84 GS...This morning I started up the car as usual, pulled choke out a little because it was chilly, car started, then sounded like it was revving higher than normal, then stopped on me. I tried to crank it back and it sounds like it will not even try to fire up. The starter continues to turn the car over, but no fire. Where should I start? I have been hearing a loud sound from behind the dash when I crank it but I was thinking it was the fuel pump since I had read on here that others hear that also.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks

 

Check to see if the fuel pump is running, it is on the bottom of the car back near the tank. What year is your car?

 

84 gs...I replaced the fuel filter about a month ago, where is it located from the fuel filter, how can I tell if its running?

 

It is located right in the same area, attached to a metal plate to keep it protected (assuming your car is stock) Honestly I have little experience with the 84/85 setup, and the pump will only run if it sees trailing spark (like and FC) unlike the earlier FB's where the pump runs as soon as you turn the key. There has to be a check connector somewhere you can jump to make it run all the time, but I'm not sure where it would be.
Another option would be to pull out the driver side bin and locate the plug going to the fuel pump (if its like a 83 it will be in the middle of the floor going through a rubber grommet, 2 wires) and simply put power and ground to the two wires and see if it pumps or not.
Honestly your symptoms sound like its gone bad but that would be a good test.

 

Hopefully it's just a fuse or relay?
But it definitely does sound like your carb ran out of gas.

 

Check your fuses. I believe it is the one labeled "engine" that also runs the fuel pump. Also, if you have lost trailing spark for some reason (dead ignitor, etc) then the fuel pump will not run...

 

verify that you have spark on BOTH leading and trailing plugs. next, look at the front sight glass on the carb and see if theres gas in there and note how much is in the float bowl. if you do have spark on the trailing side, check the fuel pump and make sure its running. if not, have someone help you and have them crank the engine while you test for voltage at the pump. you'll need to pull the left bin out and remove the fuel pump connector and test to see if you are getting anywhere close to 12V there when the engine is cranking. you can prob hook up the multimeter leads to the connector with some alligator clips and crank it yourself if you have no one to help you.

 

Thank man, Im just not knowledgable enough to do that. I can do little things, but when it comes to power stuff I dont know anything about the meters. I did change the rings in the beehive, lol, thought that was good for me.

If it turns out to be an ignitor, are those still available?

I got a guy coming to get my car, he know a little bout mazdas. I checked the 20a fuse and it looks fine, took it out, cleaned it up some and put it back in, no go.

What is the noise from the dash area I kept hearing when cranking? Never heard it in the mornings, just later in the day once it was warmed up. Anyone know?

Thanks again

 

Whats funny, when I was messing around out there, I saw a mouse running on the pan below the engine. I had seen some small nuts on top of the engine a few weekends ago when doing the oil rings but I thought this was from when the car had not been driven much, before I bought it, guess not.

 

You could have an issue with a rodent chewing through some wires... fun.

 

Yea, that crossed my mind also. When the guy got there to pick my POS up, he pulled the wire from the Dist. and had me turn the key, he said I was not getting any spark. So, what am I looking at now? Guess its not the fuel pump.

Thanks

 

Could be a bad ignitor or a chewed up wire. I'd still check the fuel pump to make sure since you said it reved higher than normal than died, sounds like it was running out of fuel and thus running lean for a few moments.
Also what wire was he checking was it leading or trailing? The leading would be the main one to check first....

 

Im not real sure, I think he pulled one of the blue ones but maybe not. I just turned the key like he told me. Yes, it did rev higher like it was running out of fuel, he was thinking the fuel pump also when I told him this.

 

clean your ignitor contacts, even the grounds (round holes where screws go through), make sure you put dialectric grease on the back of them before reinstalling them. get an amp/volt meter, turn the key to ON position, ground to negative side of battery and check for power on your coils.

are you getting signal to your tach?

on the 84/85 models the fuel pump/tach is controled by the trailing ignitor, so if that goes out, then you won't have either.

also, you mentioned mice, make sure every wire is fine, and that non of them are touching the exhaust (had this happen to me once and it wouldn't start)

 

Thanks guys, was the cap and rotor. Replaced, started right up. Original was still on car.

 

glad you got it fixed!! how worn were they?

 

hells yeah man, that was gonna be my next advice lol

 

Well you know Im not a mechanic, or a really good DIY'er, but he showed me and it looked pretty corroded to me.