won't start (rotary newbie trying to learn)
01-01-02, 02:21 PM
#26
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Location: Springfield, MO
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Sounds like a bad fuel pump or fuel filter or bad injectors. Typically, if it starts and then dies, it's a lack of fuel somewhere. If you can get it to run by having a friend spray starting fluid into the intake while cranking it, then you're not getting enough fuel.
Other factors to check out would be your compression. On my '86, I overheated it one too many times (it was my parts car with a bad motor to begin with), and it blew one of the water jacket "o" ring seals. It was blowing compression from the rear rotor into the water, thus making it flood (no compression), and it never started after that. BUT, this also means yours will overheat if you get it running, so if it doesn't overheat, then you're okay
Also, check your bacv valve. It's the motor lookin' thing on the driver's side of the plenum. if it isn't opening when the engine is cold, then it won't get enough air to start (and pushing the accelerator just dumps more fuel AND air into the intake; bacv just dumps air).
Plugged-up exhaust system. Pull-off the pipe from the manifold, and let it hang. If it starts, it'll be a little loud, and don't run it too long like that; I don't think it'll hurt anything, but better to be safe than sorry.
When you dump ATF into it, make sure you do it on the bottom plugs (leading). The trailing have a little pinhole at the end, whereas the leading are just open all the way. Taking a wrench and turning the motor also helps get it where it needs to go, by making sure you aren't running into a rotor with your hose.
Having your timing too far advanced makes them HELL to start. Take the sending-unit housing and turn it counter-clockwise until there's about a 1/2 inch gap between the end of the guide and the outside of the holding-bolt. Also, having a friend hold the leading 1 (next to the headlight) wire about an inch from the coil tower will aid in starting as well (and getting zapped doesn't hurt too badly on these; trust me, I know).
Pulling the ECU fuse works GREAT. IT works even better if you push it down a hill with it pulled, and the accelerator floored. Then, just crank it normally, and it'll start right-up if everything is okay.
Lastly, you could have a set of bad leading/trailing coils. Easy to tell by the color of the spark. At 1 inch away, it should be BRIGHT blue/white. If it turns red/orange then they're weak. The leading coils spark rappidly, whereas the trailing only a little bit.
Hope some of this helps,
Matt
Other factors to check out would be your compression. On my '86, I overheated it one too many times (it was my parts car with a bad motor to begin with), and it blew one of the water jacket "o" ring seals. It was blowing compression from the rear rotor into the water, thus making it flood (no compression), and it never started after that. BUT, this also means yours will overheat if you get it running, so if it doesn't overheat, then you're okay
Also, check your bacv valve. It's the motor lookin' thing on the driver's side of the plenum. if it isn't opening when the engine is cold, then it won't get enough air to start (and pushing the accelerator just dumps more fuel AND air into the intake; bacv just dumps air).
Plugged-up exhaust system. Pull-off the pipe from the manifold, and let it hang. If it starts, it'll be a little loud, and don't run it too long like that; I don't think it'll hurt anything, but better to be safe than sorry.
When you dump ATF into it, make sure you do it on the bottom plugs (leading). The trailing have a little pinhole at the end, whereas the leading are just open all the way. Taking a wrench and turning the motor also helps get it where it needs to go, by making sure you aren't running into a rotor with your hose.
Having your timing too far advanced makes them HELL to start. Take the sending-unit housing and turn it counter-clockwise until there's about a 1/2 inch gap between the end of the guide and the outside of the holding-bolt. Also, having a friend hold the leading 1 (next to the headlight) wire about an inch from the coil tower will aid in starting as well (and getting zapped doesn't hurt too badly on these; trust me, I know).
Pulling the ECU fuse works GREAT. IT works even better if you push it down a hill with it pulled, and the accelerator floored. Then, just crank it normally, and it'll start right-up if everything is okay.
Lastly, you could have a set of bad leading/trailing coils. Easy to tell by the color of the spark. At 1 inch away, it should be BRIGHT blue/white. If it turns red/orange then they're weak. The leading coils spark rappidly, whereas the trailing only a little bit.
Hope some of this helps,
Matt
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