Greetings fellow rotary fans.

I have an 88 naturally aspirated RX-7 FC3S convertible (and an 86 with blown apex seals )

My 88 has an odd problem: when the car has been sitting for several hours, it starts perfectly. After I drive it a bit and shut it off, it hardly ever likes to start back up. It drives well, has plenty of power, idles great, and will roll-start every time. Just won't start with the starter after it's warm.

It doesn't seem to be overheating (temp gauge doesn't work), feels like it has good compression (but haven't tested), it will turn over, always has 93 octane gas in it. New coil packs/igniters, new plugs/wires, and I've thrown some fuel system cleaner in it.

It's completely stock except for a cold air intake (an eBay one that has the breather adapter right after the MAF sensor) Has 188k miles on it, I don't know if the motor has ever been rebuilt. Hopefully someone here has heard of this problem before?

Thanks,
Rob

 

It's a very common problem. Basically it's due to a rich start map, the temperature of the fuel in the lines and sometimes leaky injectors. I was reading the FD manual the other day and saw that Mazda specifically made changes to try to correct for this in the 3rd gen.

Some people go as far as installing a fuel cut switch for easy flood clearing, but you can also just pull the green 40A EGI INJ. fuse under the hood. Spin the starter with the throttle open, replace the fuse and start it up. You may also consider getting the injectors cleaned.

And you don't need to be running 93 octane in an NA. 87 octane is what is required. It will burn more completely and cost less.

 

I had the same problem. Like was already said... get a fuel cut switch, so you don't have to pull out a fuse every time you want to start your car.

 

take it to the dude at RR hes close to you and really good with hsi stuff man..he prob fix it in an hour

 

thanks so much for the advice! Makes plenty of sense. I'll install a fuel cut switch so I don't look like a dumbass every time I start up the 7 in a parking lot lol. You guys are the best.

 

At that mileage, first thing is to check compression. And, like RotaryRocket says, switch to 87 octane which may help with the starting problem and also save you some $$$.

 

fuel cut off switch and you wont have that problem any more. untill then when ever you go to turn it off, let it idle for like 10-15 sec then turn it off, let it get some of that gas burn out b4 it gets turned off. pulling the green fuse always works too

 

This is a common problem with higher mileage rotarys. Installing a fuel cut switch is a bandaid at best. Take out the injectors and send them off for cleaning/calibration. RC Engineering, Cruz, (sp), Performance are just a couple of companies that can do this. Do it right the first time and be done with it. You might even be suprised by theincrease in performance and fuel mileage.

With 188k on the clock, I'd have a compression test done too.

 

CruzinPerformance (http://www.cruzinperformance.com/). Had excellent results with him. But first, like we have already suggested, do a compression test. It may save you a lot of time and money looking for a non-existent peripheral problem.

 

bad main relay, perhaps?

 

UPDATE:

Greetings all, thanks for the great advice! Installed a fuel cut relay, and that fixed the problem right up. Also installed some S5 tail lights (sexy!) and 3" catless exhaust with resonator and an HKS hi-power muffler. Car runs great, will post pics when I can find my camera!

 

cool. glad you got it solved