Freeway

This happend last week and i messed with it and it was ok. Then it happened today and i messed with it again. Then it happen a third time just one drive later. I'll turn my car off and then when I go to start it again it will click and then its dead, no power at all. So I have to play with the battery terminals, disconnecting the power lines and reconnecting it. I reconnect and try to start it. It clicks and goes dead again. I have to keep doing this several times untill the maddness ends and it finally takes and starts. What the hell could it be????

RX-7 GT

that was what i always went through, and still am it's the terminals or cables for sure. i put in a new battery (told this story like 50 times now) and started it wouldn't even turn over, just a click. wiggled the battery cables and it started right up

Freeway

Its not that easy for me. I really have to mess with the f@#$ers. It's like a ten minute operation when I have to start my car, not to mention embarrasing.

Freeway

where are all the gurus at. I really need help here. I could get stuck it the jungle somewhere.

Blake

Have you done the simple stuff, like cleaning the terminals with a wire brush and checking the grounds? It sounds like you have corrosion buildup on the terminals that could be cured with a $2.95 terminal cleaner brush from any autoparts store. If that doesn't do it, then you might have a loose connection to the starter, or perhaps the starter is going bad. Another possibility is the ignition switch itself. Just try the simple stuff first. What have you done?

Blue Goose

Check the positive cable (maybe inline fuse?) after that, check that the neg terminal is grounded properly...which cable are you playing with to get it working?

wankelhead

i was [probably still would be,but my cars in pieces right now]having a similar,if not the same problem.i plan to go through all the starter wires/etc.,but i am pretty sure,in my case,its the ignition switch.i even bypassed the clutch safety switch for a while,some suggested it might be a faulty one that was cousing the problem.i may use a aftermarket swich for a while [bypassing the ignition switch]to see if i can definately isolate the problem piece before i run out and spend 100's of $'s replacing stuff.good luck.
david

Freeway

The first time it happened I cleaned the terminals really good, I even took the terminals off and cleand the wires too. I cleaned the ground and the surface it is grounded to. I have to play with the power lines to get it to take. Pull, replace, start, Pull, replace, start etc. I have a spare starter and ignition switch ( I have a parts car). Which is the starter, the one near the master cylinder. Wait, is the ignition and starter the same piece? I would assume it is. There are two parts one near the master and the plugs run to one near the light. Which is which???

wankelhead

the ignition switch is what you stick your key into to start your engine.the starter is a big heavy round thing,it is sorta below the brake master,it bolts to the transmission.the starter relay is a electrical relay that controls the power going to the starter,using a small wattage signal comming from your ignition switch,so when the starter runs,which draws bunches of power,all that power basically does not have to flow through your ignition switch.to find it,look for a big wire comming from your positive terminal at the battery,going to a little box,with another wire comming out of it that goes down to the starter.there would be a 3rd small wire going into the box also,wich is the wire comming from the ignition switch.if i am not mistaken,some cars have the relay on the starter[hmm..not sure,actually],but dont confuse it with the starter solenoid,wich is a smaller roundish thing right on the starter,it ingages and disingages the gear [powered by the starter motor]that drives the flywheel.i cant,for the world of me,remeber where the relay is on a rex.hope this helps.
d

Freeway

so wait, is that what you think it is? So how do I know for sure? any specific tests i could run?

SuperchargedRex

Never had this problem with my RX-7, but I did have the exact symptoms on a '78 GLC (Goes Like Crap). The solution: a battery cable with internal breaks. Replaced the cables, never had another problem.

ianbell

Sounds to me like bad brushes in the Starter Motor - have you got full power to everything else like headlights and heater blower - if you do and the car will start with a "push start" you have a bad starter.
Ian

PaulC

I would start with new cables they are the cheapest and have your battery tested. Auto zone or whoever can tellif there is a bad cell. if that doesnt cure it take off the starter and have it checked its got the solinoid attached so if you have to replace it,its one unit.

Oh yea it wont be in stock either
welcome to driving a unique car.

Freeway

My car started fine all day today. I have all power to everything and there is no problem other that this occasional crap out. So I guess I shoud change the lines and then check the starter?

copandengr

The next time the problem shows up turn on your headlights. If they are bright and do not dim when you try to start the car something is wrong with either the starter or the ignition switch.

If the headlights go dim when you hit the starter then you have a problem with insufficient voltage/amperage. This may be caused by high resistance in the cables, a bad battery or possibly a bad starter.

Measure the battery voltage. It should be about 12.6 volts or a tad better on a good fully charged battery. Have someone try to start the car while checking the battery voltage. If the voltage drops to around 10 or so and the engine does not turn over you have a bad starter. If the voltage does not drop at all or drops very little then the problem is most likely in the switch, cables or solenoid. The solenoid is an electrical/mechanical switch mounted on the top side of the starter. It will be the cylindrical object that has three terminals on it.

The solenoid has the battery cable attached to it by a nut. This may be loose and making decent contact when you wiggle the cable. You will have to jack the car off the ground and visually inspect the starter to check this out. Be sure and support the car on jack stands before you crawl under it. Never get under a car that is held up only with a jack. You can't breathe very well with 2,500 lbs of rex sitting on your chest.