RX-4X4

I have looked and looked for a vac leak. Also the acceleration is very slow. I hit the gas to the floor and it slowly, I mean very slowly climbs. Then peaks out at 4000 rpms. What the hell is going on. I am at my wits end. Maybe it is an ignition problem and I need to look there? I just can't find a carb or vac problem.

Kentetsu

Well, before anybody else says it.....FUEL FILTER!

Okay, now that that's out of the way I think you're probably right with the ignition. Throw the timing light on to verify spark on both leads and go from there.

One other thing about the high idle. I removed my rat's nest and the hot start assist, right? Well, I had that part of the hot start linkage hanging and interfering with the throttle linkage so I grabbed an extra spring to hold it up out of the way. Turns out that the spring was putting just enough pressure on the hot start assist linkage that it was raising my idle to like 1700. Fixed that and now it idles great. Runs like **** but idles like a champ!!!lol

RX-4X4

Okay with that said I will change the filter. I have checked the spark on all the wires with a timing light. And I don't have a spring like you described on the hot assist. Mine is still intacked. This whole thing sucks. I really need to drive my zuk. I know the compressison is good. I have soaked the carb with carb cleaner and nothing happens. If I spray it in the carb it the idle goes down. Maybe it could be the TPS?

Rx7carl

TPS wont affect anything if your emissions are gone. Can you shine a light into the carb and verify that the throttle plates are indeed closed?

RX-4X4

Yea they look closed. I had a buddy come over to check it out. The running problem, he feels is a ingintion problem. I also going to change to fuel filter. Starting there and going to work on the idle problem after that. I should be able to drive it with the idle problem but right now it won't accelerate.

RX-4X4

So I pull the dizzy and it was 180 out. But it still runs shitty. Also the rpms or so high I am having a hard time with the timing. I going to pull the fuel filter and replace it. Also I am going to check the fuel lines. I had one pluged before an might still have resriction. What is normal fuel pressure on a stock pump? I may have found a small leak on the ACV valve blockoff. Still looking. Still working. Got to get it going or I getting a new motor. Let me know about sales

vipernicus42

iTrader: (4)

My high idle problem was caused by a mis-placed throttle return spring. Well... my EVENTUAL idle problem was. I went through about eight different ones I'm sure.

Reach down and close the throttle by hand. Make sure your throttle cable isn't too tight and not allowing it to close.

If you're sure there are no vacuum leaks, your throttle is closing properly, and your fuel filter is clean, then what is the condition of your carburetor?

Most common idle problems in my mind:

1. Throttle linkage not closing fully for some reason
2. Vacuum Leak
3. Carburetor Problem
4. Timing Problem
5. Spark problem (try changing battery cables, will give you better spark)

Now a simple high-idle usually doesn't manifest itself in drivability problems. Case in point: my idle was around 2-3k rpms but the car drove normally, once I took off. It was like driving with the choke out constantly.

Running problems like the ones you describe are why we're suggesting fuel delivery should be looked at.

You said the dizzy was 180 out, any idea how this happened? Dizzies don't just "go out" like that.

Doesn't sound to me like a motor problem. It sounds to me like fuel delivery, carburetor, spark/ignition and vacuum should all be eliminated as possibilities before considering it an "engine problem". If you don't eliminate the others first, you could end up dropping in another engine for nothing.

Try another carb if you can get one. I don't know the state of yours, but that would be my next bet.

Jon

ray green

iTrader: (14)

Hey, are you the guy that put a rotary in a Samari? Man, you got something I don't, let's get that thing fixed. Sometimes my stock GSLs run pretty shitty too, you just got to run down the problems. High idle is usually one or more vacuum leaks, but when I finally got all those fixed the other day I learned (from the Haines manual, get one) that the idle compensator (a metallic do hicky in the breather) was leaking. Whoa, this helped some, but not much. Next a trip over to my neighbor Bobby, a carb expert, among other things. He figures out the throttle damper, a dashpot thingy on the back side over by the passenger, is turned all the way up (now who the **** did that? not me). So we turn it down and now everything is heavenly. God I love rotaries, everyday, during my 110 mile round trip commute in the GSLs. Now I wouldn't do that in a Samari, it's a dirty job, but somebody's got to do it. If you put one of those dam V8s in that car you'll be dead in a week. Go Rotary!!

Ray

vipernicus42

iTrader: (4)

Add-on:

If I were you, I'd strip it down to the intake mani and build it up again. Just troubleshoot in your mind sequentially from the tank to the engine, to the tailpipe, like this:

1. The gas comes from the tank. Is the fuel filter clean, does the pump work properly?

2. The gas goes into the carburetor. Is the carburetor working well? Should you rebuild it? When was the last time it worked, and what has happened since?

3. The carburetor is attached to the spacer with all the vacuum holes. Are all the spacer's holes all free-flowing? I helped a guy in Cornwall with an idle problem caused by the fact that the Previous Owner had used silicon to secure the carb on and plugged all the holes. Take the spacer off and blow through the tube-side to make sure air goes through. While you're down there double check that your shutter valve is not leaking either. If you've removed it, be sure that you've plugged the holes in the manifold properly.

4. When you re-mount the carb, check that the throttle cable isn’t binding and that the throttle return and sub-return springs are doing their job properly returning the throttle to the idle position. Double check that your dashpot isn’t stopping the throttle linkage from shutting fully.

4. With the carburetor checked/rebuilt and re-mounted properly on the spacer, check all the vacuum tubes going from the carb and spacer for cracks or leaks. Reattach all of them.

5. Next the air/fuel goes from the carb to the intake manifold. Check that the ACV or it's block-off plate are attached and not leaking. Check that the #2 AAB hose isn't cracked (it's a common vacuum leak source because it's above the exhaust mani). Come to think of it, this is probably easier to do with the carb off, but since I’m thinking “gas goes into carb, then into manifold” it showed up here on the list.

6. With intake manifold leaks checked, the vacuum leaks checked, the carburetor re-mounted and getting enough fuel with enough pressure, you can now look to timing. By now you should be pretty damn close to idling unless your timing is WAYYY off. Check your spark plugs, plug wires, distributor cap and rotor. Replace your battery wires (Eric’s car would barely start because of the weak-*** spark he was getting with his shitty battery cables)

7. If at that point you can’t find the problem, start replacing things with known-working parts if you can find them. Put your carb on someone else’s car. Put theirs on your car. Take a jerry can, put your carb’s “fuel in” hose into the can and watch that the flow is good. Replace the pump.

If you’ve done ALL of this, and you’re absolutely sure that everything is working (your carb worked on another engine, your fuel filter doesn’t keep getting clogged, you have good flow, good spark and good timing as far as you can tell) THEN you can say “oh, well I bet you it’s an engine problem”.

Jon

RX-4X4

Thanks guys I am going to have to read this a few times and keep working. The dizzy might have been changed by my brother inlaw. The motor lost an ignitor and he started messing with everything but that. I got the motor from him because he could not afford a new ignitor. I got two for $20 on ebay. Now I tring to undo everything he can't remember doing.

IanS

iTrader: (4)

This may be a possibility also. Check the phenolic spacer that is located directly under the carb. Sometimes people take them off and dont remember which way they go back on. If placed upside down it will cause about 8 large vacuum leaks. If you look at it, it will be black and you should be able to see a 4 digit number. I think its 1490, could be wrong about that though. Either way, its a 4 digit number. One of my parts cars I bought because the guy rebuilt the carb and "just couldnt get it running right". This was the problem. With mine, it would not stay running UNLESS you held the gas pedal down. So, possibly the case was the same and the idle speed was turned up. Hope to help, and this is one of those things that people just dont seem to think of checking. Good luck and keep us updated.

EDIT: Also forgot to mention that the car would bog down and die if the engine speed dropped below 2K rpms.

evil_motors

iTrader: (3)

ian i have the same problem right now... what did you do to correct it?

vipernicus42

iTrader: (4)

evil_motors, read my posts. All of that comes from firsthand experience solving idle problems. Go systematically through it all until you find the one that solves your idle problem.

Jon

RX-4X4

This thread should be added to the FAQ. Vipers post is awsome. I have to cut and paste all the stuff you guys posted and put it into a word file to print. Killer info. Didn't get much done today due to rain.

ray green

iTrader: (14)

Well Samari man, until you can get back to work on it, just imagine the sweetness of finally getting that idle down to a smooth 750 rpm. It makes everything about the car nicer, better gas mileage, better decelleration, not so much exhaust at the stop lights and it just feels like a new car. My 84 is running like a dream now, all because I took the time last weekend (with neighbor Bobby's help) to run down the idle problems.

Ray

RX-4X4

Ray I dream about it. I live in offroad country. My budies all have big jeeps and stuff. I look forward to showing what imports have. I know I have converted one to Toyota's. I am lucky to have good friends and family. And a good chat site.

ray green

iTrader: (14)

Well now Samari Man, over there in off road country you need vehicles with torque. Rotaries don't have torque, they've got finess (I think that's how you spell it), a kind of Japanese thing that's lot's of fun at 85 mph or going around curves too fast. Jeeps and Fords have torque. Brute force, buy American. Anything else, a 25 year old japanese vehicle will do, especially if it has a rotary engine and needs to get me to work every day, 110 miles round trip, without too much expense. So I'm curious, are you really the guy that put a 12A in a Samari?? I like the idea, but Why?
Ray

Ray

RX-4X4

The rotary idea is simple and with the heavy flywheel, which you guys like to lighten. It dose have torque. Throw in a 6:1 transfercase and torque is not really a factor anymore. Not to mention american cars wheigh a **** load and my zuk is light. Also I like the leinier (spell) power curve and the fact that I can slam the gas in anygear and not worry about rpms. You guys talk about crusin in 5th gear at low speeds and then hammering down. Works good in the woods also. But it is more like 2nd gear. Besides how many jeeps out there can smoke all four tires in three gears.

RX-4X4

Well I had the day off yesterday and got some stuff done. I still need to rebuild the carb. But I changed the filter and doubled checked the dizzy. I runs about the same 180 out or in the proper position. That does not make any sence to me. I don't understand the engine. How could it be so simple and so hard at the same time. My wife reminded me last night that I had a cloged fuel line when installing them and maybe it was not cleared enough. It might still be there or it may have moved in to the carb. So Im going to check that and do the carb next week. But this timing thing is weird. Nothing I do will change the way it runs. (shitty) It is popping out the carb and idles high. I can move the dizzy and it barley chages anything.
How much fuel pressure should I have? I going to get a new pump and regulator.
Anyone intrested in coming out to the mountains to Help? I Have a 85 RX7 sitting you can have the whole thing or any part off of it. I could even get you a short flight if you live in the Atlanta, Knoxville, Chattanooga, or NC somewhere.

RX-4X4

Oh yea one other thing. My add coolant light is on and I know it is full. WTF? And where is the sensor so I can fix it?

RX-4X4

Nevermind on the sensor. I was stupid to ask and not search. Or maybe just lazy.