Twilight1

Hello

My FD have been pretty reliable for almost 4 months i've owned it. Its Japanese efini RX-7 1995 model. It has clifford alarm with immoblizer.

Today i drove it back home in motorway. I did few pulls into high rpm's, worked fine no problems. Then i got off from motorway into tight left turn ramp, i went sideways a bit in the semi- slippery turn with few times on rapid on-off gas- pedalwork.

Then I heard very quick bangs from the exhaust and it felt like it lost power for a few milliseconds. Then i started to smell a odor which was like some electrical- component has just burned out. I tried to locate the smell, and ended up into drivers footwell. Certainly it didint come from the ECU which is in the passenger side footwell. Although the car was fine and it boosted nicely and the power was okay. Then all of a sudden the whole car lost its ignition power. The driving lights, interior lights, radio, dash lights apart from the warning lights (which usually comes on when the engine stalls) were all on. But no response from the accelerator or anything. I had to stop the car into shoulder and opened the bonnet up, the battery terminals were okay, everything looked okay and there wasnt any smell of fried components.

I took the key off from the ignition, i turned the alarm on from the fob. Then i turned it off and put the key into ignition, and it started normally. Warning lights and everything were okay and it was running like nothing ever happened. I drove it home and it was running very nicely.

I started to wonder what the heck that was all about? And where did the electrical smell come from?

Now i have only one theory.
1. The clifford alarm's immoblizer went on for some reason, and cut off the ignition from the engine?

Any ideas my fellow rotorheads?

Day 2

Well. A little update.

At morning i left home into work, and the FD started all nicely and drove into work. I drove it into the lunchbreak and back. Was all fine. Then i went home and as soon as i gave her some boost, it immediateley shut off just like the night before. No warning lights, no mileage, no ignition power. The engine will spin around, but it wont start.

I pulled over into the parking space i managed to survive there. It was -8 degrees freezing, and very cold wind from the north. I only had the original tools in the boot. After doing few things basically checking things, the ignition- power went on again. The warning lights, mileage and ignition power were on. Then i tried to start the engine, it went black again. Nothing. I took the battery terminals off and noticed they had a bit of oxidation in the terminal, but it werent that bad. I cleaned them with snow, my hands were freezing (2hrs and they still are). And put all back together, no effect.

I looked up some fuses and relays in the engine compartment, but they all seemed fine. Why doesent the car have self- diagnose or MIL (check) light? I'm suspecting the clifford alarm, but all other things are working (valet mode, on/off and definatley the siren).

When i turn the key into ignition- point;
-Accessory power comes on (radio, annoying beep)
-Heater motor/ control panel comes on
-Turn signals dont work
-Warning lights dont work
-Dash background lights does work
-Mileage and the whole screen is black

And the engine turns over when i turn the key into start- position. The clifford alarm informs me that the immoblizer is off (red light doesent blink). But i still wonder what if the clifford alarm's control unit (if there is such a thing) burned yesterday and now it doesent always let the ignition command into the ECU?

Or then the ECU is busted. Any help highly appreciated, since i'm pretty much alone with this thing here in cold Finland.

Ville

RotaryDreamz

iTrader: (29)

Are you sure none of your fuses blew?

Twilight1

Not at all. Since it was dark and only light was from my cellphone. And i only did check the ones right next to positive battery terminal.

But its weird that it started many times after the first symptoms were. The key points were that first it made very quick banging noise from the exhaust and after few full boost tryouts the ignition went off. Also the smell occured.

Tonight it was running all fine until i hit the absolutely full boost. It was good on partial boost aswell. I have to check the fuses and clean out the terminal as good as i can. Thanks.

Any more ideas?