clbsinvaders

Right now, my GSL-SE is at work, not starting.

This started Saturday evening, when I jumped in to leave a guy's house I was at. Nothing, turned the key, it cranked, but no firing. My auto tech friend was there and popped the hood, and noticed when it cranked, and fired once, the wire would arc and it would fire. The wire attached by the eylet on the trailing coil was the one that arc'd. Now, nothing. It cranks but no fire at all. Does anyone have any ideas? I would like to drive it home at least. The arcing wire is the only idea I have that could be a problem at the moment.

Vashner

What to you mean by Arcing? As in spark to frame or you tested a spark plug removed against the block?

If it's frame disconnect the battery (neg 1st post 2nd) and tow it home before something worse happens.

clbsinvaders

The smaller wire on the coil arc'd. It did it occasionally before with no issue. The car isn't firing, at all.

Vashner

You should never see an open spark on a vehicle.

Find out what it fried and replace the wires. Check links, fuses and then maybe coils etc.

Vashner

Do your parking lights, dash lights, key in ignition warning chime work?

clbsinvaders

Everything works. It just won't fire. Radio doesn't, but that's been like that for some time. Is it possible a fusable link could do this, I know I have a near dead one.

yetterben

Check ignitors! dunno if the gsl-se had those think they did on the dizzy!

DanielBlakley

Check coils before ignitors... They are easier to check and I have found them to blow before an ignitor will go...

Vashner

Wherever the spark came from that's a root. If that part is not fried then the ground is not good. Remove, inspect, clean, replace (battery terminals / wires).

SFCROD

Hi:

My son's is having the same identical problem with his RX-7 GSL-SE. I'm currently station in Iraq and cannot help repair it. Have you been able to identify the problem with your car? If you have, what exactly did you do to repair it?

Thanks.

mazdaverx713b

iTrader: (91)

hey, Pat, did you ever get the SE fixed?

GavinJuice

If the wire is arcing, then there is not a complete path for current to flow. Thus the wire is arcing at the spot with the most potential. You might have a grounding issue, a bad coil, maybe something else. You can easily ohm out the coil and check it to the FSM for spec, or just see what your leading ohms out. Make sure to remove all the wires before you do. Also it sounds like you have have popped a fuse or fusible link now since the arcing has stopped, or something has failed.

Just thinking also, your engine should run without the trailing ignition. So this might be affecting the leading also. Best of luck

Delicious

SFCR OD, is that a gun,

clbsinvaders

It's been odd. I've just left it in the garage after driving it to and from work the following monday. Battery's mostly dead, have to charge it soon. It seems like it flooded real bad, but I don't know. Update tommorrow. My surprise the thread was loaded when i came back, but i'll let you all know tommorrow.

ukcodger

Sounds like the insulated housing on the coil is cracked and is tracking between High Tension (centre terminal) and the Low Tension (Eyelet). Might also have damaged an ignitor.

yetterben

Take coil out and look for cracks or oil leaking from coil.

clbsinvaders

It's been odd. I have found out it's flooding. It only does it when cold. If it's above 40, no problems whatsoever. I've still been leery of driving it anywhere. Any ideas at this point? Replaced the eyelet on the wire going to the trailing...doesn't seem to be electrical anymore at all. If it won't crank, a nice pushstart gets it going, as much as I hate to do it, but whatever it may take to get it home.

clbsinvaders

Now it's just acting goofy as hell...here's the chronology of events: Step one: replace alternator. Step 2: get new battery. Then the no start that caused this thread. Charged battery. Drives fine for a few days. Now, I go, start the car, and I'm reading 10V on the battery gauge in cluster. What is it. Help!

It seems this has only started after I replaced the alternator...perhaps a bad alt/battery? Maybe the ground connection is bad?

bliffle

Did you clean off your battery posts and the IDs of the cable connectors?

clbsinvaders

I cleaned everything before I installed the battery. And I cleaned the ground that attatches to the alternator. That is the only thing I can think of that is preventing charging, but since the other night I drove it, it's stayed at 10V. I started it last night to see.

clbsinvaders

I'm going to tighten the V-belt as outlined in the FSM as a solution to non charging. Is it possible it's not charging due to other factors? Everything else in the FSM says internal alternator cleaning/test.

RXnos1200

iTrader: (24)

"And I cleaned the GROUND that attatches to the alternator."

What ground are you talking about? Pictures?
You mean the 2 wires for the plug in piece on the back of the alternator or the main power wire?



Do a voltage draw test from the battery with a mulitmeter. Something is draining your battery.

clbsinvaders

Well, I assume it is a ground. The eyelet that attaches to the rear of the alternator.

But-
Today, driving home, check to see what the voltmeter is running at. 10v. I needed to get home and it was a short distance so I risked it. Made it home, and as I was going down my street, the meter jumped to between 12 and 16. Then, just to see, I let it sit for 20 minutes (off, key out) and then took it for a jaunt to see what I could come up with now. Started fine, drove around fine, then after 10-15 minutes, it dropped to below 10v again. It's making me think it's a bad connection, possibly one of the battery cables.

I feel like I'm playing with fire here, it's really worrying me, because since my Mitsu is in the shop, I need to get to class.

RXnos1200

iTrader: (24)

The eyelet is a 12V power source. Do not ground that. It's wired up to your fusible link box. looks like you need to have your alt tested and your battery load tested now.

clbsinvaders

I just thought the eyelet was, wasn't sure. Thanks for clarification. It's supposed to be a new battery, but who knows if it's actually good from the store. Sometimes my shop gets bad batteries (work at an auto parts store) that is supposedly good and new.