I've been researching for the past two hours and I just CAN'T find what I'm looking for!
I bought an '84 RX7, it drove here with a jump start (and revving while idling). I bought it a new battery and now when I try to start it, it'll make one clicking noise and then just WHIIIRRRR until I disengage the key.
I found a video of what it sounds like. The noise starts at 0:16 in to the video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A2tI50iR_Kg

But the whirring noise is much more pronounced. Some are saying that it's the gear of the starter not engaging with the flywheel properly.
So here's my problem now. I don't know where either of those things are.
Basically. I need a picture of what my starter looks like.
on the 2nd generations it's down by the transmission or something? But honestly I can't tell where the engine ends and the trany starts.
I've only really worked on my truck and it's just a wold apart from my new RX7.
There's a pick n' pull right by my place, and I'd go grab the starter from them - I just don't know where the damn thing is. please, if you've got a 1st gen. throw a picture up. The more of the process you can show me the better.

 

Starter is located on the driverside portion of the transmission. It's basically a big cylinder sticking out so it's hard to miss it once your under there.

If you can't find one in a junkyard you may be able to get a rebuilt one from rockauto.com

 

Mine did that for months (would eventually catch and start). New starter produced the same results. Solution was to replace both battery cables, which are prone to internal corrosion which reduces the amount of juice the starter gets.

You might start by cleaning and tightening all connections at both ends of the cables...


.

 

+1 to that.

mine does it very very rarely, I chalked it up to being the solenoid since my wires are new. i just don't think about it. hit it with a wrench and see what happens.

but yeah, just crawl under there, you cant miss it.

 

Thanks for the info. The connections do look a little corroded, but it's definitely not catching on it's own at all.
I'm guessing I should bring my Jack to the junk yard since it's under the car then?

 

Cable and connector corrosion a definite possiblility. Good place to start.

Could be a failed solenoid, or the bendix (the mechanism that moves the starter gear on it's shaft) could just be stuck/gummed/jammed. If you're feeling adventurous, you could try disassembling and cleaning the inside mechanisms on the starter.

Most people do just replace them.

Most u-pull-it boneyards have the cars up on stands of some type, to avoid the liability (and eventual stench) involved with a bunch of weekend warriors mis-using jacks & squishing themselves. They usually are already up to work-under height. You might want to bring something to lay on, though. Like a piece of cardboard or an old towel.

 

SO!
We pulled the starter off today and the plate that bolts it on was cracked where a nut was missing. (In hind sight a solid washer, new nut, and some serious torque to tighten it MAYYY have fixed the problem. Smacking the starter with a hammer actually got it to work once.) None of the gear teeth on the starter are worn, and the bit of the flywheel that I could feel was also in great shape. This leads me to believe there was just a trillimeter gap that needed to be closed.
I pulled the cap of the starter by accident and can't really get it back on now.
I'm hoping I can find a place that'll weld it back together, as it was a bit of an ordeal to get the starter unstuck. and would like to not have to do it again... I'm a bit worried that I may be stuck working on the starter issue for longer than I'd like..