Ok, I have tried the extensive deflooding technique's outlined on numerous webpages with no luck. The car will not start and smells extremely flooded.
The engine has 108,000 miles (yeah I know, a lot!)and seems to have ok compression although it has not been checked with a gauge. The car belongs to a friend who said it began becoming hard to start but eventually would. He would drive and park it only to return and have it start after much effort. Eventully it gave out. Now it is parked in my garage and I need some help fellas. Where should I look? Could it be a leaking injector? I hear this is a somewhat common occurance. Bad coil or something with the ignition? The car is completely stock down to the precat except for an hks intake.
Please assist. I need to start this *****!

 

Have you tried changing the spark plugs? The should be your first step.

 

My car was flooded. Changed plugs and it fired right up!

 

yeah get some new plugs and start it up. It should work because when i bought my fd it did the same thing and thought it wasn't getting no compression but when i pulled the plugs out they were toast and covered in gas. In the end i got one hell of a deal for 3500.

 

Yeah, sorry guys I should have stated that it has new plugs. The old ones were fouled. I removed all four plugs, pulled the fuel pump relay, held the gas to the floor, and cranked it over for 10-15 secs to blow out the excess fuel. You could see the fuel vapor expel. I waited half an hour and cranked it again. Then again 1hr later. I then dumped a little atf in each housing, reinstalled the plugs and cranked for another 10-15 secs. I put the relay back in and connected the plug wires. No luck at all. It seemed to flood again rapidly. Very strong fuel smell!

 

I must have been high on gas fumes because I also neglected to mention the ECU is throwing a couple of codes:
16--> EGR valve
17--> Feedback system for O2 sensor

 

Sounds like it's time to get the compression checked. It's possible to be a leaky injector flooding the car, however I would go for the compression test first.

I don't think either of those two codes should stop the car from starting.

 

Those codes will not cause the problem you are seeing. I agree with Mahjik.

 

Thanks for the replies thus far. Anyone else care to share some insight?

 

Two things. First you should not have held the gas to the floor after you pulled the relay. Second you should have cranked it three times and then let it sit OVERNIGHT. Then add the (transmission) oil and crank for 10 seconds to build compression. After that you should install the spark plugs. Install the fuel relay. It should start, but it will smoke for a little bit, approx. 10 minutes to burn off the oil. Do not let the engine stall or you will have to repeat the process. Once the engine quits smoking take it for a drive for about 15 minutes.

You might want to put new spark plugs in again before you start this process. It is up to you though. That is just my suggestion based on what you said. You should probably still do a compression check regardless.

- Cody

 

Hmm, I'll try it without holding the gas to the floor next time. I had read differently. As for the atf you stated I should put it in, turn over the engine approx. 10 secs to build compression, then install the plugs. Wouldn't that just blow the atf out the plug holes? Should I not install the plugs before turning over the engine?

 

I don't think it will blow out the oil. You should only be adding about an ounce to each spark plug hole. Let me know if it fixes your problem.

- Cody

 

damn!!!

 

Push start the sucker!

 

Sorry if I came across kind of harsh in my responses. I had no intention to.

- Cody

 

Didn't seem too harsh to me. I appreciate all the info I can get at this point

 

I don't know I didn't suggest this before. But go out and try to start it with the gas pedal pushed to the floor. When you try to crank at wide open throttle, the computer turns off the injectors. Cranking at WOT will also allow tons of air in, and should dry your fouled plugs. This is sort of a built-in deflooding procedure, and works for most people.

I don't understand why Cody suggests to crank the engine without opening up the throttle all the way. Cranking the engine at WOT not only turns off the injectors, but it also allows the maximum amount of air to get pumped through your engine, thus drying off your plugs and pumping the excess gas into the exhaust.

 

Thanks paw140. That was my logic as well. i have removed the plugs again and disconnected the fuel pump relay. The plugs were wet with gasoline but are easily dried and seem to still be in like new condition. I just turned the engine over to blow out the gas. This time I didn't hold down the gas pedal. I wish I knew the correct procedure. Just as it did when I held down the gas, lots of vapor was expelled. I will do this a couple more times and let it sit overnight. Hopefully tomorrow I can add some atf, crank it over, reinstall the plugs and relay and fire it up. I have my doubts though. When I try to start it should I hold the pedal to the floor?

 

The unflooding procedure for any kind of engine is to hold the throttle to the floor (includes piston engines too). That's my vote.

 

I am having the same problem with my fd (except i dont have that many miles on my engine). i have tried the de-flooding procedures with no luck. what happens if i try to push start it? will it not start?

Shawn
'93 SSM base

 

I spent some time researching this a little more. Maybe you are right about holding down the gas pedal with the relay pulled. Although I don't think I would do it with the relay back in. I would think this would flood the engine again.

Here is some info that I found on flooded engines. They aren't necessarily related to 3rd Gen's, but might be of interest anyways.

http://www.lemmings.com/mark/rx7flood.htm

http://rotaryresurrection.com/fuel_cutoff.html

http://www.nellump.net/peri/epi/firs...odedCarbs.html

http://www.scuderiaciriani.com/rx7/h...ine_other.html

 

Seriously, I had the same problem, new plugs, every trick in the book, nothing worked. As vudoodoodoo suggestted, push start-it. Obviously this won't cure the problem but it will at least allow it to be moved, and then you can fix that leaky injector at your leisure.
We eventually had to push the car with another car, which is slightly embarassing, but no damage done. And when it does start, DON'T STOP. we made that mistake, car died when it was taken out of gear going through a stop sign around a corner.
Seriously though, just push start it to get it moving, then fix the injector.

 

When the ECU detects WOT during engine starting, it shuts off the injectors. It will not flood the engine. It is actually a built-in deflooding routine.

 

Well guys, I am waiting until tomorrow to try starting it. I figure that will give it more than enough time (nearly 2 days) to sit after turning the engine over to blow out the fuel. Hopefully it will be nice and dry and I can just add some atf and it will fire. I decided the charge the battery to ensure it has plenty of power.
I'll post what happens then, even if half of you don't give a sh*t

 

If your next attempt doesn't work, I would check to see if there is any spark. Another reason for the car not firing up could be a cloged cat. I don't think it's an issue with your car, but you never know. I had an entertaining experience of watching two rednecks swap a motor on a Ford Ranger just because of the pluged cat, same symptoms the car wouldn't start. If you are't getting spark, then it's probably the compression, especially since you said that the problem was pregressibe with time.