So ever since I've started trying to sell my FC I have been having ridiculous problems with it. I was keeping it at my dad's and my stepmom drove it around and ended up breaking it somehow and it cost 800 dollars to fix (I don't know any mechanics anymore..). It was listed on Auto Trader and had some interest, but then it decided to just.. not start anymore.

I got it started originally and it was barely cranking but caught on after a couple of seconds and started right up. I thought it was just because it had been sitting in the garage for a while so I drove out to Marymoor and when I tried to leave it was just dead. I called AAA... they came out and did a battery check and said it was fine and jumped me and it started just fine. Same thing happened the next day. Had to get them to come out to Southcenter in the pouring down rain. AWESOME. This guy seemed to know what he was talking about and told me something was probably draining power from my battery... but nobody knows for sure.

I guess when someone came out to look at the car my dad left the light on and my stepmom came home an hour or so later and had to turn it off. After that it started having problems. Both times after I was jumped I drove for a long time so it seems like the alternator would be recharging the battery but like I said, it could be something else draining it. I just have no idea what.

Has anybody else had a problem like this before? It's not the alternator or starter, and it's supposedly not the POS Wal-Mart battery that my uncle put in before he gave the car to me, so what the hell can it be? I'm starting to lose faith in my car...

 

So the battery was fine but it still needed to be jumped? does it have a "system" in the car that could be draining it? Is it an s4 or an s5? (s4 alternators have a lower charge) What does your volt meter (if its an n/a) read when you try to start it? How do you know its not the alternator for sure?

 

Remove the positive battery cable and put an ammeter in line with it to the battery post to see if there is any current draw. If not, it could possibly be a faulty battery cable.

 

Bahh, I haven't been around it for a few days so I haven't been able to check. It can't be the alternator because the car doesn't randomly turn off while I'm driving.. It's fine after it's jumped but the other day I drove it for ohh... half an hour.. and my stereo started turning itself off..

 

Yep, I'd say your alternator, same thing happened in my 240sx... went to drive to work.. dash lights all dim and crap, then the stereo turned it's self off.. then it started sputtering and missing, barely made it home(had to turn the lights off to make it back). If you know the battery is good, and they'res little to no draw when the car's off then it must be the Alternator not charging.

Good luck... and shouldn't try to sell them... Rx-7's don't like that.

 

ive had the same thing with my alt, it was barly wroking enuf to keep the car running. but wouldnt charge battery, and tunring everything on it got real dim and tried to die out.

 

Kelly,

If your RX-7 is still sulking, give a call to Jerry at Jerry's Automotive in Kent @ (253)854-9601. I had a similiar problem with my RX-7 and Jerry cured the problem over the phone, so I've got a lot of confidence in his smarts on RX-7 workings/problems.

Good Luck

 

In a similar post, "AtkinsDan" added to my response there with the following:

Jerry's Little Car Shop
1513 Central Ave. S.
Kent, WA 98032
(253)854-9601

Actually, Dan is the one who originally referred me to Jerry's. Good luck!!

 

Kelly, everyone is on it. The finger really points to a bad alternator.

 

fyi u can drive without your alternator u just wont be able to use accesories. a lot of draggers take em out (or at least the belt) cuz they draw power away from the motor. but if it gets jumped ur battery will start it but it wont recharge cuz its having to power your accesories for your alternator which it will do for a while. . . in fact starting your car takes a ton of power, your starter draws soooo much current. thats why if your battery is starting to lose life you may only be able to start it sometimes