Damn I wished I had a scanner, Id scan you the page outta the factory manual, that says it will retract 1/2 way after a minute or so. I forget the correct amount. But its suppose to, its for idiots that dont understand a rotary, so none of us will care if it works or not

 

As far as how long I wait before driving...I only idle at around 1500 for about a minute, then continue on my way. But until the choke pops in, I take it easy...never over 3500 rpm.

Funny thing though, as the engine warms up, the choke causes the engine to rev higher, and I slowly have to manually reset the choke **** back to around 1500.

 

Careful not to slide down the driveway on the ice and ruin my kakhis (I was a Computer Technician last winter, when I had the RX-7.) I approached the car and unlocked the passenger door so I could reach in and unlock the driver's door. (Broken lock cylinder on the driver's side.) Before closing and locking the passenger door, I grab the ice scraper... I'll need it before opening the driver's door.

Yank the driver's door handle HARD. Damn. It's frozen shut. Carefully wedge the thin handle of the ice scraper between the door and rest of the body and pry gently. Don't damage the paint though.

Once inside, Insert the key and turn to RUN. Tap the gas pedal twice, pull the choke all the way out, and crank. Two or three revolutions and it'll start. Get out, close the door and begin to clear the frost from the rear and side windows.

Get back in, use the wipers and spray to clear the windshield and drive off. Keep the engine below 4000 RPM until the choke drops off. Once the choke drops off, the heat should work enough to warm the car.

Right before the red light at Huntington Ave and Fort Hunt Rd, the engine will stall due to being too cold. Simply shift to 5th and lift the clutch to restart.

 

If it's cold, I'll let it idle at 1500 for about 2 or 3 minutes while I get a coat. I fit's warm or hot, I'm off after 15 or so seconds. I use the time to buckle up and find a station or pop in a tape or select one of the CD changers for a tune before I drop the clutch at 4500 in reverse otu of the driveway without checking for cars, animals or children....sorry, work's been crazy today....

 

@1stand3rd Every RX-7 I have ever owned has done what you said, you have to continuous readjust the choke. Well the SA and the FB's did.

 

Mine's broken...I set the idle speed and that's where it stays until it pops loose the cable at some predetermined temperature from some foreign sensor mounted on the engine. It's holding idle or not holding idle...

 

Since my last post I decided to do some work. I found that the reason the car was dying was that the spring which forces the plates open/close on the primaries had come unhinged. Well I ended up having to pull the carb off to remove the bottom of three scews that hold the cover for the spring. Once reattached, it made a WORLD of difference.
No more hesitation when I floor it around a corner. I can finally break the rear-end loose again!!! Car also idles ALOT smoother while its warming up; however, I do have a problem.
The car is undrivable with the choke pulled. It idles smooth as silk but as soon as I try and gas it the engine hiccups, sputters, and generally has no power. I have to push the choke back in to take off. Is this damaging on our cars to drive it cold with no choke?
I think I have the choke adjusted too far out at the carb. I'll readjust that tomorrow and see if it helps. Also, I know all my vacuum lines are crisscrossed and messed to hell. I can't make heads or tails out of that diagram on the hood.
But at least the car is running like I rememer it should. For the longest time I thought I had a fuel or timing problem. Turns out that little plate was pretty much coming to rest wherever it pleased; thats definately what was messing with the performance.

 

Well, on my 85 -SE I cant seem to find my choke...

~T.J.

 

Ok, well like some of you, on my 85 GSL, i pump the gas once, pull choke, turn key and it starts (sometimes i dont even need the gas pump). My car also shuts the choke off half way after a little while and then after a while longer it shuts off compleatly. Aslo i was wondering, have any of you ever used the Sub-Zero starting assistant? does it actually work?

~T.J.

 

It is damaging to any engine with disimilar metal construction to goose it when the beast is not warmed up. The tolerances machined into the engine are chosen with the operating temperature in mind. Aluminum and cast iron housings expand at different rates as they warm up to these tolerances. I don't know if that would be a problem, per se, but in a boinger, aluminum pistons that are goosed while still cold will scuff the cylinder walls taking absolute years off the life of the engine. Regarding the choke business, it won't accelerate with the choke in place because the vacuum signal present at WOT is killed from going directly through your doglegs to draw fuel and, instead, is screaming around the sides of the choke plate into a turbulent mess right under that plate and then down to the engine intake manifold. Your getting a ton of fuel from the idle circuit but it hasn't been properly atomized as it would have been had it been drawn through your ddaawwgglegs....

 

Cold start....

Get in car. Push in cig lighter. Put key in ignition. Pull coat out of the doorway, put on seatbelt, close door, settle in. Pull choke **** out and hold it, turn ignition on, crank engine. (Whizzz) Crank engine. (Whizzz) Crank engine. (WHizzz) Crank engine. (WHizzz) Crank engine. (Whizzz) Crank engine. (WHizzz) Crank engine (Rr...) Cuss because ya thought it wasn't going to catch and ya let off the key, and crank engine. (Whizzz) Crank engine. (Whizzz) Crank engine (Rrr Rrr Rrr HMMMMMMmmmm) Hold choke **** for 1 more second and let go. (Sometimes it doesn't like to stay right away after starting) Hit buttons for defrost, #2 fan speed, rear defogger, and the front and rear windshield washers. By this time the cig lighter will pop out - light smoke and drive off if the windshield is reasonably clear.

If I'm driving in the city while warming up, I manually trim the choke so it idles at 1500. If I get right on the highway, as soon as the gauge is past the C mark I push the choke in. If the engine stumbles, I pull it out a little and wait 'till later.

WT was more fun to start in the cold, didn't need the choke at all

 

The choke is such a handy tool

I remember when I first began to drive my 7, I used to use the choke to help me not stall or roll back on hills--cuz I live in a hilly area... Now I know my clutch like the back of my hand

 

Yes I am familiar with the different expansion rates; I'm not running the car hard at all; I'm asking if driving a cold car w/o the choke engaged is MORE damaging than driving it with the choke. And in the 7 years and 3 engines I've experienced with this car, it has never had this drivability problem before. Sure, it never runs as well with the choke out, but at least before it was drivable. I'm definately getting way too much fuel because it smokes when I gas it.

 

When really cold, or as much as that means in Kansas, I pump the pedal about six to eight times. Crank it over for a few spins, it usually catches then immediately stalls. Pump some more, crank it fires right up. Then I set the choke cable, note that I said cable not the choke, and set it on 2000 rpms, anything less and it won't run.
Such is the life of having no choke at all. I have the choke cable hooked up to the fast idle linkage. It works almost as well.
hanman

 

If you're not running it hard then there's really not too much damage going on. The only thing to worry about is all that extra unburnt fuel basically diluting the oil film that keeps metal-to-metal contact from happening. Since lubrication is leaking in from the top as opposed to splashing it on like a crank and piston, your oil "reservoir" will be more susceptible to dilution since you don't have 4 quarts of the stuff sitting in the oil pan as a dipping bath...

 

I run premix anyways just as a precaution.
I've been using the pump technique its works well. About 2 pumps and she fires right up. 8 seems to be a little much though.

 

eight because I have no choke. In the summer it's two light pumps and away I go.
hanman

 

For the record - after reading thru the posts, I have changed my cold startup procedure (in cold weather) from just a light tap on the gas pedal to several pumps. Now, the car is starting on the first time rather than on the 2nd or 3rd.

In warmer weather, I'll continue to only using the choke without pumping the pedal.

Thanks for the help and the info.

 

eight pumps has been the number for me, i tried six and it wouldnt crank on first try, but eight times and it fires right up,,,none needed in warmer weather at all , just slight choke and shes gone.......

 

I never ever pump the pedal... that leads to flooding. of course my engines catch on the first crank, too

 

peejay - yes, I'm concerned about possibly flooding. In my particular case, I wouldn't pump it more that 2-3 times, tops.

My (cold weather) choice is this: don't pump, and have it start on the 2, 3, or 4th try, versus a couple of quick pumps and have it start on the 1st attempt. It's also worth noting that my car never dies or stumbles once it's started.

Of course, ignore all this in warmer weather.

 

2 or 3 times for my beast as well. Once it catches, I'll feather the throttle to prevent revving while the oil gets circulating (usu. 6 or 7 seconds), THEN I'll set the choke. I'm very -retentive about some things and revs on a cold engine is one of 'em...

 

My 79" had the two stage choke also. it would automaticly pop in half way after about 90 seconds i think, or something like that and settle to half choke. never need to pump the gas, just choke and start, didn't matter if it was cold or not except the time the fuel pump started going out in it. then sometimes i would have to get out and bang on that plate that holds the pump about 3 times and away it went.