Hey everyone!

I have recently acquired a 93 FD from an auto auction. The car would not start, and as I looked under the dash, I saw some cheeseball "immobilizer" alarm system. I assumed that was the reason the car wouldn't start... Let me lay out the symptoms however.

Underneath the steering column, there is a white three wire plug which appears to be ignition. Off of that plug there are female clip-type connectors attached. On the other side there is a 4prong black plug with a ground loose. I know where the white plug goes, but I cannot find the male end of the four pin black harness nor do I know the purpose of the 3 female connectors.

On the engine front, here's what I know.. First, the car has spark on the #1 leading plug. I haven't checked the others, but I have attached my scope to the ignitor and all is well. (learned that it's self grounded the hard way. ) I couldn't hear the fuel pump come on, and indeed the white/red turn on wire had no voltage. I hotwired the fuel pump on. When the car cranks, it's a somewhat ominous starting noise-- sounds very different from a piston engine, almost hollow.

So, here's what I can deduce.. It has spark, because it has spark the ECUs are on, it has fuel pressure (though I don't know how much), I believe the injectors are shooting because of the fuel smell though am not 100% positive... Tomorrow I'll be changing plugs and running compression. Does anyone have ANY other suggestions?? What am I missing!? Thanks in advance.

 

Well it sounds like you know pretty well what you're doing ... but you didn't make one thing clear -- Did you remove the alarm? I wish that I had my car with me, I could go through the ignition for you and better see what you're describing.

 

I think you flooded it. Remove the aftermarket alarm and wire it back to norma. Remove the plug wires and pour in 2 ounces of ATF into the lower spark plug holes and rotate the engine. Replace the plugs, L lower, T upper. Inner plugs lower, outer plugs upper. Start her up holding the accelerator down all the way.

 

DK,

I have removed the alarm as best as I can. I believe it's competely out. I had to solider the starter wire back together but the ignition harness I described was hanging down when I found it.

SpooledUP,

Thanks for the advice-- you could be right. I've had piston engines where it sounded like no spark/fuel and it was simply flooded. Let's assume for a second that the motor is destroyed. Is it like a piston engine which will still try to light with the smallest level of compression?

Also I should mention that the MAP sensor is hooked up properly.

 

Rotary engines are strange. The surface area which is sealing the compression zones are about 100 times larger than a piston engine, and if you add fuel (solvent) without ignition, you essentially washed away all the sealing properties of the side, corner, and apex seals. The ATF will bring back the compression (not to mention a mile high smoke cloud).
You have spark, and it sounds like you have fuel. If you have compression, you should at least get a rough idle, or short stumble to start. It is important that you have the plug wires on the correct plug, as well as a simi fresh and non-fouled set of plugs.

 

Check the main relay (yellow one) in the engine compartment and make sure it clicks when the key is turned on... the wires hanging down with 4 plugs and 3 plugs sound like a turbo timer harness.. but it should still start w/o a turbo timer hooked up.. also check the egi fuse.. I've seen them go bad, but still look like they were good...

 

If the main relay were bad or EGI fuse out, I wouldn't get spark would I?

I thought the plugs were aftermarket also, until I looked at my friend's RX7. I could see the white harness.. He wouldn't let me rip the car apart enough to know where it went.

Thanks!