Well after taking this last weekend to fix my sunroof (sucessfully) I am on to the next problem. This morning I went outside to go to work, got in the car, put it in neutral and pushed the clutch in, inserted the key and turned......... The car tried to start but didnt. I dont think the car was flooded as I didnt smell any fuel.. When I went to lunch the car started but when I left to go home it didnt. The only was to start the car was to push start it. Before this happened the car would start but it kinda takes a while it is almost like there is someone in the hood with a crank (like the old cars) it takes a while for the motor to get going enough to start.

Any suggestions..

btw I called the Mazda dealer to schedule a compression test and was shocked that it would cost $145. Is it easy to do yourself?

Thanks

 

Thats a sign of low compression. Dont go to mazda for a comp test. Go pick up any comp tester at an autoparts store and remove that little valve on the base of the gauge. With that removed, pressure will leave the gauge and show a bounce for each side of the rotor. Get the car nice and warm, then shut it off. Get someone to hold the throttle wide open, disable spark/fuel, and do the test. All bounces should be above 85psi (per mazdas recommendation). All should be fairly even.

 

How bad is that?

 

Below 85psi means it could die at any time. A new motor should be 120psi.

 

The engine runs real strong once it is started.. Is there anything I can do if it is low (besides rebuild)?

 

Ah the old ATF trick, I think I will try that..

 

How long has it been since you cleaned your battery terminals?

It sounds like your talking about slow cranking. Rotaries like to be spun pretty fast so that could be all it is. The slow cranking will also affect a compression test since you're supposed to spin them @ 250.

Get it spinning good before you pay for a compression test. Since it runs good once started I'll bet that's all it is.

 

better battery might solve it as well, i know my current battery lacks in cranking amps needed for the rotary engine, but they are so damned expensive!

 

when my started began to go bad it would turn pretty slow. look at battery and starter connections.

on the low compression, my high milage engin (175k miles) has 75psi but its even on all rotor faces and both rotors and mine starts and runs great and has been workin very well for the past 7 months. and that is with running it pretty hard at local weekly meets every wed. night. i am extremely thorough is my maintanence tho

 

pulled the spark plugs and they were pretty dirty. They were filled with gunk and were wet. Is this normal. I replaced them but didnt fix the prob. I am going to check the battery connections and stuff now..

 

wet sounds like flooding...

 

I dont think its the battery I cleaned both terminals and clamps. the cranking power is 675 and 525 amps. What should it be for a Rotary engine? Might be flooding? hmmm

 

you could also have leaking injectors that is if comp is good

 

How to check injectors?

 

Pull them out and have them flow tested / cleaned. Maybe replaced (theyll tell you when they flow test them).

 

Also I dont know if this is part of the same problem but after the car is started if I push in the accelerator and release the revs dont come dont that fast it stays up and slowly falls back down. Could there be a problem with the TPS?

 

My friend had a very similar problem..it would only start by push starting it...
check your main fuse..the big one that has like 80 amps on it...look VERY close to see if it is blown...and if so replace it and it should start right up!!

 

I looked at the main fuse closely but it looked ok, Im not sure what it would look like if it was blown but there was a little discoloration (green moldy looking) and one end of the "bridge"?.. While I was under there I puller the EGI fuse and cranked the car a couple time put the fuse back in and what do you know It worked.. It looks like I will be adding a fuel cut off switch to my 7..