Starter clicking, and when turning over clunking
 

1987 Rx7 Na, only mod is after market exhaust
I am having a starter issue I think, I replaced a starter due to it clicking, I would turn the key to crank start the vehicle and it would just, clink, release and try again, clink. sounds like it was hitting the fly wheel if I had to reference the sound. maybe after three or four times it would engage and finally turn over and start. I replaced the starter and did the same thing except now when it finally turns over it will kaclunk kaclunk kaclunk then finally start. It will spin the motor for a second before kaclunking, then will fire over.

please dont judge, I am trying to give decent info for proper help. :blush:
and yes those are technical terms :wink:

I have a video but it will not load

HERE IS A COUPLE LINKS, MAYBE THIS WILL HELP

Make sure the starter wires are tightened down and making good contact. If they are loose, any temporary loss and gain of electrical connection can make the starter repeatedly engage violently.

Apply voltage to the starter solenoid and if it turns over each and every time then your issue lies elsewhere. These things are a step by step process thus you try to eliminate one possibility after the other to isolate the problem.

Pull the starter and inspect the gear for weird marks.
Look in the bellhousing hole, spin the engine (19mm socket on front pulley) and check the flywheel ring gear.
An electrically faulty starter usually just doesn't spin or maybe the drive gear doesn't extend properly but in either case, there wouldn't be any mechanical kaclunking going on and that's what I'd worry about first.
The easy first guess would be bad engagement between the starter pinion and the flywheel gear or a damaged gear ring and this inspection should clear that up fast.

Just to be safe, while the starter is still off, turn the engine over a few times and feel for any ginchiness or noises...maybe it ain't starter related at all.

Anyway, that would put you at the root of the diagnostic tree...work from the block out to the starter motor and from there through the electrical.

The kaclunk thing didnt start until after the new starter, I will defiantly check all of the above, thank you everyone for all the input.

Ok everyone, I checked all the connections and everything was tight and clean, I talked to the guy at the parts store and he agreed to give me another starter.

I installed a new starter again and a bigger battery 680cca 835ca, I am not getting the clink (starter hitting the flywheel sound) anymore. With the starter off, the flywheel looked ok, there were signs on the starter gear that it was hitting the flywheel but nothing damaging.

The last issue Im having is that it still turning over kind of slow, and it will kaclunk sligtly like its spark knocking trying to start, (which I thing is related to the slow crank speed), but will start. When I was checking the connections we did a draw test and it was weird, when my tech would set up for the draw, the starter would decide to spin over the engine nice and fast. Ive notice that when it would spin fast and it wouldnt kaclunk and crank start immediately.<------- reference to this last sentence, Is there a reason that when the tech was connecting his volt meter that would cause it to raise the crank speed, this happened when he test up top and at the starter.

side note, I have installed new plugs, the wires looked ok but I will be getting a new set sometime this week and probably another set of plugs just for purpose.

Anymore insight will be greatly appreciated. I did read about installing a dummy/jumper ground from the negative post directly to the engine?and that might help crank speed. any thoughts?

I would like to say thank you again, I have got everything resolved, thank you. this can be deleted if necessary.

Please post your resolution for future reference.

I replaced the started again, the crank speed was still not as fast as I wanted, but not clicking anymore. I then replaced the battery with a 680cca and 835ca, I also have now checked the grounds and all connections again even cleaning contact points with sand paper. Replaced the plugs and wires. FYI, It still doesnt have the fastest crank speed but I feel with the combination of everyhting that has been done has helped and it is crank starting fine.

UPDATE: As mentioned before the crank speed was not as fast as I would like. This past weekend my cluster lights went out, During inspection I noticed that there was what looked like an aftermarket alarm wired in, well I decided to remove all that excess and when I crank started the car It turned over real fast, So now it is finally back to normal, after removing an aftermarket relay and getting some splices removed from the aftermarket wiring.