Hiya all...

My 79 won't start.

I get a loud clicking sound when I turn the key, then nothing.

Here is the stuff that I HAVE checked....

Engine turns clockwise just fine - apex seals are shiney and bright.

Starter is new and getting juice...

It sounds like the solenoid is engaging but the starter is not even trying to turn.. voltmeter (tach) reads 14volts in the ON position and around 9 when attempting to start.

The first time I tried to start the motor after I installed the starter it felt like the solenoid enrgized and the starting motor engaged and tryed to turn for maybe a quarter of a second... (click, CLUNK, nothing.)



If I understand this electrical system correctly. The fusible link could not be in question here (please correct me if I'm wrong) as the fusible link only carries the low voltage signal thru the ignition switch and into the low voltage input on the starter solenoid. (along with various other electrical subsytems)

I am at a loss - is this new starter bad as well? - anybody know what would allow the solenoid to engage but not the starter motor?

Also - does the 79 RX7 have additional wires running into the starter other that the one that plugs into the low voltage tab and the positive feed off of the battery? There appears to be another set of wires down there that could possibly plug into the starter somhow (possibly the pole that goes from solenoid to starter)


Thank you in advance for any advice.

-Patrick.

 

Could be bad connection/ bad battery cables. Check and clean the battery terminals. Make sure that the negative battery cable is attached well to the chassis/engine ground. Often if you don't have a good connection, there will be enough current available to operate the solenoid, but not the starter. You could take the starter out and take it down to autozone and have them check the starter/solenoid to rule that out as a possibility.

Kent

 

check and double check everything once more...check your leads, distributor, plugs, altinator...etc...most times its just a mistake in wiring

 

How new are your battery cables. When they are 25 years old they do kinda dcorrode ya know. If you have power to the seloniod when you turn the key and you have powert to the starter, and your ground strap is hooked up. Its corosion or a bad starter.

END theres nothing more to diagnose there

And le lyons, its a problem wit hthe starter not the car being ablke to start. If he wanted it to start, he could push start it. It would work

 

Interesting - I cleaned the posts on the battery and the terminals, double checked my fusible links, tightened the clamps down on the battery HARD and turned the key - It cranked in a very healthy way (I didn't have spark plugs in - I was meaning to check my compression.) BUT!

When I turned the key off - the starter kept cranking I had to yoink a battery cable to get it to stop... I reconnected every thing - tried to start it and it cranked again - I turned the key of and kinda kranked the key backwards into the off position forcefully and it stoped...

SO!
I reconnected the spark plugs and wires, shot a dab of starter fluid into the carb - got all excited like and hoped in the car to start the car... Now its just clicking again...

This has got to be a corrosion - degreation problem then, right? Either in the fusible links - battery cable, ground or ignition switch.


Does that sound about right? I'm leaning towards the ignition switch for no other reason than it didn't stop cranking when I told it to. Anyone have a pinout diagram for the 79 ignition switch - so I can hotwire - bypass it and see if that is the issue?

Thanks again.
Patrick.

 

The fact that it didn't stop cranking makes it sound like the ignition switch is screwed up or the solenoid is bad/sticking. You can download the wiring diagrams at:

http://www.iluvmyrx7.com/

 

Very odd...

I've gotten it to crank fine now - my only issue seems to be that it won't stop cranking!
Pulling the battery cable stops it - and when I reconnect the battery cable it won't crank until I put the key in the START position...

Hmm... ignition switch it seems to be. I'll have to fab a set of switches until I get a new ignition switch.

Unless you guys have a better idea.

 

If it is still cranking when you turn the key off, it means a bad ignition switch or the soleniod is sticking.

If the soleniod was stuck in the on position it woudl crank untill the main power was removed

 

It official.

The ignition switch is totally fucked.

It was loosly attached to the steering colum... so I pushed on it... the black plug that holds all the wires into the switch popped of - and countless springs and bearings and misc little metal parts sprung out the back like a jack in the box.

Anyone know of a good supplier of cheap ignition switches?


Thanks.
Patrick.

 

victoria british

 

looks like its push-startin time!! lol

 

VictoriaBritish does not apper to have any ignition switches...

 

Victoria British has both the electrical portion and the key/tumbler both. the electrical portion is #71-671 and sells for $89.95, the key tumbler portion part # is
71-679, sells for $49.95. Im sure someone on the forum will have a used switch
for yours. rx7doctor