I have an 86 GXL that has been sitting for some time now and i start it up about 3X a week. First off it takes alittle while to start up, sometimes taking a few tries. Second the car will start up just fine for a few seconds and then slowly drops RPMs and eventually turns off. It takes me quit some time to get the car running, sometimes i have to hold the gas (not all the way down). I've been through my manual that i got for the car and i just cant figure it out. Oh, and the car runs just fine after it warmed up and ran for a little while. Any help would be appreciated.
-ryan

 

Sounds like your engine is getting a little tired. Do a search...there's probably tons of info on this already. Start with a compression test. You're looking for 6 even spikes (3 per rotor) of 90-100 psi for a high mileage engine - ideally over 110 psi. Anything less than 90 psi means you're slowly creeping down to levels which will lead to further starting problems and flooding. If you have to hold the gas pedal down a bit, it sounds like the beginning of a flooding problem.

 

thanks for the help!!

 

today i did a compression test. One was at 85psi and the other was at 65psi. I googled the compression test and it said 85psi was acceptable, but is there anyway to gain compression back. The site suggested flushing the it with water, will that help or is it just too risky?

 

anything

 

That motor is pretty much toast. There isn't any real way to get back compression. 85 is ok, but 65 is damn bad. Its also not good that there is that large of a difference in compression numbers.

 

You can try to get compression back up by soaking each combustion chamber with a mixture of 3 parts kesosene to one part ATF. It's time consuming because you basically need to work the engine back and forth and turn it 1/3 turn clockwise and counterclockwise for each chamber of each rotor. You turn the engine with a large ratchet with a 19mm (3/4") socket on the front pulley bolt. Make sure the EGI fuse is removed. Do this and make sure you use about a quart of this mixture for the whole engine. Pour it in through the Trailing spark plug hole with a clear hose and funnel. Leave it plugged in as you're working the engine back and forth so you can pour the mixture in. As you're working the engine back and forth, you'll actually see this fuild being pushed up and down the hose and the clear hose will allow you to see how quickly the fluid changes color from the carbon that it's soaking. Don't do it too fast or you'll wear some of this fluid as it's being pushed in and out of the engine.

I've revived many dead engines this way over the years. I've taken engines from 0 compression to 120. Keep in mind that this is just a band-aid. The problem is, if there's already enough carbon in there to cause this in the first place, you're just buying a bit of time and inevitably it will come back. This may buy you enough time to decide what to do with the car but it sounds like a new engine will be needed soon if not already. If the compression is even (3 even spikes per rotor) then you're probably in better shape than uneven spikes. To check the compression dynamically without recording a reading, you need to remove the check valve at the end of the hose. Then you can watch the needle bounce as you're cranking. Make sure the EGI fuse is removed!