I bought a GSL-SE last fall that I really haven't had much time to work on. It starts and runs fine for approximatly 5 or 6 minutes until it warms up, then it dies and won't start back up until its cooled down a little. After it sits for 5 or 10 minutes, it'll start again... run a couple of minutes and die.

The car has been this way since I bought it. Appears to be totally stock. I've searched around some... but haven't had much luck. What suggestions do you guys have? Thanks guys...

 

Check your electrical and fuel systems. Check for an incorrect adjust of the idle screw. Examine the operation of the anti-afterburn valve. Check for defest in the hot start assist system. Examine fuses and fusible lines for possible failure or faulty connection. Check ignition timing. Have your Mazda dealer check the engine for low compresion; note that conventional compression test equipment cannot be used on the rotary engine.

This has all been from the Haynes manual. If you don't already, purchase a Haynes manual for the car. While it's not the best, it is something to go off of and is generally close enough to find the problem.

I have a GSL-SE but have had no problems with it. My guess is that there is a loose connection somewhere. Check the connections near the air filter box. You might also have a vacuum problem.

Also, give this link a look. It's the FSM (Field Service Manual); same thing you get from the dealer:
http://www.wankel.net/~krwright/cars/rx7/85_manual.html

 

Hmm, how do the plugs look? Black, as in running too rich? Maybe a coolant sensor issue, which would make it run rich when warm.

Wait for the Doc to check in. He'll be able to set you straight for sure (I'm just a lowly apprentice)...

 

^+1.

Half the time, what the Haynes manual says, is far from what the problem could be. I'm also one to agree with the spark plugs. Don't know why I didn't think of that on my own.

 

Idle seems a little on the high side... around 1400 or so. The plugs looked okay, a little black, but not too bad. I've checked all the fuses right after I got it... they're all good.

 

you do a full tune up?

 

Well, I can think of a dozen "possible" causes for this issue, but rather than clutter a potentially good thread with a whole lot of guesses I think we should wait for the expert.

The fact that it runs fine when cold, but dies when hot, should be an indication of a faulty sensor or control for the fuel injection system. When cold, the car runs in kind of a dumb, automatic mode. Once it warms up, the ECU wakes up and tries to take over. The ECU decides what the engine needs to run based on information collected from those sensors. If it receives bad information, then you will get bad results.

A bad coolant sensor will tell it to go back to sleep because the engine is too cold (actually, it just won't wake up at all and usually results in really bad fuel economy). If the air flow sensor is bad, then the ECU will mess up on the air/fuel mixture. Guesses like this could go on forever, but somebody will read your post and probably nail it on the first swing. The last F.I. system I really understood was on the old Z cars, and that was about 15 years ago. Good luck...

 

3 Years as a member and you still have not learned anything. What I'm saying is that I have answered a ton of threads on the SE. Hell, the Se is in the archives and in the FAQ's.(refeering to the thread starter).

But, here we go again. I'm not going to throw a bunch of things at you. Just one at a time. First one is when the car dies and you go to restart do you see the tachometer working? Meaning if you have an ignitor that is heat sinking then it will shut off the signal for the fuel pump and it will die.

Kentetsu, you are learning. Once the car is started the coolant temp sensor can not cause it to stop running. It can cause it to run very rich or lean depending and I have only seen them cause it to run rich. If the coolant temp sensor was unplugged you could not start the car. It is the only sensor on the Se that can do this. The sensor can cause a very hard start if it is bad especially when it is at operrating temp or it is very warm outside.

 

Thanks for the ideas thus far. The first GSL-SE I had 3 years ago ran great... shouldn't have sold it, but I did... and now here I am with this one.

As far as the tach goes, what exactly do you mean by it working? It works when the car will start, but when I'm restarting it when its hot I'm able to turn the car over but it won't ever fire.

The car does seem hard to start when its cold, but then again it hasn't been ran much due to this issue. It does have fresh gas in it though.

 

Does the tach move when the car will not start?

 

What the Doc is saying is, the tach depends on the trailing ignitor (and so does the fuel pump). So if the trailing ignitor is dying on you when it gets warm, the tach will not move when cranking the motor over.

So the question remains; after it dies and refuses to start, does the tach needle still show the rpms while cranking?

 

Going to stay out of this one, except for 2 corrections. FSM=Factory Service Manual, nit picky, I know, lol. The ecu does not 'wake up' once the engine is warm, it works all of the time.

 

Nag, nag, nag... I was just attempting to explain the difference between running in a closed loop Vs. open loop mode.

 

Nagging my job, haven't you figured that out yet. By open/closed loop, are you refering to the O2 sensor or something else?

 

You guys fight like your married....LOL
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This RX7 family is becomeing more disfuncional by the day....HAHAHA

 

Sorry to be off-topic, but damn I think that may also be the reason for my fuel gauge not working properly.


And, the FSM is you're friend. An internet version of what you get from the dealer, and cheaper than paying $100+ for one from the dealer.
http://www.wankel.net/~krwright/cars/rx7/85_manual.html