Hello,

I am trying to restore my mom's 1985 RX7 GS (manual transmission, 12A 1.1L engine) after it sat in our garage without being started for 8 years. I have done everything that I can think of/am capable of doing but still cannot get it started (it will turn over but refuses to catch, small amounts of smoke has come from the exhaust) . Ill included list of parts I have replaced bellow. Any advice on anything easy that I may have overlooked would be helpful but at this point I am honestly thinking that the best option would be to tow the car to a mechanic. If anyone knows of any mechanics in the Chicagoland area who are experienced with rx7s of this generation please let me know. Thank you!
Replaced:

-Battery
- Spark plugs and wires
- Distributor cap and rotor
- Fuel filter
- Oil filter and oil
- I have tested the fuel pump and know that fuel is getting into the carburetor
- I have looked at the fuse box and none of the fuses are corroded.

 

Welcome to the forum.

A quick test to rule out fuel is to spray some brake cleaner or starting fluid into the carb and see if it lights off. This might tell you if you have a fuel delivery issue.
Spark can be tested by pulling a plug wire off and taking a spare/old plug and grounding it on the engine and starting the engine to watch for spark.
Pouring a little bit of ATF into the engine via spark plug holes can help free up stuck seals if you're having a compression related issue.

The other ominous issue that might be possible is your engine having too low compression to fire over.
Start with the above first, then you can look at addressing getting a compression test done on the engine.

 

Is the battery new and fully charged?

Did you drain the gas, plug in bottom of tank, and add two or three gallons of fresh gas? Adding new gas to the old gas may not help. You could also add a few ounces of two stroke oil to the gas. it won't help it start, but will help lubricate things since it's been sitting.

Try using some starting fluid just to see if it will run for a few seconds.

 

I did drain the old fuel and add in 4 gallons of new stuff with a bit of sea foam. I also tried with starting fluid being sprayed into the carburetor and that is what got the tiny amount of smoke out the back but it didn't run at all.

 

You probably have very low compression.
Try the ATF trick to boost the compression and see if it will fire over. You can also pour some down the carb too, it'll make its way down to the engine

 

welcome to the board.

you can get a copy of the FSM from here: www.foxed.ca

let's start with simple things. have you confirmed that all plug and coil wires are in the correct spots? is the cap oriented correctly?

have you checked the plugs to see if it is flooding?

now for things that are little more complex ... check the carburetor bowls (the sight-glasses - one front, one rear) and see if the fuel is at the correct level.

 

Likely needs a dizzy Igniter. Try switching the one for trailing, (the one thats used for the tach), with the one for leading and try it out, replace condensers too, maybe. But Igniter trouble is common and check those terminals, and happens to a lot of RX7 owners. You got spark?, testing it without grounding them well can blow an igniter.