Starter motor not disengaging

[ajay]

The car is an 04 with 39.5K miles

When the car has been left for a few days and I start it up, the starter is not disengaging once the engine starts, making a crow calling sound. It is the sound that you would hear if you started the car when it is already running. It is intermittent, only occurs after the car has been left for a while.

Anyone experienced this, or have advice on fixing it?

Thanks in advance.

[JonBoy]

Remove the crow?

[ajay]

Remove the crow?

Should I use a crow bar? I'm not sure how to do this! Can you post pics? :think:

[My_yella_s2k]

:laugh: simple fix.... stop pressing the red button......(thats my humor for the day :shrug:)
on a serious note, sounds like your gonna need a new starter as the solenoid isn't releasing...

[repiv]

sounds like your gonna need a new starter as the solenoid isn't releasing...
This may be the only solution once it gets bad enough that you can't stand it anymore. You might start looking for one from a wreckers now or start scouting prices for a new one. It's an ugly installation.

[Zerodoubt]

Mine has been doing this for a while. Only when it is really really cold and has sat for about a day or more. It's annoying as hell to me, but I have seen a few used starters for sale on s2ki. It has been a while since I have seen them though. I eventually will sweep one of these up, but repiv you say it is an ugly install. How hard is it really?

[ninja]

you might be able to find something used on junkyarddog.com or car-part.com

[stantaur]

You might try replacing the pushbutton first. I read somewhere before that part of the reason for the delayed disengagement of the solenoid is from the pushbutton. Might try reading around for it on this or the other site(s). I'd prefer replacing the cheaper / easier-to-access parts first.

[ajay]

You might try replacing the pushbutton first. I read somewhere before that part of the reason for the delayed disengagement of the solenoid is from the pushbutton. Might try reading around for it on this or the other site(s). I'd prefer replacing the cheaper / easier-to-access parts first.

Sounds more fun than the starter motor + I would have the coolest garage door opener button on the block. I will read around. Thanks everyone for taking time to respond.

[repiv]

but repiv you say it is an ugly install. How hard is it really?
Taking out the starter motor is the same procedure as getting the upper starter motor bolt out in a clutch job. This is the most irritating part of a clutch job and many people either can't get it or break something in the process. You can get to the bottom bolt not too badly and this is what most people get confused for the top one. The top one requires a very long extension with a wobble socket on the end. The safest way is to dismantle the alternator bracket and intake manifold bracket first (PITA). Anyway you look at it, for the backyard mechanic, it's going to be a good 1/2 day of cussing and swearing. I'll bet even the tech at the Honda dealer will have a few choice words to say about it before he's done.

You might try replacing the pushbutton first. This may be the cheaper alternative, but even cheaper is to test to see if it's the starter button itself. Since we have a starter/clutch interlock switch, the thing is to have the car in neutral and fire it up. On those occasions that it's most likely to "stick", as soon as the engine catches, let go of the button and lift up on the clutch pedal immediately. If it's the button, it will stop right away. If it's the starter motor release solenoid, it will still continue to give you the noise. In the final analysis, the "test" will be the cheapest of all before going out and buying parts.

[Rocketman]

This may be the cheaper alternative, but even cheaper is to test to see if it's the starter button itself. Since we have a starter/clutch interlock switch, the thing is to have the car in neutral and fire it up. On those occasions that it's most likely to "stick", as soon as the engine catches, let go of the button and lift up on the clutch pedal immediately. If it's the button, it will stop right away. If it's the starter motor release solenoid, it will still continue to give you the noise. In the final analysis, the "test" will be the cheapest of all before going out and buying parts.
Could he disconnect the leads from the button (or splice into them) and hotwire it with the key on? That would at least eliminate the button from the fault tree.

[repiv]

Could he disconnect the leads from the button (or splice into them) and hotwire it with the key on? That would at least eliminate the button from the fault tree.
I don't think this is necessary. Lifting the clutch up, even if you keep holding the starter button, will disengage the starter button immediately.

[ajay]

Taking out the starter motor is the same procedure as getting the upper starter motor bolt out in a clutch job. This is the most irritating part of a clutch job and many people either can't get it or break something in the process. You can get to the bottom bolt not too badly and this is what most people get confused for the top one. The top one requires a very long extension with a wobble socket on the end. The safest way is to dismantle the alternator bracket and intake manifold bracket first (PITA). Anyway you look at it, for the backyard mechanic, it's going to be a good 1/2 day of cussing and swearing. I'll bet even the tech at the Honda dealer will have a few choice words to say about it before he's done.

This may be the cheaper alternative, but even cheaper is to test to see if it's the starter button itself. Since we have a starter/clutch interlock switch, the thing is to have the car in neutral and fire it up. On those occasions that it's most likely to "stick", as soon as the engine catches, let go of the button and lift up on the clutch pedal immediately. If it's the button, it will stop right away. If it's the starter motor release solenoid, it will still continue to give you the noise. In the final analysis, the "test" will be the cheapest of all before going out and buying parts.

Thank you - I will try this each morning and let you know.

[ajay]

So this has not happened since my original post. The only thing that I have done is: with the ignition turned off, I rapidly pressed the start button about 10 times. I am really not sure that this has resolved the issue or whether it has gone back in the closet. We'll see.