joethecomputerdude

alrighty... .i started my car... (83 rx-7) and it turned over like a brand new car.. i pulled it forward just a hair.. and turned it off... then my friend started it while i was not there.. to show his girlfriend... then we both came back and put the drivers seat in... as well as both doors... can anyone think of any reason that it would not start? It really pissed me off..
it won't even turn... almost like the starter is gone.. but i just replaced it yesterday... :-(
also.. does anyone else's 7 have massive security? i have a kill switch.. a remote lock for the hood... and a keypad that must have a number entered before the car starts... although i have bypassed all of these things now...

Why won't it start damn it!!!

AJatx

iTrader: (1)

Does the engine try to turn?
Do you hear a clicking sound and no starter?
Check the battery voltage?

Can you give a bit more details on what happens when you try to start the car?

Make sure you did bypass the kill switch.

J

joethecomputerdude

okay... the car has plenty of power... i turn the key.. and there's a single click.. .and then nothing... plenty of gas... the engine won't turn at all...

hanman

Have someone stand in front of the car. Turn the lights on, nice and bright? good. Now, hit the ignition, what happens? The lights dim way down or out? Then it's most likely the battery. Lights dont' dim at all? It's most likely the starter.
Make sure that the battery cables are new also.
hanman

joethecomputerdude

also something i did.. i replaced the old factory terminals on the battery with bolt on ones... but it has started since i changed them.. also.. the lights are fine when we start it,,, so you are thinking starter eh? hmmm....

AJatx

iTrader: (1)

You can take the starter out and test it at any of the auto stores around for free.

You can also attach a wire from positive terminal of the battery to the B terminal of the starter. If it fails to start, it's definitely your starter.

J

joethecomputerdude

if it's the starter... what would cause a starter to do bad in a matter of 48 hours??? My negative wire was loose on my battery... would that cause it???

hanman

No, the auto parts starters are notoriously poor quality. Just take it back and have them check it out. If it's bad, they will replace it.
By the way, just replacing the terminals on the cables isn't good enough. You need to replace the entire cable.
hanman

joethecomputerdude

what about the clutch depression sensor... does the clutch have to be in for the engine to turn??? maybe the depression sensor on the clutch shaft has gone bad..

Rotor13B

Does it click or just nothing? the reason i ask is because if your "friend" started it and then shut it off right away, it could possibly be carbon locked. Try putting the car in reverse and coasting it backward a little bit and see if you can get the motor to turn. if it moves, put it in a high gear like 3rd or 4th and see if you can push it forward while it's in gear. If the motor turns then either you unlodged a peice of carbon or the starter has a bad connection. Go ahead and remove the starter and have it tested and if it passes you might want to try the atf treatment to soften up the carbon that might have become dislodged. Do a search for it and follow the instructions. make sure you let it sit at least 24 hours before you try and start it. btw, do NOT try and start it if you have a peice of carbon unstuck because you will possibly ruin an apex seal and then your s.o.l. Better yet, just try to turn the motor by hand, with a wrench on the e-shaft or by pulling on the belts. that away you don't risk damaging any seals.

Rotor13B

Btw, i'm assuming this is a 5 speed.

Rotor13B

Oh yeah, one more thing. Check all your fuses and fusible links under the hood. (drivers side shock tower)

joethecomputerdude

this is what i used instead of new cables... they use the existing wire.. and splice right into the copper wire...

joethecomputerdude

so... the engine doesn't do much of anything... we tried to push start it... (not whole heartedly as we didn't have much room) but that would have turned the engine... but again.. it still would not start...

peejay

It sounds like it's carbon locked. That happens when you shut it off cold.

NEVER EVER EVER shut a rotary off until after it's warmed up.

peejay

http://mrmazda.members.atlantic.net/...t.html#CLOCKED

V8kilr

ITS THESE ****** ******* STARTERS

excuse my french but i go through this once every couple months

heres what you do,

go under the car and look at the starter,

there are two bolt on terminals and a plug in terminal on the top,

the plug in is your cranking 12v

then one of the bolt ons is a ground,
it will have a rubber boot over it,


take some jumper cables and put one on the pos battery post,

now take the other and touch it on the bolt on terminal on the starter NOT THE GROUND

you will hear the starter click the whine

now hop in and fire her up

****** PRESTO

crankit

I would not think carbon lock. If it was the lights would die right down and they don't. Loose neg cable could cause the the clicking noise. Check connections if still no start pull it.

V8kilr

just do what i said to do.,

it will work

crankit

If his problem turns out to be the starter solenoid your just giving a temp cure. if the connections are good and it still just clicks then I would say solenoid. Also if you you have to jump the starter then its obvious the connections are bad.....

Rotor13B

yeah but he also said that he just replaced the battery terminal connections not the whole wire. If the wires are still oem or even fairly old there is a possibility that there corroded inside. Just because it looks good doesn't mean that it is. I've seen wires bad enough to cause that type of resistance, enough to light everything up, but not enough to crank the engine over. I would get new wires.

crankit

I imagine you could do an Ohm test on the battery cables. But it still be a bad connection whether it be the actual connectors or cables themselves.

V8kilr

well it turns out i actually have to do this every couple months,

all my connections are good and the starter can be new,

it doesnt matter,

it was like this with my last three 1st gens

the starter just gets froze everyonce and a while

once you tap the connection i was refering to then it breaks it loose,

the connection i said to connect on is not the connection that actually starts the car

joethecomputerdude

alrighty.. it's fixed... i pulled the positive terminal.. and found out that there was two wires there.. and i only connected one... so i fixed it... thanks for all the suggestions... :-)