1993 Protege DX
SOHC
290k miles

It can take up to 10+ times for me to get the starter to engage. A good while back I was having an issue starting my car. It's been a long while so I don't recall exactly what I was experiencing. In any case I bought a new battery. Still had an issue so I replaced the starter. The new starter would often spin but not thrust out the gear and engage with the flywheel. So I returned the starter and installed its replacement. Same issue. I chalked it up to installing the cheapest battery I could find and have been driving it like this for maybe two years because I'm too cheap to buy another battery. It now rarely starts on the first attempt and can take as many as 10 attempts before the starter gear engages with the flywheel. It sometimes, but not too often, partially engages and gives the grinding sound. It's all getting annoying, and I decided to bite the bullet and buy another battery. Before doing that though I installed a known good battery just to make sure, and bloody hell, it still had the issue. So it's not the battery and probably not the starter. Is it a battery cable? Starter relay? Any other guesses?

 

Sounds to me like you need to buy a better starter. In order for the starter motor to engage, the solenoid has to close. The bendix drive is mechanically linked to the solenoid. If there's a spacing issue where the started bolts to the bell housing, the bendix may not extend far enough to fully engage the flywheel/flexplate.

Before you do that, remove the starter and using jumper cables, connect the +Plus to the battery terminal on the starter solenoid, then the -Minus to one of the mounting ears on the starter body (not the other post on the solenoid. Then use a short wire, screwdriver other device, touch the battery terminal to the small terminal that connects to your ignition switch. Make sure you (or someone else) keeps a firm grip on the starter (I usually kneel on mine). When you complete the circuit, you should feel/hear the solenoid close, see the bendix extend and the starter spin. Try this several times. Also note any unusual wear on the gear on the bendix and peek inside the bellhousing to check the flexplate.

 

I guess it could be the starter. Keep in mind though I thought I had a starter issue so I replaced it. Then I replaced the replacement. I read stories of folks getting multiple bad parts in a row so it must be possible. The time may come when I pull the starter and follow your steps to see what happens. It's not a horrible job to pull the starter but not too fun either. Before pulling the starter I'm going to poke around a bit more. I'll report back when it is finally resolved. Also open to other suggestions.

 

In the meantime, check your battery cables and engine grounds. Try jumping with another vehicle. If two batteries won't do it, then again, the starter is suspect.

All the ones you got are likely the brand from the same store. It's possible, it's a bad batch. I'm guessing your bought a remanufactured one too.

One time with my Jeep, I had a starter issue where it wouldn't crank sometimes. Could start 10 times and suddenly nothing. Try the key a few times more and it would catch. Then used an old trick of banging on the starter when it wouldn't turn over. That usually did it. This indicates worn/stuck brushes or corrosion in the solenoid. Since the starter had a "lifetime warranty" I took it back for replacement. They had to test it first. It passed. I asked to test it again explaining my symptoms. They tested it a few more times until it finally failed. They replaced it under warranty.

 

Seems it takes me a while to work on my car, but the starting issue has gotten so annoying I took another stab at it today. Pulled the starter and bench tested with the battery from my car. It worked perfectly every time. I tried it many, many times. For reference, when in the car it is a very rare day it starts on the first attempt. It has taken more than 30 attempts recently. I'd say 10 is about average. As a reminder, the starter always spins, but the gear doesn't thrust out to engage with the flywheel. It's worse on cold mornings, so I put the starter in the freezer for 35 minutes. It still worked flawlessly every time. I'm going to leave it outside tonight and try in the morning just to be sure, but right now I'm pretty sure the starter is functioning properly. I have tried starting it while being jumped from another vehicle. Same issue. To reference back to my original post, I've also put the battery from one of my other vehicles in and nothing changed.

 

At this point, suspect your ground cable from battery to engine ... do not remember how it is set up on the protege.
Sometimes the cable corrodes from the inside, same for the plus cable.

 

Thank you for the input. Whether it's the ground or positive cable, I'm also leaning that way. My neighbor too. When I ultimately resolve I'll update the thread.