New Member RX-7 Technical Post your first technical questions here, in an easy flame free environment, before jumping into the main technical sections.

Slow starter motor

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Mar 14, 2013 | 11:48 AM
  #1  
booky's Avatar
Thread Starter
Full Member
 
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 62
Likes: 0
From: Pa.
Angry Slow starter motor

Doing vw swap and have a 12a and transmission out of an 84 trying to turn it over out side of car and hopefully start it out side of car starter motor spins fast when not in transmission but when a load is put on it turns slow can you help me.
Reply
Old Mar 14, 2013 | 03:36 PM
  #2  
gerald m's Avatar
Dragons' Breath
Tenured Member 05 Years
 
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 1,129
Likes: 2
From: Pump Handle, SK. Canada
First thing is check the amp draw under load on the starter and compare with specs . make sure you have a GOOD SOLID ground to the starter or bell housing area .and make sure you have a good battery .. almost any starter without load will turn fast , when the load is factored in is when you have slow draggy starters . possibly even something as simple as the contacts in the solenoid corroded and dirty , maybe brushes or even just dry dirty bushings . You need to get brave and do a little checking .

A word of caution , ( do not clamp starter to tight in a vise or you could destroy the magnets in the housing )
Reply
Old Mar 14, 2013 | 08:33 PM
  #3  
chrismac's Avatar
Junior Member
 
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
From: castledowns
How long has the motor been sitting? U could try pulling the plugs out and crank it over to get thing moving again.and make sure u have a full charge in the battery
Reply
Old Mar 17, 2013 | 01:15 PM
  #4  
booky's Avatar
Thread Starter
Full Member
 
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 62
Likes: 0
From: Pa.
I will try and be brave and look at taking the starter a part to see if it is dirty and motor has only bin setting for about3 months
Reply
Old Mar 17, 2013 | 01:32 PM
  #5  
gerald m's Avatar
Dragons' Breath
Tenured Member 05 Years
 
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 1,129
Likes: 2
From: Pump Handle, SK. Canada
Originally Posted by booky
I will try and be brave and look at taking the starter a part to see if it is dirty and motor has only bin setting for about3 months
Even at 3 months it would be a good idea tov give it a nice shot of even engine oil in each rotor just to insure lubrication inside the housings .

Don't know what parts stores you have where you are but there are lots of them that will do a amp draw test to see what is going on inside the starter for free . that is a good starting point . find that out and go from there . If the starter is gone bad it might be just as easy to buy a new one but find out if you have problems with it first .

Here is a free link for all the FSM's for mazda cars.. Foxed.ca - Mazda RX-7 Manuals If you are going to own a RX7 you will need it . Changing brushes can be a bit of a PITA if your not handy with mechanical as they require desoldering a couple of connections . But I would suggest you get the starter check for amp draw first and let us know how things test . there are some members that can hook you up with a good used starter if your not on budget for a new but there not really much more than any other starter . you might want to call around and get some prices .

IMO if you need one you are just as far ahead to buy a new one .If you want to practice your mechanical skills this is a good part to start with .

It is very important that you have a GOOD and fully charged battery with good clean connections GROUND and POWER side before going any farther
Reply
Old Mar 17, 2013 | 01:35 PM
  #6  
KansasCityREPU's Avatar
Out In the Barn
Tenured Member: 20 Years
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
iTrader: (9)
 
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 6,704
Likes: 1,250
From: KC
Before going to all that work with taking the starter apart, do like Gerald suggest and check or replace the ground from the battery. Many of use us had this problem and found that the original ground is bad. The best thing is to just relace the gound. Get cables that have the built in battery ends. The factory ground also has a mounting point on the drivers side shock tower. What I did is run one negative cable from the battery to the starter and another from the battery to the shock tower.
Reply
Old Mar 17, 2013 | 01:37 PM
  #7  
misterstyx69's Avatar
Retired Moderator, RIP
Tenured Member: 20 Years
iTrader: (142)
 
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 25,581
Likes: 136
From: Smiths Falls.(near Ottawa!.Mapquest IT!)
I'd be looking at the cables first.
Even corrosion can stop a new starter from rolling over effectively.
Reply
Old Mar 18, 2013 | 04:17 PM
  #8  
booky's Avatar
Thread Starter
Full Member
 
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 62
Likes: 0
From: Pa.
Had a bad ground thanks for your help.
Reply
Old Mar 18, 2013 | 06:27 PM
  #9  
gerald m's Avatar
Dragons' Breath
Tenured Member 05 Years
 
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 1,129
Likes: 2
From: Pump Handle, SK. Canada
Originally Posted by booky
Had a bad ground thanks for your help.
yea I figured good to hear . It is very important to keep ALL grounding spots clean . there are many electrical components on these little cars and everyone of them needs a good ground or they can drive you crazy with ghost problems .
Reply
Old Mar 19, 2013 | 04:13 PM
  #10  
misterstyx69's Avatar
Retired Moderator, RIP
Tenured Member: 20 Years
iTrader: (142)
 
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 25,581
Likes: 136
From: Smiths Falls.(near Ottawa!.Mapquest IT!)
Originally Posted by gerald m
yea I figured good to hear . It is very important to keep ALL grounding spots clean . there are many electrical components on these little cars and everyone of them needs a good ground or they can drive you crazy with ghost problems .
Gerald knows all about "Ghosts"..
He loves that scene In the Movie where Patrick Swayze and Demi Moore are at the potters wheel and...Splat....ahhh man!!!
(no Tapback's G!)
Reply
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Jeff20B
1st Generation Specific (1979-1985)
73
Sep 16, 2018 07:16 PM
doritoloco
New Member RX-7 Technical
7
Sep 5, 2015 12:41 PM




All times are GMT -5. The time now is 09:57 AM.