I got my RX-3 wagon running, but after I drive it around the block, smoke some tires, let it sit idling, the wagon will cut off on me. I checked the fuel pump and it hums, disconnected the fuel line to see if there is fuel coming out and it does. I unplugged each coil wire and started it and I see spark on both. It would not start no matter how many times you try. After about an hour, the wagon would start with no problems at all, like nothing happened.

Would it be possible that one of the J 109 ignitors be bad??? Does an ignitor go bad after it reaches WOT????? Can it be another electrical gremlin in the hood????

If anybody knows of this, can you share some advice??????

Thanks to all
Jerry

 

what engine is in this thing?
matt

 

it's piston.

 

How long were you driving before it died? It sounds like your float bowl is keeping up, so it's not a fuel restriction issue. With ignitors, it helps to make sure your connections are really tight and have a little dielectric grease on them so they'll stay in good contact. If you're using a J109 ignition, then you'll also want to get some heat sink compound (you can get it cheap at computer stores), because the ignitor uses the distributor base as a heat sink. When ignitors DO fail, it's usually because they overheated, so get some heat sink compound and tighten it good against the distributor. It seems, though, like your car is getting good spark and that your ignitors are fine, it just doesn't want to hot-start, which is a pretty common thing.

 

so which piston motor do you have in your rX3 wagon?

 

It is not piston, it is a stock 12a engine out of a 1982 RX-7. I already converted it to electronic ignition.

 

I'm a little rusty on some of my 12A-specific stuff. Ask the guys in the 1st-gen forum about hot start problems and see what they say. I'm sure that Sterling or Carl will have something useful in their brain for you.