Dannny

Fellas!
.

My 79 rx7 has problems starting. When i start the car it wont idle, dying within the first few seconds. For it to start i have to keep the engine above 3k RPM's.
Also when it finally does start and is warmed up, the engine will rev up to 1500RPM then suddenly like "choke" and die unless i rev it past 1500, i have to shift at 2000 every time i take off.
also when im driving, it has good power up to about 3000rpm, after that it looses its punch and it feels like its just making noise from 3k-6k. I thought these engines powerband started at 3k?
if it helps any, ive noticed that when the car is on the exhaust smells rich, so im thinking its the carb.


the engine is a 12a with an unknown amount of miles and a Nikki 4 barrel carb. the old owner tells me it has racing beat headers and i THINK the rats nest was removed. He also told me he had changed the ignition system but i have no idea how or what it was changed to.

i hope one of you can help me since this car has been my dream car since i was 13

well thanks for your time fellas.

Drj419

sounds like u either have a bad fuel pump nedd a carb rebuild or maybe a fuel filter try the filter first its cheaper

Dannny

replaced fuel filter already
going to test the fuel pump tommorrow
tried spraying the carburetor with cleaner no dice

thanks anyway

Yark79

Does your car have a manual choke? If it does, and you aren't using it, this may explain your troubles with start up. My 79 has a manual choke and doesn't really like to start without the choke unless it is already warm.

Dannny

it does have a manual choke, i dont know how to use it, didnt think you had to

im new to rotaries, and even newer to carbs

what would explain the engine stalling at 1500rpm?

Yark79

When I start my car, I pull the choke all the way out then turn the key. I think it should rev right up to about 4k rpms (at least thats what mine does). I let it sit at 4k for just a few seconds and push the choke back in until it is at 2000 rpms. From there you can take off and when the engine gets up to temp. the choke will automatically shut off and the car SHOULD idle at like 750 rpms, even though mine is closer to ~900.
Also, if it is refusing to idle correctly i would bet there is some sort of vacuum leak as a result of the rats nest removal or the installation of the header. When I installed my header, I had huge vacuum leaks around where the ACV was. Spraying Carb cleaner in the suspected areas helped me find the leaks and fix them.

Dannny

mine idles at around 1.1-1.2k and is really rough

s2rx7

-check ignition timing
-check the air/fuel mixture ratios on the carby

OtakuRX

iTrader: (1)

check for vacuum leaks

sweetege

finally someone answered right let it idle or let someone hold the throttle at the lowest RPM possible open up the hood and listen if you hear a hissing then find it and fix it. if someone else removed the rats nest chances are that they did'nt plug up everything and you have a leak some where thats what mine did then i plugged up everything and with the air-fuel and idle speed adjustments it idles at a perfect 650-750.

Mezzano

I agree with OtakuRX, Yark79, and s2rx7.. Those things are the keys to solving your problem.. 79 and 80's need the choke to warm up, mixture and idle need to be in order and the timing is important too. Vaccum leaks need to be fixed. It's sounds as if your mixture is set too high. Cleaning the carb really well won't hurt either..

FirstGen7

Dude mine's an 82 and I still have to start it up with the choke...otherwise it sputters and will stall.

Just pull the choke out, put the key in, and turn the ignition...I usually let it sit up and like 2500 for like 2 seconds, then adjust it to be at like 1100 or around there.

It is safe to drive with the choke out, until your engine is warmed up. I know that my choke will automatically disengage when the engine's cozy...so in the mornings going to work I usually leave the choke on for the first couple stop signs.

Dannny

yeah it takes like a couple of minutes for it to actually idle by itself without the choke

anyone know why the engine stalls when i accelerate slowly and hit 1500rpm?

s2rx7

Check that the vacuum advance hoses on the ignition distributor are on properly and not loose.
there should be 2 hoses coming off the distributor and then joined by a t-connector and then going to the carby.