Up until a few days ago my car would start immediately but now it continues to crank without ever catching. I am guessing the starter is bad but was hoping someone could confirm.

Here is a file you can listen too:

YouTube - carcrank.flv


Thanks for the help.

 

Starter seems to be working fine (turning engine over is all it does). Problem is either no fuel flow or no ignition spark. Your mission, should you chose to take it, is to discover which element is missing.

An easy check for fuel or spark is to spray throttle body cleaner, starter fluid, or gasoline into throttle body entrance. A good dose.

If car starts, then ignition is good and fuel supply is suspect.

If car fails to start, the ignition spark is missing.

Alternatively, turn keyswitch to On. Listen carefully for soft clicks from under drivers side dash, fuel pump in trunk area to run for 2-3 secs and cut-off, Check Engine Light should come on w/ keyswitch and cut-off same time as fuel pump goes off. If these sounds, actions are missing, then fuel supply is likely the problem.

Repost what you find for additional help.

good luck

 

Sounds like the starter is doing its job. The next step is to figure out if this is due to lack of spark or lack of fuel.

Do you have a timing light to check for spark on each spark plug wire?

Are the maintenance items up to date like the distributor cap, distributor rotor, and spark plugs?

 

Thanks for the help. Here is some more info:

The problem is actually intermittent. This morning, after sitting all night, the car started right up without any issues 2x in a row. An hour later I tried starting the car and it was in the state that could be heard on the file you can listen too. A half hour after that the car still wouldn't start but I pressed the gas pedal all the way down a few times and the car would start and then die but eventaully started. It was very rough at first but I kept pressing the accelerator and eventually it smoothed out.

I did listen for the fuel pump and heard it. I don't have a timing light and am not sure what the throttle body entrance looks like. If you could give me more info, when it gets into the non-starting state I will spray the starting fluid and see if that works.

Thanks

 

Throttle body entrance is at the end of the air intake duct from air filter to throttle body.

I suggest you instead remove the PCV air inlet. It's about midway along the rubber air intake duct and has a steel end w/ hose that goes to the valve cover. Remove the steel pipe end from the air intake duct and spray throttle body cleaner, etc into the opening. Reinstall pipe and try to start. Spray a generous amount, 5-7 secs or so.

From your description, a fuel delivery issue seems likely, but let's see what happens.

good luck

 

Just to be sure I understand this is the pipe you want me to remove?

YouTube - pcv.flvShould I spray the throttle cleaner into the pipe or the large diameter air intake?Thanks

 

That is correct inlet. Spary into large diameter duct to introduce into engine.

good luck

 

For the last week the car has been starting fine then this morning I ran into a similar, the sound is slightly different, problem. I used the throttle cleaner but the car still did not start. Here is the sound trying to start it after putting in the throttle cleaner.

YouTube - Car Noises


Thanks

 

I had this problem with a 96 ford ranger. it ended up being the fuel pump relay. Swapped it out and it worked fine. always a possibility.

 

No start w/ throttle body cleaner most likely means no spark (there are no absolutes here). Sound suggests a weak spark perhaps firing infrequently.

When you have no start, check Blk/Yel wire to distributor for 12V. If no voltage, the ignition keyswitch is the problem. If you have 12V, the ignitor or the coil are indicated. On this model accord, a rebuilt distributor is not much more than coil or ignitor.

good luck