Hesstopher

So my poor FC wound up sitting in a garage for 6 months because we had a baby and I didn't have time to take it out... (I'll take my son over my car any day).

When I tried to get it out for July 4th to show my brother in law who recently moved near by, the battery was flat. So I jumped it. I have a fuel pump kill to help with flooding so I let it spin a few times without fuel to clear it. Suddenly, it just stopped trying to turn. I shut of the jumping vehicle so I could listen to what was going on-- nothing.

Now, I already knew my starter was weak and would end up having to be replaced soon. So, figuring that was it I jacked the car up and yanked it out, got an OEM rebuilt one and slipped it back in. Tried again, nothing. No clicking, no turning, dash lights are on, battery charged... nothing.

So I started digging on the site. Checked the clutch switch, it's fully depressed (I can't figure out how to actually check the switch, tried to do a jumper but I can't find a photo showing the wire connection and I can't snake my hand into the hole to find it either).

so at this point, my car is up on jackstands in the driveway with a shiny new starter waiting on me to find that one little thing that is stopping the current from getting to the starter.

DC5Daniel

iTrader: (10)

I know it's tough to reach, but you would be best served to investigate that clutch switch further. The metal tab that pushes up against the switch is so thin that sometimes it gets pushed back, not to mention the switch itself could be dead. There's approximately 6" of wire coming off the switch to its connector, just trace it back and jump it. Get your wife to stick her tiny hands up there if she has to.

satch

iTrader: (1)

If the car has the starter cur relay (has only one plug w/4 wires), located near the main relay, it has a thick Black/Green wire (thick B/G and not the thin B/G wire) which should have voltage w/key to start and clutch depressed. If it does not then either your interlock switch or ignition switch is bad.

Also, the switch to depress the clutch to get the starter to activate is the interlock switch and not the clutch switch as they are different and thus for different uses. The interlock has the B/R wire and a B/G wire and not other colors.

If the B/W wire at the starter relay was jumpered w/voltage from the battery then the starter should turn.

Hesstopher

This is the switch I'm calling the clutch switch, not sure if it's actually interlock or not.
https://www.rx7club.com/attachments/...itch-small.jpg

(not my photo)

The car is base edition and didn't come with theft protection, it does have a viper alarm installed aftermarket by PO. Anytime it's gone off I've disarmed with remote so that shouldn't be a problem. Plus, the sudden non-turning happened while I was jumping it and not while someone could have been trying to steal it. I guess it's possible a starter relay in the Viper system could have failed though too.

I'll try to get those wires again in the morning-- it's too hot in South Texas at this point to work any further. I'll see if the will be willing, might get the "sure, if you will nurse the baby for me" response... which while it isn't typical yet, I have a feeling it will be.

Just to update, I get a constant 12v to the supply pole on the starter solenoid, but nothing on the starter side pole on the solenoid even when key is on. I don't know how to test the middle spade that I'm assuming is the com wire telling the solenoid to dump the power to the starter. So this, in my mind, confirms that the issue isn't supply power, ground, or a (miraculously) bad new starter. Since the tell-tale clicking isn't present that would mean solenoid is good also. So it is reduced to an issue with the electrical telling the solenoid to close the circuit and power the starter.

Which would mean ignition (since key on accessories work, that eliminates that, correct?), relay (where is that thing on fc's anyway?), or safety switch (clutch interlock in manual trans).

Am I missing anything?

satch

iTrader: (1)

If you don't have the starter relay then you simply have a plug (Blue in color) located near the trailing coil. It usually has 3 wires which are B/G, B/W and Light Green. The B/W wire runs to the starter solenoid thus if it had voltage then the starter would activate. The B/R wire should have voltage w/key to start and clutch depressed. If it does not then, again, either the interlock or ignition switch is faulty. W/respect to the ignition switch, it powers different wires depending on the key position. If it works in one position it doesn't necessarily mean all positions work but you could as already stated test the B/R wire at the interlock and if it has voltage w/key to start then the ignition switch is good.

Both the interlock and clutch switches are located on the clutch. The clutch is lower down thus the interlock is higher up. Again, it has two wires, one B/R and one B/G.

Hesstopher

Tested the interlock switch with my multimeter on connectivity setting, when clutch is at rest there is no connectivity, when depressed it shows closed circuit. While in there I jumped it to be safe and tried to start the car, nothing.

I'm going to check the interlock for power when key is in start position as well as the relay.

Hesstopher

Satch, I just jumped ahead and tested the blue relay plug... nothing when key is off or "on" but 12v when it's in start position. The blue plug is simply a jumper for two wires.

So I guess that means I've got a short between the blue plug jumper and the solenoid?

Hesstopher

>.< Okay, so my friend swung by and had a thought-- test for connectivity on the blue clip and LO AND BEHOLD... there wasn't any. So I scrapped off the blades with a screwdriver and tried it again, the engine spun. So now I'm charging the battery and will go with the flood procedure.

Thanks guys!

satch

iTrader: (1)

Good for you.