I need some help. I am working on a 1986 and I am having some starting issues. I have been trying to get this thing started for a good while now. It was a no crank/no start at first. played around with the anti-theft system and was able to get a click. I dug around the starter and found the main power wire was damaged and fixed that. There was also a wild looking solenoid sitting next to the starter that I don't believe should be there. I fixed a few other wires that looked damaged. After all this I now get a slow crank. If I jump power on the starter with a screwdriver, I get a normal crank (I know it's not exactly the best thing to do). I also happened to notice that the main power wire to the starter starts smoking at the starter. I am looking for some ideas that could be causing that and the name for that harness. I have grown tired of fixing wires and might try to replace that harness. Also where to buy that harness. Any help is greatly appreciated, sorry if some things are off or not right. I am new to the RX-7 format and need some guidance to get this thing running again.

This is the solenoid/relay I found next to the starter. The wire to the starter solenoid came off the big stud on the left

 

Thr solenoid is definitely aftermarket. Seems to me that the starter solenoid failed on the original starter and instead of replacing the starter and solenoid as one, someone added an aftermarket solenoid in place. You may want to try and remove the aftermarket solenoid and replace the starter if it is weak or has a bad solenoid. I'm sure with the aftermarket solenoid, you'll find some terrible aftermarket wiring and likely resistance issues. For me, it's easier to put everything back to its original configuration and diagnose issues from there.

 

I ended up getting it figured out. I had to essentially run a relay, which is what I think the last owner tried to do, just kinda janky. Ignition wire across the coil side and then to a ground and a wire directly from battery positive to the switch side, then to the starter. After I wired it up that way it cranks like normal. Now I have to figure out the rest, fuel, spark, etc. I appreciate the help!