Well i found out my starter was shot afterall, but that makes 2 in 6 months,and this one was only about 2-3 months old, new from autozone (well rebuilt anyway)
so could this be just be bad luck or something messing them up, I checked all the wireing and its right with the schematics in the mazda book, so im kinda scared now to buy another starter just to burn it up. Anyone here ever had this problem ?

 

Having problems with "rebuilt" starters are quite common. Many times they are unreliable. It's a common occurance. That said, unless they are new, I'd replace the battery cables, too, upon swapping a starter. A good ground makes a huge difference, too.

 

reman starters are crap. Ive never bought a new one but then again swapping starters is a 20 min job so its worth it to me.

 

Thanks, come to think of it my ground cable is kinda lose on the batt so i'll have to fix that.

 

This thread reminds me of something.I have a friend who is a member here,but just lurks all the time because he is too chicken to post anything I think.He bought a pretty nice 85 GSL-SE over the summer which I told him not to do.Not because they are bad cars,but because I knew it would eventually need work,and he is not capable of doing most of it on his own,and it is a daily driver here in snowy New England(bad idea I think).Well since he has bought the car he has had issues with starting it.At first it would just grind a few times,and then start.I gave him a GSL-SE starter I had that tested out fine with a battery.He put it in the car,and it did the same thing,so he went and had one of the two starters rebuilt at a local place.Since then he has had the same issue mostly,and now a new problem.What happens now sounds like the starter is spinning but the gear is not kicking out to engage the ring gear on the flywheel.After 30 seconds or so we hear a short grind,and the motor turns over.Do any of you guys have any idea what this could be?I still maintain it is a starter issue,but I am stumped.I have not really dug into the car very much,as I don't really want to get involved because I told him to just buy a corolla,or something like that to daily drive.The thing is he would not listen to me about buying the car,and now he is stubornly keeping it even though it needs some work,that he neither can do,nor can afford to have done.It is a nice car,and the work it needs is basically minor,but I think he should sell it for the $2200 he paid for it,and get something else.It is an late production Persimmon red GSL-SE with leather,bronze glass,colored mirrors,and power steering.

 

Pull the inspection plate at the rear passenger side of the engine, turn the engine over by hand and inspect the teeth on the flywheel as they go by. If all of the teeth are good, either the starters are bad, the wiring or even the ignition switch. If here is a section of teeth bad, replace the flywheel.

 

it was my starter guess i just got 2 bad ones in a row lol

 

i usually replace my starter once a year or so, typically the solonoid goes out and the motor spins but doesnt shoot out to catch the flywheel. it has always kind of confused me and i thought i was the only person who cant seem to keep a starter

isaac

 

Hey Robinson R where are you located at. I am a Robinson also from Louisiana. I had the same problem on my 84 with a 12A, took mine to a rebuild shop and had it beefed up when rebuilt and new cables using 3 gauge wire and crimped on battery ends. Made a whole lot of difference. What year 7 do you have?