BlackFC_NYC

Ok..i have bee having trouble getting my car to crank. but once it cranks its started for good.

i turn and turn, the igniton...and between 4-15 minutes later it will crank.

as funny as it sounds i got pissed and punched the steering wheel and it started up like Marty did un back to the future.


can this be electrical? is there anything i can do to make sure its the starter?

this is such a pain int he ***. i had to get push stared lasntight.



thanks for any help, Mike

Scott 89t2

turn on your headlights and have some one watch them as you crank, if they don't dim at all, or dim basicly all the way off then you have a electric problem either in the wires or starter itself. next time it doesn't start. take a hammer and lightly hit the starter a few times around it. if it starts up first time after that the starter is gone.

HAILERS

Scott 89 sounds good. Also, get under the car with it in neutral. Have a piece of wire in your hand, bare at each end. See the small connector. Looks like a blade when the connector is off? Touch one end of the bare wire to that blade and the other end to the large connector on the starter. That one is held on with a nut. Large in size. When you jumper the two together like this the starter should crank over. If it does this consistently, then you have a problem with the circuit from the key, thru the interlock switch on the clutch, to the starter cut relay and from there to the small wire that connects to the blade. See http://www.iluvmyrx7.com/ and the schematics for a 88. Got a meter? Put the meter on the blade connector with the small wire connected also. Turn the key to start. Got voltage? No? Bad circuit in one of the items listed above. Possibly the interlock sw attached to the clutch pedal. Front of the clutch pedal. The sw on the back side of the clutch pedal is for cruise cut off. I trust when you say you turn the key for several minutes that the darn starter is not turning over. Right? When you say crank, you mean the starter is turning the engine over. Right? Digital meters at Radio Shack for just 18 bucks. Free factory manual at http://www.iluvmyrx7.com/

BlackFC_NYC

thanks alot. i used to tap my starter in my n/a and it worked well..just a real pain in the ***...im assuming that if the hammer tapping works..then the problem is probably the starter. i tried to crank it today and all i got was the clicking behind the dash.

ill tap it sometimes tonight and see, thanks,

mike
87 turbo2

BlackFC_NYC

ok so i replaced the starter.

and im still having the same problem.

does anyone know what can be wrong?bad relay?
ignition?
this sucks.

Mike

hurleyboi514

compression? thats whats wrong w/ mine, i have the exact same problem.

BlackFC_NYC

compression as in for the rotors?
im getting nothing though..the starter isent cranking. but once it does.....it will start.

mike

13BAce

Could it be a problem with the clutch switch?

7Rebel

I'm having that same problem and yes it does SUCK!!

hurleyboi514

dude!! i just had the same problem!! ok, heres what i did. theres a prong on the top of the starter. mine was no good. go the store, get wiring, a spade connector, a connector to go into a spade, and a push button. its like under $10 for all the stuff. now, wire the connector onto the spade on the starter, run a wire into the cockpit, and hook it into the push botton. now, send a wire from the push button into an empty fuse in your fuse box. works perfect, and youve got a trick push button starter for under $10!! try it out, and im me at: hurleyboi514 if u need any more help...

Re-Speed.com

iTrader: (3)

Since you replaced the starter - We will assume it is good.

The starter has a lead that comes straight from the battery. This supplies voltage to the solenoid all the time for the Big amp draw.

When you turn the key, voltage is sent from the key switch to the starter solenoid to close the circuit. A solenoid is a big relay. low amp voltage closes the circuit so that BIG amp voltage can pass through.

The voltage runs through the clutch pedal switch into a plug (6 terminal ) in the engine bay near the clutch master and coil. the plug has a jumper looped back into itself. The plug is blue. You can remove the blue jumper plug and connect a hot 12 volt wire to the terminal for the "Black with White stripe" wire. Looking at the plug facing you with the lock tab on top, it is on the bottom right. - (This does the same thing as getting under the car as described above.)
This will send voltage to the starter solenoid bypassing all the stuff inside the car. If the starter does not start. It is a starter problem. If it does go to the next step.

Then you can jump across the clutch switch by unplugging it and connect the two terminals together with a piece of wire. Turn the ignition switch and see if the starter turns. If so, bad clutch switch. If not it in the Ignition switch.

The older mazdas had problems with the key switches.

All this is assuming you have a good ground from the battery to the engine and chassis.

Hope this helps.
-billy

BlackFC_NYC

r you taking about the ground wire that goes around the top bolt?
or atleast i thought that was a ground.
where does it lead to? if thats not what ur talking about..?

thanks, i need some help here

mike
87 turbo2

Re-Speed.com

iTrader: (3)

Yea, that is the factory ground from the battery. Just making sure it is still there.

-billy

BlackFC_NYC

Ok, disregard my last message.

my question is where is the clutch switch exactly so i can disable it.

Mike

13BAce

It's located behind the clutch pedal. Look under the dash and you'll see it. If you loop the 2 wires it will be bypassed.

Keith

Uh BlackFC_NYC, did you ever have to push in the clutch to start your car? I ask this, because on early 1987 TII's, there was no starter interlock switch and/or wiring in the passenger compartment - I know, because I have one of those early 87's, and spent an hour looking for the non-existent switch/wiring. The starter relay behind the trailing coils does exist and functions as in all other cars, though. Good luck.

Irv, Keith's dad

BlackFC_NYC

yeah i was never able to start the car with out the clutch down, my 86 n/a i used to have didnt need the clutch to be down.

so if i loop the 2 wires for the clutch switch, it will be disabled no? im gonna give it a shot tomorrow and see. i had to get PUSH STARTED AGAIN!! WHAT A PAIN IN THE ***

if this doesnt work i dont know what the hell im gonna do.

these are my possibe problems as far as i know......

--clutch switch is bad..
--or the ignition switch

S H I T

Mike
87 T2

hypntyz7

Good advice so far, but for the sake of simplicity Ill add my .02

TO begin with, youll need these parts: 6 foot of 16-14 gage wire, 1 female spade connector, one of those wire-taps that you insert 2 wires and push the clip down with pliers to connenct the 2 wires. THis stuff will cost you about $4, and youre guaranteed to never have another starting problem, barring bad starter or battery wires.


Take off your steering column cover. Take your voltmeter and ground one terminal to a chassis ground. Find the ignition switch, and look on its left at all the wires soldered on. These correspond to the positions of the key, and their outputs at those positions. One of thes is the supply wire for when you turn the key to START, it sends out 12vdc towards the starter. Experiment with turning the key until you fidn the one that sends 12v when the key is turned to START, and ONLY when turned to start. There will also be a couple more 12v wires, but will not work only when turned to start. IF you cant find the wire, you hae a bad ignition switch, which is not sending the proper voltage. The electronic part, on the left, comes off from the rest of the switch and is easy to replace if this is the case.

Ok, so you found the wire, and its sending good voltage out. Follow it about 2" away fromt he switch and cut it.

Now, get under the car and unplug the smaller terminal on the starter, adn tie it up somwhere out of the way. Put your spade connector onto one end of the wire, and clip it on here. Run the wire up the firewall, in through one of the grommets for the speedo, accelerator or something. Run this wire up to the wire you cut on the ignition switch. Use the connector to tie the 2 wires together...the end coming from hte ignition switch, to the new wire you ran.

Keep in mind that now your clutch switch will not work. IF you want it to work, you can follow the wire you ran, find the clutch switch, adn hook your wire through that switch. BUT, this sorta defeats the purpose of running your own wire to get aorund trouble, doesnt it.

HAILERS

BEWAITS......Hey thank you. I know of the blue jumper you talk or. Its in cars that do not have a theft device. Replaces a relay thats on those cars. Just never thought of using it to spin the starter. Yeah! No more grass burrs. Gonna wire in a remote starter sw to it for working on the engine.

Re-Speed.com

iTrader: (3)

Wasn't shure why it was there. I figured it had to be for optional equipment and just jumped if not included. It is a good way to keep your back off the ground though.

I am finding all sorts of stuff in my project. My 87 has lost a few pounds of wiring over the last few days. Trying everything I can to get the 300 pounds I need gone.