I jsut took my R1 out of storage this past week, and also installed an M2 DP a few days later. Only other flow mods are intake and CB (PFC will be installed shortly). I was getting perfect starts before the install. Upon taking it for its first drive with the DP, I watched the boost in both 1st and 2nd gears at WOT and the primary would hit 13psi and the secondary 15 psi. Needless to say I backed off the throttle immediately, and have not allowed it to boost over 10psi since then. During the past week though, it has become progressively more difficult to start the car (started fine right after the install of DP). The engine feels as if it is barely coming to life. After it is running however, the idle is near perfect, and I am getting about 15hg of vaccum at 750 rpms idle. Any ideas as to what may be causing this poor start? Could it be related to the DP install? I know the boost levels need to be watched very carefully, and I will be driving it like a baby until I have the PFC.

 

i've been searching on starting problems because right now i'm having difficulties starting when the engine is warm...base on those posts you might wanna look into following because you're car has been in storage (how long?)

- maybe you have bad tank of gas, somebody had this problem

- could be related to some fuel issues, like the fuel filter, or maybe the plugs

low compression is also another culprit. also, how old is your r1? i have heard also that this fuel thing gets flooded/leaks somehow and this causes some problems...need to research this a little more.

can't help you with if the DP install has anything to do with it.
good luck

 

DAMN! That is near close to death for the engine! I think you just had a brush with overboosting and that could be what the problem is. Your boost went to friekin 15psi, without a remapped fuel pattern that means your fuel cut kicked in for a second or 2. That's really not good at all, I get scared when mine spikes to 12. Get the ecu ASAP if it keeps that up, and then you'll be ok. And like ttb said, get a fresh tank of gas and see if that helps, and also do all of the procedures for a flooded engine just to be sure, search for it. You may have damaged a seal and that's what is giving you problems. Dang, you could have detonated your engine, bad move dude. Be careful and good luck.

 

Thanks for the input fellas.

TTB - it has 53k on it, and as for compression I plan on getting a comp test, but as for now the vacuum at idle is 15in. hg and the idle is smooth at about 750 rpms.

RX7SpiritR - I only allowed it to hit that 15psi for about a second, I backed off it almost instantaneously as I saw the boost build that high... the PFC is my next install

Anyone else have any thoughts on this matter?

 

Exhaust should have no effect on starting the car, so the DP is most likely not the problem. If its been getting progressively more difficult to start, it could be an alternator problem, not recharging the battery. Check the battery voltage if you can.

 

is it related in to how warm the engine is? i still pull 17 in hg, i still idle fine, but when the engine is warm it is hard for me to start. i'm pretty sure i have low compression, so i don't think you can just base the vacuum reading. let us know your comp. test results. i don't think it has anything to do with the battery/charge system, since he is able to crank it (same with me), it just has hard time actually firing and then idles rough.

 

TTB:

Could be your fuel pressure regulator, pressure regulator solenoid, purge control solenoid, or your fuel thermosensor.

I just had the same problem: it was running really rich and I couldn't start the car without holding the gas pedal down. Turns out my fuel pressure regulator went bad. First 3rd gen FPR Rick has ever replaced.

Sorry to hijack your thread RollnDrty, I can't think of anything directly related to a downpipe install that would make the car hard to start.

 

ttb: i know my friends car has the same problem but he drives a 2nd Gen Rx.. they've told him b4 he shuts off the car to run it hard and pass th 4k rpm mark.. before he shuts it off.. very weird. ? maybe that was the problem.. try it next time before you shut it off..


also .. this thread also scares me.. im getting a DP when Jason from Rx-7 Store Decides to send it to me. im pretty much stock cept for the Dp that is comming.. i wanna get a stright thru exaust and a intake. then pfc time or haltec..

just dont want this problem happening to me

 

NiMoR: You should get an ecu before (or at same time) running a midpipe. Running a midpipe with a stock ecu is suicidal....

 

well NiM0r you shouldn't be worried about the DP causing you starting problems...many many people have a DP and don't have starting problem, and i'm 99% sure the original poster's problem is not related to the DP...but with a straight thru then you should be worried about controlling boost :-(

 

hey tyler, can you clarify what you mean by keep the ped down? do you press the gas pedal down completely THEN crank it, or is it while it's cranking you try to give it gas?

 

ok actually, let me tell you one thing. My car did something similar to this a while back and it was the starter. Have your altinator, battery, and starter tested!

 

Hold the pedal down, THEN start it (just remember to let off when it starts!). By holding the pedal down, you are preventing more fuel from being injected on start up. If this works for you, you may seriously want to look into the things I listed. Good luck.

 

is there any way to Manually Changing the boost... ?