Got a car problem....

[CyberPitz]

Now this is an RX-7 and uses the Rotary engine...I'm not sure if that's going to help in this information at all..but yeah. Anyway, lets leave the, "Pfft, that car sucks, get something else" posts at the door please. I'm in a pissy mood due to this, and I don't need the smart ass remarks. Thank you.

Anyway, here is the original thread.
http://www.rx7club.com/showthread.php?t=604242

 

[Baal]

Why would anyone say it's a bad car? Mazdas are fine, and RX-7 is a top of the line Mazda...

Anyways, isn't this a classic spark plug / engine not getting the gas problem?

Looks like your engine just isn't sparking, or it isn't sparking any gas. Check spark plugs / fuel line.

 

[CyberPitz]

Why would anyone say it's a bad car? Mazdas are fine, and RX-7 is a top of the line Mazda...

Anyways, isn't this a classic spark plug / engine not getting the gas problem?

Looks like your engine just isn't sparking, or it isn't sparking any gas. Check spark plugs / fuel line.

That's oen of the things I thought. I've come to the obvious conclusion my batter is bad, and something else ****ed up on the car at the same time *go me*. so I need to get another battery some time, then I can try to deduce

 

[xcellerate]

Well if it's starting and then dying when you let off the gas it doesn't sound like the battery. Once your car gets going the ignition is drawn from the alternator, so that could be going. It could be a misfire, a bad injector, a bad spark plug, or even a bad idle stabilizer if the car won't stay running without you on the throttle. It could be even something as easy as a loose ground or split wire. There’s really no one thing that could be the problem, you just have to set aside a weekend and sit yourself down in front of the car and one by one start checking parts.

Does the car sound normal WHEN it's running? Does it jump or smoke or anything weird?

I don't know anything about mazda's and even less about rotary motors, so this is basically what I would tell a vw owner if they told me the same thing.

 

[Baal]

How old is the car anyways?

I mean, RX-7s are old now, right?

Very easily could be the spark plugs, especially if you're not the only owner of the car and it has been passed on a few times. Could be only the second set of plugs that car has ever seen.

 

[Baal]

Well if it's starting and then dying when you let off the gas it doesn't sound like the battery. Once your car gets going the ignition is drawn from the alternator, so that could be going. It could be a misfire, a bad injector, a bad spark plug, or even a bad idle stabilizer if the car won't stay running without you on the throttle. It could be even something as easy as a loose ground or split wire. There?s really no one thing that could be the problem, you just have to set aside a weekend and sit yourself down in front of the car and one by one start checking parts.

Does the car sound normal WHEN it's running? Does it jump or smoke or anything weird?

I don't know anything about mazda's and even less about rotary motors, so this is basically what I would tell a vw owner if they told me the same thing.

Are you sure about drawing from the alternator?

A car should be able to run without a functioning alternator, the battery will just die and THEN you're buggered, aside from getting a boost / charging.

 

[CyberPitz]

How old is the car anyways?

I mean, RX-7s are old now, right?

Very easily could be the spark plugs, especially if you're not the only owner of the car and it has been passed on a few times. Could be only the second set of plugs that car has ever seen.

It's an 88, I'm going to try to find the fuel filter, and make sure that's clean...then try to see if the plugs are sparking...I wish I had the money to have someone fix it.

 

[DiSTuRbEd]

You should really start saving for an lt1, those things are pretty easy to swap in from what I've read and would make your car a lot more fun.

 

[Bob_Marley]

It's an 88, I'm going to try to find the fuel filter, and make sure that's clean...then try to see if the plugs are sparking...I wish I had the money to have someone fix it.

How many miles has it done on its current engine? I'm not being funny but rotary engines (particularly older ones) have a much shorter life span than "normal" engines, IIRC.

 

[CyberPitz]

How many miles has it done on its current engine? I'm not being funny but rotary engines (particularly older ones) have a much shorter life span than "normal" engines, IIRC.

I'm not sure, I'm guessing 10k. I doubt it's the engine itself though. It sounds like a number of things...no spark, not enough fuel, etc etc etc...

We checked the plugs for sparks...they have it. We made sure the fuel filter is spitting gas, it is. *SIGH* I'm just half tempted to buy another and part out mine or use it for parts...

 

[xcellerate]

Are you sure about drawing from the alternator?

A car should be able to run without a functioning alternator, the battery will just die and THEN you're buggered, aside from getting a boost / charging.

the battery is only there to start the vehicle, once you're running the alternator is what powers the car. However, newer vehicles are the ones you have to watch out for because they have sorts of fancy computers and gauges, and power everything, and heated steering wheels, and sensors for sensors...they can draw power from the battery, however the alternator charges the battery so it's all good.

I've driven my vw on a dead alternator and you can't take your foot off the gas otherwise it dies, i've also driven it on a dead battery and it'll run until you turn it off.

We made sure the fuel filter is spitting gas, it is.

You mean the fuel pump? Did you check your injector(s)?

when you get the car running, does it run normally, or does it misfire?

 

[Parrot of doom]

You have to fault find in stages. I don't know much about rotary engines so excuse me if I say something silly

1) Is there any fuel getting to the chambers? Check by cracking off the fuel lines one by one and seeing if theres any fuel arriving. Be careful as its extremely flammable.

2) Is the ignition source working? Is there anything like a distributor, or coil, leads, king lead, or coil packs? What about spark plugs, perhaps they've carboned up and are shorting?

3) Is there anything like a crank position sensor on an RX7?

4) Are there any ECU fault codes?

5) Is the engine able to draw enough air into the chambers? Is the air filter blocked up?

6) Does the exhaust have a catalyser? Is the catalyser structure failing and blocking the exhaust?

7) Does the car have an immobilser circuit?


And finally, does the fuel tank contain petrol - nobody's filled it with diesel have they?

 

[CyberPitz]

You have to fault find in stages. I don't know much about rotary engines so excuse me if I say something silly

1) Is there any fuel getting to the chambers? Check by cracking off the fuel lines one by one and seeing if theres any fuel arriving. Be careful as its extremely flammable. Yes, I popped it off, and just BARELY sucked in and fuel filled my mouth. It's getting gas.

2) Is the ignition source working? Is there anything like a distributor, or coil, leads, king lead, or coil packs? What about spark plugs, perhaps they've carboned up and are shorting?The Spark plugs are working, and the Distributor seems to be going fine, though I don't know how to check it. There wasn't any moister inside it.

3) Is there anything like a crank position sensor on an RX7?Never heard of one, but I'm not expert at roataries.

4) Are there any ECU fault codes?Probably, but I don't know them

5) Is the engine able to draw enough air into the chambers? Is the air filter blocked up?Air filter didn't seem to bad...but that little bit might be bad, not sure

6) Does the exhaust have a catalyser? Is the catalyser structure failing and blocking the exhaust?No cats

7) Does the car have an immobilser circuit?Again, never heard of this..


And finally, does the fuel tank contain petrol - nobody's filled it with diesel have they?Haha, I hope I didn't put diesel in it last time

I really appreciate everybodies help, and lack of flaming posts.

 

[Parrot of doom]

If the car has an ECU, find yourself someone with a code reader. You may very well be able to buy one from Ebay as well.

 

[Parrot of doom]

http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/gassing/forum.asp?f=71&h=0

Also ask in there.

 

[Darkwolf]

I just read up a bit on the wankel rotary engine on wiki, and here is one of the disadvatages that seemed to apply to your case...

Unlike a piston engine, where the cylinder is cooled by the incoming charge after being heated by combustion, Wankel rotor housings are constantly heated on one side and cooled at the other, leading to very high local temperatures and unequal thermal expansion. This places high demands on the materials used. A further problem caused by the shape of the seals in Mazda engines is that carbon particles can become trapped between the seal and the casing, completely jamming the engine and requiring a partial stripdown to rectify. Such engines should never be started and run unless the engine will reach operating temperature; most such instances of jammed engines occur when a car is started and moved a few meters, e.g. from a garage to a driveway. In these situations it is better to manually push the car.

Or in your case, you ran the engine in extraordinarially cold weather, and it didn't reach operational tempurature. Then it died...

Hope it helped, I really know nothing about cars.

Also, after reading a previous post, the RX-7's don't have Catalytic converters, they are equipped with 'thermal reactors' as Mazda called them. They were basically just wider exaust manifolds, but with a little extra fuel burn they cut down emissions... don't ask me how it works.

 

[CyberPitz]

I just read up a bit on the wankel rotary engine on wiki, and here is one of the disadvatages that seemed to apply to your case...



Or in your case, you ran the engine in extraordinarially cold weather, and it didn't reach operational tempurature. Then it died...

Hope it helped, I really know nothing about cars.

Also, after reading a previous post, the RX-7's don't have Catalytic converters, they are equipped with 'thermal reactors' as Mazda called them. They were basically just wider exaust manifolds, but with a little extra fuel burn they cut down emissions... don't ask me how it works.

That's a...random general information. I figure the engine would at least seize up...I doubt that's the problem I'm having. My car has started before in extreme cold weather. It's got to be something wrong. Something different....I get spark, I have a working fuel filter...My next guess in line is my injectors. They might be clogged up. I need to get ahold of a machanic....

 

[SpArKs]

You say it starts and then cuts out after a few seconds. Sounds like the rev's are too low?

 

[Darkwolf]

From what he said, the revs are fine.

 

[CyberPitz]

I can't even give it gas to keep it alive once I start it...damn car needs to burn in hell..

 

[SpArKs]

Good idea. Burn it then claim off the insurance

 

[CyberPitz]

Good idea. Burn it then claim off the insurance

I don't have full coverage

 

[xcellerate]

...once again, when it runs, does it run normally? or does it misfire or smoke or anything?

 

[lePobz]

Can you bumpstart a rotary engine? Have you tried?

 

[CyberPitz]

...once again, when it runs, does it run normally? or does it misfire or smoke or anything?

It runs OK...its showing it's age, but the only thing it did was fluctuate when idling frmo 1200-1000. Nothing bad.

And you can rollstart a rotary, and no, it didn't work