I went to start my car after watching the fireworks on Friday night and... nothing. I was able to push it and pop the clutch and it ran fine. My question is, could it be anything other than the starter or the solenoid? If it is the starter, is there any special procedure for installing a new one?

 

you could take you starter to an auto part store and they can test it if you dont know how and i would think that would be the easest and best place to start. Just 2 bolts hold it in and another 2 nut that hold the wiring harness to it.


~Luke

 

What exactly was it doing? How do you know it wasn't the battery and not the starter?

 

Well, when I got home, I put the battery on the battery charger and it was fully charged. Also, usually when the battery is bad, you at least get the solenoid clicking. But I got nothing at all.

 

starters are pretty easy things to work with. Once unbolted they just pop out and in. When the car isn't being cranked the gears don't even mesh so it is basically a free hanging peice. As long as the starter is the same unit as from the factory you won't have to worry about setting center to center distance or checking for the correct backlash. (meaning you don't have to pull tranny to get in there and see the ring gear and make some measurements) I haven't delt with the FD starter and don't even know where it is, it could be as fun to get to as our fuel filter as far as I know. But if you can get to it, it is an easy deal to pull. But if it didn't 'click' or make any noice at all it does sound like the starter or the connections to it.

 

Many times after a starter gets older they can accumulate a "flat spot"... This has happened to me a few times with various cars, you go to turn it over and nothing, then you try again and nothing, then you turn the key again and it turns over and starts right up, The starter in my FD has been doing it for a couple weeks, Im just waiting until it totally fails and leaves me stranded then I'll get a new starter...

 

Thats not good news... I want my car to start every time. I guess I'll just ignore it until it starts to happen to me.
As far as the orignal question goes, If the battery is good, it kinda has to be the starter, unless all four plugs went bad at once.

 

Jack the car up and crawl underneath, and check the cables going to the starter. I had the exact same problem, and it turned out to be nothing more then one of the cables becoming slightly loose.

I had taken it for a drive in damp weather just before I had the problem, and I guess enough dirt/grim got in between the connection that it would not start at all until after a good cleaning.

 

Can you just buy the solenoid? A friend of mine said starters rarely go bad. But if by chance it is the starter, would you get a remfg from Autozone or have the original rebuilt? There's a place here in town, that does really great work on rebuilds

 

hey can anybody post pics of the starter cable or starter ground cable thanks

 

HDP,

I had starting problem when I first got my car.. I found out that it was one of the cable to the battery.. So, it could be just a simple fix as checking your connections.. I finally got a volt meter.. and now, i start to check things like that..

Well, hope you resolve your issue..

good luck..

PHIL

 

Well, found out yesterday it's not the starter, not the solenoid, and not the battery. The guy at Advanced Auto said it could be 1 or more of 3 other things... bad cables, bad ignition switch or bad interlock switch (a.k.a. safety neutral switch). The repair manual shows how to test the interlock switch, and I can test the cables, but how can you test the ignition switch? The switch works to turn on the accessories, so does that mean it's good? Any new info from anyone would be great.

 

O man i feel ya. Mine just did the click thing yesterday. Battery is 2 days old, tried jumping it with 2 different cars, cables seem ok....Its getting towed in a few minutes to pepboys. People in my thread "clean car HELP" said it could be the alternator.

-adam

 

Well, mine runs and is drivable, I just can't start it with the key. I can give it a push and pop the clutch and it's good to go, but it sucks having your girl give you a push so you can go out...

 

When my starter was out, it would work sometimes just as good as a new one. Other times I would have to get on my *** on the side of the car and smack the starter witbh the end of a flashlight, and then it would kick in again. You can try smacking it, then you know for sure if it works its pretty much on its way out. That is if the terminals are clean and they make good connections

 

I know for a fact that it's not my starter... I stated that in a previous post.

 

ooops... well that could be good info for anyone else with a starter prob

 

Well, I'm just PISSED at the Mazda engineers for designing something like this... I discovered my problem. On the clutch pedal, there's a small plastic type gromment about the size of a dime that comes in contact with the safety neutral switch (starter interlock switch). Well, as I attempted to inspect the interlock switch yesterday, I found several small pieces of this gromment on the floor mat. I guess years of use must have caused it to dryrot and break. Well, the tab on the clutch pedal passes right over the switch and this is the reason my car would not start!!! After all of that extra work I did, removing the starter and having it and the battery tested.

Could someone post a pic to show everyone exactly what I'm talking about?

 

Found a pic...





BLUE is the starter interlock switch

RED is the plastic grommet the contacts the starter interlock switch when the clutch pedal is depressed.

 

Dude, its your starter, they accumulate "flat spots" or"dead spots" on the magnets from always stopping in the same positions thus starting in the exact same position all the time wears a flat spot, if you want it to go away buy a new one...
As for me mine does it often but Im the kinda guy who will wait until all four tires blow before I will buy four new ones... Haha

 

Please read 3 posts above this one...

 

hey HDP, i'm having issues starting my car too. it was running fine for a few days and i left my daylights running for about half an hour and the car wouldn't start. i thought battery and it checked out fine. i also tried cleaning the terminals, and nothing...i am thinking starter or alternator, but i'll check your problem first. where did you get the piece to replace it? thanks.

victor

 

Don,

Man, your learning alot about the car...the hard way, but I have to give you credit...your hanging in there. Knowing the car was used and not sure of the previous owners treatment of it, you've been able to fix/repair a few things that most people haven't had to deal with. I wish you could have owned the car since new and been able to really enjoy the car from the moment you got it...but trust me...when you get it there...you'll have a smile on your face everytime you go out the door to drive it See on the 3rd.

Tim

 

Tim, thanks for the words of encouragement. Hopefully, I will get to the point where I know my car inside and out; be able to disassemble and reassemble any part without a hitch... in time I know I will.