My newest rotary mystery is a doosey...

-My starter wasn't kickin on last week, so I took mine off and got a new one.
-It still wasn't kicking on, so I bypassed the ignition switch and was successful in turning the starter.
-I replaced the ignition switch with an S5 switch (I have an S4), only to find that one of the 4 connectors on the pigtail is a different shape. With advice from Ice Mark, I cut, swapped and soldered the connectors, viola, like new.
-The battery was now weak, so I requested a jump but still couldn't muster enough energy to really crank the **** outta the starter and fire her up! "New battery," I assumed and did purchase.
-10 min ago with a fresh ignition switch, new starter, and new battery did I attempt to start my car, but it was to no avail; the starter just won't turn strong enough to start the engine!

Has anyone suffered such a problem? Does anyone still think I should try another starter? WTF, Mate?!

 

so its cranking but not starting

 

Yeah. It's cranking, but barely.

 

Where is the main ground from the starter going?

 

I don't know which is which. I dissconnected two wires from the back of the starter, reconnected the same two when installing the new starter...whatcha gettin at?

 

personally. i thought it was a starter problem once too, turned out 0 compression the rear rotor, made me think it was just turning over really slow, maybe pull the plugs and double check?

 

I actually think he may not have the main harness ground hooked up. I did the same thing when I swapped in my new motor, forgot to hook up the ground. Thought my starter was bad so took like 3 or 4 back to autozone before I realized I had the main ground unhooked.

The old starter use to crank perfectly fine?

 

The negative cable of the battery is a part of the engine harness and gets attached to the long bolt on the starter. See if it's connected there or nearby.

 

byaaa ground your battery terminal to the fender or get a new battery i had the same problem last month

 

The long bolt on my starter does have the ground connected, but it was a little loose. I tightened it down very well, but the problem still remains. I'll try grounding the battery to the fender, but i'll feel really dumb doing it...

 

No, not the end of the ground that connects to the starter, that ground that comes off the starter, where does it go? Is it on a secure grounding location?

 

No, your misunderstanding. The negative cable on the battery leaves the battery and goes to two places. One place is the long bolt on the starter OR a engine/transmission bolt nearby to that location.

The other place the battery negative cable goes is to a bolt at the bottom of the left front strut tower. Down low from the top of the left front strut tower.

Those two locations supply a battery ground to the chassis and the engine (read starter).

Then again, your problem could be another thing altogether.

 

could also be the power cable from the battery positive side.

 

Both of those affore mentioned grounds are tight, cleaned, and covered in di-electric grease. Ignition switch, battery, starter, and alternator are all brand new. My gumption is dwindeling, the starter still turns super weakly, and I'm all out of ideas.

Only thing I can think of is to try ANOTHER new starter. Anyone have any other ideas?

Hailers, wanna come check out my ride; I'm in Ft.Worth too!

 

you try a new battery?

 

Got rats chewin on your wires? (Or roomates?)

 

Well **** me sideways. I've been without a ******* ride for 2 weeks now and am considering selling my ride all because the mother ****** won't turn on. Here's my new problem...

I got ANOTER new starter and battery and put 'em in. Now when I turn the car on, there's barely any power. Definitely not enough power to even TRY to turn the starter.

I can't sell my car, guys...that's like selling my *****.

 

So, txFCturboII came over and jumped my car with his giant, manly Toronado. My 7 gets plenty of power now, won't start, but when trying to crank the starter there's just not enough to spin it quickly. We're now entertaining the idea that I have a short somewhere draining power and not allowing the starter the power it needs. Just borrowed his multimeter. Time to start searching. Anyone have any tips?

 

get a stater wiring diagram, theres not much too it, power and ground, streight from the battery to the starter. re do both of those wires with some 4 guage, and it will completely isolate your harness.

it also might be worth noting i have had 2 rx-7s with a missing steering wheel joint cover, and the wires that go under the brake master cylinder, and near the oil pressure sender get chewed up by the steering, maybe look there for wires bare, or fraid.

 

You wouldn't mind posting a pic of that side of the engine bay would you?

 

My thoughts have mostly been mentioned, but i will list them again as a check list...

FIRST, what does the voltage gauge read on the dash? is it working? low? brand new battery MAY not have a full charge... might need to charge it. if its low, charge the battery. If it starts and runs after you charge the battery, and the next day its dead.. theres something draining the battery. maybe the lights in the storage boxes? the reason i say check the charge is you said it starts with a jump.. but not on its own... at least i think thats what you said.

1, check your grounds and connections. (you said you did, but check, check, and recheck again)
2, check battery voltage/Amps. if you dont have enough amps, the starter wont turn hard enough.
3, isolate the contacts on the starter and "hotwire" your starter straight to the battery.
If it turns hard, its a connection.. most likely.
4, if you still havent diagnosed the problem, find a wiring diagram for the starter system and
double check all the contact points, and wires along the way.


Don't give up, wiring is either stupidly simple. (starters are) or can be a nightmare... i once swapped an engine in my 91 CRX Si (B18A1) and missed ONE i repeat ONE damn 10mm ground bolt near the starter... and it would half start.. drive a block.. vibrate loose again and shut off.

 

There's nothing more or less to the starter than the jpg attached.

The positive cable of the battery goes to the starters long bolt.

The negative cable of the battery goes to the stud on the starter solenoid.

A small trigger wire from the key goes to the starter solenoid.

That's all you need.

You have power from the key. The thing turns over and that proves that.

The pos and neg cables are all that's left. Their either bolted down at each end or not. Their end terminals are installed good or not. That's up to you.

The battery is either good or bad. That's up to you.

The starter is either good or bad. Thats up to you.

You can lay the starter on the floor of the garage with a battery and wire it as the jpg and it'll work (jumper the igniton wire to the batt positive post).

 

Okay, so we're all on the same page:

The starter and battery and ignition switch are all new.

Turn the key and the starter turns, but not well enough to start the car. This was the case for 2 different new starters.

My grounds are very tight, scrubbed, and covered in di-electric grease. I checked again and again.

Hailers, in a previous post, you said the neg cable goes to the long bolt on the starter. Now you're saying the pos cable goes to the long bolt?!

Does anyone see a problem with me running all new wires from the battery to the starter. Perhaps a push button for ignition?

 

Have you Jumpered the ignition wire straight to the battery yet? this would verify that the connection lay within the ignition switch....

 

Then it sounds like the only things you need to replace now are the solenoid and the wires. Fixing things takes time. You don't simply sell a car just because it wont start.