KA24E 5 speed problems (Swap?)

[PJSil-Fourty]

I would like to start by saying hello zilvia, this is my first post and hopefully not last. I would appreciate if you would help me out with my dilemma, as I am still new to stick shifts and I have no idea what kind of horrors were done to this car before I bought it. I have searched for answers to my problems but one just sounds like clutch problems and the other I don't know how to really search up without just coming up with battery and starter problems in my results.

I have 2 problems I am asking for help with, any help would be greatly appreciated. I am a DIY guy and can search up how to do things, I just have no idea how to diagnose the problems I am having. I plan on swapping an RB in next year, but would like to be able to have a bit of fun with this motor before it dies.

Info on the car:
-I bought it for 1k (it was a drift missile for sure)
-Possible 5 speed swap (interior is gutted from a coupe, no shifter boot, wiring is all sorts of fucked up inside)
-Welded differential
-Was in a front end collision
-likes to burn oil
-needs fluids changed (happening tomorrow if weather permits)
-Sometimes while idling, engine will not idle and revs from 1.4k to 1.9k repeatedly, sometimes speedometer mimics tach
-Speedometer works 2/3 the time

Problem 1

In a nutshell; half the time I try to start the car, it will not crank. It clicks, but that is all. My fix for this is to roll the car and drop the clutch. After doing this once or a few times, the car will finally start. This leads me to believe it is something mechanical and not electrical (unless maybe a sensor is being wacko). Sometimes it takes 2 cranks to get the car started. My battery does suck, but all lights turn on fine and even a car topper if I am delivering a pizza in it.

Problem 2

This problem feels kind of like a bad clutch system, except the engine bogs down after letting off the clutch. It has only become prominent the last couple of days after I burned the clutch up really bad on accident (there is a first time for everything) I was thinking either a bad knock sensor (previous owner was having problems with rod knock) or release bearing? I am going to check the ecu for codes tomorrow. Letting off the clutch there is a ton of chatter. One time while trying to start up the car, the clutch pedal was stuck to the floor (figuratively) and I had to pull it up with my foot. I figure this would point towards a bad clutch system....

Anyways, I will be changing fluids asap and be replacing the whole clutch system and flywheel (white bunny), just putting this thread up to see if anyone has any other thoughts on my issue.

Things I will be getting:
Master Cylinder
Slave Cylinder
300zx N/A Exedy clutch replacement kit
rb25 flywheel
Maybe SS clutch lines?
I assume I will need a throwout bearing for a ka instead of the 300zx

Anything else I am missing or should take a look at while down there?

Thanks again for your guys' time.

[humilde_s13]

have you tried the ignition switch, i had similar problem when turning the key to start did nothing then after several tries kinda worked.

[Freakchakra]

If the starter its clicking check the solenoid on starter/replace starter.

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[PJSil-Fourty]

Car will not start at all until AFTER I roll the car and clutch drop, then it starts just fine or needs another clutch drop, so I don't think it is an ignition switch issue. The car also often starts right up without a hitch besides maybe needing to crank it twice.

After what I just said above, what makes you think it is the starter Freak? The clicking is just a click, like a relay switching, it is not rapid clicking like when the battery is low.

Thanks both of you for your input

[Freakchakra]

Either your flywheel has a lot of broken teeth or the gear in the starter its not engaging correctly on the flywheel. Those are my two thoughts. drop the starter and see if the gears are engaging, not just the motor turning.

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[Freakchakra]

The starter solenoid pushes the gear out to connect to the flywheel to start the engine. If its clicking to me it sounds like the gear isn't engaging the flywheel. Either the stater if bad or the flywheel.

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[PJSil-Fourty]

Ok i appreciate you explaining that, makes much more sense now. I hadn't figured it would've been the starter, since I can just drop the clutch and it will start up, but I will definitely check the starter if the problem persists after the clutch swap (So i can check the old flywheel for missing teeth). Wouldn't a flywheel with missing teeth have other symptoms as well though? Looking that up now.

[PJSil-Fourty]

Funny, I found a thread with a member that on here that was talking about his 1990 s13 with a engine swap that had transmission problems (broken flywheel bolt, etc.) along with other problems with the spark plugs, etc.... He is from around my area and sounds just like the story they guy I bought my car from told me. Fun.... Guess I will be checking the spark plugs tomorrow too....

[Freakchakra]

Hell I change my sparkplugs every 2 or 3
Oil changes. mostly because I get bored, but thats an easy fix. Broken teeth will only make it difficult for the starter to engage unless the flywheel itself is cracked or the bolts are lose then you have a whole new set of problems.

Best advice I can give you is avoid buying singer one elses project because you trend to inherit all their headachs.

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[Akito86]

And buy a new battery at Costco cheap 3 year warranty free replacement.
Clean battery terminals.
The dead clutch pedal = new DOT brake fluid with new master cylinder make sure to bleed clutch system. That fixed mine.
I'm glad you research you will learn a lot and will be a good owner we need more like you in the community welcome!