She no cranky

[BestCarEver]

All of a sudden I turned the key and she no cranky. I would try a bunch of times and it would always start eventually. I would turn the key a bit harder thinking it was the ignition switch. $110 later it turns out that the beefy ignition switch is just fine. So I replaced the battery and the battery from Costco was defective and she really no start. So off to the dealer and it was the starter wearing out. I'am a big user of the remote starter and take lots of short trips so makes sense. Dealer charged $55 for the diagnosis which was stellar. Thank you Jonker Honda. The quote for the starter job was $693. I picked up a used starter for $150 locally with 30k miles and boy, starts like it was new. The battery was also a gooner. I'am putting in an AGM Energizer into it.

The lesson, replace your battery, the ignition switch is bullet proof and starters lose their vigor.

I took the passenger wheel off to get at the two bolts, manual recommends removing the entire exhaust btw...

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[calonzo]

In my cars, I have not had to replace a starter in over 30 years. Of course, they can go bad.

Did you replace the new faulty battery with a good one before replacing the starter?

 

[BestCarEver]

In my cars, I have not had to replace a starter in over 30 years. Of course, they can go bad.

Did you replace the new faulty battery with a good one before replacing the starter?

Yes.. I have a new type 35 in there which I will replace with an AGM when it arrives.

 

[fitter_here]

My daughter had a similar intermittent starting problem on her LX 2017. The battery was checked good, the starter was shot, the starter was replaced but the same problem came back a few days later.
The problem that was causing the starter to fail was a LEAKING VALVE COVER, the oil was leaking on the starter.
Anybody having similar problem should check their valve cover for leak towards the rear of the engine.

 

[BestCarEver]

Another little gem for the DIY guys. Whenever I picked up my car from the dealer, the light switch was always on the "off" position and now I know why. Whenever you disconnect your battery, especially a partially discharged battery you run the risk of immobilizer issues when your reconnect the battery, as in the keys no longer registered. For example, my remote starter FOB displays the same message during these low voltage episodes as it did before it was programmed at the dealer. The immobilizer fix, is to charge your battery fully, TURN OFF your headlight, do not leave it on auto, insert the key and you should be good to go. Yesterday, I made the mistake of leaving my headlight on AUTO and the voltage was insufficient to initialize the security circuits, forcing me to disconnect the battery, FULLY recharge, reconnect the battery, make sure everything was turned off, including closing the door and inserting the key and starting the car, which re-initialized the immobilizer and made friends with the keys again. Hope this helps.

 

[BestCarEver]

My daughter had a similar intermittent starting problem on her LX 2017. The battery was checked good, the starter was shot, the starter was replaced but the same problem came back a few days later.
The problem that was causing the starter to fail was a LEAKING VALVE COVER, the oil was leaking on the starter.
Anybody having similar problem should check their valve cover for leak towards the rear of the engine.

That is so weird. I had a leak as well, and I changed the valve cover gasket just a few weeks before, and my starter was a bit oily. My guess is that the oil went into the starter around the rubber seal on the top. I will tear into my starter and keep you updated. Thank you very much for the info!

 

[fitter_here]

That is so weird. I had a leak as well, and I changed the valve cover gasket just a few weeks before, and my starter was a bit oily. My guess is that the oil went into the starter around the rubber seal on the top. I will tear into my starter and keep you updated. Thank you very much for the info!

I"m pretty sure this is what happened.
Keep us informed

 

[BestCarEver]

I"m pretty sure this is what happened.
Keep us informed

I will open it up in a few days and share some internal pics.

 

[fitter_here]

There seems to be oil on it.
Probably if you wipe the oil off from the inside it will be like a new one..lol

 

[BestCarEver]

There seems to be oil on it.
Probably if you wipe the oil off from the inside it will be like a new one..lol

My old Diesel engine was always caked with oil and never had an issue like this, that is why it would have never occurred to me. Going to keep a close eye on that gasket from now on.

 

[SpringRubber]

In my cars, I have not had to replace a starter in over 30 years.

On the other hand, back in the 90s I had 2 go bad: on a Chevy Citation and a Geo Prizm. I really do wonder about the longevity of starters, and batteries, on cars -- EDIT, but not our current civics -- that automatically cut off at idle in order to save on gas consumption.

 

[calonzo]

Yes.. I have a new type 35 in there which I will replace with an AGM when it arrives.

But you already replaced the starter

On the other hand, back in the 90s I had 2 go bad: on a Chevy Citation and a Geo Prizm. I really do wonder about the longevity of starters, and batteries, on cars -- EDIT, but not our current civics -- that automatically cut off at idle in order to save on gas consumption.

The 2018 engine shuts off while you are stopped? My 2007 Hybrid did, but my 2016 does not.

 

[BestCarEver]

But you already replaced the starter


The 2018 engine shuts off while you are stopped? My 2007 Hybrid did, but my 2016 does not.

Yes, I replaced the starter. My old starter looks like got some of that sweet thin 0w20 into the internals. My 16 is not stop start, I am sure the starter would be much beefier if it was.

 

[BestCarEver]

In my cars, I have not had to replace a starter in over 30 years. Of course, they can go bad.

Did you replace the new faulty battery with a good one before replacing the starter?

YES GOOD BATTERY NO START. The dealer tested the starter as well.

 

[fitter_here]

On my daughter's car, the dealer replaced the valve cover gasket and reimbursed her the amount for the starter she had paid, it was part of the engine warranty.