi meter set it to v place + to + and - to - if you have 12 volts your battery is not dead but might be weak(take that into consideration).
2nd if you gave Resistance in ether cable + or - (corrosion,not connected good or broken) your starter will not receive amps to turn over.so place your meter on ohms or o.to test - cable place one end of your meter on the - terminal of the battery and the other on the other end of the cable (grounded on the body or the trans) if you see more than 1 ohm your cable is bad.same thing on the + one end on the + terminal on your battery and the other on the big wire to you starter more than 1 ohm you have a bad cable.you can also see if you have 12 volts to the hot wire to the starter if you do you + cable is fine if you have less than 12 volts the + cable has Resistance.
3rd place the trans in neutral and set the e brake.so as you can see their is only 2 wires running to the starter the + cable and the starter control wire. jump 12 volts to the starter control wire and see if it turns over.
if it turns over you have a problem with the control side(fuses, ignition switch,starter cut relay,clutch inter lock switch or an open wire).
if it will not turn over you have a bad starter,starter coil or starter ground(the starter is grounded by its bolts)
1st check battery take it to any part stores and have it checked for cca(cold cranking amps) that is the best way to check a battery.you can also check for 12 volts get out you multi meter set it to v place + to + and - to - if you have 12 volts your battery is not dead but might be weak(take that into consideration).
2nd if you gave Resistance in ether cable + or - (corrosion,not connected good or broken) your starter will not receive amps to turn over.so place your meter on ohms or o.to test - cable place one end of your meter on the - terminal of the battery and the other on the other end of the cable (grounded on the body or the trans) if you see more than 1 ohm your cable is bad.same thing on the + one end on the + terminal on your battery and the other on the big wire to you starter more than 1 ohm you have a bad cable.you can also see if you have 12 volts to the hot wire to the starter if you do you + cable is fine if you have less than 12 volts the + cable has Resistance.
3rd place the trans in neutral and set the e brake.so as you can see their is only 2 wires running to the starter the + cable and the starter control wire. jump 12 volts to the starter control wire and see if it turns over.
if it turns over you have a problem with the control side(fuses, ignition switch,starter cut relay,clutch inter lock switch or an open wire).
if it will not turn over you have a bad starter,starter coil or starter ground(the starter is grounded by its bolts)
Last edited by Fuse; 12-06-2006 at 07:10 PM.
