Hmm, it seems it is a bit dodgy still.

I can hear the starter engaging (ie the solenoid works?), but sometimes it just won't spin, with brand new brushes.

The other set was around 12-13mm, that is 1/2 inch, was in contact with the rotor.

 

Have you removed the wire to the solenoid and manually supplied voltage to it. If you did this and it worked each and every time then your problem lies elsewhere.

 

Sorry, no. I had 20-30cm of clearance from the car to the ground, it was minus 10C outside, and I had no gloves.

My priority was to get the top part of the starter out and inside to the heat!

I will have to take a look at the solenoid later on, worst case it is bad, changing it can't be that bad, if I get to borrow a proper 2-post at a workshop at home.

But I am done lying under the car in this temperature, thats for sure!

 

Reading a bit, it seems it can be the clutch switch?

However, how the hell to you get that switch out? It is like under the dash, straight below the windshield, it is so high up there.

Is there any way getting the wires lose without pulling the dash?

 

Yeah, that switch is a bear to remove, even with the dash out.
Fortunately, you don't have to physically take it out to bypass it.

The pigtail for the switch is rather long and connects to the main harness closer to the front edge of the dash, kind of in the area of the hood release.
It's a two wire connector, just unplug it and jumper the wires on the harness side.

Done.

 

Will try that tomorrow.

Ever seen "30 days of night"? It is 4pm, and pitch dark outside here!

 

Yeah, I lived in Alaska and it was like that too.
Of course, in the summer the sun never went down, so there's kind of a tradeoff.

 

You can follow up the wire from the solenoid to the Starter Cut Relay if equipped and lay power to the B/W wire to accomplish somewhat the same thing.

 

I am not going under the car again, not without a 2-post jack so I get some clearance

 

The Starter Cut Relay is located pert near the trailing coil. No jacks required, unless your assistant is named Jack.

 

I mean for getting to the solenoid, if that was bad.

But the relay is okay, but I will have to wait for light. Will probably wait till I get my new coils, so I can do it all in one go.

 

There's an intermediate connector between the relay and the solenoid itself as well. If there is a hitch between the two, relay and solenoid, then perhaps the connector is at fault there. And if you goose the B/W wire at the relay you are then not testing the relay itself, but all points after. B/W wire --> intermediate connector --> solenoid.

 

There are a number of potential fail-points in the ignition circuit. The connection at the main fuse, the clutch switch, the ignition switch, the alarm relay, and the wiring to the starter solenoid to name a few.

This thread has a lot of good info on troubleshooting starting problems, and some very successful fixes/work-arounds.
https://www.rx7club.com/2nd-generati...ystery-896013/

 

It actually seems that it was the brushes, just had to let them get worn a little bit down so they settled.