OK, I saw that but like you say, you want to catch it in the act.

14 or 15 volts is OK when running.
Maybe 12 or 13 v when not running, maybe higher.

When starting, the voltage from (+) battery post to (+) terminal on starter should be pretty small (1v or less). If the cable is bad, it will be much higher than that.

Wide-ish range is because some meters aren't very accurate. But that's OK becasue you're looking for change in voltage.

And then there's the clutch switch. There's 2 switches up near the pivot of the clutch pedal. One is for the cruise control, I think it has 3 wires. You want the one with 2 wires. Unplug that, & use a paperclip to jumper the wires. If that suddenly makes it all work, then the clutch switch is bad.

 

check the clutch interlock and it was fine,took the car to a honda dealer to buy a positive battery cable but they have to order it. ask a service manager about getting a diagnostic check appointment for my car and he offered to check it out right there, then ask a mechanic about my issue after he(service manager) tried starting my car(it started for him a few times then it quit).Mike (the mechanic)pointed the problem directly to the starter.as i mentioned to him of what i've done to the starter(getting new contacts and plunger) then it would start just fine till a couple of weeks later then it happens again. I told him that i was planning to buy a positive cable and he said that my cable is fine after he inspected it. and he said that ND starters are a really good starter and it just needs new contacts after a while. i took my car home(yup! it started ) and as soon as i pull in the garage and try to restart it,it wont. BTW,it took me 30+ minutes to start my car at work, and that was the longest wait i have to bear just to start it. anyways, i took out my starter(again) and smooth down (with a file) the contacts and the plunger then put it back. lo and behold! it started!!! i think my culprit is the starter solenoid. what do you think???? thanks again.

 

It's intermittent, but when it doesn't start it seems like it'll fail to start for a while, right? So if you had a multimeter in the car you could check it when it fails. Sounds like maybe you checked the clutch interlock while it was working?? Car-parts stores have meters for $10 or $15... probably even less for a test lamp.

When it doesn't crank, go to the starter. Find the SMALL wire which is the starter signal wire. You'll need a helper. While turning the key to START, that small wire should have battery voltage. If not, then the problem is somewhere "upstream" of the starter itself. Be careful you don't touch the big (+) wire nearby, because that will be hot ALL THE TIME.

 

i'll get me a test lamp.but now i have to wait till it won't start again LOL! would it be better though to use a multi-meter just to be more accurate? i'll find or borrow someone else's. i'll post later,thanks.

 

For this particular test, a lamp will do OK. First put the lamp across the battery so you know how bright is SHOULD be with full battery voltage.

For future troubleshooting, it would be good to have a multi-meter in your toolbox.

 

sorry guys for not posting for a while. i have not been using my car cuz i ride my bike to work and we've use my wife's car to go places. but finally(LAST MONTH) i had the chance to take my car to the same person i've been taking my starter too when it acts up and he did some troubleshooting and said it's my starter. so i got one from the junk yard and he tested it to make sure its good and its been starting with no problem ever since. thanks for all the inputs guys and sorry for not updating you guys soon enough.