starting problems

Hi all,

This morning I tried starting my 98 accord and it woudln't start on the
first go. A few more tries and it would start. Now, when I try to start it
the engine spins for a second then stops, then half a second later the car
automatically starts and I hear the noise that comes out when you try to
start the car while it's already running.

Any ideas what might be causing this? I'm thinking it's the starter but it
could be something else (fuel related maybe?) On saturday night I put a
"fuel injector cleaner" on a full tank of gas, drove it the whole night, and
it's been sitting like this until this morning (monday). Wondering if this
has anything to do with it.

TIA

--Viktor

 

I just removed the starter and I'm about to test if the pinion gear pops out
and spins right. The teeth on the starter gear are a "little" worn out. The
teeth on the fly wheel look pretty bad though. I don't know if the starter
caused the bad teeth or if the fly wheel caused the malfunction. I guess
I'll find out once I test the starter.

Can someone tell me how hard it is to replace the flywheel on a 98 accord?
What's the basic procedure? What do I have to remove? How much would it cost
for the part and replacement at a decent shop?

Any feedback is welcome and greatly appreciated.

--Viktor

 

You problems could be starter related or they could be due to a faulty
ignition switch. I find it curious that your car is starting
"automatically" and this suggests that there could be a starter relay in the
system that's malfunctioning. I'm really not too familiar with the '98
Accords but I hope that this gives you some additional ideas on things to
check. If you don't have one already, you can get a factory service manual
from http://www.helminc.com.

In response to your second post, if you find that the starter is ok (and the
problem lies elsewhere) then you can replace the starter pinion gear and the
flywheel's ring gear to correct for the damage that's already been done.
The latter is considerably more difficult and involves removing the
transmission. If you're not prepared to do this then it might be best to
have a shop perform the work.

Eric

 

You problems could be starter related or they could be due to a faulty

Thanks for your reply Eric.

Unfortunately my battery is dead now since I had to move the car on the
street with the lights on so it's charging up. Hopefully I'll get to test
the starter tomorrow.

Actually, I'm ready to do any repair on my accord but I don't have the tools
nor time for this type of job (changing the flywheel is a major job).

Do you think the flywheel gear will hold like that if I replace the pinion
gear on the starter?

I'll see how much I can get done tomorrow (I have three exams on wednesday
so my schedule is a bit rough at the moment). I'll get to it by thursday
eventually.

Once again, thanks!

--Viktor

 

"electricked" <no_emails_please> wrote in

If the flywheel teeth are bad enough,they will damage the new starter drive
gear,when it slips and gnashes against the next group of flywheel teeth.
Your flywheel and starter gears probably were originally damaged when
someone kept cranking the motor after it had already started.

 

Your car might be covered under the recall. I know for sure that many 1999
Honda Accords--they look exactly like 1998 Accords--were recalled due to
ignition switch problems. You should ask your dealer about the recall. If
someone knows the website where the information about the recall can be
found--please post it.
try this site--it might have the information
http://www.alldata.com/TSB/24/992425AW.html

 

I don't want to embarass the person who did it because he's my father! Heh
it slipped. Anyway... He thinks he knows everything. I told him to stop
trying to start the car before we knew what the problems was but he's very
persuasive. I thought it was the starter giving up or with worn out teeth
since I had bought a less quality starter but after I removed it I noticed
the flywheel teeth are 1/16-1/8 gone and the starter pinion gear is almost
brand as new.

How much would it cost to fix it up? I don't have the proper tools nor time
at the moment to remove the whole transmission.

Any help is appreciated. Thanks!

--Viktor

 

Yeah there's a recall for the ignition switch and the tranny. Does the
recall mean they should fix it for free if it's broken? If so, what if I've
replaced the stock one once due to problems and now it's broken again?

--Viktor

 

This does not sound anything like the ignition switch problem.

 

Viktor,
I don't know the answer to your question but when I asked the service
manager about it, he typed the number that is engraved on the top of the
dashboard in his computer and it showed that my car was not covered by the
recall. He may have been lying to me since I have a 1999 Accord. I made a
hard copy of the items from the web site related to the recall and will
use them if I ever have problems with my ignition switch. The service
manager at your dealership should be able to answer your questions. Ask
for a hard copy of anything he finds on his computer related to your
vehicle.

 

I don't know the answer to your question but when I asked the service

The dealerships would not balk at doing recall work, they get paid by
honda to do it, so I doubt the service manager was lying.

 

The dealerships would not balk at doing recall work, they get paid by
honda to do it, so I doubt the service manager was lying.[/QUOTE]

I hope that you are right. The web site indicated that all 1999 Accords
were included in the recall but the service manager told me that only
specific 1999 Accords are covered by the recall based on vin numbers.