French RX7

Hi,
I'm new to this forum and not quite sure how to use it. Anyway I recently bought an 84 GSL-SE which is in average shape. I just replaced the spark plugs, cap and rotor thinking this would solve my weak ignition problem but it didn't. My car has lots of mileage, 263000kms to be exact. I checked the ignition coils according to the Hayne's book instructions and both check fine (1.5 ohms each). Could the distributor need to be rebuilt? My mechanics skills are average, but I'll tackle any job myself because RX7s are extremely rare in Quebec, and Mazda dealers suck as much in Canada as in the US. Anyone ever have problems with the ignition apart from spark plugs and cap and rotor? If this helps, I can get the car to start sometimes, once started she runs but goes ''puff puff'' in the exhaust. Engine is very strong and still pulls strong. When checking the spark at the spark plugs, it is a very pale yellow and intermittent. Any help to put this 7 year old dream back on the road would be appreciated. Thanks

GUZZLR

a couple of things:

Is your timing adjusted correctly? how old are your leads?
if you have a multimeter then check the resistance of everything one by one.
: )

AdrenalifeRX7

Did you change the spark plug wires?

French RX7

Hi again and thanks for the reply
I'm not too good in english (can you guess my first language??), I don't wanna sound silly but I have no idea what ''leads'' are. As for the spark plug wires, they're about 3 months old, I also checked them on my daily driver (Toyota Tercel) and they appear OK. Maybe the leads are those points around what I think is called the signal rotor, they check fine, no rust, but I'll be checking the gap today. I'll also adjust the timing (I must have had this timing light for 8 years and I'm now going to use it for the first time, hope I don't screw up). I borrowed an ignition coil to further test everything, these things are so rare in Quebec no one wants to sell them. Anyway thanks for the help, I'll let you know what happens

79+80+84_rx-7

Ignitors might be at fault!


How do you know its weak ignition? Starting problem?


Adjust the timing.


Do the top and lower plugs get spark?

French RX7

I'm guessing the ignition is weak. If I remove the spark plug from my Tercel and ground it, then crank the engine I get a nice blue spark everytime time. On the RX7, when I do this the spark is a very pale yellowish red and also intermittent. I also remember doing this on my 83 GX (Canada only) seven years ago and it didn't look anything like this. In the last few days the car has started everytime I cranked, hot or cold. Once she's started though I can hear the misfires in the exhaust, just like my 83 when I bought it it had a fouled plug and did the same thing (replacing the plugs cured everything). As for adjusting the timing, the yellow marks on the pulley are gone!! Any other way of doing this without the marks, all I have are rust spots. I also thought about the igniters, but I didn't think they could be responsible for this. Besides, the spark is weak on both the leading and trailing, so both igniters would have to be bad at the same time right? I looked through the igniter checking procedure in the Haynes manual and I'll be trying this in the weekend. Also tryed switching coils last weekend, same problem. Thanks for the help, I'll keep looking