Brent_F

Ok...so I'm running down the highway last weekend 85 miles from home and I down shift to 4th to pass a slow moving vehicle mash on the pedal and nothing happens...engine is still running ...I have gas....but I'm not accelerating. I pull off the interstate....fortunately between myself and the guy I'm driving with we have just about every hand tool known to man...and there is an AutoZone right up the street from where we pulled off....great....I'll be back up to speed in no time.

My first suspect is the ignition system (Direct spark on the leading plugs...using GM HEI's and a J109 and coil on distributor for the trailing)....pull a leading plug and wire...turn the key and sure enough...no spark....check for power ....12.5V.....ok maybe the ignitor went bad....check the other wire...no spark there either.....check all the wiring again...nothing lose crimped or broken.

Ok so we have a spare J109 right...never leave home without it. Switch back to the stock ignition....confirm there is leading spark. Start the engine back up ....the engine revs but very slowly....check the compression....all six faces produce a strong PFFFffffttt.

We're now over an hour late for dinner with some friends and its getting dark so we hit the road again. I have some power over 4k rpm but nothing like I'm supposed to I.E. I can hold speed ...if over 4k. But there is no stumbling of the engine....it just has no power.

The next day I manage the trip home but my situation is no better.

So now I have to discover/fix my problem. I first return to the direct fire ignition system. I now have leading spark on this system again with no changes to how it was configured when it stopped working (go figure).....but now the engine refuses to start at all.

To sum everything up
Coils-good
Ignitors-good
leading spark-yes
trailing spark-yes
fuel-yes....as a side note has had some minor flooding recently
timing-never put a light on it but it is unchanged
Compression-yes

When I crank the car over it will begin to catch and run but when the tach reaches ~1k the engine promply dies....as if I have turned the key off and there is a profuse clicking coming from under the intake manifold when this happens; i cannot determine the source of this noise (it sounds like a drum roll) but it almost sounds like an injector and the amount of fuel present on the spark plugs after this supports this. And it continues for 3-5 seconds or until I turn the key off.

My question is has anyone ever experienced this noise...and what is it?

Thanks
Brent F

Mazdax605

iTrader: (5)

I am not sure what your troble is,but years ago I had a problem with my 83 that was traced back to a major vaccuum leak.I was driving down the interstate,and then I had no power,and when I pulled over the car stalled,and was hard starting.I thougt I had blown the motor but while removing the engine from the car to replace it I discovered a large vaccuum port in the manifold that I had capped years before when I removed all the emissions equipment was wide open with the remains of the cap looking like a ring on the port.I put everything back together,and the engine was/is fine.I hope you find the issue,and I am guessing it is NOT ignition related.

Chris

engled

I have the same problem with a 78 Celica years ago. It turned out to be the primay jet for the carb was clogged which ment it would idle and would run as long as the secondarie was open but would not run on the primarie. A quick cleaning of the jet had me going again.

craigw1

def sounds like a fueling problem to me

check fuel filter...near fuel pump in the rear. might be clogged up. Check fuel pump...when u turn ignition on can u hear the noise of it pumping ? check fuel pump fuse (in panel below steering wheel)

then if all above ok, get a can of carb cleaner and clean that carb...maybe jets clogged, etc.

Brent_F

Sorry I guess I wasn't clear...I'm fuel Injected

I've not been able to get any help...so I have no idea what if any sounds the fuel pump is making but I am certain the engine is getting fuel.

Fuel filter....not likely had the whole system appart this time last year ...cleaned the fuel tank out...(it was pretty clean anyway) and replaced all the soft lines and cleaned out all the hard lines.

Rogue_Wulff

Sounds like an injector failed.

Brent_F

I was afraid somebody would say that.....frankly I didn't post until I had exhausted every problem I could come up with that didn't involve taking the UIM off...but I guess thats the course of action for tommarow.

I've never researched it but any good suggestions on how to test an injector for a good spray? I know I can send them to RC Engineering and get them rebuilt for not alot of money...but as I recall it was like 50-75 dollars for a pair and probably 2 weeks wait....I'd like to be relatively sure of my problem before I do such a thing.

rOtAryIsbEttEr

maybe an injector port isnt working properly?
take a look at teh FAQ's cuz i think theres a thread in there that talks about some kinda doohicky that is part of that crazy fuel injection stuff (i love my carb) that gets stuck and you have no power past 3800 rpm or something. or maybe its stuck open and thats why youre flooding and you only have power past that point or something
ionno
its worth a look
https://www.rx7club.com/1st-generation-specific-1979-1985-18/1st-gen-rx-7-faq-page-237777/