perfect_circle

okay, i searched, but do you have any idea how many electrical problems there are related to starting... anyway the piece of crap wouldnt start this morning, just click, then nothing, so i checked the battery, and it had a fine connection, then i checked the connections at the starter and they were fine too

i then got my buddies truck and tried jumping it, it got it to buzz at me cause the door was open, but that was it, it would cut out when i turned it. so i got the battery charger, set it to boost, and it fired right up.... i turned it off, and tried it without the boost and nothing, not a damn thing.

so i hooked the booster back up, and it cranked really slow, and my tach was jumping to like 3k. i fiddled with the connections(because i have no idea what im doing.) and eventually got it to start.

so i let it run for a while as im putting everthing away, and when i went to revv the engine to leave, it started to bog, and i couldnt save it. it died(im thinking no spark) so i went and got everything back out. and now it wont start even with the booster hooked up it wont do anything. just everyonce in a while all the dummy lights will come on, but then they disapear. and the buzz sounds different than it usually does.

so my hunch is its the starter solenoid screwing with my ****, or something inside the dlidfis which i dont understand.

so any insight that will help me get to class tonight so i can take my final, i would love to hear.

bliffle

You sound confused and desparate, so lets start by getting the facts.

Has this car been running, and only now acting up?

How long have you had the DLIDFS? Was the car running OK before conversion?

Have you tested the battery electrolyte with a hydrometer? You can get a small hydrometer at the autostore which floats 4 ***** in the column of fluid. It's only about $4. Well worth it.

Have you measured the voltage drops between the battery posts and chassis ground? You can get a decent voltmeter for $15 anywhere, and $6 at harborfreight.

In another thread a couple days ago I documented my methodical search in a similar situation. Look here:

https://www.rx7club.com/1st-generation-specific-1979-1985-18/starter-problem-749230/

There's no substitute for facts.

FirebirdSlayer666

iTrader: (3)

Sounds like the battery might be toast to me. Take it out, have it tested at an auto parts store. Charge it for an hour or so if necessary and test it again. As a word to the wise for EVERYONE, DO NOT try to recharge a dead battery with the alterator of a car. This puts a tremendous amount of stress on the alternator and will lead to premature failure

1979rx-7

iTrader: (1)

same problem i had the other day put in a new battery and all is well

bliffle

I know at least two people who put in new batteries and it 'solved' their starting problem because the act of changing the battery improved the battery post connections, not because of the fresh battery. I know because I took their old battery and put it to use elsewhere and there was no problem.

Always test the battery electrolyte with a hydrometer and clean the connections before wasting unnecessary time and money on a new battery.

perfect_circle

i dont have those fancy tools at my disposal. i replaced the starter, the battery and the terminal things, at the end of the cables. and its still hit or miss, so im going to replace the cables tomorrow. any other advice? if the cables dont fix it what else could it possibly be?

djessence

Battery....

Bring it in somewhere, most places like autozone will test if for free.

Kentetsu

Have you checked the fusible links? Other than that, start with the basics:

1. Is there spark on leading?
2. Is there spark on trailing?
3. Do you have fuel to the carb?

bliffle

Is the starter turning over?

What happens when you try to start the car?

Fancy tools? A hydrometer is $4 from the autostore. A voltmeter is $15 at radio shack and $6 at harborfreight. Sounds like you spent $100 for a starter, $60 for a battery and probably $30 for other parts and you still don't have the problem solved or even have it isolated.

gsl-se addict

iTrader: (3)

Don't forget the battery terminal cleaner... ~ $4

These are all tools that you should have on hand anyways...they will pay for themselves many times over.

RustyRacer

Click = dead battery.

Just because it's new doesn't mean it's good.

perfect_circle

battery has enough juice to roll the window up and down, walmart wouldnt return it because their tester said it was good. it wont crank, thats the problem. my next guess is the dlidfis is to blame, and ill need to wire up the secondary coil.

i know i have fuel, whenits cranking, but i cant get it to crank.

and i havent spent anything on parts.. i have a spare in my back yard. i havent recieved a check from my job, i just started there. so i cant afford to buy anything else.


its not a new battery i took it out of my escort, so i know it was good.

bliffle

OK, now we have some data, to whit:

-good battery
-enough juice to roll windows
-no crank

questions:

-does the solenoid click at all?
-what does the on-dash voltmeter read when you attempt to crank?
-did you clean the battery posts and inside the cable clamps with an old piece of sandpaper when you had the chance?
-are the cable cinch bolts tight?
-at night, or in a darkened garage, if you attempt cranking while the headlights are on, do the headlights dim excessively?

perfect_circle

okay, i replaced the wires between the battery and the starter, and now it will crank reliably, i got it to start but it was running very slugish and wouldnt idle. so i thought i may have switched the leading wires, so i switched the. it would start either way. i replaced the plugs with an older set i had, thinking they may be fouled. now it wont start at all.

perfect_circle

alright, so i got it running without switching the plugs back to the original ones. so i took it for a drive, it acts like its a fuel starvation and its backfiring and boggin alot. i think somewhere along the line electricity thats supposed to be going to the plugs is getting detoured. does this sound like a legitimate estimation.

perfect_circle

keep in mind that if i could be editing my post, i would be, but i have elapsed the ammount of time for that to be acceptable . anyway i ventured out there again, after looking at some pictures and the sparkplug wires on the leading ignitor were backwards. so i swapped them, but it still wouldnt hold an idle.

the idle speed was set to about 300 rpms, so i bumped it up a notch and now it purrs like a kitten... i guess the difference in electrical power going to the ignitors was enough to change the intensity to the point where i would need to allow for more air and fuel coming into the engine, which doesnt make sense because in theory the better battery cables.(the ones that fixed the problem) should have allowed MORE electricity and i would thing that would create a more intense spark thus needing less air and fuel for idle. and increasing it, not decreasing it.

everytime this car breaks i remember why i hate rx7's and everytime i fix it, i remember why i love them.

djessence

Just a word of advice because it can save you money in the long run.
Troubleshoot to isolate the problem. You said that you are going to blame DLIDFIS next but your car wont crank. Those are completely independent problems.

One provides spark and one is the starter is not turning the engine.

Once you get the car to crank, then move on to spark issues.

Then you switched plug wires on a whim instead of tracing them and seeing if they were correct.

EDIT, I see you've addressed this but it still applies. You may not have had to replace the starter, just the wires.... Alot of people these days replace parts untill it quasi works and then go back to the basics. Im guilty of that as well.



Good to hear you got it running. Not too sure how your idle speed was set to 300rpm as thats barely above starter cranking speed. Once you do get paid or whatever, the listed tools (equaling about $40 for all of them) will be invaluable. You can test just about anything electrical with the V-meter.

perfect_circle

i dont mean to sound like a condescending little twit because i do appreciate the help, and i respect the majority of you.

i was assuming that there was an electrical problem and because i dont know how the dlifdis works i can rule things out accept for that. i guess my assumption was wrong that a large ammount of juice ran through it, and if it were to fail than power would be cut from everything. the only reason i changed the starter was too see if it was the solenoid, which took all of about 20 mins. like i said about the spark plug wires, i must have gotten them switched around at some point, i didnt think that would fix the problem, and i couldnt just look to see if they were right because i didnt know which one was supposed to be on which rotor(again i didnt install the dlidfis)

and as far as the idle speed i was certain i wouldnt need to touch that or the mixture seen as how they werent altered. and it wasnt actually idling at 300 it would fire and then run for about 10 seconds or less, try to stay alive, but not hunting. thats when i considered the idle speed was too low. i dont know how it idled at that setting before though.....

anyway, thanks all for your patience and wisdom, and i will look into the tools when i get some cash flow.

perfect_circle

okay, so i took it for a ride, and its still being boggy and backfiring, so dont know whats going on. i cant think of any reason why i wouldnt be getting fuel still.

all i can think up is that ive screwed up something in the ignition department.

or something else has failed and its just a coincidence that they happened together

risingsunroof82

iTrader: (3)

I just gotta know, what is this dlidfis?????? I've read a lot of stuff on here and I just now today have seen this a couple times........... what is it?

djessence

direct fire ignition system. Ignition upgrade. Check the FAQ's for more info

couldnt remember what the first 3 letters were "Dual Leading Ignitor Direct Fire Ignition System"

heres a decent thread https://www.rx7club.com/1st-generation-specific-1979-1985-18/2-msd-boxs-vs-dlidfis-end-all-742338/

More in the FAQ's as well

FirebirdSlayer666

iTrader: (3)

If it's backfiring, it is dumping fuel into the exhaust system, so it would be either rich or the plugs are semi fouled and not firing properly

clbsinvaders

Make sure all filters are good, as well as the gas. The in tank filter could be clogged. An alternative viewpoint, also, it's extra insurance.

perfect_circle

okay, so this morning, it started then stalled, then click. click. damnit.

so i take my moms car to work. i worked a double after class so i didnt have time to pick up new plugs. but when i got home, for shiggles i tried to start it, and it cranked. i didnt try and start it cause its 1:30. but i thought i fixed the problem with no power going to starter....all im thinking is its the one wire that just sorta clips onto the starter solenoid...but i dont really know what i can do about that....

so ill take a loot at that, and as far as the running problem, im gonna check for spark, and check the fuel filter(which i had originally ruled out just because it doesnt seem to be fuel related) but i wouldnt put it past the rx7 gods to throw a curve ball at me like that.

Kentetsu

I'm betting that your jets are clogged Cody. Not that hard to pull them out and check them if you use the toothpick method.