linuslove

Hi. I am new to this site and registered years ago now finally need help from a knowledgable user with the same year and make car I have. I am the only owner and rarely have driven the car after the first few years that I put on a few 10ks each year, but always warmed it up through the year and took a mile or two drive. I know have 33k miles on it. It was regularly services during the first 5 years by Mazda dealerships. Never had a single problem with the car. This past winter I did NOT warm it up enough and the last few times I started it up several months ago it put out a little white smoke and then it cleared up. It got to a point where when I drove it it wanted to stall out and finally got to a point where I had to rev it so hard to keep it from stalling. Then it got to a point where it would not turn over. Cranks like new but will not turn over. Gas was down to a few gallons thank God so I asked around what to do. I used some STP additive to take out any water and clean any corrosion etc. still cranked, but did not turn over. The I was told Seafoam may do the trick. I used 8 ounces in the few gallons left in the tank and that almost made it start but it did not. Then I changed the 4 spark plugs using the correct original plugs and that did not start it. Then I figured I would get someone to change the fuel filter and I got the OE and we did that, primed it, still cranked beautifully and did not start up. Now I am clueless and I need help from someone. I do NOT know my car well and cars in general that well so if you can speak to me like a layman that would help. WHAT DO I DO NEXT? I can do a lot so if you use layman terms I can do anything! I am great with my hands and had no problem changing spark plugs and the gas filter that a friend helped me with. I even found a link regarding the CPU and ran a line from the little green single outlet plugon ear the battery and grounded it and looked for any codes and on my panel no codes ever came up so I am capable if someone is knowledgeable to help me troubleshoot. I read so much on the net but have no idea what to do next. I am David and you can always email me at Bartharlowi AT yahoo.com I feel that the fuel sitting is all that could have gone wrong, but why is it that with a new clean fuel filter it still is not starting. The person that helped put in the fuel filter confirmed he hears the fuel pump working. I put in another gallon of 93 octane V Power Shell gas yesetrday and it started! White smoke poured out that it was amazing for 5 minutes! BUT i had to keep it reved at like 4000 rpms to keep it from stalling. Then finally when i let it doen to 3000 rpms it stalled and I could not get it started again. I then got another gallon of Shell V Power 93 Octane gas the next day and put it in the tank! It started and so much white smoke I could no see! I kept it reved at around 4000 rpms until the smoke was cleared then the tach meter went down pretty fast and it stalled. Got it started again, took longer, and same stall out. Then when I continued to try to get it started again it just would not turn over and was straining to start and a hear a few grinds like metal on metal when it almost started and then I stopped. I noticed this time some smoke crom the gas filter and it smelled like burning oil! I had the same oil and filter in there for 6 years now and it still is clean because it was driven maybe 200 miles in the 6 years! What is wrong with my poor RX7? Someone help? Is it a sensor of some sort and if so what and where is it under the hood and what do I do to trouble shoot? Thanks for helping someone out there.

Low Key FC GXL

You're not regularly running fresh fuel through the car. First thing I would drain the old fuel and put a few gallons of fresh fuel in. Then check the filter/strainer on the fuel pump. Next I would check the fuel injectors.

linuslove

Thanks for your post! Truly appreciated! I am not that savy with my car so I looked up this part and I see it on the net. Where exactly on my car is the fuel pump and is it possible for me to get under the back wherever it is and buy and change this filter/strainer? Can the strainer be bought separately? As much info as you can give me the better and I really appreciate this. I see you are in NY. I am close in NJ!
David

dwb87

iTrader: (22)

This will give you an idea of where you'll be able to access your fuel pump. It's actually very easy to get to.

Foxed.ca: 1989 FSM - N/A Fuel and Emissions Control Systems <- Check F1-51

linuslove

The gas tank is clean and the fuel sock is like new! All the things I did to the car(add a few gallons of new V Power 93 Octane Shell gas, oil and oil filter change, gas filter change, spark plug change allowed the car now to start at least, BUT I have determined I is an issue with the throttle body area. I know nothing about this area of the car, because I know there is a throttle sensor and some other sensor next to that throttle body. What do I do first that is easiest? I now starts and I still need to give it gas to keep it from stalling, BUT now sometimes it goes all the way down to almost 200 rpms and jumps back up to 2000 rpms and bounces around! What can I do first to check something that may need changing besides starting to search for a throttle body!? I appreciate your reply.
David

satch

iTrader: (1)

You need to fight w/the car to keep it running long enough to warm it up fully. When done you measure the voltage on the Green/Red wire at the TPS sensor and adjust it to 1 volt w/key to the on position.

linuslove

How do I measure the voltage on the Green/Red wire at the TPS sensor and is this done with the car OFF after warmed up? Also, how do I ADJUST this to 1 volt? With a voltmeter? And do you mean the key to the car should be in the on position but the car should not be actually running? Correct?

dwb87

iTrader: (22)

You measure the voltage with a multimeter immediately after the car is turned off at full operating temperature, and key to the "ON" position. (Not actually running) - Negative probe at negative battery terminal. Positive probe inside TPS connector only contacting green/red wire.

It is adjusted with the flathead adjustment screw near the TPS. Do NOT push the screw driver into the adjustment screw... Lightly turn the screw left or right until the multimeter read 1V.

Here's a pic with the TPS side and adjustment screw beneath it. Notice there is a spring around it. (Whether your car is N/A or turbo, S5 or S4 the adjustment screw isn't far from the TPS.)

satch

iTrader: (1)

Safer to do it w/the engine off but key to on (not start). Yes, you use a voltmeter. The TPS has a spring encased screw that is about one inch long and is used to set the voltage reading to one volt.

linuslove

Satch and dwb87, you guys are great and so knowledgable. Thanks so much. I will do this sometime this week and let you now the out come. I hope this is the problem. Can the TPS be "bad" and how would one know if that needs replacement? Would I know from when I try to adjust to 1 volt? Also, if all this ends up NOT WORKING, is the next step going to be dealing with opening up the throttle body and maybe needing a new one? Or are there other sensors that can be checked after the TPS sensor that could be causing this idle issue ending in stalling out on me?

linuslove

Hi, I bought a nice quality Multimeter today. As usual, I had to make sure I had another gallon of V Power Shell 93 Octone gas in the car as it is close to empty on fuel and it ONLY starts when I put another gallon in aside from the fact that there is always some gas in the car. I remember taking the gauge way down lower before when the car ran normally! GOD KNIWS WHY! Anyway, once it got started it was so rough I had to keep it at at least 1500 rpms or higher or it would stall. I ran it and it shook so so much you would not believe it! And backfire it did a lot of! Not loud ones but just popping and popping and it almost sounded like there was a hole in the exhaust! I assume that is not the case and would that possibly cause this if there were? Anyway, after it was warmed up for 10+ minutes and hot it shook much less but when I let that idle come down to like 1000 rpms it stalled and for the heck of it I tried to start it again and it shook and just turned over after a lot of cranking and when I went to give it just a tiny amount of gas, it stalled. So I went to the front under the hood and connected the black lead of my meter to the negative battery terminal and the red positive to the red/green connector hole(after disconnecting the connector) on the TPS side and on the other side connector and the one NOT connected to the TPS gave 83mV set to Voltage and the one connected to the TPS gave no reading(zero)......car had power on but not running as you indicated. WELL, this reading is no where near 1 volt so I am doing something wrong! This is .083 of a volt just shy of 1/10th a volt AND it is the connect not connected to the TPS; the one connected to the TPS gave 0 reading. I tried turning that screw a little each way and it did nothig to this reading. What am I doing wrong?

satch

iTrader: (1)

If you turned the key to on but disconnected the plug to the TPS then how would it receive voltage? The answer is it would not so the plug needs to be connected. If the plug is connected then adjusting the screw passes that info from the TPS to the ECU. Being unplugged it will not communicate w/the ECU. It's like trying to turn on a lamp w/o it plugged in. Not going to work.

linuslove

Makes sense! Stupid me. Now my question is where can I find a place to put the red positive probe so that it is on the wire from the red/green area? Isn't everything insulated once the plugs are connected and how do I get that metal end of the red probe on wire in he green/red wire area I am supposed to connect it to?

satch

iTrader: (1)

You shove it into the back of the plug and it fits snugly inside up against the metal wire connector.

linuslove

Got it. Will try over the next 2 days and report back now that I am sure how this is done. Thanks again for our expertise. David

linuslove

UPDATE. Ok exerts I am getting there due to your help. Please continue to help me; I really appreciate your expertise! Today I added 2 gallons of gas! I started the car and AGAIN, it JUST STARTED MEANING IF I WAS NOT CAREFUL TO LIGHTLY GIVE IT A LITTLE GAS TO GET THE TACH UP, it would have fallen back down and stalled! So I kept the rpms up around 3000 or so as it shook and shook and lightly back fires if I brought it down to 2000 then back to 3000 rpms! I warned it up for a good 15 minutes, but again could not take my gas off that pedal or it would stall. This time however I was able to get it such that I gave t so so little gas and was able to keep the rpms at 1000 rpms!!! That is new because in the past down at 1500 it would stall! After the 15 minutes I did the TPS test and it worked! It was around .75 or .80 volts and I turned the screw a few different times a small amount and eventually got it to 1 volt with the ignition on ON and car not running! Now I went to start it again and it cranked but did not start. Tried again and it just got up to like 200 rpms and I was just able to give it an ever so small amount of gas and got the tach up! Kept it at maybe 1500 or so for a few minutes and let off and the. Kept it at around 900 and let it try to stay there and it went down lower and the car shook almost stalled and went back up again to 1000 and shook more and finally stalled. I is improving, but there is something seriously wrong and I know NOT what it can be at this point! I noticed after running a long time that the car is giving off a little very light smoke coming from BELOW THE OIL FILTER....there is NOT ANY OIL anywhere exposed because I was meticulous when I did the oil change and got a drop of oilno where and there are no oil leaks either! I also should mention that one of the times I tried starting it and when I gave it gas to get the rpms up it screached like metal screeching somewhere under the hood or in the transmission under me?? Can there be an issue with any other fluid like transmission fluid? If so what do ou do? The anti freeze is full so there are no air bubbles in it; it has not been changed in 12 years, BUT AGAIN the car only had like 2000 miles put on it in those years and a friend told me that old anti freeze does not go bad so that is not a problem at all with your car and he said he was 100% sure. Ok, ready for suggestions to do next my dear experts!

linuslove

UPDATE. Ok exerts I am getting there due to your help. Please continue to help me; I really appreciate your expertise! Today I added 2 gallons of gas! I started the car and AGAIN, it JUST STARTED MEANING IF I WAS NOT CAREFUL TO LIGHTLY GIVE IT A LITTLE GAS TO GET THE TACH UP, it would have fallen back down and stalled! So I kept the rpms up around 3000 or so as it shook and shook and lightly back fires if I brought it down to 2000 then back to 3000 rpms! I warned it up for a good 15 minutes, but again could not take my gas off that pedal or it would stall. This time however I was able to get it such that I gave t so so little gas and was able to keep the rpms at 1000 rpms!!! That is new because in the past down at 1500 it would stall! After the 15 minutes I did the TPS test and it worked! It was around .75 or .80 volts and I turned the screw a few different times a small amount and eventually got it to 1 volt with the ignition on ON and car not running! Now I went to start it again and it cranked but did not start. Tried again and it just got up to like 200 rpms and I was just able to give it an ever so small amount of gas and got the tach up! Kept it at maybe 1500 or so for a few minutes and let off and the. Kept it at around 900 and let it try to stay there and it went down lower and the car shook almost stalled and went back up again to 1000 and shook more and finally stalled. I is improving, but there is something seriously wrong and I know NOT what it can be at this point! I noticed after running a long time that the car is giving off a little very light smoke coming from BELOW THE OIL FILTER....there is NOT ANY OIL anywhere exposed because I was meticulous when I did the oil change and got a drop of oilno where and there are no oil leaks either! I also should mention that one of the times I tried starting it and when I gave it gas to get the rpms up it screached like metal screeching somewhere under the hood or in the transmission under me?? Can there be an issue with any other fluid like transmission fluid? If so what do ou do? The anti freeze is full so there are no air bubbles in it; it has not been changed in 12 years, BUT AGAIN the car only had like 2000 miles put on it in those years and a friend told me that old anti freeze does not go bad so that is not a problem at all with your car and he said he was 100% sure. Ok, ready for suggestions to do next my dear experts!

satch

iTrader: (1)

You still likely need the injectors cleaned. Perhaps you can start the car and place something of weight against the gas pedal so as to keep it idling close to the 1000 to 1500 rpm range and let it run as long as the car will run and see if this helps to clear things up. You can get a high pierced screeching sound from a loose belt. And you're using high octane gas which is not needed so just use the regular stuff in concert with some injector cleaner perhaps like Sea Foam.

linuslove

Now I really need your expertise. Last I did you remember is get the car started and adjusted the TPS to 1 volt, but still had a hard time starting it but when I did I was close to keeping it from stalling. I took your advise an bought Chevron Techron Fuel Injector cleaner and put the whole thing(said it treated up to 20 gallons) into just maybe my 2 gallons left in the tank. Tried to start it and cranked beautifully but would not start! Tried many many times and the 2 exhausts literally had an intense gas smell and slight fog(not white) coming out of them as I cranked! The garage smelled like sweet fuel! I thought maybe I had too little gas to mix with that full can of Techron so I added another 4 gallons of gas. Now I have like 6 gallons in there(gas needle is on 1/4 a tank) and the Techron. I continued a few days to start it and no luck! Seems for now it made it worse. Now, thinking my engine was flooded I pulled out that fuse and cranked it 5 times at like 5-10 seconds per crank to hopefully unflood it IF it were indeed flooded. Then I put that fuse back in and tried again and no luck. It should be noted(if this helps you) that as I cranked and the cranking got weaker, one or twice it sounded like a BURP going though the gas line and it tried to start and failed. Sounded like something was trying to get through and it was pushing and it made a BURP like sound. Is my next step to remove the top spark plugs and maybe try drying out a possibly flooded engine? I want t get the damn thing started just one more time and keep it going like you suggested for like 20 minutes or more at like 1000 to 1500 rpms to get this fuel injector cleaner through so just maybe it can help. How do I get this thing started? Your advise is appreciated. David

satch

iTrader: (1)

Disconnect the fuel pump wiring and spray a second of starter spray into the air intake duct and start the car to defllood the engine. If the car starts up for a few seconds and dies as it should then do it once again and after that the engine should be deflooded and return everything back to normal. And you're probably overdoing it w/the Techron stuff.

vrracing

iTrader: (1)

I would check to see if the spark plug wires were replaced correctly. The ethanol in the gas coulld have congealed from sitting causing the original problem and then during the spark plug change the wires could have been reinstalled incorrectly.

linuslove

Thanks Satch. Where do I get starter spray and what is a brand I should get? Also, I assume disconnecting the plug AT the fuel pump is different than taking that 30 A EGI fuse out and doing the same thing you describe above. Correct?

linuslove

Vrracing....the wires to the spare plugs are in fact correct. Thanks for your input!

satch

iTrader: (1)

Any starter fluid will do and an auto store will have it (spray one to two seconds at most). There are several ways to prevent a fuel pump from pumping. Disconnecting the plug to the pump, unplugging the Circuit Opening Relay and pulling the EGI INJ fuse.

linuslove

Sounds good. I will get the spray. It is easier to pull that fuse because it is under the hood rather than have to take apart a part of the rear and get to that white fuel pump connector and disconnect it. Thanks again and I will be back to you.