lordrhett

Ok so I just put a new 13b, mildly street ported in my 84 gsl-se. I did it myself but I'm far from an expert. I've currently got about 1600 miles on it, so I'm not done with the breakin.

I'm have some reacuring starting problems, I'll try to describe all the various symptoms I'm seeing and maybe someone can make some sense of them.

When I first start the car cold, I give it no gas and it starts right up but promply dies.

Next I start it again right away, it starts fine and I give it some gas, let off and it hangs at about 1500 rpm.

After about 2-3 minutes, the idle kicks up 300 rpm or so.

After I drive it several miles, the idle is very erradic, but under 1000. When the car is very warm it idles pretty steadly at 800 rpm but I can hear it missing and small pops in the exhaust.

Now my day to day driving works fine, 10 miles to school, between 2-4 hours at school then drive home. No problem. Anytime I do something odd, it gives me trouble:

A few hours after school I drive the car to dinner, 10 miles or so. The car is fully warm by the time I arrive. I shut of the engine. 1.5 hours later, I come back to my car and it will not start. Cranks and cranks but will not hit. I get a ride home with a friend and 1.5 hours later I come back to the car which now feel totally cold. The car starts up fine, just a little smoke.

So basicially the car starts fine cold, and will start again fine if I shut it off for just a few minutes. But if its shut off for an hour or so so that its still warm but cooling off, it will not start again till its completely cold.

Any ideas?

Rhett

84-GSLSE

Mine does the same exact thing your car does, except I have 148000 miles on mine. All I can say is to fix the warm starting problem I got some good RB plugs and that fixed it. Apparently the plugs I had in there could not ignite the exess gass in the chamber and only after it had evaporated or drained out would it start. As far as the other problems I dont have any idea. I have just gotten used to hitting the gass when I turn it on, then I give it some warm up time. Good luck!

lordrhett

Oh I've got NGK BR8EQ14 plugs in right now. Should I be using different plugs since this is mildly street ported ? I'm sure there are probably numerous threads on this subject and i'll look after I finish posting this

lordrhett

Since this is fuel injected, should I be touching the gas when I start or not ? Do I risk flooding it ?

Max7

Mine does'nt want to start all the time when warmed up, shut off then try to start it 1/2 later.
sometime it does, sometime it don't.
not very predictiable, 103k on it, new injectors and plugs.
I think its a temp sensor going faulty.
I just put the gas to floor and start it fires up everytime.
just let up a second or two after cranking.
I only do this in the "iffy" situations.
when cold, no pedal, just crank.

rex alot

Do either of you have an owners manual? If you do, read it. It covers this. I have one and read it a while ago so I can't remember the page#, I'll have to check tonight. When starting your se cold you should step on the gas once, all the way to the floor BEFORE turning the key. After you step on the gas you go ahead and start it. I don't want to miss quote the manual so I won't write why yet. I need to bring it in tomarrow and I'll quote it, but it is explained why you should do this. Anyway, try it out. This is for se's only as far as I know.

By the way, lordrhett,I live in Santa Maria and work up in SLO. Which se in town is yours? I'll look for you. Mine is beige with stock rims, but it's lowered.

84-GSLSE

By pressing the gas all the way to the flor what youare doing is telling the computer that your motor is flooded, and by dooing so it is limiting the amount of gas in the chamber. So If your motor is ever flooded this is an easy way of starting it up. This also works some times with your warm start problem, becuse your car is flooded.

lordrhett

Black, stock rims, oxidized paint.
See yeah around....

lordrhett

Which plugs did you get ?

Jason Guthrie

My 85SE used to do that too. I had electrical issues from my understanding. Voltage Regulator I think it was. I also had a major tune up done which now makes it start like instantly. Doesn't make that noise or turning over. 148,000 on odometer.


Unfortunately, my car is one of those $2800 cars that needs $5000 in body restoration from rubbers, to dings, to paint, to moldings.... ugh.

hanman

Ok, here is an answer.
First, make sure that the car is tuned well. New plugs, wires, dizzy cap, rotor, fuel filter, air filter, etc.
Second, I strongly suggest replacing your old worn out battery cables with a new set. I prefer to make my own out of 4GA and 2GA wire. I cannot stress what a huge difference this will make on a GSL-SE!!!

Then go to this link and print out the article, it is awesome! This guy went to a lot of work figuring out how to tune and adjust an SE.
http://mrmazda.members.atlantic.net/gslseidle.html

If you do all of this and your car still won't run right, sorry, but I am out of ideas.
hope this helps,
hanman

repuguru

Wow that step on the pedal starting procedure is news to me. I never even read my manual. I guess I just assumed I knew my Mazdas.

Thanks Hanman. That SE site is loaded with good info.

Erratic idle is one problem I have expierienced. Not all the time though. Another problem I have "sometimes" is the drop off feeling when you let off the gas pedal. Its like the injection is set up on an on and off switch. It really becomes obvious at higher that around town speeds.

But like I said. It is only sometimes it does this. Most of the time it is running fine.

FJ

^A few words within your quote, in case you missed it.

My only other thought is the fuel pressure regulator. It should regulate to 28 psi with vacuum (i.e. at idle) and 37 without (i.e. wide open throttle). If it is bad or your vacuum line to the regulator is cracked or misconnected, it will start fine, as a cold engine likes fuel. But starting warm, it will have too much pressure. The regulator is supplying 37psi instead of 27, causing it to mildly flood. Not sure if that would cause a no start or a hard start, just a thought. A fuel pressure gauge is not expensive and it would be easy to check.
An open or cracked vacuum line to the regulator could also cause your idle problems. The warmer the engine is, the less severe the symptoms of a vacuum leak (in my experience). Which may explain your decent idle after it is VERY warm.

The only sensor that I know of that would cause a no start or that much of a problem with a warm start would be the thermo sensor. Green connector, just behind the water pump from the passenger side. It should read 2.45 Kohms @ 68*F and 0.32Kohms @175*F. There are two air temp sensors, but the water sensor would be my first suspect.

Cleaning the engine grounds, even installing larger alt and ground wires as hanman mentioned is a definite plus. Your problems could simply be a result of bad grounding. Adding an extra ground from the battery negative to the block won't hurt a FI engine either.

A few thoughts, hope it helps...

-John.

repuguru :"Another problem I have "sometimes" is the drop off feeling when you let off the gas pedal. Its like the injection is set up on an on and off switch."

Do you mean when you let off the throttle and it seems you ran into somebody? Then you gently apply the gas and it seems you've been rear ended? That sure sounds like a mis-adjisted TPS. Always. If you've checked that, maybe I'm misunderstanding your symptom?

-John.

repuguru

FJ
It not quite as abrubt as a car rearending me. It is noticeable. It is almost like my O2 sensor isn't reading fast enough and the mixture is wrong when I de-cell.

FJ

I was exaggerating a bit , but when my TPS has been off it feels almost that severe when letting off the throttle.
Just for information, I had disconnected my O2 sensor at one point just to see the effect, and felt no difference while driving or at idle. No doubt emissions were up.

If it occurs only when you let off, maybe a bad dash pot or sticky throttle linkage?

-John.