Well pretty good day of driving i left my car in a parking lot and it started raining. after about an hour I started the car and drove about for about 5 minutes. Then we stopped for a minute and then started driving again. After about 5 minutes of my car driving very bad it got even worse and started to have no power at all. Eventually i had to pull over in a ditch. The car would start but then die if i gave it any gas and eventually the car would start and then would die seconds after.
Pretty much the car was acting the same as though it could not warm up so i'm thinking its something to due with the cold start. Just checking to see what you guys think.

 

Carb or FI? What year? More info please.

I would suggest that you check for spark, make sure the ignitors are still working. You aren't out of gas, are you? How old is the fuel filter?

Did this problem start all of a sudden, or slowly get worse over time?

If it turns out to be carb related, then do some reading over at www.sterlingmetalworks.com

Good luck....



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Carb, 1980, 54k miles.
Currently i'm having my dad take a look at it, who is a trained mechanic, but i was just wanted to get some opinions from some rx7 guys as well.
I had an almost full tank and the oil filter was replaced about 1,000 miles ago.
I dont know if this was a reoccurring problem because i just bought the car and have only put 500 miles or so on it.
The only similar problem to this was that when i did not let my car warm up for about 10 minutes the car would have no power in the first 3k rpms.

 

Having no power below 3k when not warmed up is really not rare. Properly warming up a rotary is an important part of engine longevity. As far as the not restarting I am sure someone with more expertise can help you with that.

 

Fuel filter, not oil filter. Did you change the fuel filter and do a full tuneup when you bought the car? The stock fuel filters are notorious for clogging, which would explain your poor running and dieing problem. It's a cheap part, about $6, easy to change and makes a big difference. I have made it a habit to change mine every spring, whether it needs it or not. It's located on the drivers side just in front of the rear end. Small white canister thing. That would be the first thing to check.

 

Sorry I thought you had said oil filter b/c I read it too fast. I'll definatly have to take a look at that. As for the warming up part I'm already aware that it's fairly common, I was just saying the car was acting similar to how it acts when not warmed up.

 

how do you properly warm it up, because i drive mine when it goes in between the 2 notches at cold but not in high rpms ...??

 

That seems about right. I let mine warm up until the choke pops back in, but if you don't have a choke that is about the same temp when mine pops back. I try not to let the rpm's past 3k before the temp is at reg operational temp. After that, well, a good run to redline every time driven is a rule of thumb I live by. If not for reliability it sure is fun.

 

does it sound like a helicopter when you're trying to turn it on? does it make any other noises?

check fuel filter since that's an easy one and if you're not sure how long it's been since replaced then change it, it can only help. it sounds like that or a vacuum leak to me ...but one thing at a time lol.

 

Cold start is for ambient temps below zero. Sounds like a fuel filter, as already mentioned. Its only $5 and some fuel down your arms. An 80 with 54k has obviously sat for a while at some time during its life. How long have you had it? Has it been sitting recently?

It's a SA. Stu's gonna want pictures

 

Surprisingly enough it didnt sit for a long period of time it but it was garage kept. For a long time the owner just drove it into town once a week or so just to keep it running good, but when the clutch went out she put it up for sale and then i bought it.

 

you know sometimes my 12a does that...it starts hard (almost helicopter sounding like you said....its wierd) then once it wrms up its fine......i wonder ehy mine does that sometimes. Vacuum leak?

 

Wow I would love to hear what this helecopter sound is like....don't think I have heard that noise out of the two 1st gens I own...

 

on mine its very crazy sounding ...like it wants to die but it doesn't..and seriosuly it only lasts maybe 10 to 20 seconds (exhaust smokes like crazy)...after that it (the sound and the smoke) goes away and she warms up perfectly....in the past two weeks it has happen like 2 or 3 times...wierd stuff.....ive wondered why that happens

 

kinda sounds like stuck seals....it only happens to me when the infamous hose right above the exhaust gets burnt and it creates a vacuum leak, it's very unique, if you really wanna hear it take the hose off and try starting it :P lol.

 

Mine sounded like that....... right after the rear rotor tossed an apex seal. If the sound goes away then one of yours seals is probably sticking. Dump some Seafoam down the intake and rotate the engine, dump more down and rotate again. The idea is to get some into each chamber so it can soak into any carbon that may be causing your seals to stick.