# Car will not start in 1990 Integra **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [August 11, 2011, 5:56pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-will-not-start-in-1990-integra/67035 "2011-08-11T17:56:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![MichelleZ](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/michellez/32/1232_2.png) [@MichelleZ](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MichelleZ)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2011, 5:56pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-will-not-start-in-1990-integra/67035/1 "2011-08-11T17:56:10Z")
Not a dead battery as it’s new (no clicking sound either). It tries to start, the engine just does not “turn over” (if that’s the correct term). Alternator of generator problem? ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2011, 6:16pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-will-not-start-in-1990-integra/67035/2 "2011-08-11T18:16:11Z")
Do you have power to other areas (headlights, radio, etc.)? If the battery has a full charge, then it’s not the alternator. If you can get a voltmeter, see if the starter it getting full battery voltage (around 12V) when you try and start it. If it is, then it’s the starter, have it removed and checked. It could be the starter solenoid, some have contacts that wear out over time resulting in a ‘non start’ condition with a good battery. ---
**Author:** ![MichelleZ](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/michellez/32/1232_2.png) [@MichelleZ](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MichelleZ)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2011, 6:23pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-will-not-start-in-1990-integra/67035/3 "2011-08-11T18:23:38Z")
Thanks Texases. All of the lights, etc. are working. I had a new ignition switch put in about 2 years ago, but not sure about the starter. Do these things just all of a sudden go out? And yes, I KNOW my car is old, but being the original owner makes me really attached to the car, so I know I have to deal with little things breaking down here and there! ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2011, 6:29pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-will-not-start-in-1990-integra/67035/4 "2011-08-11T18:29:58Z")
If this is the original starter, then you’ve gotten a loooong life out of it. Yes, they do go out. Have it tested. ---
**Author:** ![MichelleZ](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/michellez/32/1232_2.png) [@MichelleZ](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MichelleZ)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2011, 1:01am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-will-not-start-in-1990-integra/67035/5 "2011-08-12T01:01:28Z")
Turns out it was the distributor…completely DEAD! Oh well ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2011, 3:06am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-will-not-start-in-1990-integra/67035/6 "2011-08-12T03:06:57Z")
The distributor? And when you turned the key nothing happened? I don’t get it, but if it’s fixed, great! ---
**Author:** ![shadowfax](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/shadowfax/32/13026_2.png) [@shadowfax](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shadowfax)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2011, 4:17am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-will-not-start-in-1990-integra/67035/7 "2011-08-12T04:17:00Z")
I have a feeling Michelle meant it wouldn’t fire when she said it wouldn’t turn over. ---
**Author:** ![MichelleZ](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/michellez/32/1232_2.png) [@MichelleZ](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MichelleZ)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2011, 9:34pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-will-not-start-in-1990-integra/67035/8 "2011-08-12T21:34:49Z")
Ha ha! Guess I need a proper lesson in car lingo. However, if nothing happened when the key was turned, I would have said it that way. Oh well. Maybe there needs to be a glossary of descriptive terminology when one of us non- car people attempts to describe a problem. I do LOVE this forum and don’t want to confuse folks when I pose a question. Have a great weekend. ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2011, 9:40pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-will-not-start-in-1990-integra/67035/9 "2011-08-12T21:40:20Z")
So I’m still puzzled: when you turned the key there was no noise? No rrrrrrrr of the engine turning over, but not starting? Or did it turn over, but not start? ---
**Author:** ![MichelleZ](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/michellez/32/1232_2.png) [@MichelleZ](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MichelleZ)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2011, 11:06pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-will-not-start-in-1990-integra/67035/10 "2011-08-12T23:06:53Z")
Yes, there was a noise, like in the movies when people are trying desperately to get away from someone evil and their car is trying to start ( as in just the starter cranking/working I guess) but the engine never starts up. NOT like a dead battery issue where there is just the clicking sound (or No sound) Anyway, I’m happy the car is running again, so no worries. ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2011, 2:39am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-will-not-start-in-1990-integra/67035/11 "2011-08-13T02:39:13Z")
OK, glad it turned out well. ---
**Author:** ![mark9207](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71c47a/32.png) [@mark9207](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mark9207)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2011, 4:03am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-will-not-start-in-1990-integra/67035/12 "2011-08-13T04:03:22Z")
Distributors are a common issue on these cars. It probably didn’t take too long for whomever diagnosed it to figure it out. These miscommunications are one of the problems we tend to have with trying to help people diagnose problems over the Internet, without being able to see, hear, and touch the car.