89 accord sei

I cannot speak to that testing method as I've never used it. The charging system should be tested using a load test. A load tester places a variable load on the whole charging system with the car running to determine its charging capacity.

Eric

The battery disconnection trick is something that should not be done on any car with a computer; the voltage from even a good alternator can become wildly unstable and damage electronics.

Elle cautions her web page

Thanks for the link Mike. I hadn't seen Elle's page before. I disagree with one of the statements though.

In my experience, more often than not, when a Honda's starter clicks the starter contact needs to be replaced. This is an inexpensive part that can be installed into the starter typically with the starter still in the vehicle with the Nippon Denso (ND) starters. If I remember correctly, Honda sold these in a kit for about $15-18 and they can often be purchased from an electric motor rebuilder for less but without the extra components of the kit.

Elle, please feel free to use this advice on your site. If you're interested, I can probably get some part numbers for the contact.

Eric

Eric, that the source of clicking noises in a non-startup situation may be failed starter (solenoid?) contacts did occur to me when I wrote up this site (writing as an amateur and certainly not someone of your experience). But I thought a dead (or near dead) battery also caused clicking noises. So, someone (Eric, anyone?) please feel free to describe the sounds a car makes with a dead (or near dead, such that the car won't even turn over) battery. It's been a while since I had a dead battery, and I've never had to replace the starter contacts. On the other hand, I know plenty have posted here with a problem which turned out to be the starter contacts.

That site is done for now, and for the original poster, I think the basic checks described there are definitely worth performing to ascertain whether the alternator/charging system is the problem.

Comments to improve this site's accuracy are welcome.

Eric, yes, I would like to have the part number info, though I may edit or supplement it per what SLhonda and Majestic show in their online drawings at their parts sites. I think it's very helpful to send readers to at least one reliable part source. Plus for me, drawings help my understanding of any car problem.

Clicking is a symptom of low voltage. Caused either by a weak battery or high resistance due to corrosion in the solenoid. No way to tell just by the sound.