4ohfour

I have tried everything that I can think of to try and get my engine to start, replaced the oil, replaced battery connectors, check sparkplugs, checked wires, checked seals, check fuel pump EVERYTHING!!!

stilll, nothing it turns over but doesn't start.

anyone with even the weirdest off-the-wall idea, Please post and help me, I wanna drive again!!!

cheers'

geikiganger

It's turning over but not starting? Have you looked over the entire fuel system? If it's a carb, is there fuel getting into it. Carb might also need cleaning. Other than that look over your hoses and make sure all of your vacuums are good. Maybe the cat is plugged up (this was the ghost that haunted my car for 3 months)...it's easy enough to unbolt the exhaust from the manifold to check...

Lots more guys on here know more than me though. Really need more info on the problem...

SilverRocket

If everything else is good, sounds to me like you might have a vacuum problem. Here is a likely culprit: On the passenger side of the carb, there is a big *** black rubber vacuum hose that runs down to the bottom of the intake manifold next to the firewall. It has something to do with controlling the air pump (this is from memory since I don't have an air pump anymore lol). If this big *** hose were to fall off/break/whatever, you wouldn't be able to start your car no matter how hard you tried.

It's pretty hard to get your hand down there if you still have all the emissions gear and sub-zero tank... but you should check this out.

Otherwise, very carefully check all the vacuum lines for leaks.

Are you sure it's getting fuel?? Do a volume test to make sure - check your Haynes for details or search the forum.

Other ideas:

Is it flooded? Check for gas on the plugs. Rotaries get flooded and don't unflood themselves. Search the forum for more details.

Also, make sure your battery is FULLY charged.

You just need to keep checking everything, even the simple ****. Times like this, it's usually something so basic you'll laugh for 5 mins when you figure it out.

Good luck!

rxseven

12A or 13B??

Smeagol

iTrader: (1)

fusible links maybe?

mar3

iTrader: (8)

Or even his "engine" fuse in the fuse box next to the steering column. Replace it anyway and see if that helps. If you've got the fuel part going OK, you're going to have to pull the plugs and clean them prior to trying to start the car after replacing the fuse. There is no alternative, sadly, to getting the plugs clean enough for spark after they've been soaked by unburned fuel...

RotorMotorDriver

iTrader: (1)

HEY!! That was it on my car!! The hose was cracked and broken in a few places, but some electrical tape cleard that problem right up till I drove the car down to the store to get a new one! Also, my car ran when I parked it, Then it sat for a lil while (a couple months) and then it wouldnt start...At first I thought it was flooded cause I used the choke excessivly, but then I heard a weird "hissing" noise while my dad was trying to start it, so I went though and checked all my vaccuum connections and/or lines, fixed that bad boy and she fired right up . Good Luck Man!

~T.J.

4ohfour

I was rooting around (removed the air cleaner assembly) and found a pipe that has a screw type connector on it (a metal clamp that tightens with the turn of a screw) it was underneath the carb near the bottom of the car (i saw it while inspecting the underside) when the engine went, i heard a bang, any ideas as to the purpose of this pipe? it's about 3/4 inch and black rubber.

the engine is a 12a

cheers'

SilverRocket

Hmmmmm....

Are you saying that you found this tube disconnected from where it should be? As in, it is now completely separate from the car?

You need to describe this 'pipe' in more detail if we are going to tell you what it is. How long is it? Is it curved or straight, and if it is curved by how much? Are the clamps on both sides or only one?

Exactly how careful were you when you put your air cleaner back on? Did you forget to re-attach one of the vacuum hoses, like oh say the shutter valve hose (the big curved one about 5 inches long)? I'm not sure if this would actually cause your starting problems, but it wouldn't help lol.

Like I mentioned before, you should make sure this pipe you've found isn't the air control tube we were talking about.

I strongly recommend you turn your Haynes manual to the emissions control diagram page, and spend a few hours carefully double-checking every single vacuum connection. I'm getting more and more of a feeling that this is a vacuum issue.

MIKE-P-28

iTrader: (1)

that rubber hose at the back of the carb is notorious for causing problems, but Im betting on the worst, id say motor, you do a compression check?

SilverRocket

Here's just a really off the wall idea... is there any way your distributor is installed completely wrong? Did you take it off at any point? If your timing were really screwed in some way she wouldn't start.

But Mike is right - go outside and do a compression check!! It'll take you 5mins and then we'll all know for sure. Then we can get down to business and figure out the real problem. Here's how it's done:

Pull the spark plugs for one rotor out and disconnect the wires from the coils so you don't have any power running through the ignition system. Now let the starter turn the engine over. You should hear three loud and distinct "pffftt" sounds coming from the spark plug holes everytime the motor turns over. They should all sound exactly the same. Now, if you get something else, like 2 strong pulses and then a weak one, you know you have a problem. Repeat the test for the other rotor. Assuming this test goes well, you can rest assured that your compression is fine and something else is the matter.

4ohfour

I did the test, pulled out the sparkplug (top one one both rotors) and turned it over, heard 3 large puffs. no seal problem there

the hose is near the very bottom of the car, when i go under the car I can see the end it is open, it seems to be straight and is rubber, no visible curves, it is about 4 - 6 inches long and has clamps on both ends.

there is no way it cold reach the air cleaner assembly.

I also checked all the hoses coming out of the back of the carb, all seem to be looking good.

cheers'

smnc

You already tried the de-flooding (ATF) procedure, right?

SilverRocket

Hold on a sec... to do the test you pull only the 2 plugs for each rotor out at a time, meaning the top one and the bottom one on either the left or right rotor. After this you do the other rotor (ie. the right top and bottom plugs if you started on the left).

Maybe I'm misunderstanding you, but if you pulled the top plug for each rotor out and turned it over, that's not the right way to do it. The purpose of the test is to check each rotor individually.

As for this mysterious hose, I'm not really sure what it could be... you should check your Haynes to see what it is. You don't have a digital cam by any chance do you? If you could scan in a pic, maybe someone here could identify it. It's hard to understand where exactly you're talking about from just your posts.

Can you tell us what the other end of the hose is connected to? That might clarify the description.

Keaponlaffen

Is it just me, or did I just hear the exact same thing in another post? A post with the title " possible big problem, seriously need some help"

{ctrl+c} {ctrl+v}

SilverRocket

Gotta love them fast keys thingys....

Since no one ever searches the forum, it's the only way to do it.

It's a great way to spread my dubious advice around too lol.

4ohfour

I have a digi-cam and I will grab a pic of the pipe, anyone got hosting?

i did the compression tests on each rotor (top one out, on the first one, replaced, top one out on second, replaced)

cheers'

SilverRocket

I believe you can host for free on www.webphotos.com, just gotta sign up. That's where I upload my photos.

I can't wait, we're all gonna see this mysterious tube, and we're gonna be even more perplexed lol!

RotorMotorDriver

iTrader: (1)

Ok, call me crazy, but i think he ment to pull BOTH plugs for each rotor (IE - top left, and bottom left. Then top right, and bottom right). Maybe it doesnt matter, but if it does, it would be better for you to do it right and get and accurate reading, than to do it wrong and think you got an accurate reading. Then later figure out it was wrong all along after youve done a lot of unnecessary work...I kinda got lost writting that, I hope it makes sense .

~T.J.

SilverRocket

RotorMotorDriver is right. At least that's the way I've always seen recommended. Technically I'm not sure that it would make difference, but it ain't a bad idea to do it the right way, at least for us amateurs!

It's not really a 'reading' though per se, it's really just a rough test to see if you've blown your motor or not. From what I've heard, in most situations it's either P-P-P (good), or P-p-p (blown apex seal) or P-P-p (blown side seal.

I'm just interested as to what this hose is gonna turn out to be.

4ohfour

Okay, after getting all dirty and almost dropping my digi-cam twice, i got some good photos.

I circled the hose and took 2 images, be warned they are rather large, so 56kers give it a few

** update **
I changed the pics to gifs, they should be small now.



Top Profile shot showing Carb on the left, you can just make out the bottom screw clamp


This is from the underneath of the car, the exhaust pipe (or the catalitic converter (i think thats what it is)) is pointed out using my "1337" photoshopping skills.

any input on the use/nessecity and how vital the hose is would be greatly appreciated.

cheers'

4ohfour

If you want more detailed images, i could remove some hoses and show you the origin, thats if you need em.

cheers'

SilverRocket

OK that's way different than I thought.... isn't that the hose that goes to the airpump? I haven't had one in so long I can't remember how it works....

I'm not sure that would cause your car not to start, but anything's possible.

What does everyone else think about it?

MIKE-P-28

iTrader: (1)

**** I cant tell, but it either looks like the one that goes to the check valve (? or whatever its called) ... But if its the one that goes to back of the intake manifold then you got a serious problem... The car will not run nor start without that hose hooked up to the intake manifold... But i cant tell either way?

SOLORX7

It's the air injection pipe from the airpump to the exaust,if you have no cats block it off.And it makes no difference if you pull the top or bottom plug to do a compression test,it's all the same chamber.top plug is the trailling plug the bottom is the lead plug.