83 Rx7 has power - wont turn over
 

Hey all you rx gurus! My Rx7 has been running fine and after I washed it tonite, it wouldnt turn over. I tried it multiple times...and then got it to start up once. I shut it off and tried again and nothing. It has lots of power to dash lights, radio, headlights, etc... but it wont start. I can also hear the fuel pump when i turn the key on. When I let the key return to its 'rest point' after trying the ignition, I can hear a click. The click is not metallic sounding, it has an electrical sound. I dont see the headlights dim at all when I attempt to turn the car over.

There have been a couple of times in the last couple days when it wouldnt turn over when I turned the key. I wiggled the shifter and pushed the clutch down again and then it would fire up. So I dont know if I have a corroded starter wire or what. I have looked at the battery connections and they are clean and tight. I know I have current to the system since every thing is able to get powered. I checked the engine fuse in the fuse box and I cant see anything burned or disconnected in the engine bay.

I suppose I could have a corroded or loose starter wire. Any other ideas? Is it true that there is no safety switch on the clutch?

Thanks for your ideas!

At a guess, make sure the start wire is firmly plugged onto the spade terminal of the solenoid. I washed my engine, and had that wire get loosened, and it would chatter the solenoid when the starter was engaged.
Beyond that, make sure the battery cable is tight at both ends. The starter is the only item that is powered from the positive cable. Everything else gets power from the smaller wire that attaches to the positive terminal.

Too weird! Mine was washed and waxed last night and did pretty much the same thing today. I think the solenoid is shot. Washed her last night(no engine washing, just body) then today when I went to start her it would begin to whir(like it was trying to turn over) for not even a second, then it would just click when I turned the key. After turning the ignition like 10 times, hoping with fingers crossed, it started right up. Then I went to the mazda dealer later(she started fine again for that trip) and leaving mazda it did the same split second whir and then clicking. Roll started it and got home. Just ordered a new starter since I think it's the solenoid...guess I better go check that wire. Seems like a common enough problem to be a possibility. I still think it's the solenoid sticking(because of the click and no engage), but I'm gonna try anyway). Anyone else wanna back me up on this? I'm new to the rotary world as of saturday...82 GSL.

PS there's no safety switch on my clutch.

I crossed the terminals on the starter and it clicked...but didnt turn the engine. I went and got a new starter...put it in. The new starter spun, but didnt engage the flywheel solidly. Took off the new starter and turned the key...the gear kicked out to the end of the shaft and spun like it is supposed to. But it seems that the gear isnt kicking out with enough force to turn the engine over. So I guess it is back to the auto parts store and get the new starter tested...and the old one as well. Really sucks buying substandard parts.

I was able to easily turn the engine by pulling on the alternator belt. So I know that the flywheel isnt stuck.

Happened to me a few times. Sometimes it would be a loose terminal and others not. Hasn't happened in a while though. The clutch safety switched wasn't installed in any RX-7 until 1987.

Well, got a new starter and mine still makes the click sound and won't turn over...so, back to the drawing board. Bout to go check voltages and try to find out if I have a faulty ground anywhere. Anyone have any ideas for where to look for loose connections that are common on the first gens besides the spade on the starter itself? That seems fine. Out to start tracing wires now. Guess I'll check back here soon to see if anyone has any ideas.

Have you tried turning the engine over by hand?

have u checked the bat terminals a bad conection can cause this iv had it on my 6 and on my honda changed the couplers bang worked fine

Yeah, I was a dumb arse. After checking all voltages I spent 4 hours trying to trace a bad ground. I had 12V on positive of the starter and when key turned had 12 volts on the starter spade...so I assumed it was the ground...bad assumption. blwfly was right on. It was corroded terminal wires. I feel REALLY stupid. It was way too simple, I didn't figure it could POSSIBLY be that with 12v on both spots. Thanks for the help guys.

I finally gave up. I ended up taking my Rx7 to a dealer a few miles away and leaving it to be worked on Monday. I replaced the positive lead from the battery...tried a brand new DieHard battery I just put in in my Pathfinder. I also removed the negative cable where it was grouded to the engine and made sure it was clean and making good contact. The new started would only spin and would not turn the engine...it wont engage the flywheel all the way. I also tried shimming the starter with a washer and no luck. I have no idea why the starter is not making contact with the flywheel, but now the experts will be able to tell me. I have spent WAY too much time on a job that should have taken 1 hour. I hope that all the other work I am going to do on my car is not as difficult as this has been.

Thanks for all the posts...I will let y'all know what the problem was.

Starter spinning, but not engaging the flywheel, could be a bad solenoid, or the wrong starter. Somewhere between 79 and 86, the size of the starter drive increased. Even though the small drive starter will bolt in place of the larger one, the teeth on the drive will not contact the flywheel.

I think the starter on my 83' just went completely today. Turn the key and there is no sound at all not even a click. The only way the Rx7 will start is with a push start.

The starter itself is probably the last component that you should suspect in any of these cases. Usually it is some other supporting component that is causing the issue.

An update: I talked to the Mazda dealership repair dept and they said the starter is the wrong one...even though Checker showed that Autolite starter would work on my 83 Rx7. That is why the gear was not contacting the flywheel. So be careful people, when you are buying a new starter. My old starter had a NAPA sticker on it, so NAPA might have starters that will work. I had to go with an actual Mazda starter and unfortunately it is quite a bit more expensive than the aftermarket starter.
Kentetsu...I disagree...most likely it IS the starter if you are hearing the click of the solenoid. If you dont hear anything, I think it is probably corroded battery terminals, or a bad ignition switch.

in othe news, I just got Carmen on the road after 2 years. Charged up the battery and she fired right up as though she'd been driven earlier that day :)