Starting problem on my 91

Clean the battery terminals? Clean the chassis grounds?

Lanny Chambers wrote on 8/30/2004 22:03:

I have experienced something similar with my '99. I sometimes have to repeatedly turn the key and/or engage and disengage the clutch. The people in my Miata club had a lot of suggestions:

- battery and battery terminals

- neutral safety switch

- ignition switch

- fly wheel

- starter solenoid

Next time this happens, I am going to go down the list...

-Joe

have to repeatedly

Sounds like the ignition switch - particularly if you can jiggle/turn the key and the car starts. Had to replace mine this past year.

-- Iva & Belle.) '90B Classic Red.) #3 winkin' Miata

Iva wrote on 8/31/2004 15:52:

In my case, I doubt it. I had an ignition key problem with my motorcycle, and it was obvious there, with it working after wiggling the key. With the Miata, wiggling the key doesn't change anything. It also happens rather rarely, but unpredictably. I suspect the flywheel or solenoid. I hear the click that the OP described when I turn the key and when I disengage the clutch. One of the members in the club who had the same problem before said: "When we pulled the transmission out to replace the clutch, there were several worn teeth on it. We theorize that every so often those teeth would stop on top of the starter teeth and fail to make a mechanical link. This theory was supported by the fact that when I experienced the problem, I found that all I had to do was put the car in gear, push it a few feet and release the clutch, effectively turning the flywheel about 90 degrees, and the car would start right up."

-Joe

I have a bad ignition switch. While waiting for the new one, we removed it and cleaned the contacts. It is working for now. However, my symptoms were this: The car would crank, but never start. Didn't hear just the "click". hmmm

Got mine from Trussville through miata.net for under $90, which included shipping. Only took about 45 minutes, total, to install and it solved the whole problem.

Good luck.

-- Iva & Belle.) '90B Classic Red.) #3 winkin' Miata