Getting my 12a to run
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Joined: Mar 2008
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From: Campbell River, BC
Getting my 12a to run
So, after having a friend with an rx-7, I decided I needed one too. I found a 1979, the guy said it needed points. So, I bought points, condensor, cap, rotor, and plugs for it. But still I crank it and it won't fire up. Now before I bought it I took the leading plug out of the housing and cranked it. It sounded like the compression was fine. I did this for both rotors. It gets fuel to the rotor, cause it was spraying it out of the spark plug hole. I don't know what to do now. I was thinking of trying to pull start it. Would that work? Also a friend told me to pour an ounce of Seafoam down the carb and then crank it. What does this do?
Also, when you crank the key the starter sticks on and I have to dissconect the battery to get it to stop. Any ideas on this problem?
Thanks, Brett
Also, when you crank the key the starter sticks on and I have to dissconect the battery to get it to stop. Any ideas on this problem?
Thanks, Brett
7less for now!
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 1,372
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From: eau claire
did you gap the points the right way???? in all honesty youre best bet is to ditch that whole dizzy setup and get a electronic one. Its a easy swap just gotta rewire the new ignitors to the coils!!!! The old point system is just that old they require regular checks to make sure there still gapped correct. Since you didnt say anything about gapping them i will just assume you didnt!
djessence
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 2,063
Likes: 0
From: Alberta, Canada
Are the plugs actually firing? Thats something thats worth finding out. Take a look in the FS section if you decide to get an electronic dizzy 
. definetly a sound investment. (just in case you dont know NEW dizzys are like 250-400)
. definetly a sound investment. (just in case you dont know NEW dizzys are like 250-400)
Rotary Freak
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 2,815
Likes: 0
From: SF BayArea
There is one significant advantage to having the old points system: you can static time the points. As follows:
1-get a points gauge at the autostore. This is simply a set of a few pieces of gauge stock pinned at one end so you can select the appropriate thickness. Or, get a length of 'gauge stock' of the appropriate thickness from an industrial materials store. Usually it's easier just to get the off-the-shelf gauge from the autostore.
2-mount your new points and condensers, etc.
3-adjust the points with a screwdriver so that they have the proper gap as specified in the FSM and measured by your gauge stock. You do this by loosening the distributor cinch bolt and rotating the distributor back and forth to get the max points opening and sticking the gauge in that gap to get it Just Right. You see how the gimmicks work as the distributor rotates and the points cam follower rides up and down on the cam. Should be some greasy lube on that cam/cam-follower contact.
4-Tighten up the points adjustment screw(s). Leave the distributor cinchbolt loose. the gap is right now, all that remains is the timing.
5-tug on your vbelts to rotate the engine so that the TDC mark on the pulley is aligned with the peg sticking out of the front cover.
6-Now comes the fun part. Take your 12v. test bulb which has two alligator clips on test leads (or use your multimeter, if you must) and attach those two alligators so they are across the open points for the leading plug (per the FSM). That way the lightbulb will go on when the points are open and go off when the points are closed. The whole idea here is that the plugs will fire (in normal operation) when the points open (yes, that's right, when they open, not when they close) and the current which has been flowing thru the closed points and thru the primary of the coil is interrupted and causes a sudden current in the highvoltage secondary to compensate and that causes a spark to fire across the sparkplug gap. The potential spark across the points is absorbed by the condenser so that the points don't get destroyed.
7-with the alligators attached, turn on the ignition switch to the first position, then wiggle the distributor around until the test light just comes on. That's the right spot! Cinch up the distributor cinchbolt. Put on the distributor cap. Check that the 4 plug wires are correct ("1" means front rotor, "2" means back rotor, "L" means lower plug, "T" means top plug). Make sure 2 coil wires are correct.
8-should start first try.
I've done it a thousand times on a hundred cars.
If you've still got a problem, or if you can't find the sweet spot, you probably have an incorrectly mounted distributor, i.e., the bevel gears are improperly synced. that's another subject.
1-get a points gauge at the autostore. This is simply a set of a few pieces of gauge stock pinned at one end so you can select the appropriate thickness. Or, get a length of 'gauge stock' of the appropriate thickness from an industrial materials store. Usually it's easier just to get the off-the-shelf gauge from the autostore.
2-mount your new points and condensers, etc.
3-adjust the points with a screwdriver so that they have the proper gap as specified in the FSM and measured by your gauge stock. You do this by loosening the distributor cinch bolt and rotating the distributor back and forth to get the max points opening and sticking the gauge in that gap to get it Just Right. You see how the gimmicks work as the distributor rotates and the points cam follower rides up and down on the cam. Should be some greasy lube on that cam/cam-follower contact.
4-Tighten up the points adjustment screw(s). Leave the distributor cinchbolt loose. the gap is right now, all that remains is the timing.
5-tug on your vbelts to rotate the engine so that the TDC mark on the pulley is aligned with the peg sticking out of the front cover.
6-Now comes the fun part. Take your 12v. test bulb which has two alligator clips on test leads (or use your multimeter, if you must) and attach those two alligators so they are across the open points for the leading plug (per the FSM). That way the lightbulb will go on when the points are open and go off when the points are closed. The whole idea here is that the plugs will fire (in normal operation) when the points open (yes, that's right, when they open, not when they close) and the current which has been flowing thru the closed points and thru the primary of the coil is interrupted and causes a sudden current in the highvoltage secondary to compensate and that causes a spark to fire across the sparkplug gap. The potential spark across the points is absorbed by the condenser so that the points don't get destroyed.
7-with the alligators attached, turn on the ignition switch to the first position, then wiggle the distributor around until the test light just comes on. That's the right spot! Cinch up the distributor cinchbolt. Put on the distributor cap. Check that the 4 plug wires are correct ("1" means front rotor, "2" means back rotor, "L" means lower plug, "T" means top plug). Make sure 2 coil wires are correct.
8-should start first try.
I've done it a thousand times on a hundred cars.
If you've still got a problem, or if you can't find the sweet spot, you probably have an incorrectly mounted distributor, i.e., the bevel gears are improperly synced. that's another subject.
Adolf Hitler Verfechter
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 969
Likes: 0
From: Northern South Africa
There is one significant advantage to having the old points system: you can static time the points. As follows:
1-get a points gauge at the autostore. This is simply a set of a few pieces of gauge stock pinned at one end so you can select the appropriate thickness. Or, get a length of 'gauge stock' of the appropriate thickness from an industrial materials store. Usually it's easier just to get the off-the-shelf gauge from the autostore.
2-mount your new points and condensers, etc.
3-adjust the points with a screwdriver so that they have the proper gap as specified in the FSM and measured by your gauge stock. You do this by loosening the distributor cinch bolt and rotating the distributor back and forth to get the max points opening and sticking the gauge in that gap to get it Just Right. You see how the gimmicks work as the distributor rotates and the points cam follower rides up and down on the cam. Should be some greasy lube on that cam/cam-follower contact.
4-Tighten up the points adjustment screw(s). Leave the distributor cinchbolt loose. the gap is right now, all that remains is the timing.
5-tug on your vbelts to rotate the engine so that the TDC mark on the pulley is aligned with the peg sticking out of the front cover.
6-Now comes the fun part. Take your 12v. test bulb which has two alligator clips on test leads (or use your multimeter, if you must) and attach those two alligators so they are across the open points for the leading plug (per the FSM). That way the lightbulb will go on when the points are open and go off when the points are closed. The whole idea here is that the plugs will fire (in normal operation) when the points open (yes, that's right, when they open, not when they close) and the current which has been flowing thru the closed points and thru the primary of the coil is interrupted and causes a sudden current in the highvoltage secondary to compensate and that causes a spark to fire across the sparkplug gap. The potential spark across the points is absorbed by the condenser so that the points don't get destroyed.
7-with the alligators attached, turn on the ignition switch to the first position, then wiggle the distributor around until the test light just comes on. That's the right spot! Cinch up the distributor cinchbolt. Put on the distributor cap. Check that the 4 plug wires are correct ("1" means front rotor, "2" means back rotor, "L" means lower plug, "T" means top plug). Make sure 2 coil wires are correct.
8-should start first try.
I've done it a thousand times on a hundred cars.
If you've still got a problem, or if you can't find the sweet spot, you probably have an incorrectly mounted distributor, i.e., the bevel gears are improperly synced. that's another subject.
1-get a points gauge at the autostore. This is simply a set of a few pieces of gauge stock pinned at one end so you can select the appropriate thickness. Or, get a length of 'gauge stock' of the appropriate thickness from an industrial materials store. Usually it's easier just to get the off-the-shelf gauge from the autostore.
2-mount your new points and condensers, etc.
3-adjust the points with a screwdriver so that they have the proper gap as specified in the FSM and measured by your gauge stock. You do this by loosening the distributor cinch bolt and rotating the distributor back and forth to get the max points opening and sticking the gauge in that gap to get it Just Right. You see how the gimmicks work as the distributor rotates and the points cam follower rides up and down on the cam. Should be some greasy lube on that cam/cam-follower contact.
4-Tighten up the points adjustment screw(s). Leave the distributor cinchbolt loose. the gap is right now, all that remains is the timing.
5-tug on your vbelts to rotate the engine so that the TDC mark on the pulley is aligned with the peg sticking out of the front cover.
6-Now comes the fun part. Take your 12v. test bulb which has two alligator clips on test leads (or use your multimeter, if you must) and attach those two alligators so they are across the open points for the leading plug (per the FSM). That way the lightbulb will go on when the points are open and go off when the points are closed. The whole idea here is that the plugs will fire (in normal operation) when the points open (yes, that's right, when they open, not when they close) and the current which has been flowing thru the closed points and thru the primary of the coil is interrupted and causes a sudden current in the highvoltage secondary to compensate and that causes a spark to fire across the sparkplug gap. The potential spark across the points is absorbed by the condenser so that the points don't get destroyed.
7-with the alligators attached, turn on the ignition switch to the first position, then wiggle the distributor around until the test light just comes on. That's the right spot! Cinch up the distributor cinchbolt. Put on the distributor cap. Check that the 4 plug wires are correct ("1" means front rotor, "2" means back rotor, "L" means lower plug, "T" means top plug). Make sure 2 coil wires are correct.
8-should start first try.
I've done it a thousand times on a hundred cars.
If you've still got a problem, or if you can't find the sweet spot, you probably have an incorrectly mounted distributor, i.e., the bevel gears are improperly synced. that's another subject.
I vote for sticky.
Karis
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