Clutch - oops no power, no clutch - winnah car starts

[motaru]

Hey Guys,

Iv got a 98 EK4 Civic though this could apply to any car I figure it belongs in this thread..

If you get into my car, put your foot on the clutch, then turn the key, nothing happens. Power goes, no accessories, no alarm, no lights zilch.

Clutch doesnt have to be held down when starting the car but, even if you just press down on the clutch once and release before starting the car. Bam - no power.

When I opened the engine bay the first couple times it happened I checked the connections to the battery, they are firm, however literally just applying the smallest amount of pressure to the positive connector brings the power back, lights flick back on it all works.
I have no idea why this changes anything though as the connectors are fastened the battery + and - posts tightly and securely.. Doing my head in..

I then hop in the car and start with *without* touching the clutch and vroom she starts like the EK i know and love.

Any ideas from anyone out there whos seen this weird sh!te happening before? I'd rather not take it to an auto elec if i can fix it myself, I've only very recently moved from Sydney to Melbourne and I don't trust any particular mechanics etc as yet so I'm tentative to lob up to a random every day autoelec..

Are my fears unrealistic? Or am I right to be cautious?

Oh - PS, I recently disconnected the battery to clean a bunch of that white corosion powder off the connectors and have put some vaso on the connectors to stop it from reocuring.

Thanks Guys,
Appreciate any feedback you can give
- Adam,
Point Cook, VIC

[OMG.JAI xD]

"Oh - PS, I recently disconnected the battery to clean a bunch of that white corosion powder off the connectors and have put some vaso on the connectors to stop it from reocuring."



I never knew vaseline was conductive. Matter of fact. I never knew grease in general was conductive.

[motaru]

A friend of mine from Ozhonda infact said to clean off the corrosion and whack on the vaseline - should I not have?

Could that be contributing? :|

[motaru]

Hmm, lots of diy type sites are saying petroleum jelly is ftw? I got nfi

[geeang]

Pressing in the clutch has nothing to do with starting your car (unless you're in 1st gear).

Take battery connections off, clean it up, reconnect without adding vaseline and see how you go.

[motaru]

Just tested 10 times with clutch in, 10 times without clutch - alwaus in nuetral - all 10 clutch starts power goes out like a light, pardon the pun.

I have just taken the connectors off and gave them a good wiping down to get all the vaseline off them, reattached and firmly tightened the appropriate nuts.

I have an aftermarket Viper alarm system - any chance thats playing up with the immobilizer or something? Sound plausible?

[bennjamin]

Pressing in the clutch has nothing to do with starting your car (unless you're in 1st gear).

Take battery connections off, clean it up, reconnect without adding vaseline and see how you go.

just to add - its always good practice to depress the clutch when starting any manual car !

[tseesinngwailo]

Is there a switch on the clutch???

[CB7_OWNER]

How long has this started happening? recently since the battery thing? or you only just noticed.?


When you clutch in to start car, does it at least crank over? or nothing

[motaru]

It happened the first time last Friday I got home from work at about 6pm, hopped back in the car at 7pm to go out and bam - car didnt work - before the past week I have always putt he clutch in to start even if im in nuetral.. just a habit for the once or twice i tried to start and lurched lol

Um, I dont know if there is a switch on the clutch, I dont believe so, do you mean as in am i forced to clutch start or do you mean like an immobilizer switch? pl0x clarify Gwailloo

CB7 - if i put the clutch in and turn the key the first 2 clicks - the accessory lights come on, then i turn the 3rd click when the car should turn over and start but instead there is nothing - everything turns off, no in car lights, no headlights, alarm/remote locking is off if i try again with the key, theres no accessories no nothing until i go and apply pressure to the positive cable.
Iv had a good look and I dont see anything down under the dash that would indicate a moving cable or anything - or in the engine bay for that matter, my hunch is that its an electrical fault somewhere but eh, unsure at this stage.

Thanks for the responses so far!

[motaru]

Oh um, mentioned earlier was the vaseline on the connectors, can anyone confirm for sure yes/no is it a good thing to do or not?

[bennjamin]

Dude just remove the Vaseline from the terminal/s ONE at a time avoiding to touch the other, and see if that cures the issue.