Hello fellow 7 owners...

I have a scenerio for you all to ponder. My baby is at the shop right now being looked at because she had an incident Monday evening in four-thirty rush hour freeway traffic (always the best time, right?!?).

I was crusing along at a safe 60 mph when I noticed my speedometer start spazzing out. The needle was jumping everywhere. As I noticed that happening, the engine started losing major power as I manuevered over to the side of the freeway, very close to an exit. When I got the car pulled over safely and came to a complete stop, she completely died. I tried getting her started, but she just kept cranking. Engine temp and oil were all fine. I keep cranking her and finally, I get her started again, just long enough to get her off the freeway and pulled over the the side of the road. Before reaching my destination, however, she died again. Once again, there was little engine power and the speedometer needle was spazzing out. It was so weird. I get her started once more and finally get her to the side of the road, where she sat until she was towed into the shop. :-(

I called yesterday for an update on my car and they haven't found anything significant yet, except for the fact that she needs a major tune up, which I already know. However, they said that would definitely not have caused my problem. He started saying something about clogged cats (but mine are new, less than a year old) and eliminated that. My alternator has gone out on her a few times, but it was never like this. Losing the alternator leaves no power, but I had power. Weird. So, the guy said it was helpful talking to me and he was going to take her out for a drive today. I said, "good luck getting her started" and he said, "oh, she's running. she started fine." What? I'm sooooo confused. My engine is still relatively new, with only 25,000 miles on it and I'm just totally baffled by what's going on.

Something electrical?
Any ideas?

I'll keep you guys posted on what they find (and they better find something cuz that was a weird/scary incident!).

Thanks for reading!

Tammie
RX7Girl

 

Sounds like perhaps a bad ground. All the vitals are ok? Oil? Water?

 

It was the speedo spazzing? Not the tach?

 

I am with SMNC. His train of thought will lead you to a bad ignitor. Or intermint. A guy in the sale forum had 2 for $20 you will want to get them and not let the shop put in a new $200 one.

 

When you were able to eventually get it started again, did you have to keep it revved up really high due to lack of low end power? That's how mine acted when my leading coil fried on me. However, since your car started fine for the mechanic (don't they always?) I don't think you have a blown component, but rather a loose or corroded connection. Ask that they clean up the battery cables (at both ends) and check the connections to the distributor, coils, and ignitors. You didn't mention if this car is fuel injected or carb'd, so I'll make no guesses at the fuel delivery system. But your problem is electrical, I'm pretty sure. Good luck, and keep us posted..

 

Yeah, I think we're all pretty sure it's electrical...
But I can't figure why the speedo would go nuts... it's indipendant of the rest of the systems I think...


BTW, according to her profile, the car is an '84GS, so carb'd it is...

 

Duh! Yes, you're correct. It WAS the tach, NOT the speedo. Does that help at all? Sorry about that. I was typing in a hurry this morning. Also, thanks for all your input guys, it really helps.

Talked the the mechanics today and they're all a bunch of idiots. They don't know anything about my car. I probably know more than they do! They called tonight saying they couldn't even get it started and I should take it to a Mazda specialist, right? Funny, I drive over there to get my mail box key out of the console and decide to try and start the car. She was cold, sure, but I got her started just fine. And again, the tach was spazzing and the idling was rough, but she was running.

It will be most interesting to talk to these guys tomorrow. They obviously don't really know what they're doing!

Lucky for me, my Dad is coming into town tomorrow and he knows all about my car. He put the engine in for me! So, he's going to take a look at her. I'll keep you posted!



Tammie

 

Okay, ignition fo sure then!

The tach gets it's signal from the trailing coil negative side.
So the only way the tach was going nuts is if the coil or ignitor is dying on you.

Check all the wires from the ignitiors and coils first.

Then if that doesn't clear it up, I'd say unhook the trailing coil from the ignitor, and see how it runs.

If that does the trick then it's the trailing coil or ignitor.

Test the ignitor by swaping it to the leading position, and see how the car runs. If it has problems, then the ignitor is bad, and you need a new one.

If it's fine, then switch the ignitors back, and try swaping the coils. Again, if it doesn't run properly, then it's the coil, and you need a new one (I have several I can sell)....


-Spencer

 

I dont know if i could be of any help but the last time a car did that with me was when the Dizzy was bad and cut itself in half(litteraly cut its metal housings in-half, blew my mind that it would still run with it like that...) but that was also on an 87 Civic Si though... might still be somthing to look at... (dizzys are funny...)

 

Yeah, dizzy would do it too I guess... Never heard of one coming apart like that tho...???

 

yah it was crazy, wish i had saved it... But good luck with your ride...

 

Problem is almost certainly ignition. Sounds like the J109 ignitor. You can get them at the JY or on eBay for about $20. You don't need to buy them for $200 from the dealer.

Like others say, try swapping the 2 J109s and see if that changes things. Or just put in one if you have a spare in the glove compartment (as I have).

B

 

Ya I agree ignition, either the coil or the J-109 ignitor like the others are saying... They just beat me to it lol...

Try cranking the engine over with a timing light over each of the spark plug wires to see which plugs aren't getting spark, you can narrow down where the problem is and diagnose the problem rather then replacing random parts...

 

Hey guys,

First off, thanks for all your help and input!

Luckily, it was a very easy fix! After the shop pretty much refused to even LOOK at my car because it has a rotary engine (idiots), I had it towed to my dad's house and he took a look at it for me. Guess what it was? Busted spark plug! Yup, the tip was completely busted off. My dad put new plugs in and now she purrs again. I am so happy! In fact, she runs better than she has in a long time, probably since we put the new engine in! She also got new belts today and a new starter as well. Needless to say, she's happy and so am I!

The tach isn't crazy anymore, thank goddess. I was worried about that. I took her out today and punched her about 80 and it was fun...hehe...

Just wanted to let you know!

Thanks!
Tammie

 

BUSTED plug? I'm going to hazzard a guess and assume you're running autolites?

 

check the grounds for your guages and check the water in your battery..this happened in my 2000 jeep wrangler.. All I did was add water and I have never had that problem again