Battery issue or something deeper?

[Dave P.]

About three weeks ago, while getting a couple tires for my Honda, the counter person told me the tech did the routine exam and my battery did poorly on the load test as well as being corroded. I knew it wasn't corroded as I had just recently cleaned the terminals so I just assumed it to be another attempted upsell. The battery is a DieHard Gold and was installed by me two years ago almost to the day so it should still have plenty of life left. After that, I did feel that it was starting a little sluggishly but I thought maybe it was the power of suggestion.

This past Sunday evening, the car wouldn't start with all the classic symptoms of a dead battery. Time as it was, I took my wife's car to Advance Auto and bought a new battery with minutes to spare. Came home and put it in and the car started, but not as enthusiastically as I thought it should. The next day, I used a Solar b9 tester and everything tested fine on the new battery as far as volts, CCA and charging system. Looked like a healthy system to me.
What concerned me though was when I put the tester on the "dead' battery that I hadn't yet returned. Volts seemed fine at 12.74 and the CCA was 649 on a 500 spec battery.
Now I'm wondering if there might be something else at play here if the dead battery seems good and the brand new battery seems a little tired. Any thoughts? On a car with 329,000 miles, there may be a number of things to consider I would imagine. Thanks.

 

[SC Maintenance]

What concerned me though was when I put the tester on the "dead' battery that I hadn't yet returned. Volts seemed fine at 12.74 and the CCA was 649 on a 500 spec battery.

So you already have your answer - wasn't the battery.

Define "wouldn't start". Did it crank at all? Was it slow. Did it spin over well and not fire?

 

[Sequoiasoon]

2.4L Honda - Starter's are known to go. Not hard to change, many YT videos.

Get NEW one from Rock Auto not a rebuilt any version from the parts stores. Unless you have a shop by you that will rebuild your exact one.

My daughters '08 had the same problem and my brother-in-law put in a used from a junkyard. I had to replace it again afterward. Knock on wood, starts great for the last 5 years It did need a new battery again after about 3 years but that was added to by being totally killed with lights left on a couple times.

 

[Sequoiasoon]

So you already have your answer - wasn't the battery.

Define "wouldn't start". Did it crank at all? Was it slow. Did it spin over well and not fire?

Symptom on many with that. Won't crank. if you try it 4-5 times then it will crank and start but cranks slower. Happened on my '04 CRV and the '08 CRV.

Easiest to change is by removing the intake manifold

 

[Dave P.]

So you already have your answer - wasn't the battery.

Define "wouldn't start". Did it crank at all? Was it slow. Did it spin over well and not fire?

It did crank a couple of times and then just died.

 

[shortyb]

Something is pulling a large amount of amps at start (or not)-up. My guess has that word in it's name . Or it could be something as simple as a corroded cable (as in, inside the plastic jacket where you can't easily see).

 

[50yr Street Mech]

Been playin with Honda'a a long time. At 329,000 miles it's 2 things. Alternator or Starter. I have an extra car laying around for backup. because all I have is clunkers. I've ran into you're problem before. So, I remove the alt and starter. Take them to my local rebuider, get them rem-man'd on the cheap, and re-install. Problem solved. Shop always tells me they were both NG....You can do the same with Autozone, O'Reilly's, Carquest, Napa. They just have different warranties. I have a Napa alt in my 03' Toyota for 4 yrs. No problems. I have a BBB in my 06' Camry for 8 yrs. No problems. Def check for corrosion UNDER cable jackets. Sneaky corrosion is a mo-fo

 

[Dave P.]

Thanks to all who responded! This forum is an absolute wealth of knowledge. By the time I called the mechanic yesterday morning, you all had responded so I was curious as to what he was going to say. He too immediately thought starter and that's what it was. Job done and the 'ol girl turns over just like the champ she is. Thanks again!

 

[dogememe]

Four cylinder Honda cranking sluggishly even on a new battery? I'd change the starter. Especially if it's the original at over 300K miles. Try to aim for a NEW one, not rebuilt.

 

[50yr Street Mech]

Happy to hear job got done, and it was the starter. Please make sure you get some kind of warranty from the mechanic, in writing. Re-man starters don't last as long as new ones. Granted, they are cheaper to purchase. If this starter lasts beyond the warranty, then craps out, please buy a new one and bring it to the shop. They'll put it in. There still making $$$ on the labor. You can buy new starters online from any dealership on the web, or Honda parts warehouse, places like that.