DarkDrakeX

1984 12a carburated by the way

Okay so my car has been haveing problems with it randomly cutting out whne im driveing.. it would start just fine and drive fine but randomly it would cut the whole electrical system off. I read something about the igniters havening a relay for the fuel pump so i thought that might have something to do with it. I started it up in my driveway (wich was hard to start) got it running and warmed up turned it off and pulled the igniter closest to the fan. it started up but the rpm guage didnt work.. reved it a few times and it was okay.
I turned it off then put the wire back on and took the other wire off (the one close to the alternator) she started up but ran like **** (like 200 idle... and very different sounding.) i took both ignitors off and turned the key (cuz it didnt seem like either one of them mattered when they were off) and she wouldent start.
i hooked both of them back up and now the starter solenoid clicks but wont start.

im really confused as to what the hell just happened.. anyone know a way to fix this... =/

thanks
chris

ray green

iTrader: (14)

I'd check your battery ground and charge, probably just a coincidence. From what you describe, both of your igniters are working fine.

craigcorx7

Your car may be cutting out because of a faulty ignition switch.I had the same problem with mine recently.My igniton and radio would go away but very little else.It would crank and eventually fire.Don,t know about the starting problem?
Maybe same,maybe starter

bliffle

Check corrosion on both battery posts and clean them off with wirebrush or sandpaper. Use a voltmeter to check for excessive voltage drop between negative battery post and chassis ground.

bstrange99

Fuseable link, positive cable at the starter and the solenoid wire on the starter.
Good luck

bliffle

"...start just fine and drive fine but randomly it would cut the whole electrical system off."

Everything? Lights, radio, gauges. Everything?

NO lights? No nothing?

Any idea what causes the electrics to come back on?

DarkDrakeX

well it seems liek it cuts the whole thing off. my car shuts down and the stereo and all. Its never happened in the ark so i dont know bout lites. It makes it almost like i turned the key to off then back on. because all of the idiot lights come back on like immediately.

it starts now.. it was links and then the bendix spring was stuck so i fied that but it still cuts out liek that.

bliffle

Sounds like a bad battery cable connection. May be corrosion at the battery posts or a loose or corroded ground connection.

DarkDrakeX

well it has a brand new battery and battery terminals.. the ground doesent look corroded but ill pull it off and clean it 2morrow i suppose (just some dust on the outside of it.

the starter doesent want to work again... it cranked earlier started for a sec i didnt give it gas so it died and now the starter doesent want to work period..

its confusing the hell out of me.

ray green

iTrader: (14)

Where are you in Georgia? There's a pretty good support group in the NE Atlanta area:

https://www.rx7club.com/se-rx-7-forum-35/old-guys-12as-club-meeting-675955/page76/

https://www.rx7club.com/se-rx-7-forum-35/old-guys-12as-club-meeting-675955/page77/

bliffle

You need to use a voltmeter on the cables to determine where the current interruption occurs.

Kentetsu

Yeah, I'll go along with everyone else. You've got a bad connection, probably on the ground cable, but possibly on the positive. The center fusible link should also be checked out.

Something else though; by the sound of it your ignitors are backwards. The tach and fuel pump are connected to the trailing ignitor, so when you pulled the one on the back portion of the dizzy it should have had no tach and should have died in short order due to no fuel. Also, it should have ran like crap when you pulled the wire on the front ignitor due to no leading ignition. You'd better check into this, because you might be firing your trailing/leading in reverse order!



.

bliffle

As if someone switched the two igniter connectors.

DarkDrakeX

Im in carrollton ive looked at ur threads before one day im gonna come out to the meet. Im just a 17 year old kid soo i usually have some other thing occupying my mind hah.

ill try to switch it and see what happens i suppose. my starter is going out cuz it works when it hut it with a hammer then dies shortly after.. but that wouldent have anything to do with my running problem hah.

and the reverse plugs i dont think so because the length of the wires wont go far enough to switch them both.. and if it was stretched or something it wud have a x pattern it looks like thats where they should be going. i probably worded my 1st post wrong.

bliffle

Your starter solenoid is dieing - you can get a rebuilt at rockauto.com or your local autostore for about $90, but test it out before installing, rebuilts have been known fo fail.

It's even possible to replace the solenoid, usually about $40, but I've never done it on the RX-7.

Did you check your ignition timing?

Jeff20B

iTrader: (13)

I know if I pulled the ignitor wiries off of any of my engines, they too wouldn't run. At least you're troubleshooting.

Try pulling the coil-to-cap wires from your couils (taking note that the front-most coil is trailing because it keeps the wires parallel, which is logical as you'll see). Look down into the tower of each coil. If you see any corrosion, that is the cause of your running problem.

To fix, it is probably best to remove the coil (unscrew the 8mm nut while it's still in the holder so you have more holding force) because it is oil filled and might dribble all over your engine bay. Remove the screw inside the tower, pull out the little brass cup thing, clean it the best you can, and the little flat washer too. Reinstall the cup etc, reinstall coil and give it a try.

This solved a weirdness in my car that would cause it to run on 1 rotor whenever trailing was enabled. I still don't get that one. Also it was arcing inside and you could actually hear the ticking. It was probably interfering with something and causing the misfire. Whatever. I fixed it.

It is very easy to check inside the coils for corrosion so now that you know how to fix it, go take a look. Use a mirror and flashlight if you have to. It's super easy to rule it out. Let us know.

Jeff20B

iTrader: (13)

A solenoid seems pretty easy . I installed one on an auto starter for a Cosmo or RX-4 the other day. Two screws, one nut and a couple things inside.

74RX4

iTrader: (10)

Clean all the terminals on the fusible link box. I've fixed 7's with exactly the same problem (suddenly dieing while driving) by simply wire brushing or sanding the terminals on the fusible links and the box they are in. Don't forget the terminal for the wire from the battery to the link box. Like the earlier posts pointed out, you need to swap the igniter connectors.

bliffle

That's good info. I think the solenoids are available at rockauto. Sometimes it's a good idea to overhaul a starter yourself because all you have to do is replace the solenoid, nose bushing and brushes. And clean the commutator. Reduces cost and may be a better job!

Kentetsu

Check the routing of all spark plug wires, and the ones from the coil to the dizzy. It could be that the ignitors are wired correctly, but are linked to the wrong coils. Or, the coils could be running to the wrong plugs. If this is messed up, it could be bad for your motor, so its worth verifying ASAP...

DarkDrakeX

okay ill answer some of these questions.

Im about to switch my starters between my 2 cars. ( i have one that dont run one that runs (the one were troubleshooting) and a engine hah. alot of parts.

the ignitors are hooked up correctly i checked it.

the wires are all hooked up correctly. trailing is on the top leading is on the bottom. and the coil wires go to the dizzy correctly also.
t1 t2
l1 l2


Umm i dont know about the fusible link box.. ive always had problems with it.. i just bought a fuse box to rewire that so those problems will be out of the way soon.

i couldent see inside the coils im gonan pull them off 2morrow after work and look for corrosion.

ray green

iTrader: (14)

RX7's, I love them. Come on down Chris.

Ray

DarkDrakeX

up. haha
hour and a half :P. ill come on up some time ray whens the next meetin, leme guess next month on the 7th?? hah

ray green

iTrader: (14)

next first tuesday of the month. We'd like to see what you got going.

DarkDrakeX

okay. if im not crazy busy at work i should be able to come. I work in dunwoody (shitty drive i kno) and it cant be more than an hour from suwanne (idk how to spell it). is just north more i think.