1st Generation Specific (1979-1985) 1979-1985 Discussion including performance modifications and technical support sections

Engine Flooded? Need your opinion.

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Old Dec 18, 2003 | 06:01 PM
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faye x7's Avatar
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Engine Flooded? Need your opinion.

Engine flooded? I dunno. A week ago by brand new battery died on me and I figured it was my alternator, so I go buy a new alt....recharge my "new" battery and put it all in.

All the car does is turn...engine is spinning and spinning and spinning. Won't even attempt to fire.

I think it may be flooded because before when my battery was almost dead I kept trying to turn it over and get it started, but I had no luck. So you think I flooded the engine then?

Anyway, ideas are welcomed. I am really in need of my car as I cannot stand being stranded at home and getting rides to and from work at annoying.
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Old Dec 18, 2003 | 06:42 PM
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Sterling's Avatar
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From: Trying to convince some clown not to put a Holley 600 on his 12a.
You're gonna have to pull the plugs and wipe them off. Inspect them for carbon or junk. Wire brush them.
Get a truck or something with a big engine (and therefore big alternator) to jumpstart the seven with.
Never crank for more than 8 seconds at a time, and let the starter cool off in between (or you'll really be screwed!)
The big alternator from the jumper car will heave your engine faster than yours will. Often, they only need just a bit faster spin then the stock electrical can support when recovering from a flood.

Keep us posted.

There's a gazillion threads on this if you search. Carb vacuum leaks and engine flooding makes up about 10-15% of the questions in here. That's why you went 1/2 hour with no views to your post.
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Old Dec 19, 2003 | 01:33 AM
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faye x7's Avatar
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I've been here long enough to know I should have probably searched, but I guess I love to take chances. Anyway, I just got back from the Lord of the Rings movie and damn that was long. 3.5 hours I was inside that place.

Anyway, I'll check all that tomorrow and see what the deal is, by the way, thanks for the reply.

Greatly appreciated...

Alright, I just came back with a search on flooded engines. People seem to like to put ATF or MMO down the carb or somehow put it in the engine. I don't see how this works, so I refuse to do that. Plus I see people bitch and moan about how dumb it is. Seems like a split issue.

The other option I just read was to pull plugs....turn engine. Now, Will fuel be coming out of those holes? Will it pose a threat as far as safety goes. I would assume fuel spraying out would not be a good thing. How do I turn the engine by hand? Disconnect battery and what?

Sorry, but I am a complete ******* noob when it comes to cars. I'm willing to learn. I'm not dumb, I'm just not educated in the way of the car. I can learn fast and easy and from what work I have done, I love it...so I am willing to try anything and do anything. Well, so long as it's not stupid and retarded like pouring gobs of ATF down the carb.

Last edited by faye x7; Dec 19, 2003 at 01:49 AM.
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Old Dec 19, 2003 | 02:13 AM
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If you figure its flooding, take the cover off the air breather, and look into your carbs. If you see fuel, dripping in there, or collecting at the bottom of the carb, its flooding. I just went thru that alittle while ago. I just bought the car, and it had been sitting for a year or more, and it would always flood itself. I ran carb cleaner thru the gas tank 3 or 4 times, and used some kinda carb cleaner you spray down the barrels (sp)... while its running. Now the car never floods, starts up right away, even at like -30.....(so far, *knock on wood*)
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Old Dec 19, 2003 | 03:03 PM
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faye x7's Avatar
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Yeah, I just lifted up the cover on the air cleaner. I see lots of fuel dripping and just sitting about. By the way, I can't look into the glass on the bowls becuase they're farkin dirty as hell.
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Old Dec 19, 2003 | 03:13 PM
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Try Gumout's Carb Cleaner before you commit yourself to pulling the plugs....it is different than all the other carb or brake cleaners out there....Just spray it down the primary venturis and spray the air cleaner filter, too, then jump in and try to start the beast....I've had great success with just that to start anything that has flooded out.
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Old Dec 19, 2003 | 03:47 PM
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I'm glad i found this post, mine floods over night each time i drive the damn thing. What would cause the fuel just drip in the barrels after the car is turned off? The fuel is half way when i look into the windows on the carberator so i know thats alright, how can i fix this, because it floods everytime i turn the car off.
Thanks
David
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Old Dec 19, 2003 | 09:16 PM
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Just a week or so before my alt + batt died on me I had sprayed my carb with Gumout Carb/Choke cleaner. It was running rough for a bit, but then smoothed out...then of course the battery died and blah...

I don't see how sparying more crap down the intake is gonna help any. Wouldn't you be flooding the enging MORE with crap?
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Old Dec 19, 2003 | 10:11 PM
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In a word, no...fuel takes a lot to ignite....Gumout doesn't...
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Old Dec 20, 2003 | 08:47 AM
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MMO/ATF (need to squelch the later) down the carb helps build up compression when your chambers are flooded. Gas is very light and washes the compression chambers and effectively will not let you build compression. MMO will not dissipate as quickly letting you build compression enough to start. Carb cleaner or starting fluid is highly flammable making it easier to start as well. MMO is gods milk to a rotary (any engine for that matter.. I use it in all my vehicles- boingers to diesels).
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Old Dec 20, 2003 | 12:38 PM
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faye x7's Avatar
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Oki. thanks. By the way, I've got these plugs sitting there and I can't get them out because none of my sockets are large enough to fit around the hex. 3/4 is too small and 19mm the same.

I thought all spark plugs were the same size, as far as what socket I needed goes.

They're the typical NGK plugs by the way. Sorry if this is all retarded to you, but I'm a learning, Thanks.
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Old Dec 20, 2003 | 12:56 PM
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The odd time now when the car does start to act up, I give the carb a tap with a piece of wood and problems stop. I guess the float sticks, and dumps more fuel into the carb. At one point, my carb was so flooded, the secondaries were full to the brim with gas. Thats flooded..... I tapped the carb with a piece of wood. Turned it over for a couple of minutes, and it started up and ran fine.
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Old Dec 20, 2003 | 02:56 PM
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I cleaned off the glass sights and it's full of gas. So this is ..bad?
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Old Dec 20, 2003 | 03:47 PM
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From: Trying to convince some clown not to put a Holley 600 on his 12a.
Looking at the glass when the car has'nt been able to start just says whether it's getting fuel to the carb. It's only at idle that if they are not 1/2 way, then you really have a problem.

Sounds like your needles are sticking. Tap the bolt on each side of the top of the carb that the pip[e goes into a few times with the hard plastic handle of a screw driver. Sometimes this'll seat the needles, and fuel will stop coming in.
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Old Dec 20, 2003 | 07:56 PM
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faye x7's Avatar
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I gotta take off that damn air cleaner again...ah well, At least this time the rubber hoses won't be stuck to the damn thing, then again...one of those hoses was slightly annoying to get back on.
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Old Dec 21, 2003 | 08:10 AM
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Definately stuck needles/float. You can just pull the top half of the carb while its still on the car (just dont drop anything!). Check the gap on the floats (haynes manual is pretty good) and you should be set. The floats should stop gas from entering carb with just the fuel pump running or it will leak.
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Old Dec 22, 2003 | 10:44 PM
  #17  
faye x7's Avatar
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Engine flooded, de-flooded it...new plugs in. In the process I found out that my rear rotor has lost compression on two of the rotor faces. Guess I will be needing an new RX-7 as I do not have the time...place...or money to rebuild one.
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Old Dec 23, 2003 | 06:46 AM
  #18  
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Throw some MMO in the rotors-each face, then comp test again. With all that gas it may be compressor washed. If still low then brew it overnight with MMO or water clean it, try again. Worth a shot...
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Old Dec 23, 2003 | 03:34 PM
  #19  
faye x7's Avatar
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****, Gig Harbor, eh? If only I stayed in Lakewood, you could help me out. heh
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Old Dec 23, 2003 | 10:09 PM
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check the spark plugs, cheak if theres power goin to the engine check the gas pump and the computer.

Happened to me the other day, the car try to start but never did when i moved sum of the cable in the computer the car started riteaway. probably was the one goin to the gas pump.

yo good luck i know i how much it hurts to c yo 7 just sittin there.
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