93FD3S

My FD has a new ported motor and single turbo set. But now when I try to start the car all you hear is a click and sometimes you don't even hear click at all. PFC shows about 12.8 volts, so I know its not because of low voltage. Before I blew the motor It would do this every so often but if the motor didn't turn over the first time I would just take the key out and try it again and it would start. But now it seems its doing alot more. I'll actually have to sit there and turn the key over about 20-25 times before the car will start. I'm thinking about adding another ground strap to the starter. Hopefully that will cure the problem. I remember reading something about a problem on the FDs with the ignition on the steering column. Any ideas...? Thanks..Tony

CANRX7GX

iTrader: (1)

Sounds like your starter is done to me.. I had that problem as well. Invest in a new starter is my opinion.
Edwin

J.S.J

The problem is as stated likely a skewed starter. It could be the contacts in the solenoid are pitted but sounds like you should invest in a new starter.

Mike Nola

My starter has been doing similar things. At first i thought it was the clutch interlock switch, so i disconnected it and jumped the connector on the car side to isolate it. Did the same thing, so i figured it was the starter. Bought a new (mazda rebuilt actually) starter from Ray at malloy. Last weekend i pulled the old starter off the car and set it up on my work bench to test it. Hmmmm, works fine on the bench! So i put the old starter back in the car, hmmm, same thing, sometimes the starter doesnt come on when the key is turned. I check the battery, it's fully charged, i check/clean the terminals, still the same thing. I disconnected the solinoid turn on signal wire, rig up a connection to my volt meter, i get 12.5 volts everytime i hit the key switch. Reconnect the solinoid turn on signal and rig up a connection to the turn on signal at the starter, hmm, only get 5.5 volts at the solinod turn on signal with a load on the circuit. Rig up a jumper to supply hot 12V directly to the solinoid, starter works everytime...(make certain the car is in neutral when you do this, and perferably do as i did and rig it up so you are not under the car when you try this). Hmmm. More investigation is needed, but it appears that i have compromized wiring between the starter switch and the solinoid, or perhaps the switch itself is bad. I considered breifly that it could be a ground issue, but then it would not be reliable when jumping 12v to the solinoid.

I suggest that you try jumping 12 V directly to the solinoid. Get a 6 ft or so long 16 gauge wire, crimp a female spade connector to one end, and strip the other about .5 inches, crawl under the car, pull the spade connector off the solinoid and replace it with the one you just made up. Crawl out from under the car, ensure the parking brake is set and the car is in neutral. Carefully touch the stripped end of the wire to the positive terminal of the battery. BRIEFLY!! The starter should engage every time you do this. If it does not, then you have a bad starter.

J.S.J

Mike Nola,
As I remember with the starter engaged/circuit loaded, there should be around 9.5 volts at the solenoid. Now its been 10 years since I did a lot of heat soak diagnosis's so don't quote me. The voltage is surely low at below 6v. With that in mind a voltage drop of that size would create heat. Sometimes it is visual on a connector/relay or switch. The thing to do is monitor the voltage one section at a time. John St. John

TwinTurbo93

My starter has been doing the same thing for almoast 2 years now, there was times that I had to turn the key to start possition 3-4 time for the starter to catch.
I'm not getting a new one till this one croaks completely...

Meiogirl

iTrader: (2)

^^^^ why? its a 30min fix, if that.

TwinTurbo93

True, labor is not the point though, $$$ is, runn it till it dies, lol...

CANRX7GX

iTrader: (1)

What if it croaks in a public area??? ie if you stall on the road... for some reason???
That was my main concern

TwinTurbo93

Hahaha, you're so right, beleive it or not I get scared alot of the times, where I pick my whife up from work, there's alot of people walking by (very busy area, 55th st.& 5th av.)and complimenting the car, that would be the most embarrasing moment if I got stuck pushing it or asking for help to push....

CANRX7GX

iTrader: (1)

hahahahah speaking of which, One day I was in an intersection and it was my turn to make a left turn, and well I was having some problems with my vaccuum and it just stalled. There is this lady in a car to my left waiting to turn, and there I am in the middle of the intersection ... thaks god it wasn't busy... cranking my starter for 2 minutes before it started up again. Oh god was that embaressing... I looked at her and gave her an Idunno shoulder shrug and she smiled back.
after that it was CHANGE THE STARTER !!!! hahahah

Mike Nola

So did you replace the starter and did that solve your problem?

My problem is NOT the starter, my problem is that the starter circuit is not delivering enough power to the starter solinoid to reliably pull it in. The battery is hot, the terminals are clean and tight. It makes no difference if the car is hot or cold.

Mike

marix1521

i have a used starter with 61K miles on it...... make an offer... PM me....

mad_7tist

have you measured the voltage on the s terminal of the starter? a worn solenoid will require more voltage

multirotor

iTrader: (1)

Same problem here and starter motor already replaced.

I usually have to turn the key over 4 to 6 times before it turns over.
My wife got stuck with the car one day. When I went to pick up the car, it turned over on the 1st attempt.

I replaced the starter shortly after but the problem still remains.

I also thought about by-passing the switch on the clutch but apparently that won't fix it either.

Found a final fix yet, Mike Nola ?

TwinTriangles

They are usually pretty easy to rebuild also. Many times just popping it open and cleaning it out will work, maybe get some new brushes for like $10.

multirotor

iTrader: (1)

Might the alarm-driven starter cutout relay be involved ?

https://www.rx7club.com/3rd-generation-specific-1993-2002-16/wierd-car-wont-start-295023/

Mike Nola

No definitive fix. I am certain the problem is in the ignition switch, but i haven't replaced it yet. I have thought that perhaps the problem with the ignition switch is dirty contacts inside the switch, and wondered if spraying TV contact cleaner into the keyhole opening would let the cleaner get into the contacts. Haven't tried it though, the car is parked until i replace the clutch.

Mike Nola

TwinTriangles

That wont work. The ignition switch is actually on the left side of the steering column and the keyhole side doesnt go all the way through. I rebuilt mine last year, you just take the whole thing out, its a little round white plastic thing. Mazda wanted like $160 for a new one so I said screw that. Usually they just get dirty and your right the contacts dont work anymore. Be real, real careful when you open it up, there are a bunch of tiny little springs inside, then just use some sand paper to clean everything up, throw some grease in and its good.
Be real careful you put it back together the correct way too.

Mike Nola

Thanks for debunking my contact cleaner idea before i put anymore thought into it. So after you tore the switch down, did that resolve the problem?

Mike

CantGoStraight

Chevy's are notorious for the same issue. The problem with our cars is there are switch's and relay contact's in (factory alarm, clutch interlock, not to mention key switch) the way of getting a good voltage to the starter solenoid. Most of the guys (race cars) use a ford starter controled by the original wire that went to the spade connector on the engagement solenoid solenoid to feed the power to the starter and then make up a jumper that connects from the large B+ cable to the engagement solenoid (on the starter spade connector) that was originally controlled by the key switch. This give you a full B+ voltage at the stater motor and starter solenoid and even makes hot starts a breeze. This is just a suggestion as you really need to find the voltage loss from the key switch through all the other contacts to find out what really needs to be replaced. Jack

Shinobi-X

I've exprerienced similar symptoms (turn key 2-3 times to start), and actually a day ago my starter finally gave in- no clicks, proper voltage, but otherwise nothing. I'll be replacing it this weekend given time.

XSTransAm

I had the exact same problem you guys are all talking about, But its not the starter that is going bad, its the starter solenoid (little cylinder that sits on the side of the big one)

I took my starter off, cleaned everything real well and made sure the brushes moved freely, lubed up everything then began the search for a new solenoid. Unfortunatly autozone sells the solenoid for over 100$ and im sure its the same with mazda.

but i found a mitsubishi solenoid that fit exactly, cost 30$ and now my car starts so quick it would make your head spin. I even brought it to a shop that ONLY does starters and altinators, the guy tested it and he couldent believe how well it was working for a 13 year old starter.


if you guys want i can try to get the part number off the thing when i get my car back.

Shinobi-X

Actually, you're really close to my location. If you could forward some info. that would be great.

TwinTriangles

Yes, that fixed my problem, its been working great since.