I think my car hates me. I simply cannot find out what is wrong with it. Two weeks ago, it was working fairly well, but now it is having serious issues. Here's what I know:

1) Turns on and starts up wonderfully
2) Idles wonderfully
3) revs strong and fast when in neutral
4) drives well for about 45 seconds...
5) after about 45 seconds, or if a load is put on, car loses TONS of power, to the point where it needs to be reved high and the clutch nursed just to keep me moving in 1st gear.
6) It is NOT a blocked fuel filter (replaced today)
7) It is NOT bad plugs or wires (also checked today)
8) When a load is put on, it makes a clunking type of sound
9) When gas is first given to it, it "stumbles out of the block" (shakes real hard for about a half a second, like it gets super bogged down)
10) I have yet to open up the secondaries since I have had the car (I hit a wall at 3800 unless I creep over it)
11) The water temp guage indicates just under 1/2 when idleing, and will get up to about 3/4 or 4/5 when it all my power is taken from me under load

Does anybody have any ideas what could be wrong? Maybe a clogged air filter? bad fuel pump? timing messed up? wiring messed up in/near ecu?

Any help would be very much appreciated, and I'll answer any questions you guys have for me, thanks!

~Andrew

 

From the description is sounds kinda like the ebrake is frozen on. When you say drives for about 45 seconds, is this normal driving? Also add clogged cats to the list of possibilities. Any transmission issues?

 

I don't think that the ebrake is frozen on, b/c it rolls easy when in neutral. yes, the 45 seconds is normal driving, with the exception of the engine still "stumbling out of the blocks" I just put on a new cat back, and didn't notice a clogged cat... but I didn't look too hard... The cars transmission is very loose, and will grind downshifting into third (but I haven't gone past 3rd gear anyway since I've been having problems)

 

Its not spitting any codes? have you checked the TPS or AFM?

 

I hate to sound like a moron, but I don't know what "spitting any codes" means, and no, I have not checked the TPS or the AFM, but I have heard that the AFM mainly comes into play during high speeds, which my car has not yet done since the issues arose.

 

ok, i know what codes are now, and I'll check them tomorrow after a short trip to radio shack :-)

 

AFM will can cause problems all the time. "spitting codes" is your check engine light comming on. When it does that is stores a code in the ecu that you can retrieve. Thus telling you what part of the car is broken.

 

Also, it sounds like you have a vaccum leak, BUT that would cause problems at idle as well.

 

His check engine light isn't coming on I don't think. I'm wondering if it could be a problem with the ecu. His airbox says n326, but his boost sensor, or whatever n/a's have in the same place, says n327. Not sure what the actual ecu is though. Could that be causing problems or are they interchangable.

 

news flash. series4 ecu's dont store codes. atleast they dont display them via the "check engine" light. series4 ecu's are worthless like homeless people and babies.

 

I may be wrong, but I am pretty sure that only the 89+ cars actually have check engine lights, so that would be a pretty good reason for mine to not go on (since I have an 87...). Anyway, I have gotten the number and address of a fairly local mechanic who works on 7's and if I can't find the problem today with the error code finder that I am going to make, then tomorrow it gets either driven step by step, or towed to the mechanic. I'm just running out of time before I need to go back to college, and can't afford to keep doing the guess and check game

 

Hahaha, oh man, that made my day.

 

So then is switching to S5 ecu a good idea for the S4 guys? You cant jsut switch them over can you?

- James

 

s4 and s5 have different harnesses. the connectors wouldn't fit, and if they could it still wouldn't work since the injectors are different.

 

ok, i made a ecu code finder thing, and it did not have any signal to me, so i'm assuming that my ecu is working properly, as is the things that it controls... so now what could be wrong...? The car still acts the same, it feels like it just about wants to make power, but doesn't.

~Andrew

 

Hey, does anybody think that this could be a clogged filter on the fuel pump side? if so, how do I get to it, and is it easy to clean.....?

 

check the fuel pump. Do you have a factory service manual or a Haynes manual?

When you did the check for codes, did the lights on your tester light up for three seconds when you first turned the key to the run position? Start the car and let it run. The lights will indicate errors as they occur, but the ECU will not store them since it doesn't have a memory so you have to stand there and watch it. Or run the wires from the check plug to the dash so you can watch them while you drive. Make sure you label them properly so you don't confuse the codes.

If you let the car sit and idle for 45 seconds, does it still bog down, or is it only when you are driving? Who put the new clutch in it and how long ago? Did you have problems before or after the clutch was put in?

 

I permanately installed my own code lights in my car since mazda didnt feel it needed one.

 

I will eventually install them permanantly in my car too, but for now I'll just have to do a ghetto set up with wires going out of the side of the hood, through my window, which will be connected to my tester which I will affix on my dash. tee hee...

 

drox thats very innovative. I like it.

 

To be honest with you, 4/5 the way up the temp gage is overheating in my opinion. My FC never reaches 1/2 during even harsh driving. My temp was usually at 1/4 when warmed up after running for 10 minutes or more and never more than 1/3.

I had a VW Quantum that had a coolant leak in summeritme in Arizona one day and it overheated to the point of reaching the top of its temp gage range. It began to have the same lack of power, stumbling, and running poorly symptoms that you have described.

Sounds like it is time to do a thorough check of your cooling system irregardles of whether or not it is causing your car to not run correctly. If doing a hose check / change, thermostant and water pump change and coolant flush / refill do not solve the overheating, get a new radiator. My 88 Integra started overheating a couple years back and all it needed was $120 invested in a new radiator to get back to normal.

 

no you cant just switch them, they are pretty much totally different. :-/

 

wow, know a mazda dealership nearby, when its SERIOUS ask up, when we dont make sence ask a dealer. lol, my rx7 never reaches even half way on the temp gauge. I know one thing only. i have an atv when it gets very hot it dont wana run right/ or even it will die after hard running (Excessive heat) i agree with LS you have a major cooling problem, and if you like the car you shouldnt drive it anymore or itll blow something.

 

i think the dealer would be the last place i'd be going to for advice on a rotary, let alone an rx7.


edit: 2000th motherfuckin' post *************. ***** what.

 

I just don't care.

There! Someone had to say it.