Stacy

My 91 RX7 won't start. The engine turns but won't start up. Battery, Fuel pump & filter good, starter good, spark plugs good. Fuses under the hood are good. I don't know what to check next? Has anyone had problems with clogged injectors & could that be the reason why it won't start?

areexdrift

did you check the coils?

areexdrift

also check the egi main relay

Go48

iTrader: (7)

Remove plugs and see if they are wet with fuel/oil. If they are, your engine is flooded. A relatively common occurance with these engines. Particularly if you shut down the engine before letting it warm up to operating temps. There are numerous threads on how to recover from a flooded engine. Do a search and read about the various techniques.

Assuming you have verified that the engine is flooded, here is a basic approach. Inject a couple of cc's of oil into each plug hole. Dry off the plugs and reinstall. Remove the EGI fuse in the engine-compartment fuse box. Make sure you have a fully charged battery and crank the car for 10 seconds or so with the gas pedal pressed to the floor. Then replace the EGI fuse and attempt to start the car normally. If that doesn't work, go through the same process a few more times until the car starts. If it still doesn't start, you may have other problems causing the flood that will not allow the engine to start.

Stacy

I really appreciate ur help guys! This car is my baby & I need 2 get her back on the road! LOL... If the plugs are getting spark, then my coils should be OK right? I don't think flooding was the original problem, but I did try some unflooding procedure where u take out EGI fuse and step on gas while cranking. I will check for oil or gas on spark plug and do a ghetto finger-compression check while I have the plug out. Does it matter which plug I pull? Also, I don't know how to check my EGI main relay (what's that?) & can't get the car on a tow truck cuz its too low. So I am a mechanic now I guess.

Stacy

Here's what happened...2 weeks ago, I went to the gas station & pumped gas. Then the car was struggling to start. I stepped on gas while cranking & it started (thank God). It drove home like a champ & and I parked. I started it again immediately - the motor was still warm (I turned the A/C off this time cuz it drains power). It started and idle sounded a little weak. Then I got dressed to go out & it never started again =( Hopefully more info would help pinpoint the problem! I've been having trouble finding ppl in Tampa who know rotaries!

AreExSevenProject

iTrader: (1)

vacuum lines?
get a FSm and check to see if everything is hooked up correctly...

areexdrift

It definitely sounds like its flooded. You could try a ghetto push start in second gear, that should get it started. then take it out for a real nice long drive and get it real warm. aslo after you get it started keep it revved at atleast 4k for a minute or two

Stacy

Ok, I will try 2 push-start later tonight & let you know how that goes!

Stacy

Push-starting was a dead mission. I got it to about 10mph & tried to pop the clutch, it puttered a little but didn't start up. I also tried to unflood the engine, but I don't think its flooded. Anyone have any other ideas?

AreExSevenProject

iTrader: (1)

did you pop the clutch while it was in 2nd?

Go48

iTrader: (7)

Remove the leading plugs and have a look at them. Wet=flooded, dry=look elsewhere. What's the color of the center insulator? White=too lean fuel-air mixture, black=over rich mixture, brown=good mixture.

Try these guys: Maztech Inc, 4810 N Clark Ave, Tampa, FL, 33614-6504, 813-874-0937
Don't know anything about them other than they are rotary-friendly.

BTW, do a proper engine compression check before you waste a lot of time chasing non-existent causes for your problem.

lupin

iTrader: (3)

umm bad gas?
try getting 5 gallons of 93 and pouring it in or however many gallons till your tank is filled.

In order to start your car you need compression, fuel, and spark.

try checking compressions first.

Then i would try a seal lube job
pull spark plugs
put oil(I use 2 stroke) in the spark plug holes
pull the egi fuse
turn car over with plugs loosly in place
pull plugs and clean them off with carb cleaner and a wire brush
reinstall plugs and egi fuse and try to start car.

if adding gas doesn't work and my oil lube job doesn't work and your compression numbers are good then try this

Go to advanced auto parts buy a spark tester(not the led one but the one that looks like a spark plug).
buy a fuel injector noid light pack

(pull the fuel pump fuse)
Now plug the spark tester into one of the plug wires at a time and attach the clip to a good ground. Have a buddy crank the car while you watch the spark. Repeat for other 3 plug wires
noid light
(you unplug one of the injectors and plug the light into it and turn the car over)(pull the fuel pump fuse first)(the injectors that this can only be done to is the 2 primary injectors so in order to do this you will have to take the intake manifolds off so don't forget to replace your gaskets and any bad looking lines

Use both those tools to determine whats wrong

the next thing you would look for is proper fuel pressure
you'd have to buy a fuel pressure gauge and connect it inline with the primary fuel line.

AreExSevenProject

iTrader: (1)

you need a lot more than just compression...fuel and spark. A whole bunch of things could cause your car not to run.

Putting the oil in before you de-flood the engine will do close to nothing. When you dry crank the engine the rotors use all the oil up. You squirt oil in after to get the compression up. Pull the spark plugs all the way out and crank it over for 15 seconds. tHEN wait 30 sec. and crank again. The second time hold a clean sheet of paper by the holes and see if anything (like fuel) shoots out on it. Also make sure you have a battery charger hooked up to the battery the whole time to get it cranking faSTER. Pull the EGI comp. and inj fuses too. once it fires up dont let it die!!!

also you can clean the spark plugs by burning the excess fuel off with a lighter...

good luck....

areexdrift

+1
thats the real way to unflood it. and you need to put the oil in after the dry cranking to help it run smooth. about a spoon full in the traillling plug holes.

you need to pop the clutch twice in order to get it to turn. it wont go off the first one.

Stacy

Ok, so I pulled a spark plug & it was wet with fuel and the motor has low compression. Does this sound like an easy fix or shall I have a mechanic do the honors? I just want the car to run again & be healthy. I don't understand why it lost compression in the 1st place, and I don't want to do something ghetto and have it mess up again or make it worse.

keinikaidoh

I just replaced the engine in my FD and it might be having the same problem. The compression gauge reads about 40psi for the lower ones and 30 psi for the upper ones. The readings are consistant for all 3 cycles and didn't drop after I stopped cranking. I checked and it was the same reading on the other rotor as well. So I was thinking that the chances of the seals on both rotors screwing up to the same degree and produce the same numbers could be pretty low. But I'm not too sure. It could also be caused by the fact that I have a smaller battery and been cranking on it quite a few times before trying the compression test. I bought the engine used and the guy gave me a "guarantee" that it worked. *rolles eyes* So I'm just asking for a general opinion, what are the chances that this motor is bad too?

Stacy

WOW... that's the last thing I wanna hear!

areexdrift

low compression means either the oil seals or apex seals... most likely a full a rebuild will be needed and wet with fuel means flooded engine.
definitely not an easy/quick fix

Stacy

R U serious? This is horrible, but I am still in denial. This ain't really happening. How much u think a fix will run me if seals are blown?

ramses666

iTrader: (1)

Install a switch on your fuel pump relay... it's that yellow connector under your dash. I forget exactly which wire it is. do a search & find it or the FSM will do.

After the car is running... before you turn it off you flip a switch to disonnect the power to the fuel pump relay which causes the fuel pump to stop pumping. This causes the fuel pressure in the fuel line to drop and basically runs the fuel out of the pressurized system.

Now the engine cannot flood because the is no pressure to pump fuel into your now not running engine. when you want to start the motor you crank it then flip the switch & away you will go... no more flooding... it doesn't matter if its warmed up or not... if you drive it one block it won't matter if you run the fuel out of the pressurized lines before you turn the engine off.

It took me about 5 minutes to install this fix. I have NEVER had a starting problem since doing this and sticking with it.

Ramses666

Stacy

I think the problem is lack of compression. The flooding is just from trying to get it started & pumping the gas wayy to much. I don't see how installing a fuel pump switch would help me get my car back on the road right now. Good looks tho.

lupin

iTrader: (3)

try to oil lube job I talked about
It has worked for 2 rx7s in the past

areexdrift

you dont pump the gas pedal when trying to start it do you? you dont do that with FI cars. You might be able to pick up a seal kit for a lil over 1k. but it will cost labor to have it done if you dont do it your self

ramses666

iTrader: (1)

Ok... if you want to go now..... Get on your back under the dash board... See the yellow plug right by the steering column? Unplug that yellow connector... it has a tab that holds it in so you have to depress the tab real good to get it unplugged. Get back in the seat... put the gas pedal all the way down & the clutch as well if so equipped. Turn the key to try to start it. It might crank for a while. It should start briefly then die. Turn off key. Put yellow plug back in. Put gas pedal to the floor, clutch, then turn key to start. Keep it running after it starts. After maybe a few minutes the cloud of exhaust should have died down somewhat. Here's a quote:

flood switch install
heres how to build the the swicth from rresurrections site its only an band aid the problem will still exsist..The "band aid" cure for cars which flood consistently is to install a toggle switch which will control the fuel pump. Note that the only cures for consistent flooding are cleaning/rebuilding injectors, rebuilding the engine, or finishing rebuild breakin. I like to install my cutoff switch right behind the keyhole in the lower column surround, but anywhere within easy reach will work. I use a toggle switch available at radio shack for about 2 dollar, called a rocker switch. IT is solid black, very slimline(maximum protrusion 1/8") and fits perfectly. You can use any toggle switch however.

1) Obtain the following: 2 prong, 2 position toggle switch, at least 2 feet length of 16-14 gauge wire, 2 female speaker terminal connectors(quick connect), 2 wire taps(vampire taps) and wire crimpers/strippers. Vampire taps join one wire beside another, when a metal strip gets pushed down connecting the 2 wires. A clean way to connect 2 wires.
2) Remove column cover and install the toggle switch in its position(or wherever else you want).
3) Locate the fuelpump relay under the dash. Located between the radio and the steering column, it is a black relay with a white, 5 wire plug.
4) Cut the fuelpump control wire: of the 5 wire plug, cut the middle wire of the 5.
5) Run wires from the toggle switch to each of the ends you just cut and connect them all. Which wire goes to which end does not matter, there is no polarity here, only continuity.
6) Put everything back together. Your switch is now installed.
7) To operate it, figure out which way is on and which is off. I like to orient off downward.
8) With the car running, turn the key off normally. Remove your key, and leave the switch alone.
9) When restarting, flip switch OFF, insert key, floor throttle, crank car, and it will likely start up. IMMEDIATELY as soon as the tach needle passes the 750rpm line flip the switch on. the ecu plays a role in the problem

There you go... I cut & pasted the specific info from another post

club.com/forum/showthread.php?https://www.rx7club.com/forum/showth...607&page=3&hig

This works for me consistently. Although I think my leaking injector problem has sorted itself out over time... it's not worth it to get stranded for two hours after driving two blocks. This band-aid works great for short trips where you can't let the car sit & warm up. I have to do the 7 shuffle to start the car... Clutch, gas, key, switch vvrrooommm!!!!! Works EVERY TIME.

Ramses666