ok...soo my car stopped running about a week and a half ago(day of Formula D LB)...soo when i got outta work i did the usual...cranked it for about a sec...then actually started it...it started for maybe a sec or 2...maybe 3...and jus died...didnt think about giving it some gas...thought it was jus gonna go down to 1.5 cause i was still in gear...but it jus ended up dying...tried to start it again...didnt start...i figured it was flooded...soo i did the soo i took off the egi fuse off and did that procedure...didnt work...and i also changed my spark plugs...didnt work...does anyone know what could be wrong???

 

ohh ya...i have a s4...and i wasnt sure which fuse to take out...is it the egi comp or the egi inj

 

could be a bunch of things.
could be a vacuum leak
could be a dead fuel pump
could be your afm
could be your pressure sensor
all of those things cause idle problems

 

ok...i forgot to mention this...i have a fuel cut off switch that the guy that i bout the car from said that he got it put on by a guy that he goes to for maintanence...well anyways...about this cut off switch...it's connected to this relay...and i was wondering if it would be possible that if the relay could be bad...i dont think it is...because the light on my switch is still on...but could it be a possibility??i'm also going to check the my fuel filter and what not...but as for as the AFM and the pressure sensor...how would those things be a factor??is it possible that any of those 2 could go out just like that??

 

ohh ya...keep in mind that the car the day before was running no problem...

 

It's most likely flooded, but you need to think of 4 things:

Fuel
Spark
Air
Compression

Make sure that the fuel injectors are working (Easy to do if it's flooded which it probably is, you should be able to smell the fuel)

Make sure you got spark (check to see if those plugs are wet)

Make sure Air is good (check that the AFM is plugged in, make sure there aren't any major leaks i.e. piping disconnected)

Compression..... the big uh-oh..... get a compression test, and see if it's low. If it is, then rebuilding is in your future. If it's constantly flooding, and high mileage; then this is a sign of low compression.

But if it is flooded, which it probably is, then get a little bit of ATF in there, just a little bit to help build compression and get it running. It will smoke like hell, but it has worked in the past.

 

is there a way to check compression with out a tester??cause i dont have access to one...and i think i was reading the FAQ...it said to use a teaspoon of either ATF or 20w50...which one is more effective??and also is it good to try and use starter fluid to see if i'm getting fuel or not??cause when my fuse blew for my fuel cut off on the freeway...the metro dude used starter fluid and we figured that it wasnt getting any fuel...so i eliminated the fuse for the cut off and it jus directly connected to the relay...thats y i asked if the relay would be the problem...

 

ohh ya...thanks for helpin out btw if i forget to say it after i get this **** situated

 

I'd recommend keeping that fuse there just for electrical solidarity; I mean, it's a good idea. Check the relay if you think it may be blown, but if compression is real low then no kill switch in the world is going to help you. I'm not saying it is, I'm just saying that compression may be low.

It's hard to test without a tester if you have no previous reference to how the motor should "sound" by this I mean:

-pull the plugs, and the EGI inj fuse and have a friend turn the car over.

-you should hear strong, even pulses as the rotors pass by the spark plug holes.
(this is where it gets hard if ya don't know what a strong pulse is compared to a weak one)

I recommend getting a typical compression tester from any auto shop, it won't be as precise with a rotary engine, but it will give you a good idea as to the overall health of it. Look for three even pulses.

As for the Oil vs. ATF methods, there's probably an argument over which is better, but both are used simply to help build a seal to gain compression.

If it is indeed just flooded, then it's easy to tell if there is no fuel or not: you should SMELL gasoline!

Pull the plugs, clean them and dry them off. Pull the EGI fuse w/ the plugs still out and blow the excess fuel out of there. Put in a little ATF or Oil (Let it sit and get in there so that when you put the plugs back in they aren't covered in oil... ) Plugs in, fuse in, try to start it while carefully modulating the throttle.

 

ok...well i'm gonna try to get on it again today after i wake up...which should be in a few hours...i'll keep you guys posted

also another question...what can cause low compression...i mean...the car the day before it stopped working was running fine...normal start up...didnt really drive hard or anything...was jus a normal day going to work...could something as simple as driving 5 mins at low-mid range rpm cause low compression??

 

No, as engines get older they lose compression. Just like you can't run as fast as you could when you were young.

 

soo ya...its been awhile...but i got my car to run...it was flooded...i dunno if i was doing the flooding procedures wrong but i took off the elbow thing connected to the throttle body and opened the flaps or whatever you call it...and tryin to turn it over with the kill battery(which it turned but freakin slow)...then i jus got a new battery and it worked...but ya..everythings good now...jus gotta save money for a swap now