Well, a friend of mine came by and helped me install and set the new points correctly and the car runs now, doesn't die, and drives. We drove it around a bit and everything (motor-wise) was just fine, although I need to adjust the idle on the carb (hand throttle works to keep it running well for now).

A few questions:

1) with the leading distributor's cap off and the motor cranking I can see sparks at one set of points but usually not at the other set. The coil for it is good, I put a new condenser in, but it still does that (it's the set of points closer to the connectors for the points wires that doesn't seem to spark. Is this normal or should both spark? The car seems to run fine at any rpm though for what it's worth.

2) For some reason after running it a while, shutting it off, and then trying to restart it the car sometimes doesn't start again for a while. Doesn't try to crank, lights dim while you turn the key and there's a slight "click" found but that's about it. Then eventually it will just work as if nothing is wrong. I though maybe my solenoid wire is messed up again but it tests out fine each time. Any other things to check? Maybe the neutral safety switch in the stupid automatic is failing? I have a brand new ignition switch and lock on it.

3) there's a weird vibration / shimmy at lower speeds. Do RX-2's have a rubber link between the driveshaft and the transmission like BMWs have? If so is it the same part for an automatic and manual RX-2? I haven't gotten the car on a lift yet to inspect the front suspension and driveshaft yet, maybe it needs new U-joints but maybe there's a bad rubber link. I guess I can drive the car to my friend's shop now that it runs and look underneath easily!

Overall i'm really excited about it running/driving at last I really appreciate all the advice people gave me.

 

Isn't there a retard set of points on RX2s for starting?

 

I only know about three sets of points: two are in the leading distributor and one is in the trailing distributor. Are there more that I don't know about? I sure hope not, that would be distrurbing, three is bad enough

 

I believe there is a relay which selects the retarded set of points for starting, then the regular set of points takes over once the motor is running, IIRC.

 

My suggestion is to get rid of the dual distributors. I had one of those and that was the first thing I did. Change the front cover and get electronic distributor and make sure to use the coils for that distributor.

 

yeah that's starting to sound like the plan

Is there a page somewhere with instructions for just how to go about doing that? What parts to use, etc? How to wire it up? Where do i other the gasket(s)?

I drove the car and it ran great for a while and then started running badly and died and then I barely limped it home, felt like an ignition problem again but the spark plugs and points still look good.

Also it does this thing where sometimes it doen't start. I mean literally, no starter spinning or anything. Doesn't even try to crank. Then it will work later on for no reason. Any ideas?

thanks!

 

this is totally normal. The other set of points will fire if you have the choke **** out. AT least that's how it's supposed to work. You know those little boxes in the trunk you were asking about? That's what one of them is for. You can actually set the points on one distributor while the engine is running on the other distributor. Set the dwell, shut down, swap caps, start up, then set the dwell on the other distributor. lotsa fun!!


I'd suspect the starter or starter solenoid is wearing out and the heatsoak is killing it off. as soon as it cools, it works again. typical problem with chevy starters on cars running headers without a solenoid shield.

no rubber link. does it do this shimmy as the engine is returning to idle speed, or is it at a particular engine speed and the shimmy is continual? If it's the former, then that's the way the early 12A engines act with functioning smog valves. Every magazine that test drove the RX-2 new in 1971 reported this shimmy as the engine returns to idle speed. Mazda never really did fix it until they got rid of the valves/thermal reactor. Bad u-joints would give you a loud clunk if you let off the gas suddenly while in gear, ie. if you are coasting along, you stab the gas and then let go, you would hear a clunk as the slop in the ujoint clanks around.

 

that is hillarious. Thanks for the info, I feel a bit better now.

ah! I suppose I should just try and find a replacement and see if the problem goes away. Are all RX-7 starters bottom mount or can I get a gen-1 one?

ah, thanks. It's actually when starting off from a stop and driving at low speeds, then it seems to go away. Doesn't seem to do much when returning to idle, just when leaving a stop.

RX-2 stupidiousy update

the car ran great and I started driving it, I made it maybe ten blocks before it died on me, barely restarted, and then after that I limped it back home with it dying a lot. I would be able to restart it and then as soon as I put it in "drive" out of neutral the car would die. Eventually I got it home somehow. Keeping a heavy foot on the throttle pretty much was all that kept it running.

Now it doesn't run for more than a few seconds... again. With a new set of points. And new plug wires and good plugs and new caps and rotors.

I have no idea what the deal is It's going to be really hard to change to the new igniton system if I can't drive the car 75 miles to my new place I'm renting

 

Damm..

 

Sounds more like a fuel delivery problem to me.

 

really? What would you suggest at this point? The fuel pump keeps running and there's fuel in the fuel filter I have under the hood. Perhaps there's really something wrong with the carb.

This may sound stupid but if I wanted a second carb to play with could I pull one from a gen-1 RX-7 or is it a different version of this carb?

 

maybe I need to buy more condensors... thi car seems to have about 500 of them.

I pulled the wires off of a couple condensors on the trailing distributor and it 'ran' the exact same way. Weird.

 

ok, here is the latest... I suspect a fuel problem now

1) starts up and runs for 3 seconds and died
2) after restarting a while doesn't want to start
3) push the gas down 4 times or so, then it starts up for another 3 seconds

and I can keep it running a little bit longer by stepping hard on the gas once it starts but eventually it always dies.

I'm wondering if this sounds like a fuel problem to you guys as well (as far as ignition I have new caps, rotors, condensors, points, wires, plugs on it) and where I should start diagnosing it.

A friend of mine asked if I have looked at the carb's idle cutoff switch and I also found this weird "coasting valve" thing in my rotary engine manual.

Any ideas? I'm really screwed if I can't get it running within the next two weeks

 

do you own a vacuum gauge? if not, buy one, hook it up to one of the nipples on the intake manifold that doesn't have something on it, and tell us what the reading is at your idle. is your idle speed 800 in N? if it isn't, try getting it there and then check the vacuum level. If you can't find a nipple to plug into, use the one that the front most emission valve uses (the coasting valve). it's pretty easy to trace the hose down to the bottom of the carb or wherever, pull it off, hook up your gauge and take a reading.

it also sounds like your accelerator pump might not be working too hot if you get a wiggle when taking off. might be too lean as you are starting out if the pump is giving the extra little squirt.