therx8jt

hey everybody i have a 2005 mazda rx8 and i am having difficulties starting it.
one saturday night drove around great no problem next sunday morning i could not start it. sound like my battery had lost its charge i jumped it and sure it enough it start up. tried getting a new battery for it and they told me the one i had was perfect couldnt get a reading of with the code machine on what was wrong. eventually i thought it was the starter or alternator. changed the starter on it and it worked fine for like two days turn on like normal. after those 2 day it came back to the same problem i turn the key sometimes it clicks and other times you just hear it trying to turn on eventually it turn on if you hold the key for about 5 second but thats after 3 times. i dont know what the problem is and im going nut trying to figure it out. would appreaciate any advice or comments on this issue. (i have tried deflooding it since i read it was a common problem but thats not it)

9krpmrx8

iTrader: (46)

M A Z D A

Engine: ----------> Symptom troubleshooting. Guessing, assuming, and diagnosis by parts replacement will get you no where.

Mysterion

If you have a multimeter, start the car then test the voltage at the battery with the car running. That should give you a voltage reading of AT LEAST 13 volts. Any less than that and you need a new alternator.
As far as the battery goes, who told you it was fine and how did they determine that? If they did just a voltage test that would only give the surface voltage of the battery at that particular moment. What needs to be done to accurately tell if the battery needs replacing is a battery load test in which the tester puts the battery under load to see if and how long the battery can last with a draw on it.

04Green

iTrader: (1)

++ ^^, battery test is necessary, also, check battery connections, clean if necessary. It is amazing how little oxidation will screw up the connection.

And, where are you?

therx8jt

so you guys still think its the battery?
i went to advance auto part thats where i origanally got the battery less than 8 month ago. i dont recall them testing out the battery when the car was running but they did use the multimeter before the car was cranked and they said the charge was good.
My dad is actually a mechanic and he is one that help me install the new starter and he said that it couldnt be alternator bc if it was the car wouldnt even start and if it did start it would shut down...... so idk if it is the alternator

therx8jt

this morning i needed gas so i stopped at a gasoline station filled up...... i go back in to start up again and it doesnt start. 4 time i tried to crank it like normal and nothing. i put the accelaretor to the floor crancked it and slowly release it and sure it enough it started....

04Green

iTrader: (1)

I got a battery from advance.. It was a 4 year battery, it died after 2. I paid the prorate ($40) and got a new one, it died after 3 weeks, they wanted another $40 for the pro-rate. Seems the new battery does not reset the warranty clock. A crowd formed. I surveyed the crowd on their intent to buy a battery from these guys, ever. They decided to give me one to make me leave.

Then the heavens opened, the angels sang, and we got an Autozone.

Really thought, clean the connectors, inside and out, and get the battery tested. A bad connection will keep it from charging as well as keep the car from starting.

And, if you live in Oviedo, do not go to Advance. If you do, I suggest not mentioning my name....

paimon.soror

iTrader: (15)

Edited thread title to something more approrpriate

9krpmrx8

iTrader: (46)

You need to properly troubleshoot the problem, until you do that you are wasting your time. Guessing will get you no where.

Mysterion

^
That should put you in the ballpark. Like 9K says, diagnosis is key. What I described above is the first step. 1) get the battery LOAD TESTED, not just voltage tested.
2) Check the voltage at the battery WITH THE CAR RUNNING. If it shows less than 13 volts, the alternator is NOT doing its job and needs to be either rebuilt or replaced.
3) If the voltage in step 2 shows less than 13 volts, remove it and take it to a starter and alternator rebuilder and ask him to bench-test it. It may turn out to be a quick, cheap fix but if not, at least you will be dealing with a professional, not a minimum wage keyboard jockey.
4) If both battery and alternator check out good, pull the starter and have it bench-tested, as well. It might be shorting internally and drawing too much current thereby draining the battery.
5( When re-installing electrical parts, ALWAYS thoroughly clean all connections and coat them lightly with dielectric grease to help maximize contact and use star washers rather than spring type lock washers. They tend to stay torqued down better as well as biting into the metal to, again, maximize contact.