JC522

Hey I was wondering if anyone could help me out? I've had my 86 base RX-7 since January and never had any trouble starting it. It would start right away. All of a sudden after running errands today I noticed it would start to crank longer before the car would actually start and it kind of sounded like the car was dieing. After I noticed it, I tested it a few more times at home by turning the car off and on. After like my third try the car just completely stopped cranking. So when I try to start the car all it does is make a click sound and I noice the charge on my battery drops a bit then goes back up. Don't know if this has anything to do with it but I noticed the car temp went up a quarter way to ot and it usually never does that. My only mod isacone filter and I've hadtha for about a month. Any help would be reatly appreciated

Mobius

All of a sudden after running errands today I noticed it would start to crank longer before the car would actually start and it kind of sounded like the car was dieing.


Could be that your alternator belt broke and you did not notice it missing under the hood.

If that happened then your battery would not be getting a charge. Therefore the rest of your electrical components, namely the AFM would start to act funny because they would be receiving the wrong voltages.
Thus hard starting.

Eventually your battery would drop to the point that it was unable to engage the solenoid and that's the *clicking* sound your getting.

It's possible that you're over heating because the remaing belt that turns the water pump is slipping just enough to drop the rpms equal to that of your increase in engine temp. That is, the waterpump housing only has two belt pathways. So if you don't have power steering or its belt, then you definately have problems, because not only is the alternator failing to spin, the water pump isn't either = Overheat.

Its also possible that the alternator went bad, which would cause everything you describe except for the overheat.

Check your Alt belt and make sure its tight and that your water pump is definately turning. If it is check your alternator.

And it could also be your battery is old and crappy.

If none of those things are the problem then obviously its something else.

JC522

Well I checked the belt and it's still on there. I replaced the battery when I bought the car so I don't think it could be it. I also noticed that when I hold the key to the start position it starts to make a faint sound, which I can't really describe. I don't havepower steering or a/c.

Mobius

Well I checked the belt and it's still on there.


Okay, then the belt may not be on tight enough.

Sure it may spin the alternator, but the system is designed in such away that any slip in the belt will cause over heating and charge related problems.

Also, you can't just look at the belt turn and be like " its turning so that's not the probelm" you have to make sure that the belt is tightend to spec. See your manual.

The belt can be tightend to the right spec too, but upon closer inspection the belt has bald spots or teeth missing from it that can cause the same type of problems

If you find it to be loose don't just tighten the hell out of it and call that good either.. Because then you can do what I did and FUBAR your water pump.

Smoken'

iTrader: (1)

You might have a bad starter...

JC522

The problem is it doesn't even spin. When I turn the key nothing happens. Thecar doesn't crank, it doesn't fire it just makes a little click sound from the ignition. The lights an stuff come on everytime I do it. But when I turn the key, nothing seems to happen in the engine bay. Nothing moves.

HAILERS

Have someone stand in front of the car. Turn the headlights on. Try starting the car. Question: Did the headlights almost go out, or did they remain close to what they were prior to turning the key to START. If they remained as bright as before......the solenoid on the starter might be going bad. Try numerous attempts. Go click, click, cllick and maybe it'll catch. If not, get under there and tap the starter with a ballpeem hammer a couple of times, then try again. If it now works....the starter is starting to go out on you.

JC522

lights don't seem to get darker, they stay the same.

Smoken'

iTrader: (1)

bad starter!

JC522

I also noticed that when Itry to sart the cr and hold the key to the start position it makes a whining sound but I had to really listen for it.