CRX starter motor

[krnlpanik]

well....I'm having trouble starting my 91 crx. I went back to school and came back home about a month later, I had forgotten to disconnect the battery and all that happy stuff. So the terminals were corroded to the point where it wouldnt even turn over. So i cleaned them off and it started up almost normally, it choked out and died. when i tried to start it again, instead of the normal *pulsing* starter motor noise(like the engine is turning) that Im used to hearing, instead I hear a *constant* starter motor noise(like the motor is just running free). I had a friend turn the key for me and the belts and all are turning. So i dont believe the motor itself is bad.

A local honda mechanic said that it could be caused by the plugs getting "wet" and reccomended that I take out the spark plugs and dry them, and if nessecary sand them. Well, that didnt work.

Someone else suggested that I wasnt getting any compression, but I dont know what I would do about that or if that would even be feasible--could the gaskets dry out that much in 1 month?

Has anyone else expirienced this problem? How can I fix it?

Thanks,
kris.

[kris]

Originally posted by krnlpanik
well....I'm having trouble starting my 91 crx. I went back to school and came back home about a month later, I had forgotten to disconnect the battery and all that happy stuff. So the terminals were corroded to the point where it wouldnt even turn over. So i cleaned them off and it started up almost normally, it choked out and died. when i tried to start it again, instead of the normal *pulsing* starter motor noise(like the engine is turning) that Im used to hearing, instead I hear a *constant* starter motor noise(like the motor is just running free). I had a friend turn the key for me and the belts and all are turning. So i dont believe the motor itself is bad.

A local honda mechanic said that it could be caused by the plugs getting "wet" and reccomended that I take out the spark plugs and dry them, and if nessecary sand them. Well, that didnt work.

Someone else suggested that I wasnt getting any compression, but I dont know what I would do about that or if that would even be feasible--could the gaskets dry out that much in 1 month?

Has anyone else expirienced this problem? How can I fix it?

Thanks,
kris.

First off, if you were getting zero compression, your motor would be toast. The only way to check compression is with a little compression tester gauge. But that's not your problem.

What it sounds like is either plugs, wires, or distributor. If the distributor got so wet inside, it caused corrosion, etc. That could prevent a startup. A easy way to check if the distributor is firing, is to hook up a timing light, and crank the motor. If the light flashes, you know the distributor is capable of firing. Do that on each wire. You can also test the wires themselves, using a ohm reader. The correct ohmage (new word) can be found in a haynes manual.

As for the plugs, I dont see all four plugs going bad at once.

Thats probably where I would start.

[95civicman]

i can't even get my car to turn over. no pulsating or anything. i checked the starter and the wire is hooked up good and it's not the ignition because i can hear the injectors hissing in fuel. so you think that i need and new starter and how much do they cost? thanks