I've searched this forum (and others) extensively, but obviousely not extensively enough. I recently bought a 1988 FC3S T II 10th Annaversary Edition with about 57,000 original miles. It was sold new from a dealership in 1993 driven once in a while by a lady (i got it from her) and she stoped driving it when her husband passed. so it's been under a tarp for about 2-3 years. I picked it up for short money and it runs... well, sort of runs from the symptoms it seems like "limp mode" from what I've read (still I don't know) I drove this car home ( about 30 min drive). I drained and changed gas, engine oil, trani fluid... all came out clean. gas smelled stale but not bad. changed plugs to a set of NGK

Likw I said the engine runs...badly. It will star up fine, but will cough and sputter at idle, bounces the revs around between about 250 - 1,000rpm trying to stay alive ( I haven't touched the gas peddal by this point) When i step on the gas peddal and bring the revs up to about 2,000rpm it climbs slower than i think it should, and i can hear the exhaust pop a bit while i hold that rpm. ( engine sounds a bit like a 2-stroke dirt bike with a fouled plug) and i had my friend put the FC back in the garage the night i got 'er and noticed a purple/blue fame come out of the tail pipes when the revs came down. (car at a "cold" operating temp) this car seems to stay very cold aswell about 1/4 the way up the temp guage. Checked spark. all 4 plugs are getting spark.

Thus far I can only think that either of two things is true.
1. - ECU not sending right info, or TPS is messed.

2. - Injectors not working in one rotor... but what about the unburnt fuel in the exhaust?... hmm.

I'm really at a loss as for what to do.

also, I hear...read everyone's statements about "pulling codes" and "getting codes" from their car. What does this mean? how can I, and should I do it? also is there a way to reset the ECU to maybe fix this problem if it is in "limp Mode"- still no idea what that means.

Thank you for grinding your way through all that.

 

you could try and disconect the +battery cable.....or you could pull the main fuse and wait like 30 seconds then put it back in.....i might work if the car or ecu is in limp mode....hope that helps

Herbz

 

had the battery out over night to charge it.

Thank you though.

 

Most rx7's will run like **** after they have sat for a while. I bought a '90 GTU that sat for about 3 years. Ran like ***. Changed the oil and the basic maintenence. And burned out the old fuel. Drove it to Denver and it was running like a champ.

 

i fell like I'm going to cause some real damage if i keep running it like this.

Also keep in mind I HAVE NOT shredded this engine YET. I plan to dismantle everything and rebuild it to get it running like it was Brand New over the winter months and into the spring.

 

The motor is dead.
Do a compression check.


-Ted

 

lol... i think thats what he says to everyone, but the point is, play it safe.

 

I had this problem with mine i did every thing you did also. But it still ran like crap but after the 2nd tank of new gas i ran through it it ran just fine I think that even if you drain all the old gas there is still going to be a lot of condensation in the tank and the lines.

 

i would have to say, dont rev the car too much until this problem starts to subside. there could be many little things in there waiting to crack a seal.

if it already hasnt cracked.

 

tomorrow I'm going to pull the injectors to see their spray pattern, if there is a spray, not sure if the primarys are gummed up, because on the drive home i got on the gas once and the car shot out from under me in a manner of speaking when it hit around 3,700rpm I was amazed and a little freaked out. I started listening to everything watching for smoke and such, then i though it maight have been the turbo kicking in and the ... dead rotor running off it's secondaries.

do you think I'm way off base with that?

 

yea i think your way off base becuase you still havent told us if you've done a compression check. Ted is damn right, becuase shitty idle, missing and coughing etc are all related to compression issues, wich means a couple things.

bad seals
stuck seals
or worse... as in fucked housings/seals.. you know.

 

just do the poor mans test. remove the egi fuse, and crank the motor with the plugs out, listen for whooshes, or crank the motor by hand (better for poor mans test)

 

OK. I did a comp test with my guage and got readings of 80 for both rotors from an old battery that won't hold a charge... going to Sears to buy a brand new optima red top 75/35

 

also watching the guage with the release valve open my needle spiked to 40 every time on both rotors, no discrepancy. so definitely time for a new battery and get proper readings. I'll post once i have the battery, charge it, and try it.

 

her we go, with a new battery in the car, i get comp readings of between 100 - 110 for both front and rear rotors. well I know that the seals are ok. now onto the fuel system and the electronics and sensors etc.