What's up guys, i got this 1986 mazda car from friend and it had sat for about 6 months. I replaced spark plugs, plug wires, fuel filter, and did an oil change before trying to turn it over. it fires right up and ran pretty good. The next day i go to turn it on and nothing. Im not getting any crank at all. It acted like a dead battery so i put jumper cables on and nothing. Ill post a video. The battery is good and fuses looked good.

Any help would be appreciated, thanks!

 

Does it do anything when you turn the key? clicking? Dash lights come on?

 

I get the beep for door open, headlights work but very slow to move up. The battery is from 5-16 but i just went and got it tested, 95 out of 575 cold crank amps. Im gonna charge it all night and see if it makes a difference. I just figured if its the battery it wouldnt have started for me the first time.

 

Can you hear the starter clicking?

 

Honestly a good battery will start your 7 no matter what. I have the one that came with my Vert when i bought it and it can sit for a month and still start. Cold, hot it doesnt matter it just cranks and poof lol.

also could be loose battery terminal connectors. mine never actually tighten up properly.

 

Check battery ground and all other grounds in the engine bay. if the starter doesn't get a good ground that power it gets wont make that starter crank(if the battery is good). Your battery could also be dead to the point where it wont take a jump.

 

Im starting to lean toward the starter went out. I charged the battery all night, car showed 12 on car gauge. Turn key and nothing. My lights and radio work. Im gonna jack up the car and check if i get anything from the starter. I did check the grounds in the engine bay and they looked good. Ill keep you guys posted. Im having my 1st baby thats why i havent gone for a new battery just yet lol gotta be cheap.

 

Could always tap the starter a few times with a hammer or ratchet and try to start it again. That and check the ground on the starter.

 

I got a new battery that one was bad but that wasnt the issue. To and from the starter and everything seems okay. I put a screwdriver to the solenoid and it sparked. There's gotta be a a wire some where that isnt connected. I wish i could post a video. Everything works, turn the key and no spark. You can hear the starter and fuel pump hum when the key is turned.

 

alright im here to save the day as this happened on my old vert 88'

Does your car have the factory alarm ? mine was triggered for no apparent reason and would prevent me from starting it as if it thought i was getting stolen but was silent so the alarm was not activated.

If your car does have an alarm try disconnecting the alarm box behind/below the glove box its usually gold colored but your mileage may vary depending if its dirty or not.

 

I'm gonna mess with it right now, ill try it and give you an update.

 

yeah it happened to me randomly, i parked her for the night and it didnt work the next day. had to get it towed to a rotary shop and they told me exactly what the problem was..... then my starter broke lol so lucky me


Edit: they also told me i could push start it although i have never tried with the anti theft deactivated

 

Does this goldish yellow set of wires look like what your taking about?

 

https://www.rx7club.com/2nd-generati...-alarm-569828/


check out this thread. someone mentioned white roughly 16pin connector. RotaryResurection says its under the glove box and gold. do you see anything ? does your care even have factory alarm ( yellow security light in center console )




Edit: he says the box is actually gold ( as in the alarm computer/cpu whatever)

 

The gold leads to a smaller gold box so im thinking that must be it. Surprisingly this thing came with the owners Manuel and it says how to turn it off with the to the truck. Ill try both, this makes sense. I had a pick up that had a security system that did this same thing to me.

 

well give it a whirl, if all else fails look around some more in there lol

 

Update- i messed with all security and got no response. So i pulled the starter and went and got it tested and passed with flying colors. I rewired it back in and made sure everything was tight. 1st try the rx7 fires right up. I drive it around the block and all seems good. 30 min later i turn the key and nothing. The Only thing i figure is a wire to and from the starter isn't right.

any thoughts guys?

 

so you're saying you don't hear the starter click or anything?

 

Yeah nothing from the starter. I can hear the fuel pump though. A wire to and from the starter must not be right. Everything on the starter is tight and grounds seem good. Idk what changed from when I hooked it back up and turned it over the 1st time.

 

there is a ground on the harness that uses the top LONG bolt of the starter as a mounting point.This ground looks like a bracket on the wiring but is actually a ground.

 

Alright guys after running through all grounds and any other wiring to and from the starter nothing was happening. So I ran a hot directly to the starter and nothing.
I know my local guy said it was good but i guess it wasnt. Got a new one from NAPA and shes back up and running. Thanks for everyone's help!