Hello folks,

unfortunately my FD is not driven due to not beeing ready for registration, but I frequently start it up (Every 2-3 months) and let it idle for some minutes. This is going on since the rebuild in september 2017.

Yesterday I started it (The first time it always starts up instantly), drove it out of the garage and because it was noon and the car has a loud exhaust (neighbours), I only let it run for maybe 2 minutes, pushed it slowly to 3000rpm and shut it down. I always do this since the last time I got fouled plugs, this was a tip I read here in the forums. Several hours later I wanted to drive it back in the garage so I tried to start it, at first it wanted to start but than it didn't and only cranked without further "cuffs of starting will". I removed the EGI fuse in the engine bay and cranked it 3-4 times for 5 seconds each. I than put the EGI fuse back it, tried to start but nothing. I repeated this procedure 3-4 times, without any luck. So I removed the EGI fuse a last time, cranked it 3-4 times for 5 seconds and pushed it back into the garage.

I had the exact same problem some months ago, that time the plugs (newly installed after the rebuild) looked like this:




These are Autolite AR3932X, also a tip from the forums, I think by Howard Coleman.

Could it be, that these plugs don't like being only idled but not driven? Or is this a general rotary behaviour? Is there any way to prevent the flooding and the fouling of the plugs? I do the frequent start ups because of stories I heard that rotaries don't like long standing without turning. Maybe I should just crank it without the EGI fuse in the future? On the other hand, pushing it back in the garage after working on it is a pita because of a curb at the garage entry.

 

I didn’t check but guessing those plugs might be for a modified/race set-up and are pretty cool. Unless there are more mods than are listed in your signature, that might part of the issue...in combination with not letting the car come fully up to operating temperature. What boost level are you running?
Not familiar with the Blitz ECU either. If it’s not being driven I think I’d just try some NGKs in stock heat range and try to let it warm up all the way.

 

Those plugs are too cold to handle being started and ran for only a few minutes. I'd run stock NGK plugs until such time as you regularly drive it then look at doing fancy plugs.

Dale

 

Honestly? I bought the Autolite ones because they were much cheaper than the NGKs. I live in Germany, its very hard to get a hold of them here quick and if you do, they are expensive. Just bought 2 BUR7EQP and 2 BUR9EQ for 67$. I paid 60$ for 8 pcs of the Autolite plugs.

Thank you very much for your help. I'm desperatly trying to get the car ready for registration, so it should be less of a problem in the future anyhow.

 

Completely understand being on a budget. We’ve all been there. But I learned long ago that “Price” and “Cost” are two different things.

 

I just awnsered on the "fancy plugs" statement by DaleClark. I don't consider the Autolite plugs cheap, on the contrary even, but they have no "fancy price" at all.

 

The Autolites were cheaper so you bought them because of the lower PRICE. But you now need to spend additional money to get the NGKs so the total COST of replacing plugs ends up higher. Price and cost...two different things.

 

FD's are very well known to flood if you don't fully warm them up, no matter the plugs you have in there it's probably going to be a problem nest time you try starting it if you don't let it come up to temp. Really you are probably better off not starting it at all than just letting it run for 2 minutes anyway. Unless you can get it to full operating temp I'd just leave it alone.