Ooo ok so it doesn't even crank...well if your 100% sure starter is installed correctly and the solenoid is fine then it's obviously getting jammed up. So this happened before on stock clutch and again with new clutch correct? Only thing I can think that would jam it up would be debrie or mayb the starter just isn't aligned properly on the flywheel.. Inspect the flywheel and make sure all the teeth are fine, same on starter

 

teeth on fly fine same goes for the starter i checked before install.

 

I just had a problem similar to what you describe on a relatively low mile IX. It would not start, I didn't think of rocking the car, i just jacked it out and gave the start a little tap with a rubber mallet. After that it started right up. I believe the problem was the solenoid on the starter. I have not had time to take the starter apart to see. I replaced it with an Evo VIII starter we had and it has been starting fine ever since, ~2 weeks.

 

Wow I'm stumped then. There has to be something small your overlooking...

 

well i'll update later with my results of leaving my mini batt on the charger over night.

 

Ok that didn't do it. Using my roommates optima next

 

its can not be your battery cuz it just doesn't make sense. why would a battery not crank at all several times. then out of the blue decide to work just fine. you got a wiring issue. something somewhere is loose or has a bad connection.

 

It isn't the battery.

Are you sure that your clutch start kill switch isn't faulty? It could be on the fritz. Check under the clutch pedal to make sure the pin is getting pushed in 100% of the time. Maybe it's cocked or something and it isn't fully engaging every time. If it's random maybe every once in a while it appears rocking it helps but it's really shaking it into alignment...seems odd that you can push the car back and forth and it would shake it but who knows. Maybe vibrations are causing it to get too loose or something. If rocking it resolves the issue we need to find an expert that can tell us what exactly happens when the car rocks that touches the starter. I know you keep saying "the starter is fine"...but...

 

umm i'll check the clutch switch but that makes little sense cause i hear the solenoid click every time that means i am past the clutch switch kill. and i don't hear the solenoid click back until i let go of the key. regardless i'll check with another battery just cause its an easy test.

 

well negative on the batt. back to checking everything else

 

test that wire man. make sure is getting power to the solenoid

 

ok update i took the mini-batt off again and messed with the grounds and made sure the transmission ground looked good which it does. now i have like a 90% start rate. also the solenoid wire is good.

 

Are your terminals on the battery good? Are the cables tight on the battery posts?

 

Yes and yes

 

what are you talking about when you say transmission ground?. do you have any spare cable that you could make a ground out off? put two grounds on the motor and see what happens.