Won't turn over after Voodoo II Install
 

Ive installed an FM Voodoo II kit into my 96 (save the flames until you've read my post at least), and at first the car started fine, ran fine, I was able to get it tuned, etc. Then it quit starting. It was intermittent at first, and now it just won't engage the starter at all. I can bump start it and it runs great, so it's something in the ignition. When I turn the key I just hear a click, no action.


I'm 97% sure I've got all the grounds in place. Have double-checked each.
I am certain the battery is fully functional and fully charged.
I replaced the starter motor when I finally reached the verdict that it had to be the problem, and it still won't start.
I just took apart the ignition switch assembly and checked it, all looks brand new.

Question: Could it be the wiring of the Doodoo box? It hasn't flashed me any "poor connection" lights and like I said the car runs great when I can start it.

Don't know what else to do. I've literally chased this problem for weeks and I've exhausted every online search option on as many Miata forums as I know of, which has been somewhat helpful in identifying possible causes, but I'm stymied.

I'm willing to brave the scorn, ridicule and hatred that MT is oddly proud of if it means that I might get a couple suggestions that will point me in the right direction. So please, say what you will and then kindly share some wisdom!

Cut all connections to the voodoo box and see if it starts.
Also lol @ associating tuning with a voodoo box!

Throw away the voodoo box, get a real tuning solution.
Best advice ever.
You're welcome

Are you suggesting the problem is originating at the Voodoo Box?

Remove the connector that goes to the ignition switch.

Jump the +12V to the starter wire in that connector. If the starter kicks in, its the ignition switch. If it doesn't, its the wiring.

Is it possible that the Voodoo Box is preventing the engine from even turning over, like it's killing the power to the starter?

Do you remember wiring it to the starter?

No, obviously. Seems like a simple question doesn't it?

In that case, the answer is that the Voodoo box is not killing power to the starter.

Great, thanks. So, as the original post outlined, I'm looking for some suggestions as to how to get my starter to crank the engine for me. I've eliminated the ignition switch as the culprit, so it's got to be the wiring.

Can someone send me a wiring schematic for the 96?

http://www.mellens.net/mazda/index.html

One of the links there is to the 96 wiring.

Keith

just a long shot but are any of the wires you used by the voodoo somehow connected to the clutch switch?

This is money, thanks.

I don't think so. I did put a clutch switch override cap on the switch so that I can start the car without depressing the clutch pedal. That's just a simple little piece of metal that holds the pin in.

Better control that simple cap again. Maybe it's not exactly where it should be anymore.

BUUUUUT a dumb question: Did you ever check if your battery is ok? Sounds totally dumb but it might be that your battery is dieing.

If that's the problem your voodoo box might even be the problem. I don't know exactly how it has to be connected to your car but if it needs a power source it might be that you connected it to a wrong wire so it's seeing constant power instead of switched power. If that's the case it could be slowly draining your battery.

Also pull a spark plug see if its coated in fuel.

I've done some more testing, and I'm getting a steady 12 volts at the starter before I twist the key to crank it. When I try to crank it the voltage drops to 8 volts.

The battery is good, and I've tried two different batteries, all with the same result.

I've got to figure out why the voltage is dropping. I paralleled the connection from the starter to the battery with jumper cables, same result.

Hydrolock?

Seems like just a bad starter to me..?

Just makes a click, started intermittently, now it's always, but you can bump start it and it runs great.

Before you hack up the harness anymore, try a new starter.

EDIT: just saw the part where you replaced it. Was it a known god starter? Did you replace the motor and solenoid or just the motor?

based on experience, you usually have to replace a starter 3-4 times before you get one that's actually good from most retailers.

This.

Same with alternators.

Yeah it's looking more and more like a bad starter, which would be completely consistent with the way my luck has been running. And no, it wasn't necessarily a great replacement, it's a Duralast from Autozone. But so was the one I pulled out, and it lasted for 100k miles.

If it's not the starter then I'm getting too much resistance somewhere in the starter circuit, maybe with a bad ground somewhere, but I swear I've checked and doublechecked the grounds. I"m probably missing one somewhere.

Seems like I'd learn my lesson with cheap remans; Once I put 5 different starters in a CJ5 before I got one that worked.

Follow up from me on this thread (I just got back into town and was able to spend some time on the car). Following the logic that suggests that in the absence of a clear answer, the most logical solution is likely the correct solution, I went back to the ground strap. It sure looked fine but I took it off anyway, cleaned and sanded the contact points and secured everything nice and tight, and that did it.

I never would have guessed that a normal-looking and feeling ground point could bleed off 4 volts and prevent the starter from engaging, and that's why my car was down for so long. Live and learn.