Hi everyone!

I just recently purchased a 1988 RX-7 GT Savannah in Japan, and I don't know jack squat about rotaries...

The car runs rough and sometimes won't even start. At idle, it sounds like the timing is off bad.

Please, help a noob... How do I go about adjusting the timing on this thing? It's a 13B engine of course. I figure it's a cam sensor just like the one on my Mitsubishi Eclipse... but like I mentioned earlier, I don't know rotaries.

HELP!

Josh

 

Hmm it sounds like it could be a crank(eccentric shaft) angle sensor that might be bad.. If not that you may have a blown apex seal. Did you have the engine compression tested?

BTW they do not have cams

 

Compression test would be manditory

 

"BTW they do not have cams "

Thus confirms my statement, "I don't know rotaries.."

lol

No, I haven't checked compression. Here's the deal...

My wife got the thing back home, she told me it had lost a lot of power. When I started it back up, it sounded like crap! A tack-tack-tack-tack noise that got louder as you revved it, and it sped up with the rev as well. I parked the car and tried to start it again, and it won't start.

The next day, I tried to start it again, it takes forever. It'll sound like it's about to turn itself, but it quits and the starter keeps on turning. I turn the key to ON and listen for sounds... I can hear the injectors working... but when I pull the carpet in the back, I can't hear the fuel pump. Does RX-7s in-tank fuel pump run with the key in this position? My Eclipse does, sounds like a giant mosquito in my trunk. Anyway, my wife turned the key to start, and when I banged on the top of the gas tank, the car started and ran... coincidence? I don't know... I'm going to pull the pump out and check for power at the wires....

The car is old... and wasn't taken care of. I wish I knew more about rotaries, but it's all Greek to me. I've tricked out my Eclipse a lot but when I saw this rotary, I was left asking a lot of "WTF is that! WTF does that do?!?" questions... ugh... A big dilemma for me is that in my part of Japan, 1st and 2nd generation RX-7s are RARE. Yes... RARE. It is near impossible to find one in the junkyard where I can pull parts.

I appreciate the help, and I will keep posting my findings and what I'm doing to the car as I try to fix this poor car.

Thanks!

Josh

 

Out of curiosity, how many miles does the Motor have?

 

The pump should only pump for a second if I'm correct, then let off until the engine is either turning or running "cant remember", pretty sure its something like that.

thats how it was in my 89 ford ranger, with in-tank pump.

 

sound like a classic case of bad Apex seals

 

Just what are these Apex seals? Where can I read up on them?

 

An apex seal is what makes the seal between the rotor and the housing. A pad apex seal is basically a dead motor. If you did loose a seal you will need to rebuild.

 

Well, I just installed new spark plugs today. The old ones looked as old as the car. (Dang, I forgot how many kilometers were on the odometer)...

I found fresh oil on one of the spark plugs.

I don't know how US RX-7s are set-up, if the engine is placed the same as that of the Japanese version. Anyway, this spark plug with oil came from the top left spark plug. The plug beneath it looked fine and showed no evidence of oil.

Is the apex seal that o-ring on the rotor in the AZ-Tech sig?

 

No those are oil control rings

I have attached a link to Atkins Rotary. this page will show you what the apex seals look like.

http://www.atkinsrotary.com/newengpr.htm

 

Oh boy... this doesn't look like it's going to be fun...

I just want to get the car running well enough to last 6 more months, then it can go to RX-7 heaven...