Please help!
08-20-03, 09:48 AM
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Please help!
I'm pretty new to the rotary engine, so PLEASE help me out. I got a good story, so any input will be appreciated. I purchased my 86 N/A FC about 10/02 and have been LOVING it! A couple of months ago I took off my air box and meter to check out how much space I had in that location because I was going to fabricate myself a higher intake/air box. I threw everything back together and ol' blue wouldn't start. This had never happened to the beast; she always started like a charm! I read through the forum and thought that maybe I just flooded it, so I pulled the EGI fuse, turned it a couple of times, put the fuse back in, and SHIZZAM! SHE WAS ALIVE! A grip of smoke came out for a minute, but afterwards the engine was at a better idle than it was before. When I say before, the engine would go between 1500-500 RPMs back and forth after being on for 5 minutes. I thought that maybe it might just be the heat in my area since I do live in New Mexico, or maybe my timing might be off. I was stoked that it was running so good. About a day a half later, I was leaving a friend's house and ol' blue stalled out 2 blocks away! No signs of a weird idle, burning smell, or anything wacky! I tried to start her up and the engine would turn, but no start. It was 1 in the morning, so I left it overnight to try and start it the next day. It still would only turn, but wouldn't start.
So I go to work on the car to find out what is going on. I tried to spray some carb cleaner in the throttle body and had no luck. I released the fuel pressure and tested my fuel pump (I could hear the whirring for a couple of seconds), and it seems fine. I thought that maybe the fuel filter clogged, so I replaced it. When I took off the old one, it was passing fuel. So at this point I'm thinking injectors or no spark. I took off my plugs and wires 1 by 1 and tested them w/ a voltmeter to make sure they were passing electricity. They all checked out fine and I cleaned them off as I plugged them back in. Still nothing. I'm completely stummped at this point. I'm thinking injectors, or ignition problem somewhere. My girlfriend's dad thinks that there may be contaminated fuel in the engine. I had the car towed back to my house on the other side of town. On my next day off, which was about 5 days later, I went outside and tried to start it. It turned slowly for a second and then came back to life! I was still wondering what the problem was, so I let it run on its own for a while. After about 15 minutes the car stalled out again on it's own, and it wouldn't start again after that. SO HERE IS PROBLEMO #1! Is the engine not getting fuel? Is it not getting a spark after running for a while? Not knowing how to test these things or having the tools or time to do it, I took it to a mechanic that replaced the engine in my girlfriend's truck. He is supposed to be a 'friend' of the family. I described the problem to him and he said that he would 'analyze' it. He said that he would test fuel lines/pressure, ignition system, combustion, etc, and diagnose it. Thinking he is a 'friend' I wasn't worried until he calls a couple of days later saying that he took off my steering column and saw some loose wires from the ignition switch, and he thinks that is the problem. He said that the fuel pressure was fine and that the injectors were working (throttle body was getting fuel). He says there are no 'fuel' problems Not knowing much about that stuff I gave him the OK to replace it. He said that he would call back after he gets the part and installs it. I start thinking to myself if it was a problem w/ that why would the engine be turning when I tried to start it. Maybe he knows something I don't know since it is a rotary and all. I ask some grease monkeys at my work and they say that even on rotarys the engine wouldn't turn if the switch was bad. So I think maybe he couldn't just solder the wires back on and that's why he had to replace the part. I get a call from the mechanic TEN days later. The car still won't start. Now he thinks it is a problem w/ the ECM. Not knowing what that was I was like 'are you sure this is the problem?' He says that he is going to try some 'things' and try his hardest to make sure THIS is the part that needs to be replaced. I decided to do some web and book research on the ECM, and my findings show that this is what regulates how much fuel the engine gets. Keep in mind that he told me the throttle body is getting sufficient fuel and 'fuel' didn't seem to be the issue. At this point I'm not sure this jerk knows anything about rotary engines! I'm wondering if he even checked combustion and if he used something made for a rotary to do it. I spoke to my local mazda dealer's head mechanic and they seem to think that there IS some type of contaminant in the engine and that they have some 'fluid' to put in there and they let it sit for up to two weeks to work. They said that if that doesn't work that the engine needs to be rebuilt! I'M COMPLETELY LOST RIGHT NOW! I need help from you FC PIMPS!! What do you fellow FC lovers think or KNOW rather??? What could be wrong with my FC; does my mechanic have a clue? PLEASE HELP ME AND OL' BLUE! YOU GUYS ARE OUR ONLY HOPE!
So I go to work on the car to find out what is going on. I tried to spray some carb cleaner in the throttle body and had no luck. I released the fuel pressure and tested my fuel pump (I could hear the whirring for a couple of seconds), and it seems fine. I thought that maybe the fuel filter clogged, so I replaced it. When I took off the old one, it was passing fuel. So at this point I'm thinking injectors or no spark. I took off my plugs and wires 1 by 1 and tested them w/ a voltmeter to make sure they were passing electricity. They all checked out fine and I cleaned them off as I plugged them back in. Still nothing. I'm completely stummped at this point. I'm thinking injectors, or ignition problem somewhere. My girlfriend's dad thinks that there may be contaminated fuel in the engine. I had the car towed back to my house on the other side of town. On my next day off, which was about 5 days later, I went outside and tried to start it. It turned slowly for a second and then came back to life! I was still wondering what the problem was, so I let it run on its own for a while. After about 15 minutes the car stalled out again on it's own, and it wouldn't start again after that. SO HERE IS PROBLEMO #1! Is the engine not getting fuel? Is it not getting a spark after running for a while? Not knowing how to test these things or having the tools or time to do it, I took it to a mechanic that replaced the engine in my girlfriend's truck. He is supposed to be a 'friend' of the family. I described the problem to him and he said that he would 'analyze' it. He said that he would test fuel lines/pressure, ignition system, combustion, etc, and diagnose it. Thinking he is a 'friend' I wasn't worried until he calls a couple of days later saying that he took off my steering column and saw some loose wires from the ignition switch, and he thinks that is the problem. He said that the fuel pressure was fine and that the injectors were working (throttle body was getting fuel). He says there are no 'fuel' problems Not knowing much about that stuff I gave him the OK to replace it. He said that he would call back after he gets the part and installs it. I start thinking to myself if it was a problem w/ that why would the engine be turning when I tried to start it. Maybe he knows something I don't know since it is a rotary and all. I ask some grease monkeys at my work and they say that even on rotarys the engine wouldn't turn if the switch was bad. So I think maybe he couldn't just solder the wires back on and that's why he had to replace the part. I get a call from the mechanic TEN days later. The car still won't start. Now he thinks it is a problem w/ the ECM. Not knowing what that was I was like 'are you sure this is the problem?' He says that he is going to try some 'things' and try his hardest to make sure THIS is the part that needs to be replaced. I decided to do some web and book research on the ECM, and my findings show that this is what regulates how much fuel the engine gets. Keep in mind that he told me the throttle body is getting sufficient fuel and 'fuel' didn't seem to be the issue. At this point I'm not sure this jerk knows anything about rotary engines! I'm wondering if he even checked combustion and if he used something made for a rotary to do it. I spoke to my local mazda dealer's head mechanic and they seem to think that there IS some type of contaminant in the engine and that they have some 'fluid' to put in there and they let it sit for up to two weeks to work. They said that if that doesn't work that the engine needs to be rebuilt! I'M COMPLETELY LOST RIGHT NOW! I need help from you FC PIMPS!! What do you fellow FC lovers think or KNOW rather??? What could be wrong with my FC; does my mechanic have a clue? PLEASE HELP ME AND OL' BLUE! YOU GUYS ARE OUR ONLY HOPE!
08-20-03, 10:10 AM
#2
Former Moderator. RIP Icemark.
First, hit enter every couple of lines so that your comments/questions are easier to read.
It is almost impossible to easily read or go back and find the points in your paragraph.
#1 The mechanic doesn't know what he is doing. There is no fuel sent to the throttle body and all the injectors are down stream of the throttle body.
#2 are the spark plugs wet? (gas, oil, water- etc)
#3 Is the car cranking over properly??? I know it is not starting, but is the starter turning over the motor at the correct speed???
#4 Are you sure that the engine is not just flooded? flooding is very common on older engines, or engines that are low on compression.
#5 if the spark plugs are not wet, are you sure that you have the plug for the AFM plugged in nice and tight? (since you were wroking in that area) If it is loose, then the fuel pump could be disabled and kill the car. An intermittent connection with a low compression motor could result in dieing, then flooding.
It is almost impossible to easily read or go back and find the points in your paragraph.
#1 The mechanic doesn't know what he is doing. There is no fuel sent to the throttle body and all the injectors are down stream of the throttle body.
#2 are the spark plugs wet? (gas, oil, water- etc)
#3 Is the car cranking over properly??? I know it is not starting, but is the starter turning over the motor at the correct speed???
#4 Are you sure that the engine is not just flooded? flooding is very common on older engines, or engines that are low on compression.
#5 if the spark plugs are not wet, are you sure that you have the plug for the AFM plugged in nice and tight? (since you were wroking in that area) If it is loose, then the fuel pump could be disabled and kill the car. An intermittent connection with a low compression motor could result in dieing, then flooding.
08-20-03, 10:18 AM
#4
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sorry about the spacing.
When I checked the plugs they were not wet.
The car is cranking over at a normal speed. At least it sounded like it to me.
As far as flooding, I'm not too sure. The EGI fuse trick worked once after I put the airbox back on, but hasn't worked since.
When the car stalled out, I pulled a plug and it wasn't wet or anything
When I checked the plugs they were not wet.
The car is cranking over at a normal speed. At least it sounded like it to me.
As far as flooding, I'm not too sure. The EGI fuse trick worked once after I put the airbox back on, but hasn't worked since.
When the car stalled out, I pulled a plug and it wasn't wet or anything
