Strange starting problem

[Tenchuu]

after searching i decided that this is likenothing that anyone else has posted.

I have a S14, and the starter started to make a metal "pinging" sound whenever it started. so i go and replace the starter. pinging sound stopped, but starter still had problems. one week goes by, that used starter's nose come busts in 1/2 so i buy a re-furg from the parts store. now this one is good for about 3 days, then istart having to get a jump to dtart in the mornings. also sometimes i would turn the key and nothing would happen. othe times it would click once and then nothing. Next i get my 3 month old optima battery tested and sure as shit it is low. battery gets a fresh cange ans load tests good now. now it starts but the same things happen. turn the key and nothing, turn the key and one click then nothing. a week goes by and i am dealing with this.
then things change.
now the starter just makes a whirring noise, like it is turning, but not engageing. thing is the key is out, and all, i tried removing fuses, but nothing makes it stop besides disconnecting the battery. now heere is the difference between my car and stock, i have the battaer in the back, so the cable runs directle from the battery to the starter then up to the under hood fuse box.

any ideas to help? i check the ignition cylender, tried to move it, it is a little loose, but none of my accessories work, so i don't think it is stuck inthe on position. i also looked for a starter relay, diddn't find one and parts stores diddn't find one in thier system. altoh there is clearly a relay in the FSM starting diagram. thinking that maby the relay is stuck in the start position, but why would it not start if that's the case? think maby the re-man starter went bad? maby the selinoid isn't engageing and it is stuck spinning without moveing out and lineing up with the teeth in the engine? anyways i am on foot until i can get some help so please help out!

[Tenchuu]

deductive reasoning and a long shot paid off. the aftermarket starter was bigger than the OEM one, and there is a little metal pipe that comes out of the engine directly above the starter that i had to un-bolt a mount to get the starter to go up past it. afterwords i bolted everthing back togather. here is the strange part, apparently i diddn't bend the two apart enuff, so the + prom the battery was rounding out on that pipe and shorting out the starter somehow. i realized that something was way out of normal once i un clipped the selinoid signal wire and the starter was still turning in the houseing. so i took a prybar and seperated theterminal from the pipe. works great now.

symptoms were:
-battery not wanting to charge up
-hard to start car, acts like battery is almost dead even when it is freshly charged.
-the classic turn key and click once with no start ALOT
-after a while the above (starter turning in it's houseing while car is off, drawing a SHIT TON of amps
-and what sould have given it away, getting shocked alot whenever you toutch the metal on the car.

I hope this helps people in the future, because it sure ruined my weekend and caused alot of hate having to jump my car about every morning.

[-usmd-180sx]

deductive reasoning and a long shot paid off. the aftermarket starter was bigger than the OEM one, and there is a little metal pipe that comes out of the engine directly above the starter that i had to un-bolt a mount to get the starter to go up past it. afterwords i bolted everthing back togather. here is the strange part, apparently i diddn't bend the two apart enuff, so the + prom the battery was rounding out on that pipe and shorting out the starter somehow. i realized that something was way out of normal once i un clipped the selinoid signal wire and the starter was still turning in the houseing. so i took a prybar and seperated theterminal from the pipe. works great now.

symptoms were:
-battery not wanting to charge up
-hard to start car, acts like battery is almost dead even when it is freshly charged.
-the classic turn key and click once with no start ALOT
-after a while the above (starter turning in it's houseing while car is off, drawing a SHIT TON of amps
-and what sould have given it away, getting shocked alot whenever you toutch the metal on the car.

I hope this helps people in the future, because it sure ruined my weekend and caused alot of hate having to jump my car about every morning.

Having the same problem as u mentioned. "-the classic turn key and click once with no start ALOT"

I took out my starter and am gonna get it bench tested to see if it is the problem. Already took out the alternator and it tested 14.2 Volts.. so I am sure it is the starter / low bat.

Was that your problem? Besides those things being too close together and shorting out?

And the metal bar your referring to.. is it the starter housing bracket? that has 3 bolts to it? Black piece...

[Tenchuu]

directly above the starter there is a shiney metal hose that has a rubber hose connected to the end of it. possible heater core or somehting, i really don' know. anyways it's mounting bracket attached to the engine by 1 bolt and some thin metal, so i took a prybar, wedged it inbetween the starter and the hose, and pryed a little. now everyything it works great. it was acting like it wasn't getting enuff voltage to start because it wasn't due to the grounding out.