SEARCHED! Unique starting issue. Has me stumped.

[koukiKA240]

So the solenoid on my starter has been giving me hell the past couple months, every now and then the started needed to be bumped a few times before it would engauge and crank the car. So a few days ago i get stranded while out looking for a place to store my tools/motors/and miata when i get it. im going to leave and go to crank the car and nothing happens, so solenoid click, nothing. So i try beating it, nothing, i wind up waiting around, i get in for another try and it cranks. Once it runs it runs fine. So awsome. I get it home, get a new starter, put it on, and it turns over REALLY FKN SLOW. but the car starts. I go to an interview at firestone, interview goes well, i go to leave and cant, the car just turns over really slow and the engine never catches and turns on. So i call Advance and they get me another starter. Put it in, and the same problem happens. But i get it started eventually. I head out for a 30 min highway drive to charge the battery. I get back, pull in the driveway, turn the car off, and crank it, it does it a little quicker, but it still takes a second to start.

I check the battery and alternator. Bat output is 12.5 volts as well as alternator while running. I take it to orielly that night and have the batt charged. Get it home, and its hard starting and doesnt start. Same thing, turns over really freakin slow.

So the next day i jump it from a friends truck. 13.8 volts at the battery with the jumper cables on and it wont start unless he revs it. I let his alternator charge the battery for a good 20 mins. Turn the car off, go to start it and it wont start...fantastic.

Today, i go get a new battery. When it was tested at napa it was only putting out 400cca, it was rated at 550, and while starting, my system was sucking 150amps(normal). So the battery was marginal. I put in a new battery today. I throw my cash out for the optima. 800cca...o yea. Starter seems to turn over marginally quicker. but the car still wont start.

****. I check the resistance in all of my spark plug wires. Some were marginal. But all were firing, i verified this with a jumper wire, and an accidental shock...that new blaster coil works. Then i manage to get it to start again somehow and i check my timing. Still at 20btdc which is stock. I tried to retard the timing a little bit to see if it would help...nope. Set it back to 20.

So I go drive it around the block, thinking the repeated cranking and no starting might have flooded it (im really trying to dig for answers now). So i go run it around the block, it feels great, best its ever felt honestly. No more blowing spark out past 10psi, it pulls srong and traction is nowhere in sight. So at this point im at least feeling happy about one thing. Get it back home, pull it in the driveway. Turn it off, immediatly go to crank it and it wont ****ing start. Then i walked away and started this thread.

Cliffs Notes: Intermittent electrical problems own me.Thanks,~Sam

[elwesso]

I assume when you replaced the starter you got a new solenoid?? how are the conections? Its possible it has a marginal ground... very interesting though, im juts kind of taking a shot in the dark...

Intermittant problems like this are generally a loose or bad connection somewhere.

[koukiKA240]

yes new solenoid came with the whole package. Its not a bad solenoid for sure, the starter turns over, just slow and the engine wont catch and turn on.

I voltage and resistance checked both the ground wire and power wire and bother were good.~Sam

[Equilibrium]

omg I am having the exact same problem! Only difference is mine hasn't failed to start yet, just cranks painfully slow. Starter's less then a year old and the battery is brand new.

I have no idea what's causing it either. Tomorrow I'm probably gonna add a second ground for the battery and see if that improves it at all. I'm glad someone else is having this problem too, I thought it might have something to do with the armerture in the starter, but since it's happend to you on multiple starters then it has to be wiring somewhere.

[koukiKA240]

I was able to fix my problem. I have a jumper wire going from the upper intake manifold to the battery ground.

I replaced the battery ground and this didnt help any.

For yours, add the ground, and also check the dizzy, the crank angle sensor is internal to that, and if it starts to go bad then that would cause the slow start as well.

But get a fairly good sized wire and run it from various places to chassis ground or battery ground.

[Equilibrium]

I just did that yesterday and it starts fine now, no problems so far. Thanks for the help!