Has anyone ever just replaced their starter solenoid apposed to the whole starter?

What are the symptoms of a bad solenoid. Cause I'm getting power to my solenoid, but the solenoid isn't clicking at all, and the starter isn't turning.

 

What I found was that the cost of a new one and labor involved didn't justify it. It ended up cheaper putting in a new mazda unit. (I use factory parts only for client cars) Because the starters usually had over 100k on them putting a new solinoid worked great until a couple of months later with the bendix or starter itself gave out.
If you are dealing with used and doing the work yourself and you don't mind doing it more than once then go for it.
What I see more likely is that the bendix goes bad or the bushings give out.

 

It's really easy to change out the starter on the 1st gen. I just put a new one 2 weeks ago. It was cake! Just for bolts and a clip.

 

Four Bolts and a clip?

I though that the Starter was held on by two long bolts through the tranny and block?

 

He probably also means the two electronic connections.

I swapped a used starter in last year, cause my other one was acting up with a clicking solenoid. The car sat all winter, and now when I turn the key to start it theres no noise at all.

The battery is fully charged, and the cable from the battery is fine.

Anyone have any idea as to what it could be? I guess Ill look up the starter circuit in the FSM, maybe there's a bad relay, or fuse.

Whats the small black wire that is on the passenger side terminal on the starter solenoid, that is connected by a white plastic clip, and has a loop on the other end that goes over the threaded terminal.

 

Urg...

Is there anything I should look at before I drop some $$$ on anew starter?

The car sat for a few months over winter, now when I try to start the car the starter does nothing. Battery is charged wires are all connected and good etc, fuses are all good under the dash.

I would think the starter would at least make a noise if it was toast. Could it be a bad ignition.

 

Most auto stores can test it for you before you buy a new one.

 

1-go to Radio Shack and buy a bag full of test leads with alligator clips. Only costs about $4 and will help you solve electrical problems.

2-also get a cheap Multimeter. The cheapest they have is good enough and will cost about $15.

3-If you're REALLY cheap, maybe as cheap as I've been accused of, take an old taillight bulb from any car and solder on the ends of two of those test leads (after snipping off the superfluous alligator clip(s)), so that you have a simple 12v. test setup. You will find this instrument very useful over the next 50 years of auto ownership, just as I have (my original bulb test was made in 1957 and still works well and I suppose it will for my heirs and assignees also, if they're smart enough to keep it).

4-go under the car (it's more comfortable to throw a 4x8 of plywood down there if you have a gravel driveway) and reach up on top (usually) of the starter solenoid and grab the thin wire and pull it out of the solenoid connection. You should see a simple spadelug. Attach a test lead alligator clip and crawl back out. Attach your Multimeter or 12v. bulb tester to the free end of the test lead and use another test lead from the free end of the multimeter/bulb to a good chassis ground, like, say, an exposed body bolt.

5-now, try your key in the ignition.

6-if the bulb lights you know the problem is in the starter/solenoid.

7-if the bulb doesn't light you know that the problem is someplace upstream. Use your test bulb/multimeter to work upstream and find it.

While you're under the car take some digital pictures of the starter and solenoid for reference. they probably won't turn out very good, like mine, but maybe you'll learn how better to take closeups from awkward positions so the next time, like when you're trying to repair a leaky toilet drain in the crawl space under your house, you'll be better prepared.

 

You kinda lost me.

Can I just use a piece of wire to bridge the two terminals on the solenoid?

If the solenoid is bad, nothing will happen, if it's good, the starter will crank.

What are all the wire going to the starter?

- I know the large black on is the power from the battery (DUH)

-There's a like 16ga wire that has a white plastic connector that slips over a tab (a ground possibly?)

-And there's a another 16ga(?) wire with a loop on one end that goes on the passenger side terminal on the solenoid, and the other end has a white plastic connector. I think this one is for the ignition, so when you turn the key to start the power reaches the solenoid?

 

I just found and awesome read about no start situations for our cars specific.



First Gen. Specific - http://www.nellump.net/peri/epi/gen7Techs/starters.html

 

Sometimes the solenoid plunger gets stuck so you gotta bang on it with a hammer. You can stick a long socket extension down there to reach it then bang on the upper end.

 

by bang, you mean "tap", right? never strike a starter forcibly with a hard object. tappage is ok. but no bangage.

 

Try cleaning your battery terminals real good. Figured out that was my problem after I bought a new starter and that didn't work either.

 

you should first test the the wire you thought was a ground which is actually a "remote" wire for the starter. it always gets power from the battery cable but only cranks when power is applied to the smaller wire. there may be a problem where this wire isnt getting power. you have to test this wire while the key is in the start position. see if this helps.

 

Oh thats what that wire is, and the other smaller wire that is attached by the spade connector st for the ignition. It's hard to follow the wires from the starter up into the engine bay.

I snowed a few days ago, so I haven't been able to work on it.

BTW, I have 2 starters, so when I go to buy a new starter can I cash in both old starters for the core?

 

That small wire is actually a fusible link. It goes to the Hot start relay for the hot start motor. (throttle opener). Will not effect starter operation connected or not.
Check and clean battery cable ends.

 

Really? Thats what that does ehh, well considering I removed the hot start motor, and have an after market carb I guess I'll now removed the wiring for it. I clean the battey terminals and ends, and it didn't help. I'm just waiting for it to stop snowing and get nice so I can install a new starter.

 

Just for grins, check the ignition switch. Remove column cover and make sure the switch itself isn't coming apart. Have seen more than I can count that the tabs that hold the wire plate have broken and doesn't allow contact or intermittant contact.
This isn't an automatic is it? inhibitor switch or circuit then.
Also check the 3 fusible links on the wheel well. They can burn out and not show on the out side. Or water has gotten into that fuse block.

You could also test those starters out of the car. ground to starter case, + to motor armature, to check motor. + to main terminal , then short to ignition connector to check solinoid and bendix. I am leary of used starters or Checker/autozone starters. I have never had any luck with them, great warranty but changing them out every 6 to 9 months gets old. That is why I only sell mazda. Sure they cost more but you will never have to worry about the starter again.

 

Well I don't need a starter, cause I got it tested and it's fine.

I installed it back in the car and I bridged the two terminals with a screw driver with the ignition in the "on" position, and the starter turned, but the engine didn't. The solenoid didn't engage it. Is that normal or should the starter turn the engine when you bridge the solenoid terminals?

Also, it seems the black wire with a yellow stripe that comes from the ignition to the starter isn't getting power. I tester it with a light bulb.

From the ignition there are two wires, one black with a white stripe, and the other is black with a yellow stripe, that receive power when the ignition is in the on position. They black wire with a white stripe splices into the black wire with a yellow stripe in the engine bay. Theses wires are getting power at the ignition, but not in the engine bay. Is there something under the dash that might cause this problem?

 

Ok. It's seems you're a bit confused. The small wire attached to the spade terminal should see 12v when the key is in the START position only. Not ignition. This is what energizes the solenoid. You need to test that wire again with the key in START. If it's not getting 12v you have a problem upstream. If it is getting 12v you need to test the starter.

Bridging the threaded posts on the solenoid will turn the starter but it won't energize the solenoid or engage the ring gear. Instead you need to bridge the positive threaded post with the spade terminal. If the solenoid and starter are good you're engine will turn. If the starter turns but the engine doesn't the over-run clutch is slipping. If nothing happens at all the solenoid is faulty.

 

Yes, the wire from the ignition isn't getting power when it is turned to "start".

I'm thinking I'm going to rig up a push button start to rectify this issue. So than all I would have to do it put the key to "run" and press a button to start it

I see, to the solenoid will engage when the positive terminal and the spade connector is bridged.

Thank you.

 

Ok sorry for the new thread, but I've now narrowed things down.

Alright. Power comes from the battery to the fusible link marked "main" Than the power travels through a while wire with a pink stripe to the ignition which you put your key in. There is a black wire with a yellow stripe and a black wire with a white stripe that splice into each other and than continue on to the starter.

Here's where things get confusing for me. There is a black wire with a red stripe that doesnt seem to have anything to do with the starter, however, when I bridge the black wire with the red stripe with the power wire ( white with red stripe) it turns my starter over very slowly, and my amp meter shows the battery draining.

I can also bridge the black wire with the red stripe to both the black wire with the yellow stripe and the black wire with the white stripe when th key is turned to "start" and it does the same thing.

What the hell is this black wire with a red stripe!?!

Obviously there is a problem with my ignition switch, cause when I turn it to start nothing happens.

 

That black and red wire I believe is for A/T vehicles only and is to the inhibitor switch to prevent the trans from starting in gear.

You really need to download a copy of the FSM for your car when you are dealing with wiring. :-)

 

Ehh...I looked at it, and the wiring diagram just confused me more.

I think I'm just going to run some 12 gauge wire from the positive on the battery to a switch in the car, and than run a wire to the starter solenoid from the other side of the switch.

Probably hook up a 30 amp fuse in somewhere too.

See if that fixes anything.

 

After boosting the battery (reason for slow cranking) low and behold my push button start works!

However, the car was just spitting and sputtering (not suprising after sitting all winter with no carb). So I pulled the plugs, and they were soaked with fuel. Cleaned and dried them and deflooded the engine, and it starter right up. The fuel in my clear filter was a dark yellow color, and after running for a while it was nice and clear. Took it for a few spins around the block, and it's working great.

The add coolant light and buzzer are on, I'm assuming because there's air in the system and there's a nasty high pitched vacuum leak near the carb/manifold.

To sum things up; this thread was starter cause I thought my starter or solenoid was bad, and it turned out to be my ignition switch. So I rigged up a simple push button start that only works when the key is set to on.