Hi everyone. I have just purchased an 84 rx7 with 129 000km. I have a couple of questions. The car has not been driven much in the last 6 years, and not at all in the last 2 years. When I try to start the car nothing happens but you can hear the starter click. Is the motor carbon locked? or does it need a new starter. The previous owner said that he drove the car with no problems 2 years ago so I am thinking that it may be carbon locked. By the way the car is rust free and the interior is absolutley mint. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks Mark.

 

Start with the obvious:

1. is the battery good?
2. is the starter good?

With those 2 figured, you can start looking for carbon lock.

 

1St thing is try to turn the engine by hand. Make sure all the power is off and put a socket with a ratchet on the main pulley and turn it clockwise. If the engine turns its not carbon locked! Once you repair the starter, take the spark plug out, squirt some wd40 into the chambers and crank it over for minute. Then replace the plugs and try to start it.

 

True carbon lock is rare. I'lll throw in with Feds and add that you ought to check if the battery terminals and cable connectors are clean and tight. It just sounds like not enough juice is getting to the starter...

 

If the car has been sitting long enough, it's possible that it's stuck. But if you're just hearing a "click" I'd put my money on bad starter or wiring connections before anything else.

01Racing had the right idea, make sure you can turn the engine by hand. I wouldn't personally use WD40, because it's too much of a solvent, and too thin IMHO. I filled a windex bottle with ATF when I unsiezed mine, but I've since heard bad things about what ATF does to rubber. Didn't bother me because I'll be rebuilding in about a year anyway, and it didn't seem to affect my oil control rings at all. Others have used MMO (Marvel Mystery Oil) and other oils.

If it turns by hand and your starter's good, check the wiring for the starter. There is the big positive coming from the battery, and there's another small positive wire coming from the ignition that acts as a "trigger" telling the starter to turn. Make sure all these have good connections.

And let us know what happens!

Jon