ArashiShozen

Well, I was driving my 7 the other day.. and well, she wasnt running right, as soon as i started the car, but needed to get it to my dads house for the time being. So I let it warmed up, started driving it, got about 15 or so miles away when, she started losing power... quick. She couldnt pull 1st gear and ended up dying. Car wouldnt start with the starter, and only started back again when a friend helped me push start it (( it is a 5 speed)). Car ran for about another 10 or so miles, before losing power once again, dying once again. Again, same scenario, car wouldnt start with starter and only with a push start, this time finally getting through the entire 8 miles left, before dying again.... I was able to let it coast up to the drive way, and now there she sits. Im thinking my apex seals went out... But I really dont know.

So... Any ideas? Am i right for thinking its a time for a rebuild? I own a 1985 12a Rx7, by the way...

Aaron Cake

iTrader: (1)

Could be a lot of things. Failed ignition coil, failed ignitor, carb malfunction, fuel pump failure, etc.

You can eliminate the possibility of the engine by performing a simple compression test:
http://www.aaroncake.net/rx-7/blown.htm

ArashiShozen

I noticed on one of the times i was able to get it started back up Alot of blue smoke (( oil burning if im not mistaken)) came out. Alot more so than it ever done, and i know rotorarys are designed to burn oil, but this seemed alot more than normal. Also, when i revved it, before takin off, the dipstick shot out... If that means anything.

When I get able to, Ill be giving it a compression test. Thanks man.

Kentetsu

Dipstick shot out = uh oh....


.

Aaron Cake

iTrader: (1)

Well, it sounds like you have a failed oil o-ring. Or simply excessive crankcase pressure. If you run the car with the oil cap off, does it still smoke?

ArashiShozen

Idk. I do know that when the dipstick shot out, smoke (( exhaust lookin smoke)) came out of the dipstick hole

ArashiShozen

I know it's been a while, but I finally got to my rx7 the other day. I tested the coils, which were bad. So I bought a set of new ones and was able to restart my 7. After a couple times with starter fluid to get gas back through the lines (( I had drained the gas because I didnt know when i could get back to it, and had put some mroe in)) and she started. However, everytime she started, she would run for a second, at about 2-3k rpms, and then just die. Let off the gas, and it would lose rpm,s (( like it should)) but not be all bogged down. Gave it gas, and it would bog down and die. I'm not sure if I did this right, put i put the leading spark plug wires on the top spark plugs, with the trailing on the bottom, with the leading coil to be the one closest to the front of the car, and the trailing closer to the driver. Any help?

rx-7PRIDE

with the car dying do many times in a short distance fisrt thing ur looking at is a condensation build up, which can also cause a blue smoke, the second thing your looking at is a flooded motor which can lead to not starting without a push, the third thing ur looking at is a combustion lock which will temperarily set the motor inactive. It is very bad for a rotarty motor to be started up shut off or driven for short distances and shut off

ArashiShozen

Combustion lock? Wouldn't that cause it not to start at all? I mean it starts, just dies. I messed with the idle and Air/Fuel Mixuture screw a bit today, and got the car to run for the longest ever (( about a minute)) since the last I drove it, before it just bogged down and died. After messing with the screws on the carb, and with a shot or two of starting fluid (( to help[ ensure it would start)) the car started up pretty much everytime, just would die after a couple seconds, (( in exception to the minute long one)). What should i do to get rid of the issue? And do I have my coils and wires on right?

Aaron Cake

iTrader: (1)

It is very rare for coils to have failed. Usually it's the ignitors.

The way you have described your ignition hookup sounds odd. Yes, I believe that is the order of the coils but check the FSM to make sure, because it's been a long time since I worked on a stock 1st gen.

The wire order will be shown in the dizzy. L1 = front rotor lower, L2 = rear rotor lower. T1 = front rotor upper.

Mixing these up will certainly cause issues.

Just ignore everything rx-7PRIDE says. He's sort of half correct in that the car is probably fairly flooded now, but if it starts up, it is not flooded enough to prevent it from running.

"Combustion lock"?! No idea WTF that means.

1983rx7mikesrx7

ive never heard of a dipstick shooting out.

ArashiShozen

Forgot to say. Took plugs out and all of them are have a good spark.

NativeBeggars

iTrader: (1)

Trailing goes on top and ought to be blue-headed plugs. The leading plugs are black, and go on the bottom. Reverse these and check your timing. Make sure before you check your timing to turn your engine CLOCKWISE. back to the yellow leading timing mark on the eshaft pulley. This is true on an FC, but make sure it is correct on the SA/FBs before you quote me on it.

ArashiShozen

What does the different color plugs mean? Previous owner replaced plugs with ngk and i think they all the same color.

NativeBeggars

iTrader: (1)

First of all, PLEASE KEEP IN MIND THAT I DRIVE A 1989 FC3S, NOT AN FB, AND AS I STATED BEFORE, THEY MAY NOT BE THE SAME. IF THIS IS THE CASE, SOMEONE PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CHIME IN. Well, I have NGK replacement wires on mine, and the leading coils have black plugs and the trailing ones have blue plugs. The ends that connect to the coils are all blue. The different coloured ends would go to the spark plugs. If you want, I can take a picture. In case you aren't sure, from standing at the front of the car, on the right right behind your driver's headlight will be a coilpack. The one that ought to have a dot on it, on the left, is the lead for the front rotor, which goes on the bottom, the right is leading on the second rotor. Farther back is the oither two coils, which the front one is trailing on the front rotor and the back is trailing on the rear rotor. I can take some pictures, but like I said, I drive an FC.

ArashiShozen

Switched wires around and a lil starting fluid and she started right up. I had done what. A friend suggested i do which was put marvel mystery oil in the engine. Though i only put the oil in with thel ordinary oil area. Where i was supposed to put it in the spark plug holes. Car died within seconds but started alot easier?..

Someone told me to put Marvell mystery oil in the spark plug holes and let it set for a couple days. I. Did and didnt get around to it for over a week. Car turned over but would not start. What do i do now? :/

I put the battery back in my dd. And she started right up. My dd i mean.

sobis1dm

If all your plugs are in order now, have your battery tested. I know when mine flooded/I changed plugs I fried my battery just from trying to start it so much.

RotaryEvolution

iTrader: (30)

sounds like a cat that is nearly completely clogged.

will cause power loss as it heats up, excessive crankcase pressure and even stalling conditions yet fire up normally when cold.

ArashiShozen

Anyway to disconnect the cat to check tobsee if that is the issue?

RotaryEvolution

iTrader: (30)

unbolt it, move it in a way that you can look down the inlet with a flashlight to inspect the core.

ArashiShozen

Unbolted cat and with some starter fluid she started up. She died shortly after from which rezulted with low gas
. Added gas. And with some more ztarting fluid. She started up breifly before dieing out. Unplugged e fuel pump and she almost started without starting fluid. Im thinking she is flooding out?

Anyways, the pipe that go from the engine to the cat is what i removed. It was pretty blocked up some some sort of metal, and was obviously not allowing to let the exhaust leave. Anyways, car pretyy much started, but died again, and the gas gauge is below E, so im assuming she just didnt have enough gas to really start going through the lines. Im gonna put some more iii and try again soon.

RotaryEvolution

iTrader: (30)

so the car has always been that low on gas?

*smack forehead* and *sigh*

ArashiShozen

Not always. At the time she messes up she had a lil over quarter tank. Ive been putting a gallon or two in it every now and again. Even when it had gas it would start up and die out. The diejng out part sounded different. The post or two before i last posted the car would bog down and die. This last time the car started and died, it sorta just "coughed" a couple times and died out. As said the exhuast was pretty much completely clogged. So .. im try adddin gas to it to see if it was the issue.

I had drained the tank when she was sitting. So when i added a gallon or two thats all she had.

Added gas. Tried to start and she started however she sputtered and died. Noticed gas gauge was dropping and looked under car, and sure enough the gas tank has rusted through and is leakin pretty much all the fuel.

The coatin of the tank fell apart. Theres a a screw in the tank that its leakin from as well as some rust areas. I also noticed that where the fuel filter is and that the PO put a fuel pressure thing where the fuel filter goes...

RotaryEvolution

iTrader: (30)

if it's that bad the carb need a overhaul as well. all that rust floating around will or has clogged up some of the jets.

start by replacing the tank and add another filter running to the carb to help filter out the crap and cross your fingers.

NativeBeggars

iTrader: (1)

I was leaking from my drain plug as well, but I sealed it up with silicone sealer and it doesn't any more. However, if your problem persists after you replace your fuel tank, which you WILL need to do, remove your precat section completely [the section between your main cat and the manifold] and look through it. Mine was clogged too, and my exhaust was effed up pretty bad from the previous owner. we ran rebar through the precat sections and knocked all the little melted pieces out and now those sections are clear. we ran just straight pipe and a flex section in place of my annihilated main cat and the car runs a little better than it did before [and MUCH quieter I might add], but what you ought to check is your ignition timing. If when you're checking it, your light doesn't flash at all, you need new ignition coils, which will cause that EXACT same problem. I was under the impression that my exhaust would be the fix I needed, but upon checking my timing with a good light, I was getting no signal from my front trail and poor signal from my rear trail. I have trailing coils on the way and once I put them in, I will update. That is just something to think about. Mine has a slow boggy start and would die on me like that before I rebuilt my exhaust. Now it just has that slow start and won't want to run real high under load. It's certainly a little better after my exhaust rebuild, but my problem is most likely my trailing coils.

Oh, and by the way, your exhaust will unbolt from the manifold, each precat, the main cat, and the Y pipe to your exhaust tips.