mikexj1020

So this rx7 sat for a while. I bought from original owner. So far ive done.
Boiled and sealed gas tank
fuel pump
fuel filter
plugs, wires, cap, and rotor
new radiator
antenna
new calipers, pads and rotors
all new fluids

So I had this car running and driving after raising the idle a little bit (and doing all the repairs). Once the car warmed up it was good. I noticed that when i pull the choke out the butterfly doesnt open. If the choke is pulled out it does raise the idle and the choke does go back in after warming it up. ...The car hasnt been touched in about a month. I did the radiator and now the car is idles terrible but when i gas it up it has Power, only runs with foot on gas or sputters and stalls

I had it running before with the choke out and it was about 2500 rpm, i put my hand over the carb and the idle raised and smoothed out a bit.

Basically why is the choke butterfly not closing when choke pulled out? Does this have to do with the "bi-metal" thing? Bi-metal does not have any power going to the wire running to it. I cant even move the butterfly with a pair of plyers or it starts to bend.

Please give me some insight, i am a noob with carbs, i have downloaded the nikki carb manuals but its a different language to me.

Thanks all

mikexj1020

For example, can all you of you guys move your butterfly by hand when the car is off and not touching the choke. When you move the butterfly does it move the piece of metal (small tab) that goes inside of the bi-metal unit.

Thanks

DarkDrakeX

Dumb question but its a start. Is the cable to the choke hooked up correctly?? When u pull the choke **** does anything move?? My chokes butterfly didnt go down for the longest time cuz a wire was preventing it from twisting haha.

The car sitting for a month might be your problem something might have gotten gummed up or stuck. But before you go doing a rebuild heres what i would personally do. Warm the car up to operating temp with ur foot on the gas and get some1 to screw the idle speed screw to the point you dont need to have your foot on the gas and itll idle (1500-1700) and then try to tune the carb lower the idle mess with the fuel mixture rinse and repeat till u get it idling where u want it.

I had to do that when i replaced my intake gasket cuz it just did not want to idle at its old tune.

From there ide time the car and see what u have. W/O pics i dont kno what bi metal thing you are talking about. Im no carb expert but that seems like the logical thing to do.

mikexj1020

Well, when the choke cable is pulled, it does move some linkages next to this bi-metal piece. Also the choke does increase fuel so the revs go higher and engine runs but since its not moving the butterfly its not decreasing air. Its really hard to start this way. (it also runs like crap this way)

(I wanted to draw on this pic to show u but MS paint wasnt happy)
anyway, in this picture all the way to the middle right. You see this box/ casing with a metal tab in the hole that looks like a cresent moon. Well thats this bi-metal unit/spring thingamabob. that i beleive is not allowing the choke butterfly to move. I tested it for power (it has one wire running to it) while the ignition was on but engine not running and no power. Im gonna test for power with engine running, then im gonna run direct power to it and see if it moves.

Let me know your thoughts and ideas.
Thanks

DarkDrakeX

From the looks of it thats a stopper so the choke doesent close too much. As long as its not contacting that till the very top it doesent seem liek that will be your problem. Have u gotten some1 to pull the choke **** while u looked at the linkages and see if any of them are binding. Move the butterfly by moving the linkage its attached to on the left middle of the pic and see if moves freely? It sounds like something on those linkages is binging and not allowing the choke to rotate.

mikexj1020

Okay, The linkage on the left of the picture I have also tried to move and its frozen. So maybe the whole bar that runs through the carb is frozen up? I mean it has sat like this for uhhhh 12 years.

Should I be able to move the butterfly by hand when the car is off?

And thanks for you help man

DarkDrakeX

I can move mine by hand if that helps ya at all. Thats why im thinking one of the linkages is binding. Try spraying some pb blaster or penetrating oil on it and see if it frees it up. My moneys on part of the linkage isnt how its supposed to be and its binding.

mikexj1020

Okay, looks like I will be working this puppy with some pb and light heat. Are you saying the linkages are installed incorrectly or that it's frozen up. I know the previous owner who I got the vehicle from is the original owner and doesn't even know how to turn a wrench so I know he didn't mess with anything. When I try and move the butterfly it deffenetly feels stuck rather than pull on a different link. So this weekend we shall see.

Thanks man

mazdaverx713b

iTrader: (91)

if the engine has not run in some time its best to pull the carb and rebuild it. you've done most of the rest of the maintenance needed to make the car road worthy again. the carb takes about 10 minutes to pull and only a few hours to rebuild. i always sonic clean the parts and hot tank them once they have been sonic cleaned. you may also want to look into replacing the vacuum lines, belts, trans and differential oil, engine oil and filter, and check the suspension's bushings. would love to see pics of the new 7!

mikexj1020

I have changed all of the above except for vacuum lines, for the most part they are good and don't crack when u pinch them, but could help. I wanna see if I get get this butterfly freed up first before I strip the carb down. I have never done any work on carbs before I have done many things like setting up gears, suspension kits, brakes other external engine work but never carb stuff... All of those little parts and pieces and screws. If the car still runs rough after everything else I do then I will do the carb.

DarkDrakeX

the cable pulls the butterfly linkage to rotate it so that air doesent get to go into the carb. If something on the linkage is messed up (ie binding) its not gonna rotate. Your gonna have to wiggle indivigual pieces of the linkage and see what the problem is. Personally i dont use my choke at all i just pump the gas a few x while startin and hold the pedal for a min but i have the oposite prob my butterfly rotates but my idle doesent go up lol.

mikexj1020

WOW!! It's amazing what a Mazda forum and a soaking of deep creep penetrating oil can do. That butterfy is flapping now. I just kept working it and now its like new. The car starts alot easier but she still won't idle. Once the choke goes in the engine stalls. When I put my foot on the gas to keep it running it runs like it's not getting enough gas and sputters. Once rev it up over 3000 it's runs like normal power All the way til redline (this is in nuetral btw). Idk if it's needs a carb rebuild, all the vac lines seem good I sprayed a bunch of starting fluid around the carb and hoses and it didnt change. I'm guessing it's the inevitable carb rebuild but I'm intimidated. Anything else I can check?

Thanks

DarkDrakeX

it hounestly probably needs a rebuild. Glad u got it flapping. So u cant get it to idle at all?? Have u tried turning the idle speed screw in and see if u can get it to idle higher (between 1200-1500) and see if it idles. If it does idle like that try to see if u can get it to idle lower by messin with the idle speed and the fuel mixture.

Hounestly with how long it sat its gonna need a rebuild =/.

mikexj1020

Yeah, I know of the Throttle Adjusment/ Idle screw which helped me out originally. I had the car idleing at 1500 rpm, The car was running prett good but would have like a miss/ hicup to it. I haven't run the car for about month because of limited time and i would work on the brakes and radiator when I could. After this doing all of this now the car is running awful.

If I adjust the Idle adjusment screw now it doesnt change anything when before a small adjusment made a big difference.

Also, now after the engine runs and warms up a bit the engine like steams from the middle. It steams/ smokes, smells kinda like antifreeze coming from the center of the engine. Its weird. The exhaust doesnt smoke or anything and again when I gas it up the engine runs strong.

Now I know this car has sat for about 12 years, but going from running pretty good to sitting for a month or so now running like crap and steaming from the middle. There is not water or antifreeze that I can see sitting on top of the engine.

Once these two problems are resolved this car should be ready to roll but it never ends

Thanks again