Starter
 

Having an issue with my 80 SA. When I start it with the engine cold it does fine, but when I start it with engine hot it makes an odd grinding noise. The starter is engaging ok and it starts so I am not sure if it is the starter. I have used two different starters with same results.

can you post a clip of it doing what you describe?

Dont have a way to do video or sound.

well, the only thing I can think of that could make any grinding noise on 3 separate starters (assuming that at least 1 of them has to be good) would be the flywheel, but i'm not sure how temperature would dictate it. obviously there will be some expansion due to heat, but enough to be okay when cold, but cause issues when hot? I don't know.

however, go ahead an pull the inspection plate and see if you see any signs of an issue on the teeth.

If it's an automatic it's possible the flex plate is cracked .

Its a 5 speed and the sound it makes is more of a scraping. Its not the normal starter against flywheel grinding noise. I would believe if it were the flywheel it would make the noise hot or cold, and unless the flywheel stops at the same position each time I turn off the engine it shouldnt do it each time I start it hot.

post up a video??

Same problem with my 85

do this: try pressing the clutch sometime when you start the car hot. see if the scraping noise persists.

I already tried that, thinking it was the clutch making the noise. I went out this morning to start it and it turned over fine but didnt start, so I pumped the gas a few more times, turned the key and click but no turn over. The solenoid is kicking but starter not spinning. I take starter off to bench test it and it works fine. I removed the positive cable to see if there are any breaks in it but it seems solid all the way through. Since I have it out I am going to replace the aluminum piece of crap with a new copper one. Was there a shortage of copper in 1980, why would Mazda do that? The ground cable is copper. The teeth on the flywheel look good, so maybe its just a connection problem.

Is the engine locked up or can you turn it by hand?

a while back there was a thread with much the same symptoms , it ended up his ignition switch wasn't returning all the way to run so sometimes the starter would stay engaged until the switch returned to the run position .
Post a video for everyone to hear

Put new cable on and now it starts again, but still makes grinding, scraping noise when hot. Doesnt seem to be as bad. Will check ground cable in a few days if I can find the car under all this damn snow. I hate winter.

The post that slides out of the starter has a gear on it that turn over the engine and sometimes mine would attempt to start slide out and only brush against things the solution was a new starter 😑