My Starter appears to be broken :(
 

I'm not the smartest person when it comes to cars, but I believe my starter is broken. Basically I try and start my car and .. it doesn't let me. I turn my keys and it makes the same sound the whole time.

If that's the case, what's the best place to get a new starter from?

Go to the RX8Club main page and look under the Vendors Forum. Mazmart can probably get you a used one. There are a couple of people there that can get you a new one.

Before you throw in the towel on a new starter, be sure your battery is strong.

Insufficient power to fully engage the starter's solenoid is more often the culprit.

Yea my battery is fine, my engine just wont turn over. Thanks alnielsen, i'll check that out.

my battery was bad and that resulted in the car just clicking when I went to start it...so as huey said check you battery

edit:nm was writing while you posted

What kind of sound is it making?

Are you saying the the engine is actually not spinning or the starter is spinning but won't engage?

it's not turning over? we need alittle more detail on the sound

I am having a similar issue. Lately during startup my car has been making a grinding sound. Finally yesterday the gear on the starter or the flywheel's teeth sound like they've been completely sheered off. Not sure if it's both or just one yet. I haven't taken it apart. But when I turn the key the starter spins and it sounds as if the teeth on the gears on the starter and or flywheel are stripped. I'm guessing I'll have to replace the whole starter if it's the internal gear reduction inside the starter. I think I'll see if Mazmart has a used one. Thoughts anyone?

I just replaced my starter after its gradual decline became a death spiral. When they're done they sound like they're free-wheeling, but you've done no permanent damage. It's two bolts, a plug and another bolt from the battery. So easy....yada, yada.

I found a reman from a highly repudiated parts supplier here in Charleston SC. I overpaid a little because I got pissed ordering online from warehouse places only to be told they had no more.

The OEM stuff from Mazmart and others here probably kicks ass but may be a little spicy price-wise. Be sure to get anything from 2006 and beyond. They are FAR superior to the 04-05 starters. Everyone has plenty of those around.
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pi...&id=1538800059

Definitely upgrade the battery while your at it. Not sense in leaving a part you know will fail since it been holding up your punk-ass starter!

06 vs 04 starter
 

06 starter is shinier. Clearly, this enhances its abilities!

Attachment 265467

The motor (rear end) appears to be the only real difference.
As you can tell by chaudrx7's pic above, its longer.

CRH mentioned that the A/T starters are really the "upgraded" starters, but I haven't verified that myself.
If he is right (and I'm sure he is ;)) then all you need to do is pull the motor off the A/T starter and mount it to the nosecone of the M/T starter.


You need to verify this instead of assuming.
Take the starter off and look at the drive gear, then inspect the flywheel.
Its only two bolts and two electrical connections.
Just remember to disconnect the negative terminal at the battery since the positive wire to the starter has constant voltage.

yeah, but if if it's not the drive gear and it is the gears inside the casing that are stripped, i may as well replace the entire unit and to one with the longer motor. the upgraded starters have the longer can on the motors, right? they're supposed to be more powerful. longer can should = more torque.

You think its the planetary gears?
Just strange that you are coming to these conclusions without even pulling the starter.

The upgraded starters are longer and have a beefier motor.
Below I have the motor separated from the nosecone on my original starter:
Attachment 152100

Mine started going bad at about 20K miles.
Another 10K miles later and my car had a difficult time starting once the car was warmed-up (like after I just got gas).
Here is Ohio we have pretty bad winters too (Forbes listed us as having the worst winters statistically) but we've never experienced these grinds due to cold weather as you're trying to explain.

But the motor is going to (and has) burn out before the gears strip.
This is why I wanted you to pull the starter and look... prove me wrong.. please!
I don't mind being wrong, but would like for you to verify that the starter is indeed bad before you go out and spend money just to find out it wasn't the problem.

But I do agree that anyone who has an original starter ('04 or '05) should invest in a new/upgraded starter.
I've also seen the flywheel's gear ring pop off... that really sucked!
Attachment 152101 Attachment 152102

:biggthump I look forward to seeing stripped gears!

just push start the thing. and to the op putting decent money on it not being your starter.

my starter is spinning but the output gear won't engage. i removed the starter, checked the flywheel, took the starter all the way apart, inspected everything and put it back together. then i had it tested at autozone. it passed the test but the test doesn't check the solenoid. they also don't sell just the solenoid. if my solenoid's fine, then it might be the battery, right? could the battery be strong enough to turn the starter motor but not fully activate the solenoid? i think i'll remove my battery and go have it tested.

It takes less to energize the solenoid than to turn the motor.
Did you move the lever back and forth to verify it moved smoothly?

Also to test the solenoid, all you need to do is hook a battery's positive lead to the solenoid connector and ground it anywhere on the nosecone.
I did this Sunday to turn an engine that was already pulled out of a car, so I know the method works.

If you test the solenoid and find out it doesn't work, I have an extra starter I cannibalized and don't use.
I can send you the solenoid.
But like we already discussed, its also a good idea to get the upgraded starter.
So its up to you what you want to do... I'm just throwing the offer out there.

that makes sense. i would think the solenoid takes less power than the starter motor too. just wanted to be clear. i had the battery tested at autozone. they said it should start the car but that 2 of the cells are low. they recommended i trickle charge it overnight or at least try jumping it. i believe the battery is the mazda original because it has a mazda sticker on it. i bought my 04 used last year so the battery could very well be 7-8 years old. i will test the solenoid myself like you said and then probably put everything back together. although, replacing the battery wouldn't be a bad idea to do anyway.

i tested the solenoid and it works. it pushes the gear all the way over. so......i replaced the battery anyway. still having the same issue.

maybe there's no current actually reaching the solenoid. i wish i had a voltmeter.

Possible.
Buy a cheap meter from the local auto store, Home Depot, or Radio Shack.
Its always good to have one handy.

flooding anyone? :dunno: