Unseen24-7

My car just got out of the body shop and they were going to bring it away to get a 4 wheel alignment, but they couldn't get it to start. So i went down to the shop and tried to start it myself.

The first thing i noticed is the voltage was low, like below 12v, but it still cranked over pretty good (only minorly slower than normal) and started fine. It would run prefectly for about 4 seconds and then it would die. When it died it was like i just turned the ignition off, no sputtering or roughness.

I told the body shop guys to charge the battery.

Any help would be appreciated

Unseen24-7

Oh ya BTW, it's bone stock with 118xxx kms.

J-Rat

iTrader: (2)

Check the AFM for a good connection!

dregg100

iTrader: (34)

and if the conection is good, try putting another one in. but its most likely popped off somehow.

Unseen24-7

Never woulda thought to check the AFM.

Put in another what? AFM or just the connector?

Unseen24-7

Okay the body shop guys said the AFM connector was fine but it still didn't start, so they got a mechanic to come down and take a look. After taking a look at it he said it was getting fuel and everything, but he figured that there was a "security feature" that kept shutting off the engine. It's possible that while the car was being worked on, they disconnected the battery.
Would disconnecting the battery cause a security feature to activate? Is this "security feature" real or just some BS??

dregg100

iTrader: (34)

bs. do you have someone local with an afm that you can put in it to test? you can pic a new one up here on the forum for like 20 bucks. hell, i got a couple extras if your interested.

rx7 FC TII

iTrader: (3)

Ya thats BS......they might have undone a ground or something while doing some of the body work....

Unseen24-7

Ok i just got off the phone with probly the most knowledgeable rotary guy in my area and he had a few suggestions...

1. Intake leak
I would say this is the most likely cause i went in one day to see how they were doing and they had completely taken my intake off, right up to the TB.

2. Flooded engine

3. Fuel pump not working

4. Clogged Cat

I doubt it is 2, 3, or 4 since i brought the car in running perfectly.

drft_180sx

doubt intake leak if they only removed the snorkel. most likely a afm connection i would think. An intake leak sounds like a blown motor...very rough.

gxl90rx7

iTrader: (1)

it could be an intake leak. that would cause it to start up, run rough and stall almost immediately.. but if this is the case, I dont think it could "run prefectly for about 4 seconds" though. it would sound really rough

RoughRex

Check the hoses that go from the intake snorkel to the BAC that would cause a sufficient leak to stall and wouldn't sound that abnormal. Check the elbow where the hose connects to the snorkel too.

Unseen24-7

I don't have the snorkel istalled (should I??).

What is the BAC??

BTW When i hear snorkel i think of the flat plastic tube thinger that goes from the air box to ontop of the rad.

Unseen24-7

would resetting the ecu codes help?

Unseen24-7

***sorry for the triple post, I kept thinking of more things i wanted to ask***

could it be that the fuel pump isn't working? Ok when you turn the key from LOCK to ON you should be able to hear the pump right??? Cause i couldn't hear any sound coming from the back.

I've heard that if you start an FC and then shut it off right away it won't start again. How do you get it to start again?

Unseen24-7

Any more ideas for the above^^^

nickn505

I've had this exact same problem like a month ago and it was a bad AFM. Was the car having random stalling problems every now and then at idle when it was running?
The manual says that you need to take an AFM to the dealership to test it, but I think I found a way to test it with a multimeter. I can't be sure though because I was messing with an AFM I hadn't installed on my car so I don't know if it works for sure.

Take a multimeter and set it to measure resistance (get an analog one because they're cheaper and are easier to read). Connect the two pos/neg leads to the first two metal points closest to the front (air input side) of the AFM. With your finger press the flap inside the AFM and see if the resistance measured on the multimeter changes as you move the flap.

I've had this exact same problem TRUST ME!!! SEARCH IF YOU DON'T BELIEVE ME!

TehMonkay

iTrader: (-1)

Try disconnecting it and see if it does the same thing.

dregg100

iTrader: (34)

if it was your fuel pump then it would start at all. it is priming itself then shuting off because the ECU isnt getting the signal to keep the fuel pump on. hence, it stalls. and as for not hearing the fuel pump, i could never hear the pump on any of my cars until i put a bigger one in with more voltage.

just replace the AFM,if that doesnt work, then come back to us.

Unseen24-7

Ok I unplugged the AFM and tried starting it again. This time it didn't start at all, but that could also be due to a low battey (which is being charged).

stealth_dart

Mine did the same thing but instead of starting up fine it took like 20 secs of turning over b4 it would finally fire up and then it sounded like a lawn mower. And even then it wouldn't idle on its own, I had to hold the idle by giving it gas. Checked everything that was recommended here, but never had any luck, so I just picked up a parts car for a motor swap. Mine also flooded alot, pulling the fuel pump fuse just became a pain in the *** everytime I wanted to start it.

Unseen24-7

Ok I just was at the mechanic shop today and they checked for spark, and there was spark, the plugs were dry so it isn't flooded, and i jumped that little yellow plug by the air box to run the fuel pump directly, and the pump works too.

Now from what i can tell there are only 2 possibilities left, bad AFM, or the ECU is shot. Now the reason why i think the ECU is shot is if the body shop guys welded on the frame without disconnecting the battery.


What numbers (resistance) would I be looking for on the Multimeter??

Unseen24-7

My car runs, hooray!! It was the AFM, thanks for the advice.