My aunt gave me her 1980 rx-7 to try to get running again, but the motors locked up and i know nothing about rotarys. It's been sitting for about 10 years and i think it might have gotten a little flooded. The electrical is all fine and i can hear the starter hit but the motor wont crank. any ideas?

Thanks.

 

look in the FAQ, and in the archives for ATF treatment, and also how to decarbonize the engine. chances are its carbon locked. the ATF treatment thread will explain how to help unfreeze the engine utilising ATF and some good old elbow grease.

good luck,

Kenn

 

Thanks

 

Do the atf thing or use mmo and let it soak. Then pull the plugs and try twoing it in second gear for a distance to turn it over. If it turns over, let it soak some more before trying to start.

 

make sure that you can turn the motor over fully BY HAND with a ratchet before you try and turn it over by towstarting it. Make sure that you change your oil, filter, plugs, wires, cap and rotor before you try and start it, and have a good battery in there. Good Luck.

 

basically you'll want to remove the plugs and squirt atf in the plug holes and reinstall the plugs. let it sit 24-48 hours. try turning it over with a breaker bar and a socket. sometimes you need a good jolt and the engine will unstick. once the engine is free and spinning, i personally then make several rotations by hand and squirt some engine oil in the holes for start up. i then pour a little gas in the carb and crank the engine over. once the engine starts, i allow it to run to normal operating temperature and shut it off. i then will change the oil and filter, the plugs( i will have already inspected the wires, cap , and rotor before trying to start the engine). at this time its a good to change the fuel filter. while you're at it, flush the coolant, replace the thermostat and coolant hoses, change the diff and trans fluid, inspect the brakes and wheel bearings, inspect the clutch hydraulics for leaks or for wear. you may want to flush the clutch hydraulics and brake fluid as well. after a sitting period they can collect moisture and break the fluid down.
then you'll want to take some pics and post them for us to see!! oh, and welcome to the dark side!

 

Be gentle with the breaker bar, work it back and forth. Pour some atf down the carb too, all 4 barrels.

 

Ive tried to turn it over by hand, Ive even gotten my dad to try and hes a pretty big dude. The motor just wont move. Do you think i should take it apart and take a wire brush to the rotors and rotor houseings?

 

did you take the belts off the pullys before you tried turning the motor? Take them off if you haven't. I've had belts stick to the pulleys. Take the spark plugs out. Use a 1/2" 19mm on a breaker bar with a 3-4' extension pipe. rotate the engine clockwise if you are standing facing the front of the car. So...put the socket on the main pully with the bar sticking up at 12 oclock and push/pull the bar to the drivers side. If you get no movement use a longer breaker bar. If you get a little movement and the engine turns a little, stop and turn the engine back the other way until it stops. Then turn it back the other way. Do this back and forth movement and hopefully the engine will turn a little more each time. Dont forget to spray the spark plug holes with a thin lubricant like wd40.

 

What part of NC are you from?

 

listen dude, do the atf treatment i listed. it works. it will dissolve the carbon thats locking up your engine!

 

Removing the belts is a "great" idea. Not only might they be stuck to the pulley, you may also find they are kinked in position too. Mannnnnnn, I should've thought of that one.

 

lol, yeah man i had an air pump belt freeze on me. the belt was stuck so long it had rusted the pulley pretty good. that pulley wouldn't turn for peanuts. the belts might be old and brittle but they still have a lot of strength in them...enough to make it hell trying to turn the engine by hand.

 

Ok, ill pull off the belts and do the ATF treatment this weekend and let you guys know how it goes.

Thanks for all the help.

I live near Greensboro by the way