2004 Starter not engaging the flywheel
 

So i did lots of searching and came across this:
https://www.rx8club.com/series-i-tro...ywheel-182025/

This is my issue. The starter starts running, but never engages the flywheel. It looks like the thread just kinda stop without a conclusion. If anyone can help me out.. I bought my starter at autozone and they only sell one kind of starter for automatic and one for standard so I don't see how it would be the wrong part. When i compared them at the store before taking off with them they were identical. Does anyone know a solution to this?

I also have a brand new battery and have swapped out the part once already with AZ.

edit: forgot to mention that this is for a automatic transmission

What was wrong with the old starter?

It was the factory starter which was recalled and wouldn't start the car after the car was warmed up.

The Series 2 automatic starter IS different than the Series 1 starter. I'll post back shortly with a writeup I did some time back.

https://www.rx8club.com/attachments/...329_160034.jpg

My input starts at post #195 : https://www.rx8club.com/series-i-do-...-189410/page8/

A couple more pics:

https://www.rx8club.com/attachments/...329_173628.jpg

https://www.rx8club.com/attachments/...329_173611.jpg

Get out your measuring tape....

Thanks for the feedback. I called duralast to see if they had another part or anything and the only thing I get from them is them saying it is the correct part and had me do a voltage test. which I did and everything came out fine.

Do you still have the old starter,if so, bench test it and measure the throw of the pinion gear compared to the throw of the new starter.

If there was an alignment issue you'd see it in relation to the top (in my first picture) mounting hole.

Looking your zoomed in pictures, in terms of horseshoes and hand grenades, it looks like you have the S1 starter, an almost perfect copy of the older one in my pictures.

Translation: it should work

Well if it is the correct part, what else could be causing this issue? I don't know where to go from here. Any help would be apprciated!

Have you inspected the health of your flywheel?

AutoZone starters have a lifetime warranty... you could always try another too.

Have you moved the starter gear by hand to see if it is free?

The teeth are in good shape.
This is the second starter i've got so far. I can indeed try and swap it again, but I'd rather wait to do some more trouble shooting if I can.
Here is also a pic of the whole starter so you can see just in case.

also the starter will spin by hand

upload failed so here is a link
https://i.imgur.com/FijsMs9.jpg

do you still have your original starter? have you compared it to the new one(s)?

If I understand correctly the old starter simply isn't turning fast enough but spins the flywheel, or at least engages it, fine.

The new starter gear spins and the solenoid engages correctly but it never makes contact with the flywheel.

Why would this happen?

• Flywheel and/or starter gear is offset laterally
• Flywheel and/or starter gear is offset vertically
• Both

What could cause it?

• Placement of starter (you're not properly mounting it)
• Your flywheel has moved?

I do not have the original starter, I turned it in for the core.
I will record a video next to the starter and under the hood and post it either tomorrow or the next day.

okay I feel kinda dumb? I guess the starter is engaging the flywheel cause the belts are turning when trying to start the engine. I didn't see this till I had my gf try to start the car while I was under the hood. Here is the videos anyway. I am still stumped as to why the car still wont start.

now you need to determine spark or fuel

Before you switched from the original starter, did the engine start or did it fail to start, it maybe as simple as being flooded.

I am going to do a fuel and spark test next day I'm off work.

Do this first

I tried a simple deflood procedure I found on here and it wanted to start so it is flooded. It hasn't worked yet but is making progress. Thanks for leading me to the right direction.