1984 RX-7 GLS-SE. What to do first?
 

This weekend I am buying a 1984 RX-7 GLS-SE. At the moment it does not start. With the help of friends, and this forum, we believe it to be the fuel pump, and I just have some questions.

What type of fuel pumps does this model RX-7 have? Mechanical, located in the engine area. Or electric, located above the gas tank (I hope not)?

Is this my problem? The engine cranks (turns) but it does not turn over, and start. So I know it is not carbon locked. We charged the battery over night, but it dies quickly, so I assume I will need a new one, but for testing we just jumped it. It does have gas. We crank it, and pump the gas, all the usual things you would do to get it to start, but nothing. We used some carb cleaner and sprayed that into the carb. still no start. It sounds like it wants to really really bad, and almost does.

If the fuel pump is not the problem what is? I searched the forum, and the FAQ says that the next answer could be compression. I really hope it's not blown apex seals.

Where should I start first with restoring this amazing car!? It has been sitting for AT LEAST 6 months. I was planning on replacing all the regular maintenance stuff. (Spark plugs, air filter, oil, things like that).

Thanks you in advance for all your help.

There are a few quick things to check. First, take a short length of wire, strip both ends, and jam them in the check connector just ahead of your passenger's side strut. You'll see two unused plugs there together - a green 3- conductor and a white 2-conductor with a rubber boot. Short the two leads together on the white 2-conductor. The fuel pump normally only runs when the starter is cranking and when the air flow meter is registering flow. Shorting the connector will make the fuel pump run when you turn the key to run (not start). If you don't hear the fuel pump, you've likely found your problem.

If you do hear the pump, there's still no guarantee that you're getting full flow (clogged screen in the tank, old fuel filter, clogged pump inlet screen, bad pump, etc). In any case, you can remove the storage bin behind the driver's seat and access the electrical plug for the fuel pump (either to check for voltage at key-on, or if you replace the pump).

The pump and filter are both located just inside the driver's frame rail, below and behind the driver's seat under the car.

When you crank the car, also make sure to watch the tach. If it doesn't flutter as you crank, you've lost the trailing ignitor either due to failure or a bad connection. The trailing ignitor supplies the signal to the tach, which is also required for the ECU to fire the injectors. Check these couple things and let us know what you find.

I thought all GSL SE were 13b injected. Am I wrong?

unless it was changed to carb. all gsl-se had the re-egi engine

I would guess that it is not a GSL-SE. But, it's possible somebody tore off the fuel injection and put a carb on it. Unlikely, but possible.
If it is the standard Nikki carb, you can see if it is getting fuel by looking in the two sight glasses. One in front of the carb and one in the back. They should be half full of fuel. You can see if it is pumping fuel in to the carb, by simply working the throttle linkage and seeing if it is squirting a small stream of fuel in to the barrels of the carb. You can determine if the fuel pump is working by turning the key on and laying under the back of the car and listening for the fuel pump.

If it truly is an SE, then the above posting is correcting by jumpering the set coupler and turning the key on, you should be able to lay under the car and listen for the pump. A pressure gauge on the incoming fuel line will tell you if you have fuel to the rails or not. IF you have fuel to the rails and don't think you are getting fuel to the engine, then spray some starting fluid in to the intake and see if it will start for a second. If so, start thinking about the fuel injectors.

And in either case, I would first replace the spark plugs.

Yea, I don't really know, we probably sprayed it into the intake.

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I am just learning about most of this. I know the major parts, and the concept or a rotary/piston engine, but I'm still beginning. But right on the back of the car it says GSL-SE.

Thanks for the advice, i'll keep you up to date on how it goes when we get the car home.

Any progress yet?
Any of the suggestions help?

Yea, that's a GSL-SE, but where do you see a carb on that engine?
That is the fuel injected 13B.

Ok, so start by using the above advice and verifying that the fuel pump is running. Then replace the spark plugs (use only NGK or Nippondenso) and see what happens. Post your results.

if you have that black tube off of the intake it wont start i had a small crack in mine and it wouldnt run i put some silcone on the crack and it worked fine