Monday I was out for a cruise and all was fine:

1980 SA 30K original miles, Stock 12A, Headers, Muffler

I was driving about 30mph and on the throttle to maintain that speed, and its like somebody hit a switch....I lost almost all power, it just stayed running long enough to get it in my driveway (only block away) of about half power (probably 1 rotor).

I check fuel pump: Sounds fine, and is pumping fuel (right in line with the book, or almost a bit more)

I checked compression: Motor has compression and give me the nice wispy sound

I checked ignition: has spark...but i thought it might of looked weak so I replaced coil, wires, plugs, cap and rotor. (oh and the new china part store **** is junk compared to the original)

Checked to see if carb was squirting gas: yes, it does

Tried starting it again....starts fine, then runs itself dead....like it starts on 2 and ends on 1 and dies. (best guess as whats going on)

I am not a rotor expert and need some advice.

thanks in advance.

 

One possibility:
Change the fuel filter, unless this has just been done. How long have YOU owned and been driving the car? I ask because on very low mileage cars this old, its not unusual that they are incorrectly stored for loooong periods and the gas goes bad and can gum up carby things, or worse, the fuel tank has corroded inside. THIS happens when the gas inside has (or did, in storage) evaporated away, leaving a large air volume in the tank which then allows moisture to condense and start rusting away the inner walls of the tank. The rust particles then settles to the bottom of the tank and eventually gets sucked into the fuel take-up and plugs that or the filter. Then it can sit a while (15 min), the sucked up gunk drops away from the intake, the car starts and runs - briefly - then same thing happens. again.
The SA (1979-80) RX7s have no drain in the tank, so the only option is to drop the tank and have it cleaned at a rad shop, then reline the tank (POR15 makes a gas tank re-liner kit that seals it) which you can do yourself. Cleaning alone may remove the rust, but if the tank walls aren't re-sealed, rust will eventually come back. The drop is actually not that hard. Key is to drain as much fuel out of tank thru the SENDER unit hole (driver side wheel well, behind plastic panel), so you don't have this unwieldy sloshing tank you are trying to hand-balance as you drop it! That and pay VERY close attention to how the 4 or 5 fuel lines that are on the TOP of the tank are connected to the car's lines!!!! Photos = good!!

Fuel filters should be changed annually.

Stu Aull
80GS
Alaska

 

sounds like blocked jet in one side of carby

 

Failed ignition maybe. You may be losing leading spark once the ignition warms up. You can swap the ignition connections to see if it helps. Be careful because the SA disables trailing at times for emissions. Just make sure you fully swap the ignitors or leads or just run leading to debug.

 

It was the fuel pump. Got it all fixed up....in the messing around with everything else the fuel pump finally failed proper and it was a "have to" change at that point....and of course started and ran like a champ once it was replaced.

 

great to know - I just would have assumed they either work or are dead!! thx for follow-up...

Stu Aull
80GS
Alaska