I've never posted on the Honda forum before because, well, I never really have any problems with Hondas. However, I have one I cannot figure out.
I left the vehicle sitting for about a week and a half and when I tried to start it the battery was completely flat. It had been a little weak but serviceable. I figured some interior lights were left on so charged the battery and attempted to start it. The dreaded "click".
Battery read 12.4 but passed a load test with flying colors. So I decided I needed a battery anyway and bought a new one, put it in and "click", this time cables hot. connections smoking. I tried LOTS of clicks. Starter hot to the touch. SO I figured my grounds were bad and cleaned all clamps, wire brushed the chassis connections and put a new 00 guage copper cable for the chassis to engine gound....... "Click".
SO I bought a new starter, the old one tested at 52 amps on the bench and the new one at 70 so I figured that might be it. So I put in the new starter (if anyone has done this on a Pilot you know what a b*tch it is to get the old starter off). wired the new starter and..... "click". Lots of attempts and I turned my starter and cables into a 12V heater again.
So I put a wrench on the pulley and turned the crank pulley 1/2 turn to make sure the engine wasn't siezed. It did. SO I figured there might have been a problem with the starter gear meshing with the flywheel. So I tried to start it and.... "click".
So, I am lost. I've got good voltage at the cable on the starter, I also cleaned that cable end. I really don't know what to look for at this point. Everything points to the classic bad ground story but I don't know what else I can do. I plan on getting a lead clamp (old school) for the positive terminal and re-attaching the hot leads to it to make sure they aren't corroded inside the sheathing. After that I am out of ideas.
Anyone have a similar experience? Advice? Help?
If so, thanks.
Darwin