Well, I got the starter and the electrical stuff sorta taken care of. The car will now try to start. The starter pops out to engage the flywheel, and spins for sure, I took it out to check it. The car doesnt sound like it is turning over at all though. I dont know what to think, but it seems like it is not making contact at all with the flywheel. The only thing I can think is to try to turn the motor by hand tonight, and then if it turns, try another starter... I dont know what else to do.

Has anyone else had this problem before?

 

TTT? HELP?

 

can you see the flywheel ring teeth through the hole the starter sits in? or feel them?

 

Yes. They are in normal condition.

 

and you can turn the engine from the belts?

 

yes, just got a wrench on where the mechanical fan connects and it turned that thing. I assume that is the main output shaft, similar to the crank on a piston car?

 

35 views and only responses from Wayne? Please guys, help me out! There are tons of people here, some have to have suggestions...

 

and the starter solenoid/ plunger/ and motor itself works off the car? can you hear it spinning on the car, or does it just click?

 

Oh no, I can DEFINATELY hear the starter spin... The thing is, teeth are good on both the flywheel AND starter....

 

And yes, the starter is actually Physically popping forward to the position to engage the flywheel off the car....

 

but it's not turning the engine? is that what you mean by "sounds like it's not turning over"? (is it CRANKING the engine or not?)

 

It is NOT cranking the engine

 

I know it isnt cranking the engine because it sounds like just the starter AND none of the pulleys are turning....

 

the only way that would be possible (starter working fine and engaging flywheel) is if the key was missing on the e-shaft and the flywheel nut was loose enough to allow the flywheel to spin without spinning the engine...that would be amazingly rare, I would think...

 

Well... I dont know... That sounds like it could make sense. Is the E-Shaft the "crank" on these cars? Sorry, but im in the "learn as you go" stage right now...

And the only way to check that is going to be to drop the tranny, and check the flywheel for a LOT of play... right?

 

P.S. - Wayne is there any way I could talk to you on aol instant messanger? Or anyone else who could be of help for that matter....

 

this is easier on here for now, I'm at work for another hour...find something to mark the flywheel at the spot you can see it through the starter hole (white-out, whatever), install the starter...put something on the top of the alternator pulley, something that will fall off but not hurt anything if the engine (alt) turns...crank the engine with the key for less than a second...now, if the item placed on top of the alt pulley is still there, and the mark you put on the flywheel is not there anymore, then the flywheel is turning, but the engine is not- the scenario I outlined earlier...if the alternator turned also, then you have a starting problem (ignition, fuel, timing, compression, etc...)

 

The flywheel is not moving.... But I know the motor isnt seized... and even if it was, the starter wouldnt spin when it was engaged...

 

O.K., weak or mis-wired starter, then, right? how old is it?

 

I just bought the car!

But I would say no to weak or miswired starter. If that was the case, I wouldnt be able to hear it spin. Unless it is only popping out for like 1/100 of a second the popping back in place....

It spings VERY strongly it sounds...

 

My only guess is that the solenoid is bad, and it is NOT popping out and staying out like it should... I wish there was a spare I could test it with before spending $100 on a new one....

 

it can sound strong as hell spinning in thin air- there's no load on it...you're telling me that when it's installed, it's not turning the flywheel, and the flywheel's good, and the engine's not seized up...what else could it be? BTW, I meant how old was the starter, not the car (probably the same for both, anyway)...the battery is good & charged, right?

 

The battery IS good and charged... AND, I wouldnt know how old the starter is, that is what I meant by I just bought the car....

I guess tomorrow I will pick up a tranny and a starter if I can find time and money....

 

Okay... got a new starter today. Same deal. Took them both off the car and manually tested them and they work fine... both of them.

Is there a smaller flywheel on different RX7s? Could that be the issue?

 

you arnt using an NA flywheel with a T2 transmission are you? if so, the NA flywheel is smaller than the T2 flywheel, small enough for the starter to not engage the teeth.