Has anyone ever HAD to use ATF/oil to unflood a motor?
Yup! I did when I was trying to dial in the stand alone MAP-idle when I first installed it (rich)
pull out a leading plug(s) and squirt about an once and then turn it over...It will smoke like a bitch probably and you will have to get new plugs. Chances are there fouled and thats the reason its not starting... You might get it started just by getting new plugs.
pull out a leading plug(s) and squirt about an once and then turn it over...It will smoke like a bitch probably and you will have to get new plugs. Chances are there fouled and thats the reason its not starting... You might get it started just by getting new plugs.
Originally posted by raising arizona
Yup! I did when I was trying to dial in the stand alone MAP-idle when I first installed it (rich)
pull out a leading plug(s) and squirt about an once and then turn it over...It will smoke like a bitch probably and you will have to get new plugs. Chances are there fouled and thats the reason its not starting... You might get it started just by getting new plugs.
Yup! I did when I was trying to dial in the stand alone MAP-idle when I first installed it (rich)
pull out a leading plug(s) and squirt about an once and then turn it over...It will smoke like a bitch probably and you will have to get new plugs. Chances are there fouled and thats the reason its not starting... You might get it started just by getting new plugs.

Did you have any luck with the simple unflooding or did you just use ATF first?
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Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 138
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From: LA
We started with the simple, then complex methods at rx7.com.. they work 
http://rx7.com/tech/unflood-fc.html

http://rx7.com/tech/unflood-fc.html
Originally posted by RotaryResurrection
Yep, I have to all the time.
Why don't you get a tow around the block in 2nd gear if you are afraid of the atf?
Yep, I have to all the time.
Why don't you get a tow around the block in 2nd gear if you are afraid of the atf?

Just curious as to peoples experiences so that I can gauge if I'm screwing something up...
I've always been able to deflood a rotary by flooring the gas pedal, and pulling the EGI fuse. I've never had to pull the plugs, even on my 88 S4 that had low compression.
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Refined Valley Dude
Joined: Oct 2001
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From: Kitchener, Ontario (Hamilton's armpit)
Originally posted by Josepi
Not afraid of the ATF, just haven't gone to the store to get it yet!
Not afraid of the ATF, just haven't gone to the store to get it yet!
It doesn't have to be ATF. A heavy motor oil, like 20W50, will also do the job.
I have only used oil or ATF to unflood a motor when it is spinning fast. You can hear it sound like the starter is spinning on a gear, but the motor is turning. That kind of fast.
99% of the time I have tried to start a flooded FC, you can just hold the gas pedal all the way down.
99% of the time I have tried to start a flooded FC, you can just hold the gas pedal all the way down.
Originally posted by Icemark
I have only used oil or ATF to unflood a motor when it is spinning fast. You can hear it sound like the starter is spinning on a gear, but the motor is turning. That kind of fast.
99% of the time I have tried to start a flooded FC, you can just hold the gas pedal all the way down.
I have only used oil or ATF to unflood a motor when it is spinning fast. You can hear it sound like the starter is spinning on a gear, but the motor is turning. That kind of fast.
99% of the time I have tried to start a flooded FC, you can just hold the gas pedal all the way down.
Originally posted by Josepi
That describes the sound! Another question, do you all turn the motor over by hand and inject ATF in each housing trying to get each face of the rotors or just into one and it'll work?
That describes the sound! Another question, do you all turn the motor over by hand and inject ATF in each housing trying to get each face of the rotors or just into one and it'll work?
Then put the plugs back in and cranked it up on the first try.
A bit simpler way than above.
The bodyshot next to Mazcare in Atlanta hired some dum@$$ who moved my car 5 feet & turned it off without full warmup. That's the "I got 0 compression, the engine just goes wrrrrrrrrrr instead of chug chug chug when craking" only ATF will fix this problem" type of flooding.
A pump can, ATF, & rubber hose is what I used. I think most rotaries have a nipple on the intake manifold you can hook up to. Here's the one on a 2nd gen highlighted in Redish Pink:

6-9 pumps, 8-12 sec of cranking and she starts right up.
The bodyshot next to Mazcare in Atlanta hired some dum@$$ who moved my car 5 feet & turned it off without full warmup. That's the "I got 0 compression, the engine just goes wrrrrrrrrrr instead of chug chug chug when craking" only ATF will fix this problem" type of flooding.
A pump can, ATF, & rubber hose is what I used. I think most rotaries have a nipple on the intake manifold you can hook up to. Here's the one on a 2nd gen highlighted in Redish Pink:

6-9 pumps, 8-12 sec of cranking and she starts right up.
Last edited by vaughnc; Feb 6, 2004 at 02:43 PM.
Used the ATF just about every spring since 1993 ('89TII). After the car sat for the winter and if I neglected to start it up every couple of weeks, the engine would just spin, not flooded, but low compression. As soon as I turned the starter I could tell by the speed in which the engine turned over. No resistance. Could have been weak springs, but after a little atf, put plugs in and it would fire right up. Heavy smoke, then it would be fine. Even had compression tested and it was fine. Did put a new engine in 2002 (160,000 miles). Compression was over the minimum, but it was time. I injected the atf into the chambers with a medical syringe.





