BigCajun

iTrader: (1)

The clutch issue is interesting.
Having worked on it recently, it might somehow be related.
Try searching the forum for noisy clutch & flywheel issues?

Noxity

Ok. Now the light of the car with the key in the middle of it is flashing. So I have to look that up

edit: got that taken care of but its still not trying to crank. i am also thinking there must be an inline fuse somewhere, since the battery light is still on. Having a battery with 12.9 volts should crank it even if the alternator was bad, so I am confused. We have double checked the relays and fuses, and when we check the stator wire we get a small amount of voltage, like .2 which I don't know if that means its fine. Clutch switch is also fine, we checked it too.

Noxity

Am I overlooking something simple? Why am I not able to get anything out of my starter? No clicks or anything. When I turn on my key, I can hear all my accessories coming on, I can hear the pump whine, the throttle body whine, I have power to all my circuits and relays. Battery shows 12.9 volts. Is there a fuse somewhere else that controls sending signal to my starter to engage?

Anyone?

BigCajun

iTrader: (1)

Hi, did you check the ground? Sure you didn't cross the connections on the starter?

Noxity

When we went to check on the starter, the stator wire was not hooked up, and it was dirty. We have traced the connections back to the battery for anything loose or messed up. It is raining today but I will be sure to check the ground again. It's just crazay. Why would that wire be hanging? I've not had issues with cranking like others have reported, ie slow cranking or long cranks. Always been normal for me. =\

And before the backfire it was at least trying to turn over.

TeamRX8

iTrader: (25)

again, you need to LOAD TEST the battery to be sure

you need to PRESSURE TEST the fuel pump to be sure

otherwise you have all the classic symptoms of either a bad battery or battery connection issue so that's the place to start first

or you can just keep dragging it out, your choice

Noxity

I keep telling you the battery is fine, and when I say that I'm not ASSUMING lmao geez the battery is fine! =P

Trying to get the car to attempt to start before I go pressure testing the fuel pump. Unless, you are saying for some reason I should do the latter first?

Since we have confirmed the connections are fine, we will proceed to mess with the ground, but right now we aren't doing anything with it. Rain and whatnot. So yes it will drag on and I already planned on this taking a while to fix. Driving my other Mazda in the mean time so no biggie ^0^

Again, for clarification before you tell me I am assuming stuff for the third time...we have done all the easy and obvious things already, ie battery, cables, fuses.

I don't post things that don't confound me. I usually can fix all my problems without asking others opinions but in this case since all the obvious things aren't working and nothing makes sense, I decided to pop in here. =)

I have the electrical PDF so I will be sifting through there as well. 148 pages, whew!

kevinande

I am not sure sometime what TeamRX8 is trying to say many times when he posts, but I believe he's saying that just because you have the proper voltage at the battery, it does not mean that you have the necessary amperage. Take the battery off the car and have it tested. That will at least eliminate it as a possible issue.

Noxity

You guys. Srsly? What do you think I tested it with? My tongue? xD

Of course I had it tested at an auto parts store. How else would I know it was good?

Edit: Just for the record, and no way am I trying to toot my own horn, but I am ASE certified and worked at both a garage and an auto parts store, the latter for 7 years so I do know the basics, especially how to test a battery UGAIZ. I still frequent my previous employer to use their equipment. Just putting that out there...in a very, very friendly way!

kevinande

lol, hey I was just giving you my interpretation. No where, that I read anyway indicated that you removed the battery from the car and tested it properly. I was not going to make assumptions about what you may or may not have done. What seems like common sense to some is a huge leap for others.

BigCajun

iTrader: (1)

I never doubted you Leanne.

Noxity

This is just so crazy!

edit: Trying to solve the no cranking issue, and here we are: we have a good fully charged battery. Starter works off the vehicle. Checked all relays and fuses, all are good. Checked the ground, and it is good. Traced the wires to and from the battery and starter, and it is fine ie no burnt areas, no in line fuses, no corrosion. So why is the starter, once connected to the vehicle, not even trying to click or turn? As in the solenoid doesn't even click like it would if it was bad. It's like something is keeping it from getting the signal to engage. Common sense would say check the ignition switch but come on really? The chances are so slim that it suddenly quit working only on that part, while everything else is getting signal from the ignition switch.

Does anyone know if there is other things getting signal from the same wire on the ignition switch plug that tells the starter to engage?

I feel so silly xDD

BigCajun

iTrader: (1)

If you have eliminated all possibilities, the switch would seem logical, but still seems like too much of a coincidence that your initial problem and a bad switch happened at the same time.
If the car had just died, yes, but the noise is puzzling.
Could the clutch safety switch be bad?

Noxity

I thought that, but alas that sudden brilliance faded once I took off the switch and tested it, and even made sure the pedal was adjusted correctly but NOTHINGGG

xD I almost want to laugh this is so ridiculous.

My clutch is looming over my head saying, 'check meeeeeee check meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee'

slvrstreak

iTrader: (3)

I assume you checked the alternator?

Noxity

Checking the alternator was the first step after we got it to crank. Do you think for some reason the bad alternator would keep the starter from working?? I would never think so but I don't know everything.

A bad alternator, imo would still allow the car to crank but would kill the battery. The alternator is what made me think the battery light is on but I just can't get over the no crank issue. I am reading through a lot of other threads with similar problems that all point to a bad starter and/or bad connections, even though the connections look good. Several people have reported cleaning the connections with sandpaper and it miraculously starting to work so I am going to try that.

But yes I am definitely going to check the alternator I just haven't gotten to that step yet.

9krpmrx8

iTrader: (46)

Jesus. What a clusterf@#k. So the car died and has since not restarted? It doesn't crank at all and you have a flashing security light? Did you get a solid battery light before it died.

Noxity

I got the flashing security light to go out which was really easy, just shutting the door, using the key to unlock it then turning the switch to Acc. I don't have the crazy key FOB just the normal switchblade one.

And yes, the battery light was solid. Does that mean something specific?

9krpmrx8

iTrader: (46)

Charging system failure generally, but it will also happen if the engine stalls. So, now it doesn't crank at all what so ever? Doesn't click or anything?

Noxity

IMPORTANT UPDATE

After taking the starter back off and sanding down all connections to and from, we got the starter to spin freely while unbolted. Proceeding to crank while bolted on, I now get that same click noise but upon further listening and looking, it appears my flywheel is stuck!

This would explain the screeching noise when I first got stranded while trying to crank, and also the click now as the bendix extends but is unable to turn.

Apparently something happened to my clutch causing my engine to stall.

BigCajun

iTrader: (1)

That's good news.
You may have overlooked something when working on it.
Hopefully it's something simple. Better a bad flywheel than engine.
Good luck!

Noxity

YES I am very relieved it's something clutch related and not the engine xD
Because my car ran like a champ this whole time I was like wtf nooo D:

RIWWP

iTrader: (2)

Put the car in neutral, get a 21mm (or is it 19mm?) socket and breaker bar, put it on the engine crank nose bolt, and try rotating the engine 1 full turn in each direction (yes, test both directions). It will have some resistance, but easily doable even with just a socket wrench. It will get even easier with the plugs out, if you feel the need.

Let us know what result you have. If you can't make the full rotation in either direction, give us the details on how far you can get.

Noxity

Ok. It's gotten dark here so we will pick it up tomorrow. Thank you kindly C:

9krpmrx8

iTrader: (46)

Um, if your flywheel does not spin that is not good all and it's not clutch related. And you said you were a mechanic?