2002 p5 occasional starter noise

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'02 Mazda Protege5
Sometimes when I go to start the car it would make what can only be described as a "skipping" noise when cranking. Not really a grinding noise, it just doesn't make that steady "rr-rr-rr-rr-rr" noise. it will go "rr-rr-rr- rrrr- r-r--rr-rr-rr a few times until it eventually starts. or sometimes if I let it sit for like 10 seconds and try again it would be fine. It doesn't happen a lot it's only sometimes but I'm afraid it will get worse...

Could it be the starter will need replacement soon? Is that an easy job on these cars?
 
You might need a starter soon...
It's not too difficult to replace.
Apparently the bolts are a little difficult to reach.

 
I got the new starter. Installation looks like a piece of cake according to the Haynes. Is there anything I need to know about making sure the gears mesh properly? I read somewhere that you have to properly "Shim" the starter and I have no idea what that is. does that apply to our cars?
 
I got the new starter. Installation looks like a piece of cake according to the Haynes. Is there anything I need to know about making sure the gears mesh properly? I read somewhere that you have to properly "Shim" the starter and I have no idea what that is. does that apply to our cars?

I'm pretty sure you just bolt the new one in...
Nothing was mentioned in the service manual about shims or meshing gears.

I didn't know there was a Haynes manual for our car...
The one I found only covered 1990-1997.
 
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