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-   -   Slow crank, no crank. (https://www.rx7club.com/2nd-generation-specific-1986-1992-17/slow-crank-no-crank-344307/)

evileagle 09-01-04 03:48 PM

Slow crank, no crank.
 
1988 TII, ~140k miles


Alright, I searched and I didn't really see an answer to my problem...


Alright, car cranks, sometimes, sometimes it just decides not to. I know the battery is good because i just bought a new one. I know the alt is good because I just put in an FD from silverrotor and it works fine once the car is started, right around 14v the whole time.

Now I can push start the car and it chugs a bit then i gas it and it runs fine once it's started. Now I already jacked the car up, took a look at it and cleaned all my connections to the starter all shiny. I dropped it down and the car started pretty well. Little slow, but ok.

Now to the problem. It's a slow crank/no crank situation every time now. Sometimes I will get in and turn the key and it just sits there, all the lights come on, I can turn up the stereo, still have lots of juice, but no start. Other times I will get in the car and turn the key and it will crank really slow, then faster, and faster, until it eventually starts. This is intermittent at best.

It seems to start ok after I push start it, like if i drive it for a while and then pull it into the garage and let it sit for a bit I can come back out and it will start, although slow, it will at least crank. If I let it sit for a long time it seems that is when it has the no start problem.

What I really need to know is whether it sounds like a starter problem, or if this is a sign of something far more sinister. You know, engine death sorta thing.

WAYNE88N/A 09-01-04 04:06 PM

I'd do a compression check first, but it sure sounds like a starter getting tired, especially if it's progressively getting worse...

evileagle 09-01-04 06:59 PM

Something I noticed when I had the car jacked up....


Since I was taking to starter off I disconnected the negative termincal on the battery, and I opened the door to get something out of the car and I noticed that the passenger side door light was on. Barely, but it was there, now with the negative terminal disconnected you'd think it wouldn't work, but it was faintly glowing.

Sound like a short somewhere to anybody else?

WAYNE88N/A 09-01-04 07:30 PM

Impossible, if the entire neg batt terminal was removed from the batt post...Only other explanation is if your battery case was shorting to the tray (or something else it's hitting), or if a capacitor somewhere is discharging into your door light circuit...

toothpicsk8 09-01-04 08:50 PM

ok when i first put my motor in it wouldnt start just liek that but all the time. i would turn the key and expect turn over but click l(lights turn on everythign turns on ) but nothin happend. so it could be ur clutch peddle isnt engaging the little button thingy up above it. cuz i bent mine so it would hit it harder and now it starts.

WAYNE88N/A 09-01-04 08:58 PM

If you're hearing the starter solenoid clicking, then your clutch interlock switch is good...

azam 09-01-04 10:42 PM

i seem to have the exact same problem. i know its not electrical cus it wont crank even when i boosted it. but it did start when i gave the starter a little tap. and when it does crank slow, i find it drains the batt. so i think i am pretty sure its the starter, i am gonna have the starter checked tomorow. Ill let u know what happens.

Cybaster 09-02-04 01:20 AM

Last time i saw that in my car, My starter was dying....
i hear it progressively getting worse and worse, slower and slower....
so then one day, it died.... i had to push start it

turns out my starter was full of motor oil (maybe a leak somwhere.... i do see drops)

my solenoid did click, and after a push start, i tried starting again.... but didn't happen...

so do check the starter... or as everyone says... use a screw driver and knock it a few billion times... if it starts after u knock it..... yep the starter...

evileagle 09-02-04 04:49 AM

Took the starter to my local CSK Auto and had en put it on the bench.


"What's this thing do on the car? Cuz it ain't doin a damned thing on here..."

Sweet, $120 to blow on a starter now.

SureShot 09-02-04 06:33 AM

I'd look at the primary cable terminal clamps.
They can look good on the outside, but have corrosion inside.
After it cranks slowly, feel the terminals. A bad spot will get hot.

That weak ilumination with the primary ground off the starter has to be a ground short in the primary ground cable.
I'd look into it just in case it's the start of a bigger problem.

DerangedHermit 09-02-04 06:54 AM


Originally Posted by evileagle
1988 TII, ~140k miles


Alright, I searched and I didn't really see an answer to my problem...


Alright, car cranks, sometimes, sometimes it just decides not to. I know the battery is good because i just bought a new one. I know the alt is good because I just put in an FD from silverrotor and it works fine once the car is started, right around 14v the whole time.

Now I can push start the car and it chugs a bit then i gas it and it runs fine once it's started. Now I already jacked the car up, took a look at it and cleaned all my connections to the starter all shiny. I dropped it down and the car started pretty well. Little slow, but ok.

Now to the problem. It's a slow crank/no crank situation every time now. Sometimes I will get in and turn the key and it just sits there, all the lights come on, I can turn up the stereo, still have lots of juice, but no start. Other times I will get in the car and turn the key and it will crank really slow, then faster, and faster, until it eventually starts. This is intermittent at best.

It seems to start ok after I push start it, like if i drive it for a while and then pull it into the garage and let it sit for a bit I can come back out and it will start, although slow, it will at least crank. If I let it sit for a long time it seems that is when it has the no start problem.

What I really need to know is whether it sounds like a starter problem, or if this is a sign of something far more sinister. You know, engine death sorta thing.

Honestly, this has been covered before. But at least you searched. :patriot:

WAYNE88N/A 09-02-04 10:14 AM


Originally Posted by SureShot
I'd look at the primary cable terminal clamps.
They can look good on the outside, but have corrosion inside.
After it cranks slowly, feel the terminals. A bad spot will get hot.

That weak ilumination with the primary ground off the starter has to be a ground short in the primary ground cable.
I'd look into it just in case it's the start of a bigger problem.


That's just it- without the neg terminal on the battery to complete the circuit, it's impossible to have a short- there is no completed electrical circuit to short through...A short is nothing more than a power wire allowing current flow to ground, before a component drops (or "uses") the voltage, but again, you have to have a complete circuit through the battery for this to happen. You can take the neg terminal off, and short every power wire on the car to ground, and nothing will happen, until that neg terminal is put back on. Then you'll have one hell of a mess to clean up, lol...

DerangedHermit 09-02-04 10:33 AM


Originally Posted by WAYNE88N/A
That's just it- without the neg terminal on the battery to complete the circuit, it's impossible to have a short- there is no completed electrical circuit to short through...A short is nothing more than a power wire allowing current flow to ground, before a component drops (or "uses") the voltage, but again, you have to have a complete circuit through the battery for this to happen. You can take the neg terminal off, and short every power wire on the car to ground, and nothing will happen, until that neg terminal is put back on. Then you'll have one hell of a mess to clean up, lol...

Uh oh hehe. When I first took my battery off I left it off for a while during my "working on my car" phase (so what's new). When I went to put it back in I forgot which way it went. Thank god I got it right hehe.

SureShot 09-02-04 01:39 PM

Oops - I thought the starter end of the ground was off.
I see now it was the battery end.
Hmm - This car has another battery or a really big stereo filter capacitor.

WAYNE88N/A 09-02-04 02:28 PM

Or he was seeing another photon source (sun, other lighting around the car) refracting off of the light lens, giving the optical illusion that the light was on...

Hermit, you gotta cut down on the alcohol a little, man :)

azam 09-03-04 12:07 AM

i took my starter out and had it tested. sure enough it was dead. shelled out $90 for a new one.


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