I started my car up this morning, drove it to the gas station (less than a 1/2 a block), got some gas and then it wouldnt start again. It dosnt seem to be getting any spark, but I don't understand how it would have spark one minute then just nothing. I've recently replaced the plugs, distributor cap and rotor. Anyone with any brilliant ideas, it would be greatly appreciated!

 

Did you warm up the car fully?

Sounds like its flooded.

 

yeah it was flooded, but it no ammount of letting it sit and trying to start it with no gas helped....

 

If it truely flooded in the grandest RX7 style, you have to go through a "deflooding" procedure before it will start again. Check the FAQ or search for the procedure, as I can't remember all the steps off the top of my head...

Good luck!
- David

 

First try the short version of deflooding it. With the car in parking of course, press the accelerator all the way and keep it there. Do not pump. Just floor it once and keep it there. Now turn over the engine - no more than 10 secs. Careful if it starts, don't overrev it. If that doesn't work, I was gonna say push start it but seeing that you have an auto, not sure about that.

If all that fails, do what DM53 says.

 

check the engine fuse under the dash

 

Indeed, it was flooded... unfortunately, I coudn't manage to deflood it and had t tow it to a local rotary shop. So now the issue is, why is it flooding in the first place... cuz it just happened again. The shop said carb re-build... and I really don't have the resources to do that right now. Am I haivng a float problem?? Is it just an adjustment?? Any advice would be appreciated. BTW, I found a reciept in it when I bought it that says the upper half of the carb was re-built in 05.

Thanks,
Colleen

 

if you only drove half a block, then your car had no time at all to warm up properly and shutting down without proper warm up is one of the main reasons rotaries flood, because they run rich when cold so all the extra fuel sits in the engine when you shut down, if you have to sit there and let it idle before fueling, then do it and it shouldnt flood.

 

My car does not like to start after I shut it off, is that likey because its flooding?

 

when i first got mine it didnt like to start, but i just needed a new battery, if you dont let it warm up it probably is flooding, but if its warm when you shut down it could be another problem

 

Here are the procedures I use, and a link to the full article, to prevent flooding when the engine has not had time to "warm up".

With engine already running,
raise the engine speed to 3000RPM.
Holding the engine speed at 3000RPM, turn the ignition key to the “off” position,
while simultaneously depressing the gas pedal all the way down.
After the engine has completely wound down, release the gas pedal.


I've never flooded since.

DD

http://www.rx7.com/techarticles_floodprev.html

 

If it's flooding because the engine is being shutdown before it reaches operating temperature, you can do what DD says.

If it's flooding after engine has reached normal operating temperature, there are a few things to check, all carb related basically.

- Needle valve damaged or badly installed

- improperly adjusted float level

- damaged float chamber gasket or loose installation screw

- sunken float.

 

The thing is, I'm not shutting it off cold, it just dies then wont start again. If I let off of the gas and let it idle b4 it warms up, when I get back on the gas it stumbles, then dies. Is this a cold running issue or a carb issue?

 

Well what you describe is common - that's why there is a choke.

 

Exactly! What you are describing sounds like you are not using the manual choke. If you are new to this car then chances are that you aren't familiar with it. If that is the case, pull that choke **** out on the left side of the dash fully when you crank the car. The **** should stay out once you get the car cranked and the engine should be revving pretty high - around 4,000 RPM. This may seem high but it is perfectly normal for this car and its unique rotary engine. Once your vehicle reaches normal operating temperature the **** will drop back in all the way and your idle should be somewhere around 750 RPM.You always need to let the engine reach this normal operating temperature every time before you turn it off again. If not, what you are describing is a possible result, as well as some other very negative consequences!

This is and many other important topics are covered in the 1st Gen. FAQ section of this forum. You need to visit there to get the most out of this forum and to learn tons of valuable information about how your car works. Congrats on your purchase of the RX-7 and welcome to the forum!

 

A little too enthusiastic there with the choke - the procedure is actually to set the engine speed to 2,000 rpm with the choke **** once the engine has started, not pull it all the way out and leave it there.

 

Got it guys thanks... but for future reference, I'm NOT an automotive idiot, I do most of my own maintenance, and YES, I know what the choke is for and how to use it

 

So you do use the choke, right? I wasn' sure you did because you said

Again, that is normal and that is why the choke is there. But you already knew that, right?

 

when i got my 7 it had a lot of trash in the fuel system. same problems he is describing . i found out that the float was sticking dumping copius amounts of dino doo doo down the throat. car would run crappy right before it died. i tapped on the top of the carb with a small brass hammer and it would stop flooding. little ATF and i was back on the road. i highly reccomend Seafoam to clean a fuel system. since using it i havent had that problem again.

 

You mean she.