help me please!!!!
 

I just bought an rx-7, the engine and tranny have about 10,000 miles on them. The engine won't idle it will jump up and it will hold for a second at 2500 rpm and then drop struggle and die. It then floods and it takes a while for it to crank over. I haven't checked the compression yet but I don't think that is the problem. It sounds like it has an exhaust leak and the car has 145,000 miles with the original exhaust. If the cats are burnt up or clogged can that cause these problems? After just buying the car I don't want to believe I may have to rebuild the engine. It may have a vacuum leak also. It looks like the shop that installed the engine did a shitty job. all the idiot lights stay on. The car has absolutely no power and can't go over 30. Someone tell me what you think the problem could be. I would appreciate it greatly.

Wow, that sounds pretty bad. 1st thing I would do would be to check the compression. Rule that out, (hopefully) and go from there. After that vaccum leak would be the most likely cause on it not being able to hold an idle.

All the idiot lights on point to an alternator problem.

Your idle problem could be almost anything. Make sure the AFM is plugged in and there are no cracks in the intake tube. Check all vacuum hoses for leaks. Specifically, make sure to check the gasket between the upper and lower intake manifold. Assuming there are no vacuum leaks, adjust your TPS to factory specs. Check plug wires and make sure the correct wiring harness is plugged into each injector.

Assuming the engine was replaced, almost ANYTHING could be connected wrong.

Unscrew gascap, throw away car, get new car, screw in gascap.

There's your solution. (just kidding)

i've almost taken that advice a few times, lol.

the cats normally affect the car as rpms (exhaust flow) increases. not to say that they aren't part of you're problem. if you have no emissions, gut them and rule that out. have your alternator tested, rule that out. then you are going to need to get some beer, a fsm, and spend a few hours under the hood learning what everything is, where it is, and if the right plugs are where they should be. then move onto checkking for vacuum leaks, hoses not hooked up, etc. then move on to checking systems (bac, etc).

listen up !!
Aaron right on the mark with the alternator, ect ..

I am having the EXACT same problem on the 88 SE now. However, I found smoke coming out of the ACV gasket, and one of the 3 bolts there is broken, so I will change that and add a new intake manifold gasket as soon as it warms up to anything over freezing. If that solves my problem, then I would say major intake leak...

thanks everyone I appreciate it. The car is going all crazy on me so hopefully I can pan out all the bugs. I have never seen an engine install like this after colse inspection they cut alot of the plugs off and hard wired everything WTF! Oh well if I can't fix it I can get full coverage and wreck it...... I'm checking the compression tomorrow or saturday. Hopefully it will come out good. If it checks out I amy just carb it. once again thanks guys.