Misc problems with new GSL-SE
05-08-05 | 11:37 PM
#1
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From: ms
Misc problems with new GSL-SE
I picked up an 84 GSL-SE about a month ago. When you start the car, it refuses to idle. Once it reaches operating temp, it will hold an idle, but a fairly low one and sometimes it will die at a stop.
Also, the tach is acting really odd. The guy a bought it from told me it didn't work at all, which upon test driving it was true. A couple days later, I was driving it and it worked fine, other times it will almost work... it will go up to a certain rpm and stick, then come back down and jump up only to be stuck there again for a while... sometimes it just wont work at all.
Last time I tried to start her up, it refused to start and still wont(been a couple weeks now). I had no reason to believe it was flooded as it was parked after a decent amount of interstate driving, but I still did the simple deflooding procedure and nothing. My next step is to change the fuel filter, but I figured I would mention this problem in case it could be related to the other two problems I posted.
Thanks in advance.
Also, the tach is acting really odd. The guy a bought it from told me it didn't work at all, which upon test driving it was true. A couple days later, I was driving it and it worked fine, other times it will almost work... it will go up to a certain rpm and stick, then come back down and jump up only to be stuck there again for a while... sometimes it just wont work at all.
Last time I tried to start her up, it refused to start and still wont(been a couple weeks now). I had no reason to believe it was flooded as it was parked after a decent amount of interstate driving, but I still did the simple deflooding procedure and nothing. My next step is to change the fuel filter, but I figured I would mention this problem in case it could be related to the other two problems I posted.
Thanks in advance.
05-08-05 | 11:53 PM
#3
Congrats on getting a -SE. Here is an electronic version of the Factory Service Manual (FSM). This has pretty much everything that you may need to know about fixing you car.
http://www.wankel.net/~krwright/cars/rx7/85_manual.html
The idle issue sounds like the fast idle needs adjustment (section 4b of the link I posted). There is a cam that hold the throttle plates open slightly to create a fast idle while the car warms up (to keep from stalling). When you start the car, you should depress the accelerator to the floor once, then crank. This will engage the fast idle cam. Once the engine warms up, the cam moves out of the way, and the throttle plates close to their normal idle position. The FSM will tell you how to adjust the fast idle. Also, you will want to read about adjusting the idle when warm (since you report a low idle when warm). There is a screw on the top of the throttle body (on the part that say RE-EGI). Turn that counter-clockwise, and that should raise the idle. The idle when warm, should be about 800 rpm.
For the tach issue, it may be a bad tach, wiring, or igniter. The tach gets its signal off of the trailing coil (coil closest to the front of the car). If the trailing igniter is bad (device that fires the coil), the tach may only work intermittantly. Also, the -SE gets the signal to fire the injectors from this same source, so if the trailing isn't firing, the injectors won't squirt (maybe why it's not starting). Try moving the blue spade connector over to the (-) terminal of the leading coil and seeing if the problem goes away. You can also remove that connector as part of the deflood proceedure (keeps injectors from firing).
Good luck.
Kent
http://www.wankel.net/~krwright/cars/rx7/85_manual.html
The idle issue sounds like the fast idle needs adjustment (section 4b of the link I posted). There is a cam that hold the throttle plates open slightly to create a fast idle while the car warms up (to keep from stalling). When you start the car, you should depress the accelerator to the floor once, then crank. This will engage the fast idle cam. Once the engine warms up, the cam moves out of the way, and the throttle plates close to their normal idle position. The FSM will tell you how to adjust the fast idle. Also, you will want to read about adjusting the idle when warm (since you report a low idle when warm). There is a screw on the top of the throttle body (on the part that say RE-EGI). Turn that counter-clockwise, and that should raise the idle. The idle when warm, should be about 800 rpm.
For the tach issue, it may be a bad tach, wiring, or igniter. The tach gets its signal off of the trailing coil (coil closest to the front of the car). If the trailing igniter is bad (device that fires the coil), the tach may only work intermittantly. Also, the -SE gets the signal to fire the injectors from this same source, so if the trailing isn't firing, the injectors won't squirt (maybe why it's not starting). Try moving the blue spade connector over to the (-) terminal of the leading coil and seeing if the problem goes away. You can also remove that connector as part of the deflood proceedure (keeps injectors from firing).
Good luck.
Kent
05-09-05 | 12:03 AM
#4
Rotary Freak
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 2,401
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From: So Cal
Originally Posted by gsl-se addict
Congrats on getting a -SE. Here is an electronic version of the Factory Service Manual (FSM). This has pretty much everything that you may need to know about fixing you car.
http://www.wankel.net/~krwright/cars/rx7/85_manual.html
The idle issue sounds like the fast idle needs adjustment (section 4b of the link I posted). There is a cam that hold the throttle plates open slightly to create a fast idle while the car warms up (to keep from stalling). When you start the car, you should depress the accelerator to the floor once, then crank. This will engage the fast idle cam. Once the engine warms up, the cam moves out of the way, and the throttle plates close to their normal idle position. The FSM will tell you how to adjust the fast idle. Also, you will want to read about adjusting the idle when warm (since you report a low idle when warm). There is a screw on the top of the throttle body (on the part that say RE-EGI). Turn that counter-clockwise, and that should raise the idle. The idle when warm, should be about 800 rpm.
For the tach issue, it may be a bad tach, wiring, or igniter. The tach gets its signal off of the trailing coil (coil closest to the front of the car). If the trailing igniter is bad (device that fires the coil), the tach may only work intermittantly. Also, the -SE gets the signal to fire the injectors from this same source, so if the trailing isn't firing, the injectors won't squirt (maybe why it's not starting). Try moving the blue spade connector over to the (-) terminal of the leading coil and seeing if the problem goes away. You can also remove that connector as part of the deflood proceedure (keeps injectors from firing).
Good luck.
Kent
http://www.wankel.net/~krwright/cars/rx7/85_manual.html
The idle issue sounds like the fast idle needs adjustment (section 4b of the link I posted). There is a cam that hold the throttle plates open slightly to create a fast idle while the car warms up (to keep from stalling). When you start the car, you should depress the accelerator to the floor once, then crank. This will engage the fast idle cam. Once the engine warms up, the cam moves out of the way, and the throttle plates close to their normal idle position. The FSM will tell you how to adjust the fast idle. Also, you will want to read about adjusting the idle when warm (since you report a low idle when warm). There is a screw on the top of the throttle body (on the part that say RE-EGI). Turn that counter-clockwise, and that should raise the idle. The idle when warm, should be about 800 rpm.
For the tach issue, it may be a bad tach, wiring, or igniter. The tach gets its signal off of the trailing coil (coil closest to the front of the car). If the trailing igniter is bad (device that fires the coil), the tach may only work intermittantly. Also, the -SE gets the signal to fire the injectors from this same source, so if the trailing isn't firing, the injectors won't squirt (maybe why it's not starting). Try moving the blue spade connector over to the (-) terminal of the leading coil and seeing if the problem goes away. You can also remove that connector as part of the deflood proceedure (keeps injectors from firing).
Good luck.
Kent
05-09-05 | 12:03 AM
#5
Thread Starter
Full Member
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 86
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From: ms
Originally Posted by gsl-se addict
Congrats on getting a -SE. Here is an electronic version of the Factory Service Manual (FSM). This has pretty much everything that you may need to know about fixing you car.
http://www.wankel.net/~krwright/cars/rx7/85_manual.html
The idle issue sounds like the fast idle needs adjustment (section 4b of the link I posted). There is a cam that hold the throttle plates open slightly to create a fast idle while the car warms up (to keep from stalling). When you start the car, you should depress the accelerator to the floor once, then crank. This will engage the fast idle cam. Once the engine warms up, the cam moves out of the way, and the throttle plates close to their normal idle position. The FSM will tell you how to adjust the fast idle. Also, you will want to read about adjusting the idle when warm (since you report a low idle when warm). There is a screw on the top of the throttle body (on the part that say RE-EGI). Turn that counter-clockwise, and that should raise the idle. The idle when warm, should be about 800 rpm.
For the tach issue, it may be a bad tach, wiring, or igniter. The tach gets its signal off of the trailing coil (coil closest to the front of the car). If the trailing igniter is bad (device that fires the coil), the tach may only work intermittantly. Also, the -SE gets the signal to fire the injectors from this same source, so if the trailing isn't firing, the injectors won't squirt (maybe why it's not starting). Try moving the blue spade connector over to the (-) terminal of the leading coil and seeing if the problem goes away. You can also remove that connector as part of the deflood proceedure (keeps injectors from firing).
Good luck.
Kent
http://www.wankel.net/~krwright/cars/rx7/85_manual.html
The idle issue sounds like the fast idle needs adjustment (section 4b of the link I posted). There is a cam that hold the throttle plates open slightly to create a fast idle while the car warms up (to keep from stalling). When you start the car, you should depress the accelerator to the floor once, then crank. This will engage the fast idle cam. Once the engine warms up, the cam moves out of the way, and the throttle plates close to their normal idle position. The FSM will tell you how to adjust the fast idle. Also, you will want to read about adjusting the idle when warm (since you report a low idle when warm). There is a screw on the top of the throttle body (on the part that say RE-EGI). Turn that counter-clockwise, and that should raise the idle. The idle when warm, should be about 800 rpm.
For the tach issue, it may be a bad tach, wiring, or igniter. The tach gets its signal off of the trailing coil (coil closest to the front of the car). If the trailing igniter is bad (device that fires the coil), the tach may only work intermittantly. Also, the -SE gets the signal to fire the injectors from this same source, so if the trailing isn't firing, the injectors won't squirt (maybe why it's not starting). Try moving the blue spade connector over to the (-) terminal of the leading coil and seeing if the problem goes away. You can also remove that connector as part of the deflood proceedure (keeps injectors from firing).
Good luck.
Kent
05-09-05 | 12:19 AM
#6
Originally Posted by RotaryRevn
not to hijack but I have a problem that when my car is cold, it revs to like 4500 rpm!!! You think it could be that fast idle thing needs adjusting?
Originally Posted by robsayers
thanks! I'll try that out as soon as I can.
Kent
05-09-05 | 07:53 PM
#7
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Joined: Feb 2002
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From: ms
Well I got home from work a couple minutes ago... popped the hood, moved the blue connector over to the leading coil...
...Vroom! Started right up!
So can I safely assume my trailing ignitor has gone to heaven? Or is there something else I should check before replacing it?
...Vroom! Started right up!
So can I safely assume my trailing ignitor has gone to heaven? Or is there something else I should check before replacing it?
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05-09-05 | 08:15 PM
#8
Glad that worked for you. Hopefully that will cure your tach problems as well. It is likely that the trailing igniter is probably dead. You are best off getting a used one because new ones are near $200 a piece. Typically used ones go for around $15 (sometimes for a pair). Check on here in the first gen for sale/wanted section or on eBay. I'm sure you will find one. It is a good idea to pick up at least a pair if possible and keep the extra as a spare. The trailing igniter is the black box on the side of the distributor closest to the alternator.
Kent
Kent
Last edited by gsl-se addict; 05-09-05 at 08:37 PM.
05-09-05 | 08:29 PM
#9
It's either this or porn
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 136
Likes: 0
From: Olympia Washington
You guys are awsome.
I have the same problem, I was going to ask this over the weekend but you guys already answered it for me.
I wish the Thunderbird and Ford Fairlane Forums were this helpful.
I have the same problem, I was going to ask this over the weekend but you guys already answered it for me.
I wish the Thunderbird and Ford Fairlane Forums were this helpful.
05-09-05 | 09:32 PM
#10
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Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 86
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From: ms
Originally Posted by gsl-se addict
Glad that worked for you. Hopefully that will cure your tach problems as well. It is likely that the trailing igniter is probably dead. You are best off getting a used one because new ones are near $200 a piece. Typically used ones go for around $15 (sometimes for a pair). Check on here in the first gen for sale/wanted section or on eBay. I'm sure you will find one. It is a good idea to pick up at least a pair if possible and keep the extra as a spare. The trailing igniter is the black box on the side of the distributor closest to the alternator.
Kent
Kent
Thanks again for the advice... I'm going to quit looking at carb kits now
