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PANIC!! Rx-7 engine KO?! help..

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Old 10-23-04, 06:34 AM
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PANIC!! Rx-7 engine KO?! help..

I went to the stand again to check stuff on the car..
here's what I found:

1. I had filled the rad to the cap and today it's not there.. altough it's wet. (it's normal right?
2. electric stuff on the car is all working fine but the audio is distorcing like hell (normal with all the years on it)

3. then the guy started the engine (and I was like.. WTF ?!) it was a bit hard to start as usual, but then it sounded diferent.. and when he droped the accelerator pedal it died.. then he came out and I went to start it.. it has no power !! I didn't even try to full throtle it.. but it was weird!! it sounded like it had it's exhaust clogged or sumthing.. it revved slow and had no power !!
I had seen it working b4 and it was fine!! so I don't think it's the cats clogged..

what can it be??

btw, it's a S5 TII and it's alternator belt is loose, I started it with a booster (external batery)
one more thing the car been stoped there for at least 2 years...

HeLP
Old 10-23-04, 06:51 AM
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oh.. I forgot.. after the engine was shutdown I went to the back of the car and the right exhaust was smoking.. not sure if it was bright grey or white ..
Old 10-23-04, 06:55 AM
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Wel, Do a compression test. I'd say the engine might be fubar. Get a rebuild probably.
Old 10-23-04, 06:58 AM
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can't lack of oil do that ?
I so much want it not to be blown... but if it is I might get it extra cheap
Old 10-23-04, 07:13 AM
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you mean the water level in the radiator dropped? Well if yes to that question and smokey exhaust i would guess the intake mani gasket needs replacing.
Old 10-23-04, 07:16 AM
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would it help if I get a video of it working? sound and the smoke included?
Old 10-23-04, 07:21 AM
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hmm perhaps. White exhaust smoke generally = burning coolant. unless som how your exhaust pipe got a crap load of water in them. you said the coolant in the radiator drops after you fill it up right?
Old 10-23-04, 07:27 AM
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Originally Posted by BMS2004
hmm perhaps. White exhaust smoke generally = burning coolant. unless som how your exhaust pipe got a crap load of water in them. you said the coolant in the radiator drops after you fill it up right?
nope.. I filled it up right to the top a few weeks ago, and started it up. it was fine! no bubles or anything. today it didn't had water up to the cap... (how can I measure the water in the cooling system?) the overflow thing, has a little bit of water on the bottom (enough to wet the tube in it).

"unless som how your exhaust pipe got a crap load of water in them."
well it rained ALOT like two days ago... and the car isn't covered.
Old 10-23-04, 07:36 AM
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hmm not too sure what other advice to give.....just wait for some 2nd gen owners to come by. Fb's are a alittel easier to diagnose
Old 10-23-04, 07:44 AM
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Ill sure wait. thx for ur help
Old 10-23-04, 07:57 AM
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do you have fuel? spark to both rotors? does it sound very choppy?
Old 10-23-04, 07:59 AM
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Sounds like your alternator is crapping out. It there is alot of noise in the electrical system the ECU could be having problems running.

Adam
Old 10-23-04, 08:01 AM
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Originally Posted by Therx7ist
do you have fuel? spark to both rotors? does it sound very choppy?
:\ not sure if it has fuel... (DUMBASS).. but I think it wasn't touched since I went there and started it last time..
spark not sure.. (how do I check it?)
and yeah it sounds REALLY choppy.. scary really :p
Old 10-23-04, 08:04 AM
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Originally Posted by Kingofl337
Sounds like your alternator is crapping out. It there is alot of noise in the electrical system the ECU could be having problems running.

Adam
the alternator isn't even conected, it's belt is loose. I started the car with an external batery, cause the one on the car is dead.

I guess that if there is enough power on the batery to start it (and I started it at least 4 times) it should have no problem runing. (weak signal related)

I forgot to mention that the block (the whole engine) moved a lot when it was starting.. it's not that normal is it?
Old 10-23-04, 08:43 AM
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I guess noone knows what it is until I get that video. Ill try and get it still today (I have school tests next week so Im studying)
Old 10-23-04, 10:27 AM
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mines doing the same and i think i blew my motor over boosting. i think an Apex seal is gone brother. try to get it for under $500 with a blown motor and rebuild it urself. ud then have a $1000 car that runs great with no miles. Tell the kid if he doesnt do a compression test for you and show u results u wont buy it for over $500 :-D.

Ps. havent done a compressions check. gotta rewire full ecu harness and get another ecu. i might of just fried mine. but i think i blew the motor. eh love these cars.
Old 10-23-04, 10:55 AM
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ddo a compression test. tighten the alternator belt. it takes a lot of juice to run a car, more than you think. my recommendation: tighten the belt, make sure all the fluids and stuff are full, and get it started, and run it for a t least 15 minutes. see if it improves any. if its been sitting for a long time, it might just need shaken loose. generally, if they will start without too much truble, then the engine is not blown, since rotaries are harder to start even when they are good.
rebuilding costs more than $500, btw, but i do mine, and i think its totally worth it. if the car is in good condition, and you can get it for under $800, then its not a bad deal even if you have to rebuild it.

pat
Old 10-23-04, 12:21 PM
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800$ I wish... U can't get a crap working car for that around here!.
Im gonna pay 5000€ for it if it is working. if it isn't working Im gonna try and lower it 1500€ cause it's totalled.. it's not, but the guy doesn't know.. they don't know **** about it!! they think it is a 2.3 litters!! cause portuguese law charges rotary engines a LOT more than normal taxes.. they charge it like they would charge a 2.3 or 2.6 engine car.
Im going to the stand now and get a video of it... and pictures cause it's hood is bend, but I don't think the car had any accident.. if it had an accident to bend the hood I imagine how bad the rest would be.
be right back!!
thx for all the suport till now guys !!
Old 10-23-04, 12:23 PM
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Last edited by ShIvER[PT]; 10-23-04 at 12:53 PM.
Old 10-23-04, 12:56 PM
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back from the stand... it was closed


but presuming it is KOed... what can have caused it ?? I mean, the car isn't runing.. I don't think anyone else is intrested to the point that they turn it on with the external batery. and just 2 weeks ago the engine ran fine! it had it's problems with idle and stuff but that was all..
Old 10-25-04, 04:44 AM
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I was thinking about this on my way home from school..
the car is stoped there without much use for like 2years (rarelly started up, and not moving for a long time. the back tyres look bad). the plugs go bad without being used ? can the recent rain and high air humidity killed them? I think it's really weard that the car works fine and then it doesn't have any power, when Im almoust sure Im the only one whos intrested in that car, so I think noone else started it or anything.
Ill go today to mazda to see if they have the compression test machine.
Old 10-25-04, 05:47 AM
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Shiver.....it could be what happened to mine and that is that the coolant seals went bye bye on the engine, and the choppyness is the water that leaks into the combustion champer, so when you turn on your car the water is messing up the combustion.....if you keep revvin it does it stop? if it does than thats the coolant that has been all burnt up, then when you turn off the car and turn it back on in less than 10 minutes it shouldnt do it cause theres no water in there anymore, but let the car sit for 1-2 hrs....it will do it again...and if you run the car after the choppyness has stopped it will mostlikely overheat....that is exactly what happened to my car....thats why Im in the process of saving up for a new engine....
Old 10-25-04, 06:00 AM
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sorry to ear about ur car, but glad U didn't gave up on her

will a compression test identify KOed coolant seals ?
Old 10-25-04, 06:55 AM
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Im thinking about going to the stand today, and try that gueiser thing..
Ive read somewhere that if the coolant seals are dead, if U unplug the EGI fuse, and crank it the water will gueiser out of the radiator cap!! Ive used search and asked this before but Im still not sure about it. is that method correct to check if the seals are dead?
Old 10-25-04, 07:11 AM
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it will only actually shoot out if they are extremely bad. If you didnt see a huge cloud of smoke, the coolant seals are ok. this is one thing there isnt too much guessing about. when they go bad, you get a tremendous cloud of white smke when you start the car, and sometimes other times. The last set i had tat went bad, i burned through all 2 gallons of coolant in under a mile. too bad i was 200 miles from home...but thats a different story.


pat


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