RotaryPoisonStar

iTrader: (2)

Hello all my name's Aaron and I'm located in NJ, I've read through the search engine section of RX7Club and still cannot locate any past problems that coincide with mine. I recently purchased an 86 RX7 GXL model from a local performance shop. Before I purchased the vehicle I was told that it did run 3 weeks before I bought it. Trusting the guy I bought it from I was told that the previous owner had removed the 80amp starter fuse in the vehicle and had recently replaced both starter,belts and alternator, and all that was needed was brakes and a new main fuse. Brought it home and replaced the main fuse. Went to start the car(note: car is automatic) Put key in igniton and turned on to acc position. Nothing, headlights work, battery is good, brake and tail lights work, but car will not start. Ran voltage drop test, both alternator and starter are fine. and battery kicked out at 12.6volts.Trippped the starter and the car cranks like it want to turn over but does not. Checked the interior fuse panel and it's onlt receiving power on the top part of the panel. My current diagnosis is there something wrong with the harness. I'm new to the RX7, and any assistance would be truely appreciated. I also checked the theft deterrent box on the passengers side and it was also fine.

Icemark

the main fuse being replaced/removed is suspect... why did he remove it?

Could he have hooked up the battery backwards? Easy to do on these cars

Mr.FC3s

Icemark you think its a bad ECU? I put my battery in backwards once and all it did was fry the battery. The engine might be locked up is what I am thinking. You did say that it wants to crank but its not spinning right?

RotaryPoisonStar

iTrader: (2)

Yeah when i tripped the starter the pulleys turned and the belt moved, so I'm not thinking it's locked up, However a dead ecu might also explain the non recognition of the key, even in the acc position, the dash lights don't even light up or come on. But what's confusing the hell out of me the most is the partial power to the fuse panel, I've never seen just one part of the fuse active on any car. and the bs reason I was told he took the starter fuse out of the car in the first place was to keep it as a spare for his turbo fc. fuses are like a couple bucks, I'm like wtf.

Icemark

ECU would have nothing to do with the Key. If you do not even have the accessory circuit, then you have something disconnected or other fuses blown or a bad switch.

The dash lights come on in the ON position, not the ACC position.



Did you replace the main fuse? and tighten it in??? Both sides?

RotaryPoisonStar

iTrader: (2)

Yes Mark, both sides of the fuse are tightened, and still no dice. Which switch would go bad the ignition switch? or another one in question?

HAILERS

Your simply missing the power feed AT the ignition switch. A single black wire runs from the engine bay fuse box to the key. That single black wire feeds the ignition switch and hence anything that is fed from the switch like the start circuit and the interior fuse busses that are called IG1 and IG2.

Look just below the engine bay fuse box for a single connector. Black in color, and see if it's connected up or burned up or not.

If that does not work, then find the ignition switch pigtail harness located about a foot fwd of the swtich itself. You will find three connectors there. Pull apart the one that has two wires, one pure black and one black/white (the colors on the side of the plug NOT a part of the switch pigtail harness). With your meter see if there is batt voltage on the pure BLACK wire or not.

Hope that made sense. Headlights do NOT work off the ignition switch, so that explains why they work.

The second jpg shows the connector I talk about. Called X-23 located about a foot below the engine bay fuse box across from where the a/c compressor would sit if you have/had one.

RotaryPoisonStar

iTrader: (2)

Damn, as soon as I get my car back from the alarm place down the street I will definitely look into this, Hailers, do you happen to have an email? or could you provide pictures of what I'm looking for? i'm new to physically working on my automobiles and a few pictures might help? also is this a cheap fix?

HAILERS

If the single wire connector plug below the engine bay fuse box is pulled apart, I think that is a cheap fix. As in reconnect it or pay some one to mate the two halves of the plug together?????

I don't do e-mai or pm's ...ever.

HAILERS

Now, if your car won't start, how in the world did it get to the alarm place.

Before you check the plug I mentioned, put the key in the ignition. Turn the key to ON. Now put the turn signals to left or right. IF they work, then my solution won't work because the diagnoses is wrong. OR if your STOCK radio (and stock wiring to it) on a 1986 works with the key to ON, then my solution is not the fix. IF those two items work, then the ignition feed is not the problem.

A couple of jpg attached showing the plug in the engine bay.

RotaryPoisonStar

iTrader: (2)

HAILERS, I had it towed to the alarm place. A local guy who is MECP certified runs it, and I figured he could diag the issue, come to find out he hasn't a clue. Ok as for the turn signals they do NOT work at all, nor does the radio or the hvac. Your diagnosis could be right on the money. However this can still provide partial power to the interior fuseblock?(Please bear with me I'm new to the 7.)

Icemark

What fuses are hot in the internal fuse box?

If it is just the top row (Stop, Hazard, Room, Antenna, Lumination) then you should should also have power in the ABS terminal.

If you have power in all those, but don't have power on the ACC fuses (radio, cigar) and the 2nd ignition fuses (wiper), or the ignition fuses (power win, engine, meter) then you have either a disconnected or broken ignition switch.

And a MECP installer should be able to troubleshoot any electrical with that fuse diagram I posted.

HAILERS

*****However this can still provide partial power to the interior fuseblock?**************************************** ************************

I don't follow you. What is "this can"? What is *THIS*???

A series four car interior fuse box works like the attached jpg. The rows of fuses outlined in blue, pink and red are fed from a wire(s) coming out of the ignition switch if the key is put to On or Acc.

The items in Green are not fed like that. The Green has battery power on them 24hrs a day if the batt is connected up.

Your really asking how '*** the headlights work and the other stuff does not. It's because the headlights are fed from the batt from a fuse in the Engine bay fuse box. That power sits at a relay (like the headlight relay) all day long. Then you decide to turn them on. You rotate the headlight switch and put a Ground on the headlight relay and pull it in. Lights come on. Has zip to do with the ignition key or the interior fuse box. In other words no power comes from the headlight switch when you rotate it. Just a ground signal.

HAILERS

By the way, don't trust people til you've done business with them and are satisfied they do good work. There's a rotary shop around the corner my neighbor took his Mazda Protege to, to have them install a couple of Bosch 02 sensors in, and figure out why he didn't pass emissions (code P0420??? if memory serves).

Well 80 bucks later he now had three failures on the OBDII instead of the one fail code he had before he GAVE (good choice of words) them the job. And the dummys couldn't figure it out as to why. Duh. Suckers wired the four wires on the -02 sensors upside down backwards.

I mean, these suckers had a OBDII scanner, and couldn't figure out the fucked up the wiring to the 02 sensors. Trained professionals. Probably have certificates on the wall of the business stating so.

Eighty bucks for righty tighty/lefty lucy and a bungled job. Wheeeee!

Anyway, your guy is in the alarm business and probably had no Mazda wiring diagrams (then again, how do you install an alarm with no diagrams?? That's a puzzler. The above wasn't meant to criticize them, just a recent recollection about repair shops.

RotaryPoisonStar

iTrader: (2)

HAILERS when i was speaking of "this" and can I was seaking of things that would still work if your diagnosis was correct. As for your warning on who to trust I'm actually having my vehicle towed back home tomorrow. I'm going to use the wiring diagrams you provided me with to locate the wirepaths and see what the deal is.

Icemark, I truely do appreciate both the assistance of you and HAILERS, In addition to my FC I also own an RX8, and was a member of the RX8Club.com, however I must say i was never made to feel welcome by alot of the others there, Unlike your members on this board, you all seem to share a very profound passion for these cars, as I am learning to. It is nice to have a support group like this and I'm thankful.

Icemark

Yeah, I am on the RX-8 club as well, but the vast majority of the owners there don't seem to have much of a grasp of rotary engines or these cars, and want simply riceburner bolt ons, instead of learning how their cars work and the history of these machines.

I am glad that you are learning about your car and feel we are trying to help.

RotaryPoisonStar

iTrader: (2)

Once again Mark I cannot appreciate it enough. I just spoke to one of the gentleman at Mazdatrix and described everything to him in detail. He informed me that after replacing the ignition switch the car should restart without a further itch,(although nothing is perfect and it's in need of other repairs, I'm hoping after the neww year i can order it and see where we are from there. It's great to see that those of us who drive rotary stick together. In personal opinion it takes a special bunch to be able drive the cars we do, it's like nothing I've ever driven
before. Though I must admit I'm a huge fan of Initial D, it's not instant speed with a rotary, it's a series of light feather clutch movements and lightning fast shifts. Unlike piston driven types I find we truely need to know our powerband, it is infact our strongest ally.

2slow4stock

iTrader: (18)

Just no...

RotaryPoisonStar

iTrader: (2)

Ouch 2slow that's a bit harsh, i mean if you don't have anything nice to say, I was just commenting on mazda kindness and you had to go do something stupid like that because I mentioned initial d, don't get it twisted, I don't get my rotary knowledge from the anime, but I do enjoy watching it. Hell who wouldn't enjoy a story based around a person's potential and not what they drive. Call me a geek but whatever. If you feel the need to insult where there is no need do it in someone else's thread or at least give an adult explanation to why you drew the conclusions you did regarding my post.

2slow4stock

iTrader: (18)

It wasn't meant as an insult. It's not the fact that you like initial d, But about the feathering clutch and fast shifts.

It doesn't matter what engine you have, knowing the power band on piston or rotary is good.

Not hostility towards you or anything but welcome to the forum and hope you car gets running well Good luck

RotaryPoisonStar

iTrader: (2)

Oh ok 2slow, I apologize if I took your post out of context, sometimes late night post sessions seem to get a little heated without us even realizing it. Thank you for the warm welcome however In retrospect in regards to my 7, I'm set to receive the package with the switch in it on xmas eve. Ironic don't cha think?