OK let me start at the beginning so you know the back story. My wife has a 90 Accord EX, the harmonic balancer vibrated loose. I tightened back on. It came loose again a few days later and damaged the pulley. I replaced it, but the bolt had done some damage to the inside of its housing. The threads were flattened. I tried to use a re threader, but it wouldnt take. I then drowned the bolt in red lock tight and torqued it back in. Well since it vibrated loose the first time on its own, it seems to want to do it again. So I bought a donor car for the engine, which is the 93 Accord.

The car was in a wreck from behind, no damage to the front, I got it cheap and had it towed to my house. But before towing I asked the guy to start it. The battery was dead, he got another battery and it still didnt turn over at all, but the dash lights up. I said I would come back the next day with a battery, so I left. About 20 minutes later he calls saying he got it started, so I went back. When I got there, it didnt turn over again. He got out and wiggled the cables by the fuse box under the hood went back in the car and it started. It ran for about a min, coughed and died, ran out of gas. Since it cranked over I had him tow the car to my house, (has his own tow truck).

I went to start the car the next day, nothing. Took the battery to the shop to have it tested and charged. Battery was completely gone. Went home took the battery out of my wife's car and had it charged, wouldnt hold a charge but it was under warranty and they gave me a new one.
Placed it in the 93 and nothing, but I do get dash lights. I took the starter out, had it checked, it was bad. Took the one out of the 90 placed in the 93 and nothing, only dash lights.
* Side not, everything in my wife's 90 Accord works, as I started it to sit side by side of the 93 for easy swapping.
I wiggled the cables and checked the fuses in the box. I can hear a click under the dash when I turn the key. I then check the main relay, swapped it out with the 90 and still only get dash lights and a click under the dash. Is there a starter relay under there? If so How big is it? Where exactly under the dash is it located? Can you provide an image of what and where it is located? What else could it be?
It's a no crank no start, I do here a single click under the dash.
I would like to get it to turn over so I can check compression before swapping it over.

 

Check the fuses inside of the car to see if there all good. There is a starter fuse if I remember correctly. I remember taking it out once and got the exact symptoms you had. Mine wasn't a bad fuse, but it was a bad starter. Hopefully someone else chimes in as well with some other advice. I know you said you checked the fuses already. I'm just making sure you checked the fuses not under the hood. But inside the car. You might as well check both fuse boxes. You might as well give the starter a light tap with a hammer. And have someone inside of the car try to start the car. That single click just reminds of my car when I took out the starter fuse out when I was diagnosing my car. It's probably electrical if the other starter is good.

 

Thanks for the reply. As I have been waiting for a response, I went back out and checked under the dash and checked all fuses. I brought a light with me so I can see through them better. All are good, and fit tight in the box.
I just now tried to bypass everything and connect the power directly to the starter. The starter clicks, but doesnt crank. I jacked the car up and put a 19mm socket on the harmonic balancer bolt to see if the engine is locked up. It moves, I can rotate it. I know the starter is good, as I started the 90 with it to move it closer to the 93. The starter is only a year old. I can take it out and have it tested while I wait for someone else to come in and help. You mentioned a starter fuse, Where is that located?

 

It's on the fuse box cover (behind it there will be a sticker) under the dash. If you checked them all on there and none of them were black. Then maybe it's not a bad fuse. You can check them with a multi meter as well. On mine it's labeled "Starter Signal" It's number 9. You could check it with multi meter as well.

 

Checked it, its good. Waiting for the weather to cool down, too hot to work outside. Once its cooler I will remove the starter and take it to the Auto shop and have it tested. Since I'm there I will take the battery as well, have them charge it up.
I can't seem to think of anything else of why it won't turn over. Being wired directly from the battery should crank it. Unless there isn't enough voltage coming in? Then the battery would be weak.

 

Yeah, that is really odd. Especially if you tested it on a new charged battery.

 

You might want to check the grounds too. Sometimes they can cause problems, especially on FI cars. In particular, check the G101 ground, that's usually attached to the intake manifold, as it can cause the engine not to start (I've ran into that on a later Accord and a Civic).

 

Thanks Toecautter, I removed the battery and the water hose to get a better look at the cables. I did notice one cable was badly damaged at the end and corrosive. I took it out and replaced it, and cleaning the contact area. I made a new ground area for the ground side of the battery with a new wire. I made sure the battery posts were clean and tight. I then went into the car and tried to turn it over. Nothing, just the click under the dash. I then ran a jumper wire from the starter to the battery and this time it cranked. So now this tells me there is something from the ignition to the starter that is bad. No real need to troubleshoot the problem as I will be putting this engine into another car.

 

Glad you found the bad ground, and was able to start the engine and run it long enough to verify it was still good for swapping.