slip15

i have a 1988 rx7 convertible with the 13b non turbo.. first off the wiring looks all messed up.. and i have no idea where any of it goes or which order the plug wires go on the plugs it was all disconected. but i connected it to where it looks ok but just turns over.. wont start

HAILERS

Does the tach needle make small bumps when you spin the engine over?

The lead coils assy is near the battery. It has two sparkplug wires. They can go to EITHER of the bottom sparkplugs. Matters not the order.

The trail coil is near the brake booster. The most fwd sparkplug wire goes to the front TOP sparkplug. You can work out where the other one goes.

What wires are in question? Location of such.

slip15

i just found out my whole motor might be shot.. the guy i got it from used it for drifting and had nitrous in it.. well down by the o2 sensor to the left where there is a cover theres a crack in the cover and most likely a hole in the engine where air is coming and it is losing compression

TysRX7

well u should get a haynes repair book it will help u narrow down y its not running. i have a 88 also an i had trouble starting to mine was a fuel issue but the book help alot. auto zone sells them.

Photonic

Hailers what does the tach needle have to do with it? If it does nothing does itm ean something? If it bumps does it mean something?

Im curious.

slip15

i ordered a haynes repair manual yesterday night. and from what i have seen the speedo and tach needles bump up and down

slip15

but it still seems like there is a hole in the engine down by the o2 sensor to the left where there is a metal shield/cover.. when you turn it over it shoots puffs of air out of there

ifryrice

Can you identify what part it is or what it's connected to? Any possibility of a picture?

slip15

its not really a part. theres a shield/cover it has a hole in the middle for the o2 sensor then to the left underneath the cover when you turn it over it looks like puffs of air shooting out ill go take a picture and post it though

ifryrice

It would take a serious effort to crack the manifold, or a housing down there. It could be related to the split-air going to the cat or coming from the manifold itself (From the ACV).

slip15

here is a picture to the left of the o2 sesnsor is where it puffs air out

slip15

i just dont know where to start on this car.. it will pop off like its fireing once in a while but wont start... it has great spark on all plugs.. etc..

ifryrice

I'd offer to come out and help, but I'm not very mobile at the moment thanks to Michigan DRF. My guess is it's your split-air pipe, unless it's something else that's dangling down there. I don't think that'd cause a starting issue.

calpatriot

First off the wires are cut on the O2 sensor...

If the leak is below and to the left of the O2 sensor it is not internal to the engine. The O2 sensor is mounted on the exhaust manifold, and everything left and outboard from there is part of the exhaust system, or the split air system.

It is hard to tell in the pic, but it appears that the black rubber line is cut and ends just below and to the left of the O2 sensor. If that is correct, it is one of the lines that is part of the 6th port actuating system. Can you put an arrow on the pic to show where the air leak is coming from?

The small diameter piper is the split air pipe to the cat. The black, smaller lines carry exhaust backpressure to the 6th port actuators.

None of this should affect starting.

The symptoms sound almost like a flooded start. Try cranking it for a while with the EGI fuse removed, then replace it and try again. If it starts, or comes closer to starting, then you are seeing a flooded start condition.

That can be a sign of dirty injectors, excessive fuel pressure, stuck injector, or other issues.

slip15

i tried cranking it with the egi inj fuse removed then put it back in and it seemed to pop and fire but would not start.. but i think some of my fuses are bad i just replaced the main 80amp fuse and it fires now..

calpatriot

Try again. This time, when you crank it with the EGI fuse out, use *full throttle*. The object is to maximize the amount of air pumping through th engine to clear out the excess fuel. Crank it that way for a good 15-20 seconds. Then put the EGI fuse back in, and try to start it normally.

If it fires better after that, but still will not catch, you can try wiring a switch into the EGI circuit that will cut off the injectors. You can then clear the flood by using the switch instead of getting out and pulling the fuse.

Flooded start characteristics were common enough in the S4s that in the S5 they added a feature to help; those cars cut off the injectors if the starter is engaged while the throttle is full open. The drill in those cars is to crank it with the throttle full until it fires.

Supposedly the hot start problem is indicative of injectors that need cleaning, but I think there are other factors as well. Some of us have installed 'hot start' switches so that it is always available if needed. It can also be set up to act as an anti-theft feature.

Since I installed mine, it seems to have scared the car into behaving, because I have never had a hot start problem since i put the switch in.

Another problem that will contribute to hot start problems is low compression. If none of this works, check the compression.

HAILERS

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The tach is electrical and gets its input from the Trail Coil assy. There will be no output to the tach unless there is an actual firing of the trail plug(s). So it follows that if the tach needle bumps a bit when the engine is being spun over, then you more than less know there is spark.

You also know right away that the ENGINE fuse is good and it is the item that powers the fuel pump thru the circuit opening relay and the ENGINE fuse also powers the MAIN RELAY which if pulled in, in turn powers the coils, fuel injectors, ECU and solenoids on the vacuum rack.

So that is why a number of people ask if the tach needle bumps when the engine is turned over. It eliminates the ENGINE fuse being bad and the Main Relay being bad.

Actually, just turning the key to ON will result in ONE bump of the tach needle. And in case ya'll did'nt know it, it also causes the primary injectors to open and close ONCE.

As for the car in this thead: I'd disconnect the fuel pump connector and spray starter fluid into the air filter for two/three seconds max, then try to start the engine. I'd do that a few times til the enigne will go varrrooom for a moment each time, then put the fuel pump connector back on.......spray once more and then start the engine. NEVER keep spraying to keep the engine running 'cause it might cause Knock.

slip15

ive tried almost everything listed it still will not start.. even tried putting oil in thru the spark plugs to build compression and nothing... but i realized i have all 4 of the same spark plug from ngk am i supossed to have 2 trailing and 2 lead?

ifryrice

It wouldn't stop it from starting, but eventually switching back will help out economy.

slip15

oh... well i have tried almost everything i can think of and it still wont start.. the fuel injecter rail seal is out and leaking gas around the wire thing.. i know its flooding out but i have done all of the unflooding options. i dont have a clue what to try next

ifryrice

I'm not sure what you're referring to about the fuel injector rail seal. Do you mean the o-rings that go on the top of the injectors that seal it when they slide into the rail, or do you mean the pulsation damper (big round metal thing on the end of the primary rail with a plastic cap on it, and a metal screw in the side)? Leaking gas anywhere on the engine block is a bad thing with these cars and often leads to engine bay fires. Were there any issues that lead up to this beforehand? Was it hard to start previously or anything?

The plug wires should be as follows:

Leading (Located next to battery at the front of the engine bay)
L1 (Nearest to battery) - Bottom of the front rotor
L2 - Bottom of the rear rotor

Trailing (In the back near the brake booster area)
T1 (towards front of car) - Top of the front rotor
T2 (towards firewall) - Top of the rear rotor

slip15

i have never had it started. i just bought it. i have the plug wires right. another qustion.. i replaced the main fuse (80amp).. before i did that it didnt fire. the other fuses look like their either half blown or blown. is there a way to test them.?

slip15

just an added comment... my wipers blinkers power roof etc.. none of that worked. until i looked behind the speedo console and found the two wire hookups on the right where unhooked i hooked them up now and they work now. dont know if any of that wiring makes a difference

ifryrice

A fuse really doesn't have a half blown state.

HAILERS

You say you have spark.

Disconnect the fuel pump connector from the pumps pigtail.

Fully charge the battery.

Spray for two/three seconds into the snorkel or the airfilter. Start the engine. Do this til it goes varrroooom for a second or two. Then do it again. After that reconnect the fuel pump connector and spray again for two/three seconds into the filter. Start engine.

Never spray continuously into the filter to KEEP the engine running. Causes Knock.

Only fuses required for staring are the Main Fuse........ENGINE FUSE..... both EGI fuses.

If you have spark, you should see small bumps of the TACH needle when spinning the engine over. Tach gets its input from the FIRING of the trail coil assy. No firing results in NO bump of the needle of the tach. This is not a fool proof way of determining spark, but it'll do for now.