Hey guys, I have no clue what to do now, can’t get my 83 gsl 12a to start, got new fuel pump and filter, new spark plugs, new coil and ignition control module, got spark at all plugs, fuel is getting to the carb but I only see little dribbles of fuel going into the bowls, still won’t start adding gas to the carb or giving it a little spray of starting fluid (using starting fluid i get a little smoke out the tail pipe.) it doesn’t try to spudder or anything just cranks over, I’m lost to what to do now

 

Have you replaced the cap and rotor?

 

Has the car ever ran for you? I am very curious about the ignition timing. I would like to know if the engine is flooded.

 

Do a compression test to make sure you're not wasting your time. You have fuel, spark. Only two things left are compression and timing.

 

I have not, I just figured they were good since I was getting good spark, I will go and replace them

 

No, I got it as a project car that hasn’t been running for 3+ years, the guy I got it from figured it was an electrical problem ( the fusible links) I had since fixed that issue

 

thanks I’ll have to go find a compression tester, and how would I go about finding out my timming and adjusting it?

 

Quickest way is to have someone available to crank engine over for you...hook up a timing light to leading,then trailing ignition and looking for the light to flash when mark on bottom pulley lines up with pin in front cover.

 

If you are not sure about the timing you will have to manually verify it by looking at the flywheel through the top inspection plate. Also you would need to make sure the dizzy is at the right position as well as the marks on the pulley, if the pulley is on there correctly.

 

When my Rx7 won't start it is usually flooded. Remove the spark plugs, unplug the fuel pump and turn the engine over a few times to clear the engine. Put the spark plugs back in, plug in the fuel pump, put a capful of ATF in each carb barrel and crank it over. If flooding is the issue that should get it to start. Be aware that you will produce a lot of white smoke.

 

Check compression.

 

Would definitely check to make sure it isn't flooded, then the timing. Good Luck.

 

For what it's worth... when my 13B flooded last and the seals became stuck... I had virtually no compression and could turn the engine over by hand with hardly any resistance.

Once I de-flooded and un-stuck the seals, the engine made compression once again.
Also, what does it sound like when you're cranking? It's usually pretty distinct sounding when a rotary isn't making compression. *engine wirring*

 

Remove inspection plate on right rear of engine,turn engine over by hand until the flywheel is in identical position as pic. The flats of flywheel lined up with side of engine. This will be TDC for #1 rotor. Look on bottom pulley for the marks to line up with the pin in front cover,they should. If not remove 4 10mm headed bolts that hold pulley on and orient it such that they do and install and tighten bolts. Take off dist.cap and shield below rotor and put rotor back on,should look exactly like the pic,if it does the engine is mechanically in time. If not remove dist.and align marks on shaft like you see in pic and reinstall,rotor should be in same position as pic-directly under the L1 plug wire terminal in the cap. Do not wish to contradict previous poster advising use of atf...atf has wonderful properties for loosening carbon which sometimes gets where you wish it hadn't. Pre mix oil or engine oil is a better choice. 20 cc down each barrel with throttle open and turn engine thru by HAND 1/2 dozen times to distribute around rotor housing helps lube housing/rotorand helps apex seals better build compression to aid in starting. Fresh gas is a must also,if don't know how old,drain and put new in. Last,possibility carb is partially plugged from old gas/dirt/rust,but should be able to get it to fire momentarily with some carb cleaner sprayed down throat of carb. Have the plugs come out wet when you've checked them previously?

 

Is it a roller? I'm not claiming this is a good idea... at all, but this has worked for me in the past. Try doing a rolling clutch driven start. This turns the engine over much faster than the starter and will get a questionable engine to build compression well enough to run. I would always pull the plugs, crank over without the fuel pump running, inject 10cc's or so of fresh oil in the leading plug hole, rotate the engine a few times by hand to spread around the new oil, close everything back up and roll it down the slight incline of my driveway. This kept my hayes rebuild (was in the car when I got it years ago) running for much longer than it had any right to. The chrome flaking on that engine was around 2" in places. The concern with doing it this way is flexing everything and causing chatter or metal on metal contact of the rotor to the end plates or housing walls.