Help
 

Sorry, i dont know if this is the right place to post this but oh well..

I just got a 1987 TII and the car doesnt stay running.
I drove it one time, and when i was driving home on the freeway the car just died.
Before the car died the car was cutting out a little bit.
Now when i start it, it stays running for like 2 seconds and then dies.
Then the battery loses power..

Does anyone know what the problem could be?
My friend said alternator.

oh and sometimes i can rev it and hold it for a couple more seconds.
But most of the time it wont hold

bad alt, bad motor would be the first two things I would look at

bad motor? :(

have you done a compression check? Do you have proper voltage when the car is running? do you have a major hose or part disconnected.

You will need to provide much more detail on what is happening to get the correct response to the problem

No compression check.
The car has a t04 turbo, and had 750cc injectors on it with no engine management.
I wasnt driving the car alot, just somewhere and back.
And its cutting out cause of the injectors im pretty sure..
But the car just died on the freeway. I was driving normal, nothing about 3500 rpms.
But i had to stay in 4th cause 5th was cutting out too bad. Then the car died.
Would start, but not stay running.
I just put the stock injectors back in but its doing the same thing.
This happend to my brothers car and he just needed an alternator so im hoping thats all it is.

voltage when running?

Not sure..
Barely stays running to see that

are the idiot lights on when the car is running?

nope
no lights on

Warning lights on when the engine is OFF and key is ON?

Im not sure ill go check.
I thought all lights did that though?

Okay, so i got an alternator today and put it on and its doing the same thing.
But now it will barely even start.
It will act like its going to, and then not..
I had a big truck try to jump it but wouldnt start.
Any other ideas?
Spark plugs?
And when i try to start it i smell gas

Why are you wasting money when you have not done the basic tests such as voltage or if the alternator is even working?

Or a compression check?

You don't buy anything until you test and know for sure that the part needs to be replaced...

Well unless you have more money than sense or are a tech at a Mazda dealer.

And you probably have flooded the motor.

Because nobody was open so i had to go to Thrifty's.
And they didnt have the right part to test it at the time, so i just bought it.
Could it be fuel pump? fuel filter?

I don't think you can read

Similar issue
 

My 87 TII died on the freeway today as well. Driving along and then complete loss of electrical power. The car started again after about 10 mins of trying. It is at the dealership now, I had no time to troubleshoot and need my daily driver back.

Trouble shooting via the WEB is a nightmare. Sounds like you eleminated the Altenator though. I let you know what the dealer says is wrong with mine, maybe that will help point you in the right direction.

Rob

Thats exactly what happend to me.
But when i started it after like an hour of trying, i had to hold the gas for it to stay running, then i let off it died.
Please let me know whats wrong with yours.

So if i did flood it then what?
Just spark plugs?

https://www.rx7club.com/2nd-generation-specific-1986-1992-17/frequently-asked-questions-2nd-generation-rx-7-faq-fc-494667/

I guess you are not getting it... it sounds like you have multiple problems.

From your description, you have flooded the motor. Fix this by unflooding the motor as per the owers manual or if you don't have the owners manual, then by reading the FAQ for FC sticky thread (shown above) that you seem to be ignoring.

It also sounds like you have a voltage problem, but the issue here is that you don't seem to listen or be inclined to even check the voltage in the car. Checking the voltage requires a multi-meter available at Radio Shack, Home depot and most auto parts stores from anywhere between $25 and $300 (depending on model and quality). You don't just go replacing parts.

For example, maybe you just have corrosion on the battery terminal... this would limit the amperage and or voltage available from the battery and may over heat the alternator as it is trying to charge the battery. There might not be a problem at all with the battery, or with the alternator itself, however since you are unwilling or unable to test or even trouble shoot the problem it is hard to say. You didn't even answer Hailers question (here you have one of the best FC electrical guys on the board trying to help and you can't be bother to go test what he asked you... instead you waste money on buying a alternator??? WTF is that???).

Going out and buying a new alternator is just a waste of money unless that is the problem. Since it didn't fix the car, you pretty much know that the $100 you spent on a rebuilt alternator was completely wasted. Asking about things like fuel pumps or fuel filters is the same... why replace a part that is not the problem... instead trouble shoot the problems and get the car running.

So stop jumping ahead, go and test the voltage and clear the flooded engine and go from there. Neither cost much and will allow the next step in testing and trouble shooting if the problems are still there.

do you have a tach signal when its running? My trailing igniter and or coil went out and I couldn't keep the car running either (go figure huh).

trailing coils have nothing to do with running the car, they are there simply for the tach in the dash, the power steering, the cruise control and to help clean up emissions.

You can run a FC just fine without the trailing coils even plugged in. If you can't... then you probably have a problem with the leading coils as well; as they are required to run the vehicle.

just bought new plugs and put them in.
It actually starts now and i can hold it to stay running, but when i let off the gas, it dies.

I am done helping... you don't read

I read everything youre saying.
But im trying to do simple stuff right now that might be the problem, not have it towed somewhere for someone to look at it.
And maybe you could be a little nicer, and not act like im an idiot. :)

Then my leading isn't working right cuz it wouldn't run, well it did but barely.

Checking compression and voltage are easy and quick. They can be both done with very limited tools and time (i.e. less time than buying an alternator). Borrow a voltmeter and compression gauge if need be. See my sig. for the FSM, look at the troubleshooting section, and go from there.

The car should have ran fine when it was started and hooked up to another running car (you mentioned a truck, actually). You have to diagnose the problem systematically to narrow it down to what system is affected. Don't ignore easy things like a loose vacuum hose or intake duct.

Just to update....

Dealer says my issue was a bad altenator and a toasted battery. They offered to fix it for the low price of $495.

I drove it home ( bad Alternator and all ) and will be upgrading to the FD alternator this weekend. I guess I need to test the Optima and see if it's really toast.

Good luck and listen to the guys that have been here for awhile. I'm new to the rotary, so I'm learning a lot from this forum.

Rob

how much did the dealership charge you for the diagnostic?

My optima is COMPLETELY dead, and i have to have someone jumpstart my car to see if it will run everytime i think ive fixed it.

BUT i just found this plug that wasnt connected, and i was wondering if it was a sensor that would keep my car from running? or if its not that big of deal?

http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/c...04-08_1753.jpg
http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/c...04-08_1752.jpg

$95 for the diag. I had no idea what was wrong at the time my car died. Acted like one of those cars where the UFO flys over and all the electronics die, then 15 min later it's fine.

and yes, all of the sensor's are important until proven otherwise. Does the car run better now with the sensor plugged in?

I cant start it because my batteries dead.
I have to ask my neighbor to jumpstart it everytime i think ive fixed it. lol
So i need someone to jump it.

first wow icemark stopped helping you. go and get a battery charger and 2 simple tools (compression checker & voltmeter). and then maybe someone can actually help you

Its kind of hard, since i have no way to get anywhere to buy that stuff.
When i can i will.
What is that sensor? (pics)

well im not sure but im gonna check the fsmhttp://www.cochran-racing.com/FSM/index.html and most questions can be answered by looking there.

Check the FSM to answer questions like that, pfsantos has it in his sig.

if your car is an s5 its the intake air thermosensor. you now owe me a cookie

Can you hear if your fuel pump is running?

You can tell us the battery voltage from the volt gauge in the car.

The air intake temperature is an important tool for the engine managment.

I doubt that is what caused your problem though.

If the can will stay running at wide open throttle but not anywhere else, it is most likely a vacuum leak. look for a vacuum line that popped off.

Spark notes:
Check if Fuel pump is running and if you have vacuum leaks.

let me clarify my previous post... The fuel pump is obviously running while cranking, but is it running while idling? The fuel pump will not come on unless the AFM sees air flow, with a large boost leak, this could be the problem.

Also, I see you have the intercooler removed, you are bypassing it with a piece of pvc or something when trying to run the car, right? It is also ok to reconnect the intercooler before starting, but the car won't run without a connection there.

(I guess that you probably know this, but it never hurts to mention it.)

Yeah, i just took it off to look for stuff.
I always put everything back together before i try to start it.

But you have a way to go out and buy a new alt and spark plugs???

The alternator was the first thing i thought it was, so i got a ride to go get it.
Someone else got me the plugs when they were already at the place.

icemark i thought you were done helping this guy?

I am... I was making fun of him... not helping him.

lol what else does he have to do? probably nothing, since he has 26, 000 posts! lol:rlaugh:

well if you can get a ride from someone you can get the tools and answer your questions.

Yeah, my friends gonna help me with it.
Thanks. :)

actually I have a lot more... I keep deleting a couple thousand off every now and then

I wouldn't make fun of someone trying to help you, especially Icemark. Just my two cents.

Wasnt really trying to make fun of him.
He was obviously making fun of me.
If someones gonna be a dickhead about it, then i dont even want there help.