ok just started yesterday (funny how I started a thread about **** happening yesterday...lol) anyway. when I go to start my car, most of the time it just doesnt do anything, the accesories work and everything can turn on. But it does not even attempt to turn the engine. If i rock the car back and forth a little in neutrl then most of the time it will start.

sound like a bad ground or something somewhere, anyone have this problem before? or have an idea what it sounds like?> thanks everyone

 

Could be your starter jamming up. if you turn the ignition and bang on the starter then thats definitely it. loose battery cable would be first to check. do your lights dim when you turn the ignition? good luck with everything.

 

well it doesn't start 'till you rock the car in neutral. so i would suspect that you moving the car allows it to start so i'd second vikotis' idea that it's your starter. or at least that vicinity.

 

dumb question, where is the starter located at?

and no the lights dont dim, only when I have my subwoofer on does the lights dim.

 

If you go under the driver side of the car you will see it

 

It's not uncommon for the starter solenoid to get old and flaky. The solenoid is the heavy duty switch in the starter that sends the current to the starter motor itself. Since it's a high-amperage circuit, and you get some arcing, it will get crud built up on the contacts and not make a strong electrical connection. I think a new one is commonly available at parts stores for a reasonable cost.

Starter is SUPER easy to get to. Disconnect negative battery terminal, jack up the driver's side of the car, and you'll see it on the driver's side of the transmission bellhousing. Unplug the thin wire going to it and unbolt (12mm) the heavy power wire going to it, then remove the 2 14mm bolts holding it to the tranny. Done.

Dale

 

thank you. best way to test the starter or seloniod before I go replacing stuff is?

 

Is your battery relocated?

 

yes

 

Mine just started the click....click....start about a week ago, but it always starts w/o rocking it. Nashman69's does it too, and his has been doing it for almost a year now.

-josh

 

maybe make a stronger GND to the starter...straight from the NEG to a starter mounting bolt.

 

mine has done it since I got it, its only been yesterday and today that it actually would not start with out a little assistance. this **** is so depressing, first and engine, then the alternator, now the starter!!!!! lol sorry quick vent

 

I replaced my starter with a new OEM starter and it still does the click,click sound. I think the problem in my car is the clutch start switch because when I leave the key turned and push the clutch in and out it will start after a few times.

 

I get the same thing... and it actually started when i replaced the engine... so it could be the ground issue or something... I doubt it's the starter itself.

 

is there any way to test the starter?

or should I ask is there any better way to narrow down my choices of what could be wrong?

 

Clean the battery terminals. Jumper the clutch switch. If neither of those fix it replace the starter solenoid.

https://www.rx7club.com/3rd-generation-specific-1993-2002-16/how-fix-your-starter-its-solenoid-547097/

 

I've had the same problem for awhile now. Just learned to live with it, but I'll get around to fixing it eventually. Download the the workshop manual with using the link below and check out section G pages 23-32.

http://www.wrex-racing.com/html/fd/...shop_manual.zip

 

This actually tells me that your clutch switch is working very well, If the clutch switch is not working the car will not try to crank....the clicking your hearing is the solenoid popping in and out ushually this is caused by either poor grounding or insufficient current to the starter, the reason it clickes on and then off is because once the solenoid is ingaged the starter will pull the current down to level below what is needed to keep the solenoid ingaged causeing it to kick off which at the same time turns the starter off freeing up the current supply to again ingage the solenoid and thus starts the process over again...

If you are running one of the Mini battery relocation kits (odessy..etc) you can probably chalk this up to that. there is a reason the factory put such a big battery in and the reason is reliability.

 

ok, thanks guys. quick question, also have not looked under the car, (im at work) but is the selenoid accesible without taking the starter out?

 

^ Yes. You just have to drop the metal tray under the tranny and DISCONNECT THE BATTERY. The solenoid is wired straight to the battery. Don't touch anything until the battery is disconnected.

 

The solenoid could be removed without removing the starter, but it's SO ridiculously easy to pull the starter that you might as well remove it.

Ditto on what Damon said - there's a thick, UNFUSED power wire running to the main terminal of the starter. Short that out on something and you can have VERY big problems. ALWAYS disconnect the negative battery terminal before touching the starter.

The other probability is the ignition switch itself, but if the starter is clicking it's getting the "go" signal from the ignition switch.

Most cities have starter/alternator repair shops - you can always take the starter there for a test.

Dale

 

autozone will test the battery,starter.

 

great, thanks guys! guess I know what Im doing tonight when I get off of work. Ill let you guys know how it goes tomorrow.

 

same thing happened to me before.. found out it was a little black plastic piece insert on the clutch pedal that broke and the switch wasnt getting any contact.. so i just zip tied the sucka and voila!

 

I Dont Know If The Fds Have Them But My Gsl-se Did That For A While Turned Out To Be The Main Fuseable Links. You May Want To Check Yours.