Hello, my name is Tanner. I am fairly new to this forum and I have a few questions. I have an '85 GSL and it's been having issues with starting and idling. When it starts, it quits sometimes and I can't give it any gas or it will quit. I have to let it sit for a bit, and then in order to get moving, I have to get the rpms up more. When the car heats up, it's just fine, but idles high, it increases it's idle speed as the car warms up. I was wondering if anyone could help me out with this problem I've been having. Another question I have is, what is the best repair manual for the '85 GSL? I know there's the Haynes book, but if there's better ones out there, could someone please let me know? And where I could find it? Thank you.

 

I just bought a chilton's for my 85 gsl at the local parts store. they had to order it in but got it the next day about $25. Catalog #46800 it covers 1978-1989 Mazda's. 323/626/929/GLC/MX6 and RX7.

the guy at the counter said the Haynes and Chilton were pretty compatible. I have been using both for years.

I have also had some luck down loading things. Some of the on-line stuff is pretty big but I've just printed the sections I wanted. Surf around this sight as guys have links to these manuals.

good luck

 

This is what you want ('85 FSM):

http://foxed.ca/index.php?page=rx7manual#firstgen

This covers everything for this car. Haynes is pretty good for some of the more basic stuff. Chilton is too generic, IMO, since it covers many different cars.

I would get the Haynes (has some better pics and such compared to the FSM) and will cover most things. The FSM to help you for the things that the Haynes manual doesn't touch.

 

Thank you, I did end up downloading the FSM from there. So does anyone have any ideas on the issues I am having?

 

What is the current idle speed (cold, hot)? Are you using the choke when it is cold? Does the choke **** go back in by itself as the car warms up?

Has the car worked properly for you before, or has it done this since you bought the car?

My initial thought is it is something with the choke (linkage, cable, etc.).

 

It sometimes likes the choke and sometimes doesn't. When I actually do get it going when it's cold, it runs the correct rpms, but if I give it any gas or use the choke, it will die. As the car warms up, it slowly gets to have higher rpms. It goes anywhere from 1800 to 2400 at an idle. It never dies once it warms up, just has way too high of an idle.

 

Yeah, I believe I do have a vacuum leak, but would that cause it to not start well and cause the car to die if I give it any gas right when I start it? It's confusing, but I still have a little time to figure it out by spring/summer.

 

I had a similar issue last year when I took my car out of storage, turned out to be the fuel filter.

 

My initial thought is the fuel system. Perhaps as you try adding fuel, the fuel is not being added so the mixture thins out too much.

You might have a vacuum leak as well. Good luck. Keep us posted.

 

But with the fuel issue with it not mixing right, wouldn't it have issues at all times? Because as the car heats up, it gets better and doesn't quit or anything, just has high rpms

 

I still can't figure out what's wrong. If anyone who has had this problem, or knows what the problem is, could help me out, that would be great.

 

Rest assured, it's going to be the carburetor. You're leaning out when the butterflies open, killing the engine...is the AP leaking? See any gas in that area? On the vacuum leak problem, get it warmed up, get it to idle or have someone keep it running and spray a little carburetor cleaner at every spot where you see vacuum hose or a connection, spot-by-spot, slowly. At any point, if the engine revs pick up (...and not just because yer buddy stepped on the gas...), you've found your vacuum leak. Unfortunately, one of the culprits may be the mess of tubes that go into the spacer between the carburetor and the heat shield. If so, the only way to fix that right is to remove the carburetor to get that piece out and epoxy it to death once it's been cleaned.

Good luck. As I found out recently, never dismiss the obvious. I had a problem where the engine would idle fine for a couple of minutes after it warmed up and then stumble and die. I chased everything down I could think of but I just knew it couldn't be the carburetor because it was a rebuild by a good shop out in Fort Worth and only 4 years old.

Yeah, it was the carburetor. Sam, from AnB Auto Center did some basic hot rod tricks, blew out a bunch of gunk and that solved that problem.

Mario III