Questions and Answers

Mazda B3000 Won't Crank When Cold Q. Hi Vince, I have a 1995 Mazda B3000 V-6, automatic transmission with 139,000 kilometers. I have a problem starting when the outside temperature drops below freezing. The starter motor just clicks when key is turned and truck won't start. When temperature gets above freezing the starter works fine. Someone suggested that I have water in the starter and it freezes up when the temperature drops.

Could this be the problem and is there anyway to fix this without removing starter.

Thanks...

A. It is possible there is water in the starter, but I would think it should have dried out from the heat of the engine. If it is due to water in the starter, a heat gun should dry it out. Just don't hold it in one place for too long.

It could also be that the starter is worn out and when it's cold, the brushes aren't making good contact with the commutator. In this case you would need to replace the brushes or the whole starter. If this is the case, a few taps with a hammer will get it to work for a little while.