I did a search for a few hours last night and didn't come up with anything that really fit my problem so I'm throwing myself on the mercy of the group.

Here's what I know. Car is an '88 convertible NA and has been running great ever since I bought it last summer. The only odd thing I noticed since I bought it is that when cold starting it does the normal rev up to 3K rpm but then drops way down to 500 rpm and stumbles unless I lightly tap the gas pedal. Then it settles to an idle of 1300 rpm and slowly drop to 750 rpm as the engine warmed up.

On hot starts it sometimes (but not always) revs to 3K rpm and stays there. When I tap at the gas it instantly drops down to 750 rpm and idles great.

Neither of these things really bothered me and I figured it was just a sticky cable somewhere so I ignored them.

Last Sunday I was working on a small dent in the left front fender (the corner by the battery). I moved the car over a little in the driveway (back and forth) and then shut it off (on for 30 seconds or so but no starting problems). I had the car jacked up and was banging out the dent from the inside of the wheel well, sanding, and painting for about 4 hours.

That evening my wife and I went to take the car to meet my parents for dinner and it wouldn't start. Cranks over, has spark, and I can feel exhaust pulses from the tailpipe, but not starting. Pumping the throttle has no effect, starter fluid in the intake manifold has no effect. I've checked the fuel pump (runs fine) but given the lack of any reaction to the starter fluid I'm kind of thinking the problem is not in the fuel system. I'm not sure if it could be related to the before-mentioned starting oddity, to the short time I let the car run on Sunday (fuel injected cars don't flood that easily do they?), to something I could have done while pounding out the dent, or its just my dumb luck that something unrelated broke at this particular time.

Not sure what there is left to check and I'm about to give up and have it towed to the shop (I hate paying other people to work on my stuff). If you're still reading this long post, thanks!. If you have any other systems or ideas to check out I would really appreciate it.

 

sounds like it flooded. try search for flooding, plus there is info in the freq asked questions. good luck. also my 88 vert na does the same thing you said when its cold, have not worried about that much either.

 

Does a flooded rotary engine still turn over? Is the fuel sloshing around the bottom of the chamber? Well, I'll check out flooding then. I guess it's a common enough problem and I've read about the fix. Thanks,
-Jonny

 

my rx7 does this sometimes too, when it's cold more often!!!! and it's because it floods sometimes.. to temporary fix it there is a fuse for the fuel injection, if you unplug it and try to turn your car over for about 20- 30 seconds and then put it back in and then turn your car back over it will work like magic again!!!!!!!!

 

your short start would cause it to flood. DEFLOOD IT!

 

i have a friend who use to work for mazda and he said he use to have people tow in rx7's all the time for flooding. . . and in the winter, when it's cold is when it floods the most.

 

I couldn't believe it was flooding because I had done a few short starts before with no consequences. Learned my lesson though. 8cc's of 20W50 synthetic into each leading plug hole, turned the engine by hand to distribute the oil, cranked her with the fuel injection fuse removed, put the fuse back in and put everything together, and presto! Filled my neighborhood with smoke. I took off to leave the scene of the crime before someone called the fire department. By the time I got back the smoke had cleared and she was running like a champ. Started up no problem this morning. Thanks all for the advice, I was at a loss for a bit there.
On the plus side, as I was searching all the systems for the reason the car wasn't starting, I figured out my oil metering pump wasn't opening all the way. Not only was I probably not getting as much oil to the rotor as I needed, it was also restricting the throttle from going all the way open. Car's a bit faster than I thought originially. Now I just need to check my compression to see if the low oil metering did any damage.

 

Doesnt it feel great. haha