having problems with 95 honda

[cassidy schilling]

Im having a problem with my honda civic there are times it has no problem starting but lately its getting worse to where ill have to roll or push it into gear and then runs fine. When turn key to start all I hear is a is click and no crank and no star but the lights and everything come on

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[David Roddick]

If it’s a straight drive and you can roll it and engage a gear (let out the clutch) and then it will start, sounds like a dead spot in the starter. Not sure I understand your explanation if it’s an automatic. The click should be the solonoid trying to engage the starter but sounds like starter is not spinning engine. With lights coming on probably not battery BUT you may want to connect another battery to it like you were jump starting it and see if that helps and if it does, I would then suspect the battery is weak. But that is less likely than problem with starter. If you feel comfortable doing this, tap the starter with something like a hammer right after trying to start it then try again; just tap it – don’t whack it. I’m not a pro but that’s the way I would proceed.

[Tom]

The contacts in your starter solenoid are bad. Look on Ebay, or Amazon for a starter solenoid contact kit for a Nippon Denso starter, pull your starter out, take the cover off the solenoid, put the new contacts in, and it’ll be good to go.

When I did the starter on my Accord, I bought the contacts off Ebay, when I did the one in my mothers Caravan (same starter) I used this kit:

[cb7ftw]

If it made no noise, I would say starter. But if it is making clicking sound, I would pull the batter, and have it tested for free at your parts store.

[Tom]

Battery makes a series of clicks, fast at first, then slowing as the charge fails more and more.

Starter solenoid contacts make ONE click, when the plunger is pulled down against the contacts, and then no other noise, as the worn contacts fail to conduct power through the plunger, and into the starter.

I’ve done a few of these now, and am pretty confident of my diagnosis, but it takes only a few minutes to pull the cover off the solenoid, and visually inspect the contacts. It should be VERY apparent, even to someone who has never seen the contacts before in their life, if they are worn out.

[Author]

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