Okay... This will be the second time I'll be typing this up... ARGH. Anyway, WE NEED HELP BADLY! Just so that you know how badly, I have a baby that will be here on Tuesday, July 23rd, and our 1986 RX is the only car we have right now!

Okay... A somewhat quick synopsis:

For approximately two months now, our car has had trouble starting. When you put the key in to the iginition switch, you get no crank from either the starter, or sounds of the engine turning over. You have to be patient, and turn the key about 5 times, and then she'll start right up!

Now, about two to three weeks ago, my husband and I returned to work from lunch, and parked the car and turned it off. About 15 minutes later, we walked out to the car to go on a service call. He pressed the button on the alarm keychain to disarm the car, but she never made a sound like anything happened. He put the key in the ignition, and turned it over. Nothing happened. We seemed to have no electricity going to the car at all. No gauges came on, no radio, no idiot lights, no sounds, nothing... However, all of our lights came on. The headlights, lights on the door, and the over head llights near the rear view mirror came on. So there was some flow of electricity. We thought that the starter kill from the alarm (a Black Widow alarm system from Best Buy) had something to do with it. We left the car, and about 3 to 4 hours later, we returned, and she started up fine. We drove her home then.

Now, this past Sunday the 14th, we returned home from church, and were wanting to run some errands. My husband put the key in the ignition, and started the car just fine. We were loading the car up, and after about 30 seconds of the car running, it turned off all by itself. It didn't stall. It just simply turned off. He tried to crank it again, but nothing. She didn't even start the next day to go to work.

I had the car towed to a local Mazda dealership. When the car was at the edge of a flatbed tow truck, I asked the tow man if I could make sure I had everything I needed out of the vehicle. I took the key out of the ignition and opened the glove box. I put the key back in the ignition, and turned it to "ON". Low and behold, the A/C was running and radio/gauges were all on. I actually started the car too, and she started right up! It ran for about 1 minute, and then I turned her off. I wanted to go ahead and tow it to the dealership instead of driving it. I didn't want the car to "shut off" like it did before in the middle of traffic, the rain, and 9 months pregnant!

The dealership have idiots working there obviously (well, most), and have pretty much ripped us off so far. (Long story). I am, as I type, getting the car towed back to our apartments.

The altenator and starter have both been replaced in the past year, and we took them both off and had them tested, and they tested to be working 100%. The battery and the main bus fuse (the 80A) are brand new.

ANY IDEAS!? We need them desperately, since this is our only car and the baby will be here in just a few short days! My husband looked in the manual (both Haynes and the shop manual) and they said to check the ignition switch, and ground cables. We will be doing that sometime soon hopefully. But, as you can see, I am BEGGING for everyones thoughts and insights!

Thank you so much!!!!!

 

Sounds like electrical problems id start with the aftermarket alarm system...............

 

I would bet money its the ignition switch or the kill from the alarm. The having to turn the key 5 times makes me think its the switch. They crap out occassionally. If its the alarm, can you not just unhook the alarm for a day or so and see if it stops doing this? I know its not THAT bad in Bossier City, I used to live next to the Red River

 

Yeah, I'd be looking at (in order):

Main fuse connections (sounds like they may be loose).
Ignition switch wires.
Aftermarket alarm wiring.
Power relay on drivers side underhood (near the clutch res). Sometimes they come loose and the body of that gold looking relay must be grounded.

Then I would be looking at engine grounds and perhaps the starter again (making sure the connections are clean and the wires undamaged).

 

I think you're right Felix. Sounds like the ignition switch.

 

Pop the hood. Located a black wiring harness next to the battery. It has black wires going in both sides of it, Have someone crank the car and wiggle that around while they do.

 

You have a problem with either the ground or positive battery cables. There is a 10mm bolt where the ground strap terminates. It is located on the drivers side strut tower. Mine was finger-tight when I was tracking down my weird start problem(exactly like yours, have a friend with an 86 N/A with yet another exact problem.) Ours still gives us a hard time when starting. Sometimes it kicks over on the first try, and sometimes I have to cycle the key on and off 3 or 4 times to get ignition.

I suspect the cables are corroded and need to be replaced. You put yourselves in a bad situation. How do you plan on bringing your new baby home? In the Storage bins? A pregnant couple with on ly an RX7 for transportation? DAMN!

 

If it is the ignition switch, replace it with a push button ignition switch. They are <$10 and much cheaper than a replacement switch. Also, you retain your keys for the doors and ignition lock. One wire goes to the positive lead on the starter, and one goes to the wire that is a push-on. Or something like that. Simple fix.

 

When the car doesn't start do the head lights still work? If yes look at ignition and or alarm. If no look into the battery and fusebox connections.

Had a car do something similar except it never shut itself off and it was just the battery was not getting good connection (yes the clamps were tight and no visible corosion).

Rx-7's are not comfortable with a baby. Been there done that.

 

my alarm does the same thing too... no electricity to the car... and when i open the door and slam it hard the alarm goes off and THEN i can turn it off and start the car

i was stripping my car (crashed it and stripping for good parts) and found the the alarm ground cable was cut off... so that can be a possibility

 

It will get them to the hospital ASAP I don't know how they'll get back home WITH the little one though

 

Hey everyone that has or will be responding! I just wanted to say THANK YOU SO MUCh! You guys are literally an answered prayer. I will let you know what it ACTUALLY WAS. It even feels a little bit better knowing that some of you have had this pathetic problem before!!

Thanks again! Keep the ideas coming though!

Oh, and we bought a back seat for the baby so, NO he won't be coming home in the storage bins! LOL.... We got screwed over about that too, but that's just another story. Maybe I'll post that one later!!!

 

You were right! It's that STUPID black harness next to the battery! I read your thread before I posted my own, but I wasn't sure if we were having the same problem. We are currently on our way to Pep Boys to buy a couple dollars worth of connectors to put back on it. It's so corroded!!! You don't understand what kind of saint you are though! Now all we gotta do is finish putting the back seat in to make it a 2+2, and we can bring the baby home!

Everyone was a huge help though, and to feel the support from everyone that loves the RX-7 as much as us, to understand that we just can't give it away! ANYHOW..... THANK YOU!

 

Get two pennies and attach them to the battery next to each terminal with some tape on the backside or something. They will trap a lot the corrosion and keep it off the terminals. The best part is it only costs 2 cents at a time

 

Hey glad I could help Good luck with your baby too.

Hey felix, I never heard of that thing with the pennies. Do you want them to touch the terminals or no?