was the oil on the electrode ( where the plug fires )?? or was it on the outside the plug ??

if on the electrode could be valve seals leaking or worn piston rings

if on the outside ( plug tube ) could be upper plug seals located on the underside of the valve cover or on some occasions lower rocker arm seals

we have a write up on out DIY section if it is on the tubes ..

 

Don't confuse resolution with accuracy. See www.fluke.com The lowest resistance range on the 189 is 500 ohms, and +/-0.05% of that is 0.25 ohms right there. That doesn't include display counts, or lead resistance, or contact point resistance, etc...

I've done quite a bit with measurement uncertainty analysis at work, so if you want to email me with some specifics I may be able to help a bit.

ps - edit...
Desert's right about the oil on the plugs. I was going to post pretty much the same thing.

 

I'm off to pull the starter before it hits 112 degrees. I plan on taking it to two different parts stores to test and get a paper print out of the results. So, hopefully this will eliminate the hazzels when I return it. I'd like to take Desert Honda's advise and buy from Honda but it the parts store will only exchange it well, I can't afford to be out $180. Now that its daylight, the oil on the number two plug does seem to be baked on the ceramic. But first things first. I'll worry about the oil when I go for emissions testing in September.

 

if the oil is on the tubes, it might take 15 minutes to repair all you need is a valve cover and 4 upper spark plug seals,, remove the valve cover, replace the 4 seals under it and put it all together,, if you let it go , it will ruin the spark plug wires , than you have to dish out extra money for that ..

 

I had the starter and the battery checked at two part stores. Both say they're good. I'm at a loss.

 

try the test i adviced you,,,,,,,,,have someone try to start the car and bang on the starter with a pipe or big screwdriver,, if it engages you got a bad starter....

If according to you,, you get power ( 12 v) at main starter wire and you get power at solenoid wire and it just clicks ,, you got a bad starter

did you have a shop do a starter draw test???

 

I'll try banging on the starter when my neighbor gets home. The store said its drawing 55 amps. I can get the starter to spin outside of the car when its unloaded. It seems it only has a problem when its being loaded.

When I pulled the plug wires, the tubes were pretty much oil free. Does this sound like the plug seal issue you described earlier? Also, before the starting issue, I had purchased new plugs, wires, cap & rotor, etc. I'm not going to install any of them until I resolve the starting issue.

 

let me ask you a querstion,, when you give direct power from battery to solenoid wire at the starter black/white........does the starter crank the engine ???

if it DOES NOT , the problemis IS the starter,,

IF it DOES.., the problem IS NOT the starter,,,, chk all the connectors at ignition switch,, chk for continuity on the black/white wire between ign switch and starter solenoid

did you ever find that brown plug in the center console and jumped the wires together?? see if that helped ??

 

I smacked the starter and it tried to turn. Took it back. Convinced the store that even though it benches good, its not. They gave me another and guess what? It WORKS!

Oh yeah, we'res my manners. Thank you one and all for your suggestions, support, and help. A great site!

 

Glad it is fixed ..........and thanks for the fix report ..