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Goru Why does my car lack fuel pulse, and spark...(Car dead) Spend over 4k dollars...

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Old 02-22-04, 12:37 PM
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Unhappy Goru Why does my car lack fuel pulse, and spark...(Car dead) Spend over 4k dollars...

Well Guys I Have posted a lot of threads regarding this specific incident, and not even a reputable mechanic was able to help...

The list of reliability parts is below... I have rebuilded the engine and it ran fine, Im running premix and the car has almost 5000 miles on it...within this time the car has died 2 times while driving in gear... the first time i replaced the starter and the alternator and it fired right up.

The second time about a month an a half ago, The car did the same thing, I replaced the starter again and a new battery and nothing... The rx-7 specialist worked on it for a month with no answer, He said it could be the " THE FRONT DRIVER'S HARNESS" which according to him controls the battery, alternator and coils, what led him to believe this.

Is that when he replaced the ecu the car started for 3 minutes until he moved around some cables around the drivers side by the spark plugs, and stuff and then the car died and wasent able to start again... Anyways he told me to get that harness replaced since it could have something to do with the alarm system keeping the car in "stale mod", This guy has work on rx-7s for almost 10 years...

Anyways, I bought a new frame which cost me 400 dollars all perfect except for no hood, no rims, and no seats, no engine, no tranny, no exhaust. Anyways i was going to swap everything from my car to this one, but I decided to just swap the harnesses even though is a pain in the *** still. I just don't want to spend anymore useless money... what do you guys think are teh best steps for me to take or test or something? Im completly lost and I really need you guys help.

_____________________________________________

NEW Overhaul gasket kit, New Rotor kit, New Pulsation Damper, New Fuel Lines, New Bypasss coolant Lines, New Heater hoses, New Clamps, New Battery, New Battery clamps, New Silicone Vaccum Lines, New Radiator, New Water Pump, New Starter, New Thermostat, New Rotor and Housing Bearings, New Alternator, New NGK Spark Plug Wires
New NGK plugs, New Thermal Pellet, New Radiator coolant hoses, Rebuild Fuel Injectors, Resurfaced flywheel
New Ecluthmasters clutch Kit, One main cat exhaust, New oxygen sensor, New fuel filter

Last edited by Peruvianrx7; 02-22-04 at 12:57 PM.
Old 02-22-04, 12:57 PM
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WOW!! This is odd!

First thing I would do, and how I fixed my problem (basically the same problem).

Put ECU test lights into the Diag plug. If you car wont start, chances are, the ECU lights wont illuminate when the key is set to the "on" position.

Once you have the key to the "on" position, and IF you have no ECU lights (2-5 sec lights that tell you the ECU is online as the key is turned on). Start wiggling the wiring harness EVERYWHERE. If there is a problem in the wiring, wiggling it MIGHT find your problem. How will you know you found it? You will see the lights come online, and hear some relays click.

Trust me, this works, its how I found the same problem in my car.

Jarrett

*edit* I have met more people that have "100 years of rotary experience etc..." that couldnt find thier *** with a roadmap.
Old 02-22-04, 01:00 PM
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Originally posted by J-Rat
WOW!! This is odd!

First thing I would do, and how I fixed my problem (basically the same problem).

Put ECU test lights into the Diag plug. If you car wont start, chances are, the ECU lights wont illuminate when the key is set to the "on" position.

Once you have the key to the "on" position, and IF you have no ECU lights (2-5 sec lights that tell you the ECU is online as the key is turned on). Start wiggling the wiring harness EVERYWHERE. If there is a problem in the wiring, wiggling it MIGHT find your problem. How will you know you found it? You will see the lights come online, and hear some relays click.

Trust me, this works, its how I found the same problem in my car.

Jarrett
Wait so I should make a home made ecu test device? or how would I go about testing the ecu lights? Where and what is the Diag. plug? Thanx bro.. what was wrong with yours? and could it be the engine harness?
Old 02-22-04, 01:01 PM
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Yes. Go to your ingnition switch. Now follow the wires from the ignition switch down the column about a foot where you see the ignition switch wires connecting to the main harness. I think there are three plugs . One plug has two wires. One is BLACK and the other is BLACK/WHITE. Disconnect that plug. Put a meter on the BLACK wire. There should be 12v there all day long with/without the key to ON.

THAT BLACK wire runs into the engine bay and terminates at a single wire connector located just below the engine fuse box. ABout a foot from the box or less. That is the wire that supplies power to the ignition switch and hence the starter etc. I suspect the problem lies with that black wire either at the engine bay connector or in between there and the ignition switch.

SEE the ignition sw in this jpg. See how it comes from the engine fuse box? See X23? X23 is the single, black connector in the engine bay as described above. SEE how that wire feeds the coils???????? The fuel pump??????????? See Jane run, run Jane, run.
https://www.rx7club.com/forum/attach...&postid=893365

Last edited by HAILERS; 02-22-04 at 01:10 PM.
Old 02-22-04, 01:06 PM
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Okey hailers will do that... I dont need a digital multimeter right? I could just get a cheapo multimeter?
Old 02-22-04, 01:10 PM
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Here is how you make the lights:

http://www.teamfc3s.org/info/article...odes/main.html

what happened to my car was, the clamp that holds the air pump pipe on had come loose and migrated down to a test connector. It started grounding that test connector to the airpump, and effectively disabled the ECU.

As for the multimeter, a cheapo one is okay, but I really RECOMMEND a digital one!

Jarrett

And dont listen to HAILERS, he is old and senile and talks to himself....
Old 02-22-04, 01:18 PM
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Well I fudged on the black wire feeding the coils.....but it does feed the starter and the fuel pump. No power to the fuel pump and the car dies. After the car dies I assume you could not get the starter to crank over, therefore that would mean the black wire was not making a circuit to the ignition switch and on to the starter solenoid.

And JRatso....... I can find my *** with a roadmap (your comment on the bottom of an above post). The seat in my car has a hole and I covered it with the roadmap. So, see there, all I have to do is remember where the roadmap is and .....bingo! There is my ****. Don't mess with me newbeee, you won't win. Get back inside your fence with the armed guards where you belong.
Old 02-22-04, 01:21 PM
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Peruvian,

IMHO, there has to be a logical explanation for this. Keep trying what me and HAILERS suggest. There isnt any way in HELL I would change a drivers side harness unless it was LAST DITCH.
Old 02-22-04, 01:27 PM
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Answer this: Does your car start right now??? Or is this an intermittant problem your trying to solve? Why did you buy two starters??? Because when you turned the key to START, no sound came from the starter??? Or were the starters just slow to turn the engine over?

And, Mr Rat, about the comment about me talking to myself......well I like to talk to someone with good sense once and a while and that's a sure way to do it.
Old 02-22-04, 01:45 PM
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Ok. First off, J-Rat and Hailers I thank you very much for your help on this here thread of mine. I know both of you are reputable forum members please Im sorry for your disagreements, please we can work it out. I think J-Rat was just kidding hailers so please dont take him seriously.

Second...to hailers questions.
The car does not start right now, I have the upper intake manifold off and the air filter box and arm off as well... everything else is still on it.(The car didnt start since the time the mechanic change the ecu's) it didnt want to start again after that... so he tried checking everything else.

No it is not an intermittant problem since now it wont start anymore.

I didn't buy two starters, when finishing up the rebuild, i reconected the positive cable in the negative and vice-versa on the battery and blew the starter... a mechanic replaced it, but he put a bigger size starter... not made for my car so about 6 months ago when the car died for the first time after the rebuild I found out that the starter on the car was not made for it so i bought a new one with life time warranty after that worked, i thought replacing it again would work but it didnt
Old 02-22-04, 01:51 PM
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Me and HAILERS are just messing with each other. We do this all the time.
Old 02-22-04, 02:00 PM
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iTs amazing isn't it hans. THe same thing Jrat said about the ECU lamps I said what? ******* months ago. But noooo! you didn't want to spend 10 dollars on LED"s right. Oh wait but you did go and buy a whole rolling chasis for 300 dollars.
Old 02-22-04, 02:02 PM
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sorry bro i thought it would fix it... Im an idiot. I just thought teh mechanic would be able to fix it but I was wrong.
Old 02-22-04, 02:09 PM
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Eat Rice Don't Drive it.

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I know man I'm just grilling you.

But try what Jrat and Hailers told you. They know their stuff better than me so chances are they are correct.


Santiago
Old 02-22-04, 02:09 PM
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WTF?
Old 02-22-04, 02:19 PM
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Me and santiago talk online all the time... He knew about my problem when it first started...
Old 02-27-04, 07:30 AM
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I finished up the ecu code checker, But I dont want to put the upper inatake manifold back on, since I just bought new gaskets for it and for the BAC valve, and I dont want to have to take them out again...you know... I mean if I have to go dig down there for some odd reason.

Im checking teh volatge on that cable by the ignition key, Where else shoudl I check for resistance or voltage? ANy other important places I shoudl check on?

Also should I just put the manifold back on... Since you gusy think I won't have to take it off anymore..?

P.S. Let's remmber my OMP is blocked off.. so will that error code don't count and hopefully teh car is not on limp mode.

Last edited by Peruvianrx7; 02-27-04 at 07:42 AM.
Old 02-27-04, 11:39 AM
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I mentioned the wire at the ignition switch because I got the idea the starter would not turn over. I take it it does.

Since it does, then get your digital meter out and turn the key to ON. Then go to the small, two wire, white connector at the LEAD coil assy. Look for approx 12v on the Black/yellow wire. Just pull that two wire connector apart and put the meters positive lead on the black/yellow and the negative lead on a good ground like the battery negative post over there.

No approx 12v????? Check the EGI INJ, 40 amp fuse in the engine bay. If that's good, then pull the MAIN RELAY plugs off and look for 12v approx on the Black/Green wire.

And always check you ENGINE fuse in the crew compartment. That is needed to pull in the MainRelay and supply power to the fuel pump.

To save your starter....you might want to pull all the plugs out and lay them on the fender. Then crank the engine over and look for spark as you crank. The little to no load on the starter should save it from burning up

And I don't worry about JRAt. He's behind a barbwire fence with armed guards to keep him in.

Did I ever mention turning the key to ON, then pulling the plug off the boost sensor and seeing if there is approx 4-5 volts on the brown/white wire? You might do that. NO 4-5 volts ain't a good sign about the health of the ECU. Something like 1-2 volts isn't a good sign either. Takes but moments to check out and might save you a lot of trouble shooting.
Old 02-27-04, 02:32 PM
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Did you try the lights yet?
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