Hello.

Replaced starter on Thursday and starting and running fine.

Just now went out to start it and it was COMPLETELY dead. No click. No lights on dash, etc.


Went and got new battery (was told at starter replacement that old one was in last 1/4 of life. It took a charge and seemed fine, quick start up, etc after new starter.)

CANNOT CONNECT THE NEW BATTERY as when I just touch the positive cable to start putting it on there is crazy sparking BIG.


The first time I tried it, sounded in the second that it touched like the starter was trying to start- no keys in the car, etc.

Was in an old Ford truck that did this once and it was the solenoid. Solenoid was on the fire wall and had to fast manually disconnect when starter kept on after key off/removed.


I CANNOT EVEN CONNECT THE BATTERY though. I am not sure what to do next.

Thanks

 

I did a search and did not see anything about sparking battery when connecting.

Also from search it looks like the solenoid is IN the starter?

So maybe just take out the starter again and replace with another one?

Thanks again

 

Another thing- the rubber boots that cover the two connections to the starter were old and cracked.

I wrapped electrical tape best I could in the space and am wondering if the tape I used was not good enough (low temp rating/V rating)

and could that mean it is arcing?

I don't know if that may be a reason for what is happening with the sparking when I try to connect battery?

 

Does the starter try to spin/crack the engine when you connect the red + battery cable?

 

The first time I barely touched it to the positive and the sparks flew, I did hear the starter sound like it was cranking

Anyways- of necessity to get it running again as quickly as possible- just did get another one from O'Reilly and R/R'd.

Started up fine and did again for one round trip. So 3 good starts so far.

Will see how it goes as the previous one ran fine for a few days before the issue popped up out of nowhere with completely dead battery

(there was no indication it was solenoid at that point- had started perfectly fine since the install and even the previous trip taken.

Went out to car, turned key and had the completely dead, zero lights, buzzers, nothing.) and then the wild sparking with new one

when trying to connect it.

I had a feeling the first starter was bad as it was in a really dirty/ oil smudged box and had mismatched color on parts.

The clerk said that they just reuse boxes and it was mismatched in color, because that was the part they had probably replaced when reman.

I asked if they had any others and that was the only one that day. So I said oh well as long as it works.

I was guessing maybe they bench tested a return or something and then put it back on shelf - idk.


Anyways have it to get to work and school tomorrow if it starts. Externally, this one looked in better condition- looked actually new, clean box, had the bubble wrap still in it

clean and shiny looking starter.

So we'll see what happens.


I was really glad it started after the R/R and didn't immediately indicate something electrical was damaged in the huge sparking and whatever happened that destroyed

the previous battery down to complete zero.

Thanks all who share here on the Accord Forum to help others out.

Good of ya and good on ya.