soccermach5

iTrader: (1)

so yesterday I changed my oil and oil filter like normal. It started right up and i moved it a bit forward for the night, haven't had any problems of recent. then when i come out this morning, it won't start up wtf! It cranks over but not even a putter of it trying to start.

Details: I changed the oil filter and oil with royal purple synthetic (5) quarts like I have been for the past 7 years without problems. I did also rotate my 4 tires, adjusted my suspension height and added power steering fluid (but that shouldn't have anything to do with the engine.)

Troubleshooting: I thought maybe I flooded the engine so removed the EGI fuse and cranked it over about 4 times, reinstalled and still no luck. My battery is newish and had juice still left (checked with guage), but i tried jumper cables just in case and still no luck. I went on to inspect my spark plugs (about 22 months since last changed) and they were kinda dirty so i went on to change all 4. after i changed each one i turned over the engine (with the EGI fuse out) just in case to deflood it again. after the 4 cranks and new plugs, I reinstalled the EGI fuse, attached jumper cables again in case and still no start.

Questions: 1.) the rx7 booklet says to at 3.7 quarts but from my receach years ago...adding more oil wasn't too bad because it will eventually burn off and better to have enough then low. Could it have backed-up somehow and be effecting the intake? I checked my dip stick and it is about 90% from the EMPTY-FULL area but cold because couldn't obviously warm up the engine. And why now would it be too much oil if i've changed it the same way for the past 20 times.

2.) The oil was like 9 months old, have been procrastinating. I read online that sealed containers don't go bad ever/oil manufactures put a 2 year shelf like on just in case. either way i seemed sure it would be fine, looked the same. Could that have anything to do with it being old or the temperature? I have never changed oil in the winter because of frozen hands. yet it was warmish for this time of year 45 and gets to be like 30-35 at night. Could the oil have coagulated some how? I doubt but guessing at this point and need help.

theorie

iTrader: (31)

Wait you added 5 whole quarts? Pretty sure that's too much...unless your system is completely empty (including the oil coolers).

You shouldn't just add oil based the "capacity" of the system. You need to add oil until it's reading FULL on the dip-stick. The reason is because when you drain the oil pan, it doesn't drain ALL the oil from the system. Your oil coolers and lines and other parts will still retain oil.

I remember a year or two back GoodfellaFD3S had overfilled his oil just a little bit and the car was smoking like a chimney until he drained some, IIRC.

mannykiller

iTrader: (93)

^ very true. But adding too much oil can be just as bad as not having enough in the system. I'd suggest you drain some of it. And pull the trailing plugs as well. Pull the egi fuse crank it over a few times. Install the plugs again and put the fuse back in. Make sure you check your plugs when you pull them out as well. The Rx7 has been the only car i've ever owned and worked on that is as fickle as they come. one second you could be driving a perfect running car and the next min the car won't run for crap because plugs etc. You might need to change yourplugs as well. But that should solve your problem. Let us know!

theorie

iTrader: (31)

^ If it's (fuel) flooded, you might be able to get away with the floored-pedal fuel-cut trick:

Don't pull any fuses or plugs. Just put the gas pedal to the floor and crank the motor, then ease-out the pedal after 10-15 seconds of cranking. That usually works for me without pulling anything.

soccermach5

iTrader: (1)

well can you explain why its happening now since I've been adding 5 quarts for the past 20 oil changes and why the dipstick isn't overfull
I emptied about a quart out and still no start. I now try to do the exact opposite and pump the gas to start it.....but it makes a wierd loud noise and actually scares me.....sounded like the engine wanted to blow up.

theorie

iTrader: (31)

Alright I'm sure you've flooded it at this point if you are "pumping the gas" when you try to start it.

Not sure why you were "pumping the gas" if you already suspect it's flooded...

I think you need to check the spark plugs and un-flood the motor at this point.

mannykiller

iTrader: (93)

like I was saying.....these cars are fickle.. and by that I mean..on a completely different level haha. maybe the past 20 oil changes were done in the summer? like youve been saying. It may sound a little weird..but it may just be the case. Theorie is right.. it's flooded now. But I'm thinking your plugs are done. let us know.

soccermach5

iTrader: (1)

I unflooded it twice to start. first time just took out one spark plug and cranked multiple times which has worked in the past. second time I took out each spark plug and cranked each plug seperate one at a time....so above and beyond a normal unflooding....and I changed each plug with brand new ones at the same time so it couldn't have been flooded before. I pumped the gas because the "floored pedal trick" didnt work and im out of ideas. I agree 100% its NOW flooded lol

soccermach5

iTrader: (1)

and thanks for all the help guys...keep the ideas coming.

anees

iTrader: (6)

still 5 quarts...???? doesnt add up.. i also use royal purple 10w30.. and i never put more thn 4.. infact u dont even need that much.. 4 quart are more than enuf
it would make sense if u use the 5th one to top up

198713bt

iTrader: (2)

Kind of off topic, but isn't synthetic a bad idea? Unless you're premixing, but based on these posts I don't think that the case.

soccermach5

iTrader: (1)

there are plenty of threads comparing pros and cons. i took it as a 50/50 choice to choose yourself (synthetic burns worse but better for turbos and last longer). I used it my first oil change and had slight improvements.....keep it for years and haven't had any issue until now. not sure if the oil is causing it either.

theorie

iTrader: (31)

When I bought my first FD it had 20k miles on it. The owner had been running Royal Purple so I continued to use it as well. I sold the car with 60k miles on it and the motor was still running strong. Royal Purple is good stuff!

FD3S2005

iTrader: (11)

why not try to push start it? and as for synthetic oil, id use it but that stuff is just to expensive

soccermach5

iTrader: (1)

sometimes the simplicity answer is it. I started testing everything and realized I don't have spark. more inspection and I simply wiggled the blue electric clip to the coil pack and it started right up. I must have knocked it loose when changing the oil filter because it is only like three inches away in the top back. let my all day troubles warn others haha. but im glad it wasn't the oil haha.

theorie

iTrader: (31)

ha well glad you got it running. if you were cranking without spark then you definitely must have flooded it at some point as well. also make sure that oil level is right and not too full.

1QWIK7

iTrader: (33)

+1 for royal purple lol

I would never suspect an oil related issue when talking about a no start problem. Unless its 20 degrees out and you have straight 50 weight in the engine. Otherwise oil is never a possibility when dealing with these sorts of problems.

In order for an engine to start, you need compression, fuel and spark. In theory its rather easy to track down a no start issue, its just that you should start there first. Then look into electrical. etc

soccermach5

iTrader: (1)

I must have flooded it half a dozen time trying haha. but I new I was unflooding it right. and according to my dipstick......5 quarts is right at full, 4.25 quarts is at half (what im keeping it at) and 3.5 quarts says its just equal to the low level if anyone cares to know. idk if my stick is wrong, but i've never had a problem with 5 quarts before haha. but thanks everyone for all the help....im just gonna chalk this one up to a very long spark plug change haha

1QWIK7

iTrader: (33)

Spark plug changes have become more easy and faster for me the more i did it. The first time i did it, i tried it from under the car, took me almost 2 hours. From jacking the car, getting into place, making sure i was doing it right. It sucked.

Now i just remove my greddy elbow and that gives me sufficient amount of space to do all 4. Takes about 30 min just breezing through it. Im sure i could do it in 20 if i rush lol

Firbirdgta

I change my plugs from the top, but it's because I have a removed a few things.

FD3S2005

iTrader: (11)

I change them from the bottom, only takes me about 30-45 mins