Infini IV

I just got done putting everything together, but the battery was weak. I jumped the car and the crank was still really weak and slow.

My dad said it COULDN'T be due to the battery since I was getting the power off another car's battery. I'm thinking maybe the starter is too old and weak?

My dad also suggested that maybe the engine was put together too tight?! I wouldn't think so, because I was able to turn the engine with the same force as before the rebuild (turning the flywheel). The engine is also quite easily turned by the main pulley bolt.

This leads me to think that the cause is the starter... Anyone able to offer any help?

88 vert

I just went through the same problem with a rebuilt motor,i had to jump it and pour oil in the motor to get it started,due to a week starter i replaced the starter and had no problems since.

Kenteth

Your dad would be forgetting that although he is technicaly correct-- that battery would not be powering just one car, but rather two. thats unreasonable to think that you will have the same power from a battery to one car if its supplying two. Hence when you jump a dead battery you sometimes have to let it charge 5-10 minutes just to get enough juice between the TWO batteries to start the 2nd car.

Sounds like my dad-- ignorant. But than again, I may be too. You dad may be a rocket engineer, and I appologize for taking my problems out on him.

Hey good luck though! My starter seems to have 3 different modes.
1. Fast -- what happens 80% of cranks
2. slow-- what happens 19.5% of cranks -- unexplainable honestly
3. Barely moving -- super low battery == what happens when working on the car with the radio on for 3-4 hours without the motor running. .5% of the time. Bearly enough power to move the flywheel, but it is enough to get a full couple cranks out to fire it up. Let the car idle 15 minutes, and next crank is fast or slow.

Infini IV

Hmm, so just replace the starter?

Yea, my dad is quite stubborn, but I was too tired and excited to finally get it running...

It's kinda wierd though... The starter seemed perfectly fine before I tore apart everything... Maybe I soaked it in too much carb cleaner when I cleaned it?

So there's probably no other explanation for this problem I'm having? Most definately the starter?

Fingers

Could be a problem with the grounding. Did you try cleaning your battery terminals? and adding a new ground from the firewall to the block?

HAILERS

I vote with *The FINGER*. If the ground wire for the car is not attached to the engine good, then the engine will not turn over at a good rate(assuming the battery connections are good).

What you want to do is go to the negative connection for the battery. It's at the starter. It's attached to the outboard bolt for the starter. You know. That long bolt and nut. Make sure the negative cable for the car is secure and tightly attached to that bolt.

Mabe I didn't write the above very clear. The negative cable for the battery runs from the negative post on the battery, to a ground attachement on the left fender, then to the long bolt that attaches the starter. There. That's better.

Then again, if it required a lot of cranking of the engine to get it to finally start up, then it is possible that the starter got overheated and used up/worn out/ layed down and died. Could be several things. But.....not necessarily the starter. But could be the starter. Not saying its not the starter, but check the ground cable first, then the power wire attached to the starter, then buy a starter (hey, dad! Got some spare change?).

HAILERS

*****COULDN'T be due to the battery since I was getting the power off another car's battery*****

Depends on the quality of the cables and how well they are attached to the two batterys. But you and your dad know that. Dad's know best.

mac_dad6

my car takes forever to start. i rebuilt thee starter and the motor cranks over at a normal speed but it seems to flood and i have to use my fuel cut switch and it still takes forever to fire up. it runs fairly good once it starts but wont hold an idle. anyone have any suggestions.

HAILERS

***********mac_dad6***************

Lots of ideas. Some apply, some don't. Shotgun approach here. Sad to say, you need to start from square one. Square one being.......downloading the Factory Service Manual from http://www.iluvmyrx7.com. Just the Fuel Section will do.

Set the timing first, making sure the idle is below 1000, preferably 750. They have you install the Initial Set Coupler. That keeps the BAC from effecting any turning of screws, etc that you do while setting the timing/idle.

Then, set the idle speed. On a 87 thats using the Initial Set Coupler installed and turning the screw in the side of the BAC. Set as close to 750 as possible. Note the words *as close as possible*.

If that turns out not satisfactory, try adjusting the Variable Resistor. That will either enrichen the mixture AT IDLE or lean it out AT IDLE. Before playing with that Variable Resistor, note where it was in the beginning.

Once you've got the idle set as close to 750 as possible, remove the Initial Set Coupler. What should happen when you do this, is for the idle to maybe chugg for a couple of times then settle down. Take note that the BAC was designed to help maintain a 750 idle speed. So if your idle was set at say 650, the end result with the Initial Set Coupler removed, is for the idle to go to 750.

Now set the TPS. A fully hot engine is required for success. Either use the two light method, ohms method, or for good results, set the output of the TPS to one (1) volt with everything connected up (all plugs on when adjusting to one volt).

A lot of things will effect the idle. Bad/good plugs. Leaking grommets at the bottom of each fuel injector(air leaks, not fuel), vac hoses installed ***** nilley in the wrong spot, bad/old/dirty fuel injectors, bad grounds b/t the engine and the firewall, just stuff like that.

On a turbo the snorkel from the air flow meter to the turbo inlet likes to split at the turbo coupling, a source of air leaks that effect the idle.

I see the words *won't hold an idle*. I think setting the idle per the fsm might cure that. Maybe yes, maybe no.

Engines get old and wear out. One thing that will cause a bumpy irratci idle is one rotor having lower/higher compression than the other. You know the cure for that.

And I've a new twist on an old problem. I put a turbo in my N/T a couple of months ago. Lately I noticed that coming home from work, lights on, A/C on etc that my car would sort of bogg while doing a steady 70mph. The wideband would go from approx 14.6/7 to a lean of 15-18 afr. Lean. Did the usual things people do. Monitored the voltage on both primary fuel injectors. They read the same and the voltage would go from, say 11.5 to 13volts at the same time. Got to looking and noticed that I'd broken the ground wire from the engine to the firewall and the resistance b/t the engine and the negative battery post was a good three ohms. Not what I usually have. Usuall about 0.2 to 0.3 ohms. Put a new 12 gauge wire b/t the engine and firewall and all was well last night on the way home. I think it was headlight related in some fashion. Only happen at night.

Well, all that shotgunning has got me to the point of going to WORK Arbeit Mach Frei!, as they used to say in the bad ole days.

If that

HAILERS

Well I've a few minutes to waste. In reference to my last post........if the BAC does not seem to do squat when you pull the initial set coupler, and or turn the air conditioner on, headlights on etc.....then its possible the BAC's input from the ECU is kaput. See this thread: http://www.teamfc3s.org/info/articles/idle.html that site made me realize the output for my bac was bad several years ago. I fixed it per the site.

ElZapatista717

how much would a rebuild cost on an 88' GXL??? where can i send it to get it done cheap?

mac_dad6

thanks hailers. one question though, how do i set the idle since it wont idle at all. do i adjust it with the car off and then start it and see where its at or do i have a friend hold the revs up to keep it from dying and adjust it then have him let off to see if it will idle.

Kenteth

I bought a new one for $134 as my original died and it had 126k miles on it. Napa wanted $275 for their lifetime warantee one though. Their explanation was "it must have unusal gearing."

HAILERS

****do i adjust it with the car of***

Nope. There is a throttle stop screw on the rear linkage. Its a screw that has a 8mm wrench size jam nut on it. You loosen the jamnut and screw the screw in to open the throttle plates so it will idle. Just pull the intercooler and look at the linkage towards the rear of the throttle body. You'll see it. It's a itsy bitsy tiny screw about a quarter inch long.

Helpful hint. Take the intercooler off. Measure the two large hose that are at each end of the intercooler. I forget the size right now. What two inches in dia??? Now go to the HomeDepot and buy some pvc pipe that dia. Also two right angle connectors. Go home and fabricate a pipe that will connect the turbo outlet hose to the throttle body inlet. One ninty degree elbow is to connect two pipes. One leaving the turbo outlet and one going to the throttle body inlet.

The idea is to leave the intercooler off the car and use pvc pipe to connect the turbo outlet to the throttle body inlet, while the car is idling. Why? So you can work on the throttle linkage/screws without constantly removing the intercooler.