Okay, well i hadn't posted this yet b/c I figured the battery was dead, but now realise it is worse. So my 83 gsl, 12a, stock everything wouldnt start the other night. I push started it and drove home. Yesterday it started right up and i figured no big deal. Then last night, would not turn over. It would start to crank then just stop. No clicking like a dead battery just brief starting sounds, then nothing. So I push started it again this morning. After i started it i revved it up, gave it some gas and started out the driveway, then it died. So I push started it again, and again it died. 3rd time the charm and I drove it around for about 5 minutes and warmed it up. Took it back home and popped the hood with the engine running. Well first off, I checked the starter which seemed happy enough with its being. then i went to the passenger side of the engine bay and saw white smoke coming out of here


another pic


Smoke was white with a tinge of grayish/blue.

I was told that the oil leak is coming from the OMP seal being bad. When I rev it smokes worse. Is this something other that the seal being bad?

Thanks for your help.

 

someone?

 

I got smoke from my engine bay when my cat was glowing red hot. It also sounds like ur alt may need a looksy. Sorry I am not much help.

 

looks like your lower radiator hose is leaking

 

yes its possible that the lower rad hose is leaking. Replace it as well as visually inspect the OMP, and check that it is functioning properly... Coolant smoke is white, and has a sweet smell to it, chances are its your rad hose or another coolant leak on that side of the engine bay.

 

what you are pointing at is your exhaust manifold so any coolant hitting this will quickly turn to vapors.

 

how do i get to the OMP? My haynes manual doesnt have anything about it...not that i can find at least. Do i need to remove those bolts on the outside of what looks to be a manifold protector plate...and do you come in from the side or bottom...and what should i be looking for?

 

before i got my RB header.. i had alot of smoke burning off from build up right infront of the manifold/ on to of the oil pan..<--(thats the best i can descibe it)...

but it was a black oil dirt build up and the old owner said it was from the OMP leaking at the leakage arm but forum members said there was noway it could leak there so...once puting my RB header on i found a hair line crack on my stock mani which smoke was coming out of causing more heat to cause that build up to smoke and bubble..

but i never found out where the oil build up came from...

 

hmmm...that sound pretty much like what i have...theres that plate below the manif. that all the grimey dirt and oil is on...you may be on to something.

 

I have the exact same problem. When I saw your picture I knew just what you were talking about. It's definitely oil smoke, and it seems to be coming off the manifold, although nothing close by looks oily. It'd be great if I could just replace a gasket to fix it, since it's rather annoying.

 

I would look at the oil carb pump which is located forward from your exhaust mamerfold and feeds the oil into the fuel mixture. thay have a problem of leaking and throwing the oil back onto the drop plate under the exhaust, they are secured by two ten mill bolts and easly removed, need to be refitted with new gasket and o rings

 

If you have a coolant leak, stop driving it immediately and get it fixed. One engine overheat = blown motor.


Send a PM to Adam C. He's a long time RX7 owner in SLO and should be able to diagnose your problem.

 

First ! go to the car wash and clean that area up. Then you can see what is happening. My problem turned out to be a long time minor oil seep from somewhere. keep it clean and accumulted crap from that area , watch your oil consumption , and go on about your way. Thats what I did. Bob

 

It's definately not a coolant leak. Car runs no higher than just over 1/3 up on the temp. gauge, and there is no smell of coolant after driving the car, and well, the cooling system works great.

 

This weekend I did what Bob recommended, cleaned up all the oil from the pan, block, cross member, etc. and it seemed to work. At least this morning.

 

I doubt the smoke is related to it not starting (unless the smoke is a wire or soemthing melting on something)

For the no-start thing, it sounds like a bad battery or a bad battery terminal connector. My FC would exhibit similar starting symptoms to what you described and one of the battery terminal connectors was corroded inside and not making a good connection. It'd mostly work but when the high load of the starter hit it it would sometimes arc and lose the connection. Cleaning the battery posts with a wire brush and the inside of the connectors fixed it up for a while, replacing the terminal connectors was the ticket. It could also be an internal short or similar inside the battery, but usually those aren't intermittent.

Simon.

 

well I pulled the starter yesterday, and yep, it was shot!
the teeth on the gear were getting beveled and on top of that, the gear was spinning loosely in the opposite direction of the way the shaft turned it, so whenever i tried to start it the shaft would spin, but the gear would just sit there while the shaft spun inside it.