Ok, last night I tried starting my 86 GXL and it turned over a couple times and then suddenly stopped. After that it only made a clicking noise (guessing it was coming from the starter) every time I tried to turn the car on. Me and my dad tried push starting it but it didnt even turn over. I took off my starter and nothing seems to be wrong with it. I dont know what to do, anyone have any ideas?

-Don O

 

try rotating the engine over by the front eccentric shaft bolt.

 

Was the car running (or at least turning over) before last night?

 

I forgot to mention i already tried rotating the front eccentric shaft bolt, it didnt budge. The car ran just fine the day before nothing out of the ordinary happened

 

maybe your battery is toast.

 

I dont think its the battery i just got it two months ago, I took a reading with a voltameter and it is alright

 

Did you check for shorts or bad grounds/connections for the starter?

 

Im not sure what to check for, all the wires were hooked up tight to the starter, but i dont really know how to track the wires to my battery, its such a mess in my engine bay

 

its ur altinator, they go on RX7s all the time. mine made the exact same n cliking noise from the starter when mine went. try gettin a new one.

 

Not that I'm trying to say you're wrong, but how is it that your alt. going out would affect your starter so directly? And how can you be so sure that it's his alt. in this case? I'm just asking before the guy goes out and buys a new alt. for no reason.

EDIT: To the OP, just a thought, did you try tuning the motor by the e-shaft with the spark plugs out? It might make it a little easier; at least it did for me when i was freeing up my carbon-locked motor.

 

this happen to me i tryed push starting and it wouldnt go the motor locked up

 

the engine is done if you can't turn it from the e-shaft. I got an engine just like that. it turned fine, and then suddenly seized after pulling it out of the car.

 

I have to agree; based on my relative ignorance and lack of substantial experience, I would have to say your motor is toasted quite nicely.

 

Thanks for the help guys, thats what im hearing from alot of other people(my motors shot) 250,000km is pretty good for a 86. It would be nice to get a T II motor in it anyway.

 

if your motor is not turning even by hand its obviously seized. Its not your alt iether. If you take it out a couple more times and pull it in second gear popping the clutch, and it still does not budge you have a locked motor period.

 

You either have carbon lock or a blown seal that is sticking. Can you turn the E-shaft in the reverse direction of the normal rotation if the engine? If not you can try the carbon removing steps that can be found using the search button.

It isn't his alternator and probably isn't the battery if he can't turn the engine by the E-shaft bolt.

If it is locked as it seems, don't try to pop start it in a foward gear, that will just press the carbon lock worse. Get it going forward like you normally pop start the car but put the car in reverse. Once you get going at a good clip, pop the clutch, that might release the carbon lock. If you can get it to start turning, then put it through the decarbonizing process.

Good luck, I hope this works out for oyu.

 

i didnt see that part when he said he couldnt turn it manually.... i sadly have to say i think there right. that sux

 

When apex seals wear down enough, they roll out of their slot while the engine is running, usually under load of momentum such as driving down the road. This force of momentum is enough to shatter the wedged seal and drive the pieces out the exhaust. The engine loses compression in one half, but continues to spin.

Rarely this occurence happens during startup or shutdown...the worn seal rolls out of its groove and gets wedged between rotor and housing...but since there is not much force of momentum driving the engine, the wedge holds, and the engine locks.

Even if you do manage to force the engine to overcome the wedge and turn again, you will only be completing what had begun...shatter the seal and lose compression. This will happen whether you turn it forwards or backwards, since the seal is already wedged and no doubt broken in at least a few spots. Regardless, the engine is toast, and will require rebuild or replacement.

For ***** and giggles, see rotaryresurrection.com ---> tech ---> internal engine damage.