One possible fix for the 'click/click/start' problem: remove oem security relay
Addicted to Track
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 903
Likes: 0
From: NC
Wanted to thank you for the write-up. Like so many others, this one fixed my problem. Even if people don't want to permanently bypass the security relay, everyone should do themselves a favor and make a little jumper to keep in the car, since it doesn't require any tools to do this. Otherwise, that relay is a ticking timebomb that WILL strand you at some point!
?
Thread Starter
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 30,804
Likes: 646
From: FL-->NJ/NYC again!
Glad to hear it 
Along with the small little push-in rubber plug down near the clutch switch that is prone to crumbling, falling out and leaving you stranded make you wonder if Mazda was thinking about 20 years down the road when they designed these cars
Along with the small little push-in rubber plug down near the clutch switch that is prone to crumbling, falling out and leaving you stranded make you wonder if Mazda was thinking about 20 years down the road when they designed these cars
So i finally did this to mine.................... But it didnt really fix the issue 
It still does the click click thing, not so oftern but still does it. Any other tips? suggestions?
thaks!
It still does the click click thing, not so oftern but still does it. Any other tips? suggestions?thaks!
After looking at this Starter Interlock wiring -why is the wire that goes to the ecu so big? - RX7Club.com , I decided to simply run a 10 gauge wire from the big black/blue wire at the security starter cut relay plug straight to the starter. So far it works great. This was fairly simple to do, and easier than wiring up that relay starter booster. I figure this way helps compared to stock because it gets rid of alot of connections the power had to transfer through and old longer wiring to get to the starter. I wanted to see if doing this simple wire mod would make the starter work every time, and since it is easier that wiring up a starter booster relay.
Just some 10 gauge wire and 2 wire connectors and wire loom I already had. I already had a hole in the firewall with a rubber grommet for other wires so I easily ran the wire through there. I can easily switch back to how it was before if needed, I didn't cut into any of the stock wiring. See picture, I also wrapped some duct tape around it so it doesn't come loose.
Just some 10 gauge wire and 2 wire connectors and wire loom I already had. I already had a hole in the firewall with a rubber grommet for other wires so I easily ran the wire through there. I can easily switch back to how it was before if needed, I didn't cut into any of the stock wiring. See picture, I also wrapped some duct tape around it so it doesn't come loose.
Do you have pictures of how and what exactly you did? Cause i did the relay by pass and it still does the clicking sometimes
Did you buy & wire up a "starter booster" shown on page 2 of this thread? I originally tried using the jumper wire to by pass the security relay & still had the click click start problem. I then wired up the "starter booster" & have not had an issue since.
I don't have any other pictures, just follow my instructions and run a new wire to the starter and it works every time even when the battery voltage is too low and the starter barely turns.
And yea, I still have the click click thing lol. sometimes it takes about over a minute to finally start. So just bridge that black/blue wire with a 10g ?
***EDIT****
Not sure what im doing wrong but I cant even find that freaking relay on Ebay lol.
All I have found are 30 and 40A (idk if that would make a difference)
Last edited by Jose A.; Jul 2, 2013 at 11:08 PM.
Do you have an aftermarket alarm? After owning my car for 16 years and living with the starting problem I finally removed the viper alarm two weeka ago and she starts up everytime.
But if that's the case I rather keep the clicking lol.But I also own a mazda 929 and has the same freaking problem but way less than the FD. It only does it like twice and then it starts and that one doesn't have an alarm.
No I didn't buy that
And yea, I still have the click click thing lol. sometimes it takes about over a minute to finally start.Alright cool, im gonna look into it
So just bridge that black/blue wire with a 10g ?
***EDIT****
Not sure what im doing wrong but I cant even find that freaking relay on Ebay lol.
All I have found are 30 and 40A (idk if that would make a difference)
Full Member
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 131
Likes: 0
From: Michigan
Can't remember if I posted in here yet, but my last FD I had to do the jumper. This FD was just the grounds. If you are like most people I know who are into cars at all you probably can make a jumper from stuff laying around your garage in 5 minutes and keep it in the glovebox or just do the mod. Fortunately I've never dabbled much with the safety clutch switch. Being 6' 230lbs. My body kinda doesn't fit. But that's what chipsmotorsports is for.
All in all I'd say this is one of the easiest things I've done on the FD
All in all I'd say this is one of the easiest things I've done on the FD
i just wanted to clarify that if you have any "click" sound coming from underneath the car (as opposed to the driver side footwell), this fix won't necessarily help you (but it may). i have seen several "sticky" starter solenoids over the years (most on rx7s) that were running the original starter from ~85-93... replacing the starter fixed the issue every time.
now this latest FD i bought (my third one over the years) has a similar issue where i can turn the key and the car wont start for 3 or 4 tries, but there is no clicking from the starter area, only a faint relay energizing sound coming from the driver footwell fuse area shown in Rich's pics on page 1. when i try to start the car, i can hear what i think is the immobilizer relay randomly energizing on/off, then when it stops going crazy, the car starts normally. i am going to try this mod and report back.
i love this forum.
now this latest FD i bought (my third one over the years) has a similar issue where i can turn the key and the car wont start for 3 or 4 tries, but there is no clicking from the starter area, only a faint relay energizing sound coming from the driver footwell fuse area shown in Rich's pics on page 1. when i try to start the car, i can hear what i think is the immobilizer relay randomly energizing on/off, then when it stops going crazy, the car starts normally. i am going to try this mod and report back.
i love this forum.
My 929 does the same thing and I just replaced the started with a brand new one. Im probably going to give that booster thing a shot with a 40a relay and if it still does the same thing then I guess ill change the starter and if that doesn't fix it then ill just go LS1
I had an idea, will a hidden in-line switch on the security relay bypass wire work to disable starting?
Instead of just bypassing the relay I was thinking of doing this. Cheap and easy.
Instead of just bypassing the relay I was thinking of doing this. Cheap and easy.
Yea all grounds were checked before, but I might just do it again just in case.
I didn't mean that it takes awhile cranking lol. I meant that sometimes it takes a while with the click click click thing, once it engages then it starts just fine.
My 929 does the same thing and I just replaced the started with a brand new one. Im probably going to give that booster thing a shot with a 40a relay and if it still does the same thing then I guess ill change the starter and if that doesn't fix it then ill just go LS1
Yeah I wasn't implying anyone was cranking too long, I was just commenting that the lower amperage relay would work fine as long as it wasn't cranking too long, but actually it's just the starter solenoid that needs the power and it doesn't require a tremendous amount of amps anyway. Pretty much any automotive 12v relay should work.
Just picked up an FD. Not very experienced with them, but familiar with FCs. Car initially started fine granted I only started the car 3 times total. Left it alone for 5 days. Tried to start it up nothing... main relay clicks when ignition turned to on position but when attempting to start it does not click nor does it try to crank. The car just idles dead with the lights turning on/off after each ignition attempt. Found This thread, performed the mod and now the car cranks up like a champ. Funny how the FC has the same damn problem and mazda was not successful at cleaning this up. Likely my relay went out, but it is a dumb problem to be stuck with in the middle of no where. Did the same mod with my FC years ago and haven't had any problems since. No more embarrassing moments which is terrible when you have an LS1 swapped FC and a rare FD. Thanks for the post and help.
-Shaun
-Shaun