Well my 7 has been givin me some trouble the past couple of days. I can not get the car to start. The problem is electrical I do know that though. Usually when there is a problem w/ the battery or the starter when u turn the car over it makes a slight ticking sound. Well when I turn the car over there is no sound at all. it is completely quiet. I have checked the battery and it is fine. I checked the clutch pedal switch and that is being fully depressed as well. I also realized that I had burned a 80amp fuse. I replaced that fuse and the car still would not start. I dont think it is the alternator, but mybe I am wrong. IF the trailing coil or leading coil goes out then how can u tell and will that cause the car not to start. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks
Mike

 

Well my 7 has been givin me some trouble the past couple of days. I can not get the car to start. The problem is electrical I do know that though. Usually when there is a problem w/ the battery or the starter when u turn the car over it makes a slight ticking sound. Well when I turn the car over there is no sound at all. it is completely quiet. I have checked the battery and it is fine. I checked the clutch pedal switch and that is being fully depressed as well. I also realized that I had burned a 80amp fuse. I replaced that fuse and the car still would not start. I dont think it is the alternator, but mybe I am wrong. All of my interior lights work as well as the headlights. The horn still does not work or the monroof. IF the trailing coil or leading coil goes out then how can u tell and will that cause the car not to start. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks
Mike

 

did you look up what that fuse runs? that might point you in a little better direction.

have you tried jumping the car? or pop starting it for that fact? those can also point you to exactly where the problem is. I would look a little closer at the battery and starter... do a load test on the bettery. When it does run does it stall and not start again? It might help to list us pretty much every detail of the no start.

Generaly Clicking means the starter doesnt have enough juice going to it to power the hold out coil and turn the motor at the same time. Again check the battery... if you feel energetic check out your starter wires and connections.

The moon roof and horn are most likely not related to the no-start problem.

 

If you blew a fuse that big you probably have bad grounds or shorted something. My car has crapy wiring and shorts out from time to time but when it does a chunk of my harness fries too, check for any damage to the harness.

 

Well let me see when the car ran it ran fine no problems. My defi guages went in and out though. They would go off and then come back on and my CD player did the same thing. I tried jumping the car and that does nothing. I do think that wiring has something to do with it but I am lost when it comes to wiring and I dont know where to start to look. I mean I need some major help!
Mike

 

My 88 did something similar so I put it on a charger and still didn't work so I took the battery to Les Schwabs for a test and they said it was fine. When I reinstalled it the problem was gone. Go figure.

 

Bad starter, or you fried the wiring. If the car doesn't turn over, there's not many thing's it can be.

Clutch interlock switch
Ignition Switch
Blown fuses
Wiring
Battery
Starter

 

Starter would have been one of the first places i'd check.

 

I am not reallly sure of your problem, Does the engine turns when you try to start it?

 

If the engine doesn't turn when you try to crank it, there's only four things it can be: Battery, Starter, key cylinder (in the steering column), or the connection between two of the previous items.

From my experience, it's rare that key cylinders just fail, out of the blue, they normally "start to go", where you have trouble getting it to crank the one day, but a good smack or something lets it start, or you have trouble getting it to shut down, etc..

Batteries are pretty easy to check, take a volt meter and see if you have any power, or just turn on your lights, etc.

If it's not trying to turn at all, I'd guess starter, or the wires going to it. That's where I'd start my hunt. If you pull the starter out, they can do a free starter check at any auto parts store.

 

WTF!

Did they merged the thread with another one?

 

rx7 is the same like other car, except engine. the steps to diagnostic starting problem are the same for all cars. you can't say rx7 is picky because it failed to start.

 

Since the headlights work..........my bet is that the feed wire to the ignition key is either pulled apart or has shorted to gnd and is busted intwo now.

This feed wire is black in color. It runs from the engine fuse box to the ignition.

It has a connector located about six to nine inches below the engine fuse box. It's one of those blade pull apart connectors. See if you can find it and see if it is connected together.

It IS NOT THE ALTERNATOR OR THE BATTERY since your headlights work. If the headlights are bright, then its not the battery connection either. It's either a broken ignition feed wire or the interlock on the clutch pedal has given up the ship (been there, seen that. If that's the case just jumper the two wires of the interlock sw together and start the car).

Do you have a digital meter of any kind. If so, your trouble shooting can be simplified.

 

you said there's no click at all? that click you normally hear is the solenoid pushing the gear to turn the flywheel, if you don't hear a click, it means your solenoid is either not working or is not getting the power it needs.

 

Thanks guys I will check these problems I hope I can get this sorted away. I just got my 100hp shot Zex Wet Kit and there is a major car show this Wednesday coming up. I did not literally mean the RX7 was picky I just used that as a title.

 

I've had two sevens with clutch switch problems. It was being depressed, but wasn't making contact internally. I jumpered the switches, no more problems.

 

By jumpered the switches what exactly do u mean. Basicaly will this allow me to start the car w/o having to push the clutch in? Please explain which 2 wires I would have to connect b/c now that I think about it if u ever try to start a 7 w/o pushing in the clutch u get nothing...no clicking or anything, and thats exactly what I get when I turn it over. Like I stated earlier if it was the battery or the starter then I would hear a slight ticking and my lights would also not work as some of u stated. Once I can jump the switches hopefully she'll fire right up, just need to know what wires to work with. thanks
Mike

 

Hi, check your theft deterrant system. It can lock out your starter.