Brand new starter issues after alternator install (Clicking)

[Si Integra]

Well, i am really frustrated here. I have ghad a really long bad day. First the volts light came on indicating a poor charge, so normally I had the alternator tested at autozone. It was faulty (per them.)

I purchased another alternator and installed it. I was was honestly a little out of it and went to remove the power from the alternator before removing the ground. It popped and quickly reminded me. I removed ground, installed alternator and tried to start. CLICK CLICK CLICK, like morse code....


SO I figured to tap the starte, it may have not dislodged. Nothing. Same problem. I was frustrated and went and spent almost 200.00 for a new starter...

Same problem. I consulted the brochure with the starter and it sais for the symptoms to test the power wire and the shell of the starter against one another, if it reads 0.0-12.2v then there is an issue with the + wire. It rear 11.42 or something of that nature. The brochure then leads on to say check the positive line for damage, burnt fusible links etc.

I followed the one wire from the starter to the battery, did not see any issues. I then attempted to follow th eother wire from the same starter terminal and followed it approximately 15 inches, nothing. It is not clicking like a low charge on the battery though. It is like morse code. When it does it the electronics go loopy. Oddly enough, if I disconnect power to the starter the fans come on..haha

I am so puzzled and frustrated at this point.
Could it be a starter relay?
The battery read 11.7 or so volts, so I think it the battery is not an issue.

Someone please help me out here. I would like to think I popped something when I forgot to remove ground before the alternator uninstall.

[NeonKnight]

Originally Posted by Si Integra

Well, i am really frustrated here. I have ghad a really long bad day. First the volts light came on indicating a poor charge, so normally I had the alternator tested at autozone. It was faulty (per them.)

I purchased another alternator and installed it. I was was honestly a little out of it and went to remove the power from the alternator before removing the ground. It popped and quickly reminded me. I removed ground, installed alternator and tried to start. CLICK CLICK CLICK, like morse code....


SO I figured to tap the starte, it may have not dislodged. Nothing. Same problem. I was frustrated and went and spent almost 200.00 for a new starter...

Same problem. I consulted the brochure with the starter and it sais for the symptoms to test the power wire and the shell of the starter against one another, if it reads 0.0-12.2v then there is an issue with the + wire. It rear 11.42 or something of that nature. The brochure then leads on to say check the positive line for damage, burnt fusible links etc.

I followed the one wire from the starter to the battery, did not see any issues. I then attempted to follow th eother wire from the same starter terminal and followed it approximately 15 inches, nothing. It is not clicking like a low charge on the battery though. It is like morse code. When it does it the electronics go loopy. Oddly enough, if I disconnect power to the starter the fans come on..haha

I am so puzzled and frustrated at this point.
Could it be a starter relay?
The battery read 11.7 or so volts, so I think it the battery is not an issue.

Someone please help me out here. I would like to think I popped something when I forgot to remove ground before the alternator uninstall.

when you here that popping sound its a Fuse. check the fuse box under the hood on the left. you will see a panel. pull every fuse out and look at it. hold it up to light and see if the piece of metal is broke, if it is replace with the same amperage and sized fuse.

make sure to check them all. after you do that you should be good to go.

[Si Integra]

I checked all the fuses in both fuse boxes under the hood as well as the one in the passeneger side of the dash. According to the pamphlet that accomponied the starter, I am having a voltage problem to the starter?

FYI, this is a 99 Lumina, 3.1L auto w/ac


I will humor myself and check them all again. It does not sound like a popping of a fuse, it is definitely a clicking of the starter. The little bit of debri surrounding the starter moves when the key I sengaged in the start position.

Can anyone tell me where the relay is for the starter? Also any other suggestions will be highly appreciated. I really need this car to get my son to and from daycare and me to and from work.

[Si Integra]

I beleive I may have mislead you, when i said the clicking was not like a faulty starter or low battery, I meant the noise is not that distinctive clicccccccck
It is more of a click...click click............click click clik click....click..click kind of thing rather that the cliiiiiiiik thenit dies out a bit.

I really beleive it is a power issue, I am just not sure how to attack it at this point.

[tblake]

not doubting anyone, but I myself have never actually heard a fuse "click" when it blows, and then keep clicking. Ok, first of all. 11.7 volts at the battery? Thats it? On gm cars a good battery should read about 12.6 volts, and 14.4 when the car is running. I myself would (since you alternaor went out and you were running the car off the battery) I would put a charger on the battery overnight, and while your doing that, maybe check the fusable link. good luck

[tblake]

or, maybe just try to jump it. (just a thought, if you still get the same clicking, then you know the batt is not your problem. This clicking, does it sound like the solonoid jumping in and out, or does it sound like teeth grinding? Could you pull the starter and have it bench tested? Even pull it out and ground the case with some jumper cables, and with the posative jumper cable, hook it to the two terminals on the starter. If its good, it will kick out the pinion, and it will turn. I myself think its a starter related issue, and maybe a little undercharged battery. What kind of car is this?

[Si Integra]

99 Lumina, 3.1

It sounds like the starter is turning, but with a lack of power. Here is the thing, prior to changing the alternator, the car had "No Issues"" with starting. The voltage was unchanged from its former state. I will remove the starter today and check it again, but it did work before I installed it. It is definitely not a teeth grinding sound.


Back to tthe fusible link, where is this located? How do I check it?