Help: Is my starter going bad?????

I have a 94 gsr with 115000 miles and it cranks but does not turn over the first try. It will turn over

the second time. Recently it has been doing this in the morning.

- I tested the battery with a voltmeter and I get 12.78 volts with the car off. I tested the altenator

by connecting the voltmeter to the battery and with the car idling I get 14.63 volts.

- The only parts that have not been replaced is the altenator and starter.

- The battery is 2 years old.

- I have replaced: coil, ignitor, main relay = these parts failed awhile ago

- Distributor cap and rotor, sparkplugs, ignition wires have been replaced as routine maintenance.

- Fuel filter was changed 64000 miles ago. I will replace the fuel filter again soon since they are

supposed to be changed at 60000 miles.

 

Your voltages look OK.

You say the starter cranks the engine strong? If so, that's the extent of the starter's job. If the engine won't fire, that's not the starter's fault.

Flaky ignition switch? Maybe it's not always supplying power to the distributor while it's over in the 'start' position? Check voltage at the distributor or injectors WHILE cranking.

 

How do you know if it is the ignition switch? Is this a common problem on DC2?

Could the starter contact points be wearing out?

http://www.honda-tech.com/zerothread?id=1318816

 

Your battery should be reading a bit higher, if its still under warranty I would replace that first. Your alternator is in good shape.

 

It's not low enough to rule out inaccurate voltmeter...

It's also not low enough to cause this problem.

Check whether the distributor gets power (like it should) when the key is at 'RUN'. Then check it again while cranking. Flaky switch isn't real unusual for Honda overall, but I don't know specifically for Integra. If you can make it stall by wiggling the key, or by holding the key slightly off-position, that also points to the switch.

 

UPDATE: My car just died at a stop light tonight. Everything just shut down but I turned the key and it started again. At a 2nd stop light it happened again and luckily it started again.

 

Just try cleaning and tightening the alternator and starter power wires, and the battery terminals. Double check the ground straps, one at your valve cover and another on the thermostat housing.

Sounds like you have a bad connection, probably ground.

 

shouldn't be the starter if the car is dieing out on you. Not only could it be what was previously stated by other but it could also be that you need a tune up change out the plugs, wires, cap, and even the fuel filter. could be not getting the proper fuel. When was the last time all of that was done?

 

just read your post again. sorry bout that. if you recently changed the plugs, are all of your gaps right? deffinately change filter.

 

I checked all the fuses under the hood and in the dash and they are all good. My fuel filter has 64000 miles on it so I'm going to change it since the service limit is 60k.

I checked the ground straps, one at your valve cover and another on the thermostat housing and they are on tight.

gaps are right on sparkplugs. I have a sparkplug gap gauge.