My car won't start, the starter clicks strong then light, the battery registers 12.6V but the engine doesn't turn over. I've installed new battery cables and new Mazda starter. Any suggestions on what to check next? TIA

 

Is the battery good, try to jump the car, it oculd say that is has enough volts but not have enough power to turn over the engine, it happens to me on occasion

 

could u turn engine by hand? (on the front belts/pulleys)

 

At 12.6 V, the batter is discharged. Try hitting it with a good charger for a few hours, or jump start it.

 

Huh, ok. I tried jump starting but it didn't work, can still hear the starter engaging. I'll buy a new battery tomorrow, thanks

 

the clicking sound you are referring to. does it click once for every time you try and bump the engine over or does it click rapidly when you turn the key and hold it?

 

Clicks every time. I'm in hopes it's only a battery.

 

hit the starter with a hammer and try to start again. if your battery is at 12.6 volts it's fine...

 

The starter is brand panking new, I put it on today and checked the battery with a DMM. The volts go down quite a bit doing starting, about 7. something volts. Any more suggestions on things to check?

 

Well, the battery didn't change anything I'm almost at a loss but think a wire shorted somewhere or an ECU related problem. Any suggestions out there that I can try?

 

make sure the clutch is in or if its auto make sure it all the way in park. the ecu dont power the starter. get under you car make sure the ground is connected and all wires are hooked up there is not much to getting a starter to work. you might want to check the little deal that checks to see if your car is in park (auto) or the clutch is in (manual)

 

Does the starter even rotate? You just hear the click? You say the battery goes down to approx 7v, so that means there is a load being put on the battery when you go to START.

If the starter does not rotate when the volts drop to seven or so.......then try putting the car in neutral. Now get out and pull on the ac belt to see if you can rotate the engine,. You should be able to rotate the engine. I'm talking about pulling on the belt and seeing if the engine will turn even just a half revolution.

If the engine will turn by hand then I'd suspect the starter is in just a touch crooked maybe. Take it out and reinstall it.

If the engine did not turn when you pulled on the belts, try putting the car in fifth gear then rocking the car back and forth and watch to see if the front pulley will move or not. Your doing this to see if the engine is locked up or not. If it is not locked up do as they say above and make sure the ground wire is on the long bolt that attaches the starter and the positive wire is connected good to the solenoid on the starter. It really does not sound to me like that is the case. It sounds like the starter is jammed or the engine is carbon locked.

 

Oh no, this doesn't sound good. It won't budge in 5th gear neither will the pulley move! OMG, what now- MMO?

 

Humm so you put a new starter on?

If so did you wire it up right (stupid sounding I know, but I did that, and it took me like 2 days to figure out I have 1 wire in the wrong place).

Also, the first RX-7 I had did this. And this is bad, but it had rolled 1 apex seal. And the precious owner put a new starter, battery, and tryed other things and didn't know what was wrong with it.

If you are lucky the it may just be carbon locked, if that is the case, take it to mazda and they have a reverse starter and will turn your engine backwards to unjam the apex seal (if there is carbon wedged inbetween it and the houseing).

But most likely if the starter is wired correctly, it has rolled an apex seal.

Sorry.....

 

Can you post me a pic of your engine bay please.I may be able to help you.

 

Here's something to check just in case, check the main fuse box, and make sure none are blown.

- Steiner

 

12.6 is the "official" discharge point for a 12V lead acid battery. If the battery shows 12.6V or less, then it is discharged and will sag heavily under load.

Of course, she already demonstrated this by saying that the voltage drops to 7V while cranking. I do happen to know a little about batteries....

First, try another battery. Also, take the plugs out, put the transmission in neutral, and try to rotate the engine by hand. If it doesn't move, there's trouble.

 

Ok, I'm putting in a new Optima Red-Top and pull the plugs (pray the engine turns). Thanks a whole lot for the information, I'll post results



**3RotorRocket, I don't have a digital onhand wish I did... Thanks

 

You should check your flywheel too... Make sure that they flywheel isnt missing any teeth. You can check this by the hole under the tranny. Stick a flat head in there and start turning over the engine (by turning the flywheel). You may also want to take off the starter and take it to pepboys or kragen... I know you said it was new but when my starter went out about a month ago the starter worked, but it wasnt turning fast enough... supposed to be 300rpm and mine was only 150 rpm....

 

No. She said the engine WILL NOT ROTATE. Take her word for it. If she still has doubts then she should take the sparkplugs out and then try to rotate the engine with the pulleys with the car out of gear. A child can turn a engine with the plugs out. If it won't budge either its carbon locked or the starter somehow got jammed when it was put in. But if the starter was replaced because the old starter would not turn the engine then the engine is probably just locked up. Especially if you put it in fifth gear and rocked the car back and forwards and the front pulley did not budge.

 

First up, I want to thank everyone for their comments and tons of knowledge, I'm indebted to you all. She still won't budge in 5th, I put the Red-Top in and double checked the starter.. flywheel won't move an ounce and severly flooded by the fuel on each plug I'm baffled and recall a 1-second continuous beeping, at which time I shut the ignition off. After reading practically every archived Carbon Lock thread, I put 8 ounces of MMO through the intake and sprayed some into each plug hole. Maybe I'm in denial but can't give up on my baby just yet. I've put far too much effort and money into caring for her over the years. If MMO doesn't work, she's off to the dealer for the reversal engine device. If all else fails, she's off to Texas for a rebuild. Again, thanks to all- we'll get back on the road soon

 

I guess I missed the part about not being able to move it in fifth. Sure sounds like a locked engine. There are many threads relating to "carbon lock" which can be found by searching. However, something stronger then MMo is needed. Try using ATF. It is much more caustic and will certainly go a long way to dissolving carbon. Rock the engine forwards and backwards after letting it sit several days. Hopefully it will loosen it up. However, if the engine is really carbon locked, there isn't much hope for it...

 

OK, it's most likely NOT carbon locked, only a rare few truely are carbon locked. Because a rolled apex seal and carbon locking have all the same syptoms.

What ever you do you should stop trying to move the engine, because all your doing is damageing your rotor/rotor houseing. I know, I did this to one of my engine, I dragged it around my 1 mile loop in our neighbor hood, with a 3/4 ton truck. Dropping the clutch every like 50 feet. It did nothing but put a nick in the rotor houseing, and srcew up the apex seals groove.

You starter probably won't hurt it, but I SERIOUSLY dought your car is truely carbon locked.

Just trying to save you some money when it has to get rebuilt

 

Either way, it's hosed. If the apex rolled, then the housing is most likely damaged, as well as the rotor...Only way to tell is to open it up, or hope to catch a glimpse through the exhaust or spark plug ports.

 

Thanks for the concern. As yet, I have never pulled started this car, nor attempted turning the eccentric shaft and the starter is removed. At this point, it's doubtful 8 ounces MMO plus 4 ounces ATF will hurt, at least a good try is worth the effort and I'm sticking to it