My 81 has been sitting for awhile since it died on me at the gas station. That really sucked!! Ok this is my story i turned off my rx7 to put air in my tires. After finishing the air stuff then i got back into the car and turned the key then i heard this loud bang noise. Then i tried starting it again and the engine made this loud click noise the fan would move but to a point that it seemed stuck. Then i called my father inlaw for some help maybe a push start. We tried it by hand first and when we got it up to speed i turned the key and the rear tires locked like if i had the emergency brake on. Then we pushed it by car and it did the same thing. Finally i got it home in neutral. The car wouldn't budge in any gear except neutral. My uncle made me do something like put it into reverse and push it back then shift to 3rd and tried starting it the engine almost wanted to start but it locked again. So he told me that my oil pump chain might have busted. So what does everyone think???

 

Leave the car in neutral, then try to rotate the large bottom pulley (below the fan) by hand. The engine should turn. If the pulley doesn't budge, it might be time or a rebuild. Let us know if it turns.

 

i tried turning the bottom one and it still doesn't turn. Does the engine have a timing chain? What might it be the only guess so far is that its the oil pump chain.

 

Sounds like your girl needs a pacemaker......she's toast.

 

ok i checked out the 81 and looked into the distridutor hole and i could see the oil pump chain. I put a long screwdriver in there and the tension on the chain is crap i can wiggle it about 1inch to 1/2 an inch back and fourth, but the chain is still on the teeth.

 

after 1973 the oil pump chain doesn't have tension on it.

how does the clutch pedal feel?

 

Out of curiousity, why were you turning the key while push starting, rather than popping the clutch?

Or is it an automatic?

Confused,
Brian

 

so maybe what could have happened to make the rear wheels lock? Right now my 81 doesn't have a tranny i put it in my 83. I tried turning the lower pulley and its stuck not even the flywheel moves can anyone please tell me why the lower pulley isn't turning.

 

only reason the lower pulley wouldn't turn is if the engine was locked, either with carbon, or a broken seal (maybe the loud clanking noise you heard when you were trying to start it)

either way, a main pulley that won't turn pretty much means death for a rotary engine...