My 88 won't start reliably. Basically, it would seem the problem is flooding due to low intial compression that picks up if the engine does ever intially start. But getting it to start can be a problem.

Now I'm considering seriously picking up a new engine in the near future. What are some things I should do in the meantime, almost to fool around, to get my car to start all the time, albeit at some cost?

Some gave me an idea that lacing your gas with a touch of jet fuel makes it that much more igniteble to start more. This would be the guy who owned my house before I did, worked on his sports cars constantly, and stole jet fuel rutinely from O'Haire International Airport, where he works. Though this tears your engine up after a while and also feeds it too much power all the time.

 

First, you might try the famous "ATF trick". It is claimed to work wonders and many recommend it. It consists of squirting some ATF fluid in the rotor housings with the hope that the ATF will clear out carbon deposits and free up sticky apex and side seals resulting in better performance. This possibly could help the starting problem.

Another option is to install a fuel cut switch. This is what I did for my car when it flooded (before the new engine). I hooked up a switch which would cut power to the fuel pump when ever I wanted to. This would allow me to compensate for when the engine was about to flood. After this I was never left stranded again.

Yet another option would be to get the Fuel Injector Bleed Off kit available from www.mazdatrix.com . This is a device that you hook in to the fuel lines that allows residual pressure to be released from the system after you turn the car off. This stops your injectors from leaking due to the residual pressure.

Hope this helps!

 

Concerning the fuel cutoff switch... how exactly did that work? Did you just try to switch it off as fast as you could?

 

The fuel pump is located in the gas tank and is electricaly run. The idea of the switch is to allow the driver to stop the engine by turning off the fuel pump first. This action allows the pressure in the fuel system to be bled off. The idea is that older injectors tend to leak fuel into the engine while it is not running and thereby flood it.

The other use for the fuel pump cut off switch is to allow the engine to be cranked over without injecting fuel into it. This is useful for helping to "unflood" the engine.

Jet fuel is nothing more than kerosene. Kerosene is very closely related to diesel fuel. There is absolutely no need to put it in your car. I can think of no possible benefit. It will only have the effect of lowering the octane rating and allowing the possibility of detonation to increase.

 

A trick.. i used a couple times to get my engine going...after i did the rebuild.. because it hadnt built compression yet was to give a shot of ether in the Intake !!! it works wonders usually starts up first or second try with that !! ...

 

You can try running premix in the gasoline... It may help build a little compression back..

Do the fuel cutout switch.. It's real easy. Under the dash, next to the steering column is the fuel pump relay. Splice into the white/black wire. It's the one in the middle. Put a switch on it. When you want to turn your car off, flip that switch... The car will die in like 5 seconds. Leave it off. When you want to start your car, crank it a few times (the switch is STILL off). This will lube up your housings nicely. Stop cranking, flip the switch, wait a few secs, crank again.. It may take a few cranks for the pressure to build up, but it should start.

-Tesla

 

Do what Teslao42 suggests on previous thread and you flooding problems will be over. At least you can control it. I had the same problem, added the switch as described, and have not had any more trouble starting my car.