RudeGirL

Alright alright..... i know there is a bunch of threads with the subject title "car won't start"..... but, i'd do a search but i dont even know where to start. Sooo, please bare with me, here i go... when i first got the car, it wouldnt start, i put in a fuel cut off switch... worked like a charm. woo hoo! but, this morning, at like 5 in the morning, the hubby took the car to the airport, which is like 45 min away, car started fine, worked fine, then went to my sister's house, and about 7:30am, tried to start the car to pick me up and it wouldnt start. all it would do is make this really loud click. they tried to jump start it, push start it. the electrical stuff still comes on. so battery is good. so, we figure it was the starter, so we took the starter off, but we kinda left it hanging there just to see if it would turn when i tried to start the car, and when i did, it wouldnt turn. so we took it off, took it to schucks, tested it, and it came out low. but when they tested it it did turn. they said i need a new starter. but its weird, coz when we hook it up to my car, it wont even turn. then we tried to push start it again, and in gear, it wont even budge, friends that were helping thinks that my motor or engine is froze up. what would cause it to do that? i mean, the car was working just fine then suddenly it wont start. i dont think its flooded, i got the cut off switch, plus the fact that even if it was flooded, the engine would still crank. possible starter? why wont my car make it turn? i'm really sad, i only had this car for like 10 months, and i love it. besides, i really cant afford to buy a new one and/or get a new motor or what not. what do you guys think is causing it? i'm heart broken and clueless when it comes to rotary engines. please help!! this is my daily driver and i need it.
thanks,
Jiji

dr0x

Lets clarify something- when you push started it the engine still wouldnt turn? Or it just wouldnt start? Kind of sounds like there is a fuse blown. Check the 15 amp engine fuse in the fuse box by the clutch pedal and the 5 (?) fuses in the engine bay. When you put the starter back in sand off the contact surfaces and put dielectric grease on them insuring a good connection.

Kenteth

Don't forget to do a quick battery post check. Sometimes the most dificult problems are the easiest to solve.

ViperKillerWannabe

Try push starting it in 4th gear. You get more leverage against the engine's compression and it may just start. If, however, you do this and the wheels lock up, the engine is seized and you need to rebuild/replace it.

hypntyz7

IF you get it rolling and let the clutch out only to have the wheels lock, you have a blown/carbonlocked engine, that has already suffered internal damage and must be rebuilt. A very small percentage of rotaries die this way. This is not exactly common, but not rare at all either...about 5% of rotaries I have been around die this way.

You should be able to just grab the power steering belt and pull on it to turn a healthy rotary (in neutral of course). IF the engine will not turn at all, there is a big problem inside. IF it will turn but the starter wont work, well that is a fairly easy problem to fix.

RudeGirL

thanks guys...

this really sucks, you guys all came up with the worst scenario: seized engine... aaaaaaahhhhh!!!! but i guess **** happens huh? but yeah, just to answer that question, we checked all the fusss already and they're all good. so, i'll try and pull on the power steering belt then. thanks again
-Jiji

yearrgh

BAD FORUM!!!! Now I have to type that again... First check the battery. It should be 12 volts and show 13 volts when its running with all accessories off. If that's not it, try pulling out the CPU located on the drivers side under a plastic panel right in front of the door. Pull the circuit board out of its case and clean off the corrosion thats probably covering it then try. This might just be a voodoo magic trick as I'm not even sure the ignition circuit runs through there and I'm too lazy to look it up right now, but that worked for me when I had a similar problem.

Bigretardhead

umm...... it should read 12.7 when not running

Bigretardhead

umm...... it should read 12.7 when not running

yearrgh

Let me rephrase: It should show at least 12 volts

SleeperZzZ

Starter relay just check it

hypntyz7

BAD READER!!!

Go back and look, she says that even when rolling it off it will not turn...so something *mechanical* is stopping the engine from turning/starting (if this account is to be believed).

As i said above, if you verify that the engine does turn by hand or by rolling it off, then fixing the starter is easy. But, it certainly has nothing to do with the CPU, I will tell you that. Tell her to change her muffler bearings while you're at it...

Oh, and how the hell are you supposed to check battery voltage while running, if we've already established the engine wont even turn?

Willie Wankel

Mine starts fine but 'Check engine light' comes on, tachometer stops working, and engine will stall out when stopping at traffic lights, signs, etc. Mazda certified technician thinks it is caused by the 'secondary coil'. What's that? Where is it? What does it do?

vosko

iTrader: (4)

sounds like the engine is locked up. you can pushing it in reverse it in reverse but yeah that is bad. you could get it to run but like kevin said its not good

yearrgh

I said the thing with the CPU was probably voodoo, mine both seem to be posessed, so maybe it's just me, but I put a sufficient disclaimer with that part. I was actually expecting more flames. Anyhow, I am a bad reader as I failed to notice that they weren't able to move it, however she does say that the starter will not turn when attached to the car which indicates some sort of electrical problem.

RudeGirL

okay, so, we tried moving the power steering belt. wont budge at all. is it supposed to just move easily or does it take a lot of man power to do it? and we did test the battery, it reads 12.4 volts. and we did try to push start it in reverse, that dont even work, tires just still chirp. oh and, when i do try to pull the power steering belt, is the car supposed to be in gear? thanks again guys...

hypntyz7

IF you cant turn the engine (with trans in neutral) by grabbing a belt and pulling, or by taking a 19mm socket and ratchet and trying to turn the crank pulley (front of engine, largest one) clockwise, then your engine is fubar'd, and will require a rebuild.

Some of these guys might tell you to roll it backwards, turn it backwards, or whatever to "un-stick" it. I can tell you as a rebuilder myself, that once an engien has locked, it sustains internal damage that very second, and even if you do get it turning/running again, it wont be right. One of the apex seals, which is what makes the engine's compression, has broken or come out of it's place in the engine, and the piece(s) are wedged betweeen the rotor and rotorhousing now, causing damage to both.

vosko

iTrader: (4)

after i unstuck my first rx7's seized engine i drove it around the block at 5MPH. i thought i was pretty cool.....

RudeGirL

aaw man!!

i really think the engine is seized. which really really sucks. thanks for the help guys.