Learned Forum Gurus...I need yer help.

97 Acura 3.2 TL
140K Miles on the dial

Background:
3 weeks ago I took the car for an oil change to BrakesPlus. While doing the oil change they tell me there's a lot of build up on the battery and a day will come when it wont start up. For 15 bucks they can clean it up and coat it with anticorrosive gooey stuff. I did the 'why touch sth that aint broke' in my head but gave in and allowed them to do it.

I pick up the car and drive it to a location 3 miles away. Come back to the car and try and start it and it goes click click click (very fast)...all lights blink and the radio goes out and starts asking for a code. The battery seems fine since all lights light up when I turn the key to On but the car wont start on cranking. And its not the slow not catching up cranking when a battery is low or the engine is trying to start but cant. In this case the engine wont even turn...just fast clicks....I tried again and same thing...very fast click lick metallic clicks......I waited a couple of minutes and cranked again and it started just fine. I drove back to Brakes Plus. They thought maybe the battery connection was loose so they tightened the nuts. No issues since then...

Untill today....

I have a 40 mile commute to the office. On my way back (abt 35 miles into the commute) I stopped at a library to return a book. I come out after 5 minutes and crank and hear the clickety click....keeps clicking till I stop turning. I immediately stop cranking and give it a rest and try again but clickety clickety again. I step out and start calling geico to send a tow truck over. 5 minutes into the conversation I decide to try once more and it starts right up. No issues.

So the question is - what does it seem like? A starter starting to go or sthg else. I never had this issue before the day I got the battery cleaned so that's making me suspicious. I also searched and went through the 'definitive starter thread'. The symptom for a bad starter seems to a loud click and then nothing. In my case it keeps clicking until I let go.

Can somebody hazard a guess as to what the issue might be or maybe suggest a diagnostic test that could pinpoint the issue? Any help is very appreciated.

 

sounds like starter to me I hate when shit like this happens.

 

Have you ever replaced your PGM-FI relay? If not chances are it's the culprit. This is a common problem for the 1st G TL. Searching PGM-FI on this forum maybe helpful to you. The part is only about $65 but you've got to know how to where to unplug the old one and install the new one (a shop manual would be very helpful).

 

I recently had bad cable connectors on my '96 3.2. Sears replaced for less than $10 and haven't had a problem since.

I would take it to Sears and ask for an electrical systems test. They test the battery, starter & alternator. Tell them the specific problem you are having.

 

fits the diagnosis of a starter going bad. The reason it starts eventually is because the armature inside the starter spins until the contacts are touching, then it starts. Eventually it wont start at all, if it ends up being the starter that is.