akesh45

EDIT: turned out to be the relays....similar issue as below, switch around a few relays(they're the same) and buy some cheap off ebay for $1-$5 a piece.


My s2000 AP1 2001 gradually starter button started being less responsive to the point where it requires 200+ button pushes to start but push starting it works(or running a charge directly to the starter. Also, when we tried push starting it and drove it one mile... the whole car lit up(all lights on dash) and then shut off completely!

I suspect the lack of starting and the msyterious shut down are related. Luckily I'm much better with a multi-meter than a wrench.

When I push the botton to start...I hear just a click, no engine grinding or engine sounds....just a click.

Car dash lights, air con, lights, and everything electrical works fine otherwise. Car throws no engine codes or anything funny.

So far, we(me + two hired mechanics) replaced or tried the following:

• New battery installed, ran tests on old battery and it checked out.
• New Starter installed, we confirmed it works.
• I checked all grounding wires, scrwes both underneath the vechicle, inside the engine bay and under the driver seat. Sprayed it all down with deoxit to remove corrosion. Also, rescrewed in the engine bay ground for the battery.
• There was a frayed/exposed wire going to the starter button, I resoldered it. Perhaps more bad wires underneath.
• Bypassing the dashboard and starting the car by passing current to the starter directly with wire worked.
• I removed the relays used for starting the car and a few others, all solder joints are secure...no issues there.
• No bad fuses observed so far but under the dash is a PITA to see clearly
• There is a custom radio installed, I tried removing it entirely at first but it didn't solve the problem so I don't think it's shorting out the system.
• I diagnosed it with two mechanics I hired to install the starter. They suggest a bad wire/electrical gremlim or bad starter button.
  

What I haven't tried:

• New starter button(buying now)
• Taking the dash console out and inspecting/testing every wire from the driver side.
• Relays look fine, but resolder them all anyway.
• I sprayed deoxit and inspected the ground wires near the front of the car. Perhaps I should unscrew them and clean them up. They have alot of caked on grease.

Recent work done on car

1. New clutch and fly wheel 2 months ago
2. Changed the oil myself 4 weeks ago. Starter started going a little before then.
3. Have been leaving it in an outdoor parking lot more often recently....exposed to some rain and sun.

Questions:

1. what sort of electrical gremlin would cause the car to light up everything and shut down during a drive?
2. If the starter button was bad, could that be related to No. 1? I can't risk having a car that shuts off randomly.

96-EJ6

Did you check the "hidden" ground on the back of the cylinder head? It's the main ground for the ecu and engine wire harness.

When the car dies do all of the dash functions shut off too?

akesh45

Missed it! Will Check it now.

I believe so, someone else was driving. She said they all lit up like crazy and died along with the engine but maybe I'm wrong so I'll ask the mechanic again.

akesh45

HOLY ****, that sucker is hard to reach! WTF was honda thinking putting a ground back there? The heat from the cylinder block would evaporate moisture is the only reason I can think of.

I had to douse the back of the cylinder with deoxit and let it drip down, then try to rub the nuts back there with deoxit grease in my hand.

Will start it up tomorrow morning once the grease has dried up/evaporated, hopefully that was it.

96-EJ6

Lol ya definitely fun to get to! Was it loose at all?

akesh45

Nope, still tight.

If it's reachable from under the car, I likely nailed it earlier when i tried to get every ground from underneath. Bonus, I managed to find spring spacers on my new s2000....been there 13+ years....poor previous owners Only good thing to come out of this.

96-EJ6

Lol...if the ground was tight that probably wasn't the issue unfortunately. The ignition switch could be another possibility...especially if the whole cluster is losing power when the engine dies.

akesh45

I just resoldered the bad wire really nice and electrical taped it up like a boss

Same **** no start!!!!

windhund116

Does the AP1 have a switch on the clutch pedal that needs to be engaged, to start the car? Maybe it's wearing out?

miloking

Sounds like you have ignition switch problem (if car shuts off random)

Watch the video on how to diagnose it very easily (its honda accord but essentialy same)...

http://www.ericthecarguy.com/fuel-an...lling-problems