So yesterday I hopped in my car (after doing nothing to my car) and I started it. after I had it running for awhile I tried turning it off but it wont go. I turn the key to the off position and then voltage drops...but the engine keeps idling...then when I pull the key out (laterally) the car shuts off. This Is really wierd...does anyone know how to fix this?

 

Sounds like you need a new ignition tumbler

 

oh no

can you re-key those Like with door handles...?
Is it easy to get apart.

Im going to check fuses and wires...too..

 

Haven't changed the ignition cylinder on an RX-7 before but I have on other cars. Its not a huge job. All you really need are basic tools, a steering wheel puller, and a pressure plate tool. Check the FSM first thought because it may be different for an RX-7. Good luck

 

so everyone is sure its the ignition cylinder? and not a faulty wire touching another wire and shorting out? ill pull it apart today after I look at the fsm. (gonna have to go get that part from somewhere this week)

 

just run a switch to the fuel pump and use that to shut it off.

solves the flooding problem 2

 

If it is the ignition cylinder then its a pretty easy project. Someone tried to steal my 7 and jacked up my cylinder. I got a used one and it took me 15 mins to replace. You just have to take of the front of the cluster and the wrapping around the cylinder. There are 2 nuts on top of the cylinder. The factory cut off the tips of the nuts so there is no special tool need to remove the two screws. Just a hammer and a flat head to break them loose. A locksmith will be able to match the key to your doors if you dont want to use 2 different keys.

 

It may not be the ignition cylinder. You should do a multimeter check and find out if it is the ignition cylinder passing voltage with the key in the off state. It could be a number of other things so you may want to do a quick check on that first.

 

alrigh how ould I perfrom this?

 

i kinda had the same problem with my old truck. i would turn the key to off and it would keep goin. i was told it was a clutch alignment problem. that somethin wasnt timed rite. u ought to look into that. thats all i no

 

If not a bad ignition switch, then I would be looking at if you changed the alt recently.

If you have the two alt wires mixed up the same thing can happen (the car doesn't shut off).

 

its infected by devils... I'm beginning to believe that most Rx-7's are... my radio just turned on all by itself the other day... doors locked and keys in my pocket... no logical explaination.

Isn't MAzda based in Hiroshima? were these cars produced there?

 

It's easy to find out. Just get your geiger counter out and sweep the car with it.

Hmmmmm. Let's see. Got hit with a A-Bomb back in '45. People living there now making Mazdas.

Gee, they always told me if we had a nuclear war the land wouldn't be livable for a couple of eons or so. Something like that.

 

Most gremlins sit behind the wheel in an RX-7.

In other words... 99% of the problems that are just weird are from something some owner has done to the car.

Say for example this thread... if it is a bad ignition switch 99% of the time it is because some owner loaded 20 keys and a bunch of nick nacks and key ring totems onto the key ring... all that weight busts key switches like no tomarrow. You only need one or two keys on a ignition key ring... anything more is just asking for the car to break.

or the guy that whines that his radio doesn't work when the lights are on, and he was too lame to read the FAQ for FC and hooked up the radio ground to the parking light wire because they couldn't figure out where the ground was and the parking light wire has ground when the lights are off.

Or the person that puts in a S5 alt, and doesn't change the wires, just hooks it up like a S4 alt... but the S5 alt wires up the opposite of a S4 alt, even if the wire colors are the same. And then the car either drains that battery or doesn't turn off when the key gets turned off.

All owner screw ups.. all electrical gremlins caused by the owner/driver in his bizarre attempt to make the car "better".

 

Now that's a new one! Typically you cannot start the engine... It's in the inginition switch! If you do not want to change the ignition switch you can wire up a kill switch.

 

i had a similar problem when i bought my car. The car had a fuel cut switch wired in and i turned it off to check the functionality, the car dipped down to 50 rpm and right back to idle. I could never replicate it, tried tons and the car just shut off... Needless to say, i took out the switch and havent had a problem since. +1 for Icemark's "gremlin" statement.

 

Happened to me once. It was my alternator. Replaced it and BAM! Problem solved...

 

should i check the alt.?

 

you should check the alternator

 

i higly doubt its the alt..
since Ive pulled all the keys off my keyring it has stopped. It still does it sometimes though...

 

i had the same experience. even took it to get tested and was supossedly good. replaced it and bam the problem went away

 

do you think I should even worry about it..because it doesnt really do it that much