so was gone all day out with a friend, we get back to his place and im about leave to go home and i try starting the miyaya and nothing =(

my alternator started going bad recently but the battery was good. we jumped the car and it still wouldnt even try to crank. All auxiliary worked so batt was good like i said.

dam thing..looks like i,ll just go out and buy a new starter and alternator just to make sure.

sad thing is im broke haha

newb question: anyone know how to test a starter IN THE CAR..these things are a bitch to r & r

 

why test it in the car? its so easy to take off.

Mine died too actually. I took it off and trying to get it working. If not the local junk yard has one for 35 bux.

 

remove it...i dont wanna lol

 

tap on it with the handle of a hammer or a broom stick or something and see if it'll let you start.

 

good **** y8s

worked

 

The handle? I beat the **** out of them with the biggest hammer I can find and they seem to hold up. Though I'm fortunate that I haven't needed to do that in years. I'm suprised how many non start issues end up being something simple and not the actual starter being bad. I've "fixed" 2 in just the last year for people at work that just ended up needing to be pushed a few inches to free the starter bendix. Others need a little tap from a hammer every now and then and they work fine for years more.

 

the handle is longer and you dont need a hard hit.

 

Depends on where you are stranded as to if you need a hard hit. If I'm at home the handle works, if I'm in a bad part of town at 2AM, it gets a dose of 5lb sledge (not hard of course). Never had to do it with my Miata, so maybe its not even possible to get a hammer to it.

 

Mine went bad a couple months ago, actually the alternator and battery bit the dust around the same time too (bad alt killed the bat). Theres literally 3 bolts holding it on, they can be a bit of a pain to get at but just use a universal adapter and a long extension and it's cake. Alternately, always park on a hill and pop start you way into laziness.

 

Check your ignition switch...

 

Can Mazda starters be rebuilt? Honda and Toyota starters typically have rebuild kits.

 

I've got a free starter if you want it -- tried to sell it on CL to no avail. I live in Fremont.

 

thanks for the offer latch, really appreciate it but i picked up a new/rebuilt one from kragen for real cheap (50 smack a roonies =P)