i have read some of the issues regarding intermittent starting problem on 94-97 accords. and the only thing i could differentiate from mine to theirs is that i would try to start my car every minute to at least 5 to 10 tries then it would start again.My fuel pump does come on for 2 seconds,the CEL light comes on then off in prescribe time and also the click(pump relay?) but... in the middle of trying to start my car i do not hear the click and the fuel pump come on, but a couple more tries it will come on (both) but the car still won't start. i say that almost to the 10th try that it would start. it will also start right away if i jump it from another vehicle.the odd thing that happened only once was after work, my car would not start at all,i had to get jump from a friend to get it to go. i did had my contacts and plunger on my starter solenoid thinking it was the cause. but problem still exist. the only thing i have not done yet is to changed my pos.cable on my battery. its corroded on the clamp side and i've cleaned as much as i can.battery is good(interstate), i've planned to purchase a pos.cable from the dealer but i'm hesitating cuz i would like to know what you guys think. i've also use a voltmeter to test it, i'm getting close to 14 volts when running and close to 12 when i start it. i never did get the voltage of it when it does not want to start cuz at the time i was doing the testing it started and i could not get it to not to start(go figure) and i'm afraid that my starter would wear out if i kept stop and starting it.also, my car would always start for almost the whole day after it does its "no start attitude" then boom! it will do it again, really annoying!! any advice,opinions,suggestions will help out,thanks guys appreciate it.

 

Clean all ends of both battery cables. A wire brush or sand paper to get back to shiny metal.

If the battery is turning the starter, then the battery should be ok. I would still get it tested at an autoparts store.

You said that you don't hear the fuel pump turn on at times, is that right? The pump should always turn on for about two seconds when you initially put the key into the II position. It will not turn back on, until you turn the key off, then return to the II position.

 

I read your original post a couple times, trying to figure out whether the starter is cranking the engine (during a non-start episode). Cranks but doesn't start? Or does the starter NOT crank?

 

hey jim, thanks for the response. i did clean both of my battery terminals with a post cleaner,and also i had my starter checked and it was good. as of this evening after work,my car started just fine and i drove to a hardware store to pick up something (took me about 10 minutes) and as i get back to my car to start it.. nothing. its the same as before, i'll hear my fuel pump come on and the click noise as i turn the key along with the CEL light staying on as it suppose to and turn off but it would not start,all you hear are just those i mentioned. tried for at least 10-15 minutes of starting with a minute or so break. then it started, and also threw out a CEL of PO1359 (CKP/TDC SENSOR MISCONNECTION) i checked this code out once i got home cuz i did not want to turn-off the car. that was the first time that code came out anyways. as i cleared it,i tried to start my car again but same thing happens... no start. i tried again like i always do and it finally started. i turned it off again just to see if it would start back up,and it did.so i'm really confuse of what is the problem. help me obi-wan konnobi... your my only hope.
btw,to answer your 2nd reply,it does not crank at all,and the starter does nothing,i mean i hear the click noise (if that is the starter engaging) but nothing else,its just like its dead but not dead.all the lights,radio,the beep noise when your key is on the ignition noise when your starting it,etc works fine. but as i mentioned before,if i get a jump from another vehicle it would start right away,but if i use my portable battery booster it would take a few tries before it starts(i guess the portable booster suppose to function like thatanyhow, a few tries like your sucking its juices then it starts) thanks again jim, i hope you and anyone else can help me out.

 

CKP/TDC sensor cannot prevent the starter from spinning. Period. That's a red-herring for now. If it continues to show up, you'll need to get the starter fixed first anyway.

How was the starter checked? Almost-worn-out brushes can be jolted into better position when you remove the starter & carry it around?

Did you check/clean the OTHER ends of the battery cables?

I'll need to think some more about the whole scenario, there's a bunch of details to absorb.

 

if you remember i had a question a while back about my starter WITH the same issues i'm having now(thinking it was my starter) i bought new contacts and plunger for my starter solenoid and the shop tested it(starter/generator shop) and it was good according to them.they mentioned that ND starter are good and normally the contacts are the ones usually gets replace after a while.with the battery cable ends question, my positive cable is the only one i have a hard time thorougly cleaning it. i got as much as corrosion i can get with the wire brush and post cleaner. my negatives are fine, not much cleaning needed. but i'm thinking of getting a new positive cable just to eliminate the "what if" question. the main relay is also in my "what if", although i can hear my fuel pump come on.

 

The main relay can't prevent the starter from running. It's not in the starter circuit AT ALL.

I didn't put 2+2 together with your other thread awhile back, sorry.

If your positive cable was corroded, then what about corrosion where the end-terminal is crimped onto the cable itself? You can have corrosion hiding in there. Corrosion & fraying within the cable, hiding under the insulation at some middle location in the cable? A new cable might be a good idea; or at least a good inspection of that cable.

A new thought... What about a flaky switch on the clutch pedal?? That would interlock the starter.

 

ok about the main relay then, i will get the new positive cable as soon as possible(next week) and hopefully that would be it. funny, i did thought about that clutch interlock too.i read about it in a forum somewhere and it was the problem, according to the car owner it never crossed his mind that that would be the cause of his problem. and i never really thought that i would wear down my clutch interlock in sense that i don't ride my clutch or smash it when i shift gears but idk... i'll replace my positive cable and let you know what the outcome is. thanks again jim,

 

Got a multi-meter? Measure voltage drop across the cable as a helper tries to start it. I'm a fan of testing & diagnosis instead of throwing parts at it.

Clutch switch doesn't wear out in the same sense as wearing out your clutch. But it can get flaky or its mounting bracket can move around. Look down there above the pedal & check it out.

 

no , i have no multi-meter.but a mechanic i know had one and he used it to do just that(my first post) i have not checked the clutch switch yet cuz i just came back from a long trip over the weekend.but i do think that i could buy one(multi-meter) anyway just in case the problem starts again and i'll test for voltage drop when my car actually would NOT start.just to be sure, i'll connect the two wire clips from the multi-meter to the starter bolt connection(on top of the solenoid) and to the pos.terminal right? then try to start it and see what the votage drop is? now, is 14 volts normal while the engine is running? what should it be when its not running(12 volts?) what is the voltage drop that i should be looking for when i try to start it to know that the cable is bad? 10-11 volts? sorry for the questions,i really suck at this electrical issues. thanks again.