So I've got new fuel injectors (cleaned, balanced), new plugs (so far all they have seen is no-starts), new coils, wires are fine. Compression sounds great. Battery is weak but it won't catch with a jump start. I've cleaned the plugs, cranked it over with them out to get the fuel out, still no start. A stumble at best if I am lucky.

What can I do now...it has been sitting for 6 months, but I think the gas should at least get it started. I was thinking of trying to push start it today with a car, maybe around 20 mph in second gear, hoping that will get it whirring fast enough to catch.

Any advice? Should I put some MMO in the plug holes?

 

Try some starter fluid in the filter box. Hows the static ign timing?

 

you don't need to be going nearly that fast to push start the car... maybe 5-10, jus down a rolling hill and pop the clutch..

but if it won't start with the other methods, then I doubt that's going to help you out too much.

 

I like pulling them with a rope at about 15-20 mph.
Use a long rope that's skinny enough to break if you hit the brakes hard. Second gear works good. Good luck!

 

When I got my radio installed they killed my battery. It was push started out the garage in reverse by 2 guys. I estimate it was going around 7 mph....

No problem, except that when you drain a battery once, you might as well toss it since it'll never have the same starting power ever agin.

 

How do you static time electronic ignition? I used to do that with old points systems and it worked great.

B

 

By having the reluctor tooth pointed at the trigger. It puts you very close to stock setting.

If the dizzy is installed following the manuals procedure this will work. It ends up being the tooth where the roll pin is.

 

Don't push the car, pull it. Use a rope which will have enough give. Chains don't give and rip things up.

I haven't O'hauled a rotary, but plenty of piston engines, and for some reason they sometimes require a pull start to get going the first time. And sometimes they start right up, but it's about 50/50. Once it gets started the first time: no problem.

B

 

Not to hijack the thread or anything, but I have heard several times people suggesting that a rex should be pull started rather than push started. I have never heard this about any other car. Is there a special reason for this?

Brian Heston

 

Interesting, but how would the car "know" the difference between a pull and a push?? You're just trying to get the engine spinning fast enough to get the damn thing going, what difference does it make whether that movement comes from a push or a pull?

Anyways, yeah I'm hoping the push start will do the trick. I think the engine just might be so soaked in gas after trying to start it so many times that it can't build up the compression with the weak starter. If it doesn't work, I'm stumped.

Right on.

 

In trying to get the brown 'mound' running, have you looked into timing? You'll need to check the FSM for the correct procedure, but if you've done everything else that's fuel related, you may just have a timing issue. Has the Distributor been out of the engine, or was it running when you got it and never been removed? Have you advanced timing at all via rotating the distributor housing? You might want to check to see that the dist housing is bolted down tightly. When you remove a plug and ground it out against the engine (holding a rag) and turn it over, do you get an obvious spark across the gap (tested ignitors, wires, etc.)?

Usually most rotary engines, if they start at all, will be tuneable to run smoothly and evenly. If you're having a hard time starting this one, I'd be interested to see what it is that's preventing the motor from running.

As a last resort, you might try taking it to a local mechanic that knows a thing or two about rotary engines. NOT THE MAZDA DEALER. Most mechanics know the basics for all engine types, so if you ask them to take a look at it, they will look at all the same things whether rotary or piston powered. This may help to find something that you've overlooked.

On pull-starting - even with a heavily fouled engine or flooded, pull starting with another vehicle can sometimes do the trick. This is because the standard 1-man push-start will only get you enough speed to gently roll the engine over enough to get it started. Pull starting with another vehicle, much safer than push-starting, will allow the engine to turn over at a much higher speed, which will result in better compression and will clear out the chambers faster than just cranking, and cranking, and cranking.

Pulling is preferable because if you use a 'tow-rope' designed for the purpose, the risk of damage to either vehicle is reduced, plus, there will be 'give' between the cars so that when the RX7 catches, it will allow for some jerking that would damage one of the two cars if you use a solid chain. Pushing with another vehicle isn't safe because the guy doing the pushing has no idea what's going on with the guy being pushed - if the car doesn't catch, it's just a trip around the block. Also, pushing usually causes bumper damage to some degree to both cars. HTH,

 

As far as the current problem goes, I would have to agree with rx7gslse, if it won't start at all by any other method, then I doubt that a rolling start will work either. It sounds as though the problem isn't with the starter, but rather with the combustion proccess itself. The only reason really to roll start a car is if the starter can't crank the engine fast/hard enough to do any good. But that isn't the case is it?

Brian Heston

 

Have you tried a LITTLE bit of MMO or anyhitng liek that to up the compression a tad, specially as you said wiht all teh gas running through there :] good luck

 

Obviously, push starting will damage the bumpers, while pull starting is more benign. Plus, the 'give' of the rope or nylon cable makes things smoother.

I think sometimes a car starts with a pullstart because the starter is not dragging down the ignition voltage. Also, forcing the engine over seems to straighten something out.

B

 

I think a push start will probably get you going - the idea is to get the engine turning faster than the starter will.
I don't understand why people are recommending a pull start - its dangerous! If the car lurches once it catches (hopefully), you will be forced to break or possibly run into the tow vehicle - if you break, you'll probably stall - if you don't, watch out for the guy in front of you because you'll take up the tow slack in a hurry. After all, he's been gently tugging you along and all of a sudden you catch in second gear and he's not ready -
Find a hill and push it down - should clear the engine of excess gas.
If your compression is good, don't be putting oil/atf in there - it won't help.

 

Well guys, I went to try to start the Mound tonight. Pulled the plugs, dried em. Cranked it over to clean the fuel. Tested for spark. Tested for fuel. Everything good, I put the plugs back in. Tried turning it over with the key. No catch.

Push started by hand. A sputter, but no catch.

Pull up the LTC. Lincoln Town Car get's me going probably about 10 mph, backs off, I hit second, and the Mound came to life!

But she sure isn't healthy...It wouldn't idle, gave me what I presume is the "one rotor" syndrome. It wouldn't rev past 2k to save it's life, and it had no power. No throttle response at all. It was a struggle to get it around the block and back, and it was loud and smokin' the entire time.

So I'm not sure if that is a timing issue, bad ignitor, **** I have no ******* idea! But I got the damn Mound started! Finaluckinly!

So, anyone know what the problem is?

Right on.

 

Oh yeah, when doing a pullstart you gotta ride the brake a little to keep the towrope taut. Then hover over the clutch to be ready to disengage when it starts.

Whether push or pull it takes some expertise to avoid the Dreaded Bumper Kiss Cycle.

When you get it running just keep it running for a while to give it a chance to clear itself out and adjust to running.

B

 

well, at least you got it started. at the top of the thread you said the compression sounds great. and what you just described make the compression sound bad. check it. if its good all the way around. start with the timing. then work from there. it sounds like to me, you've got a problem in at least one chamber. good luck.

 

Maybe your 6 month old gas was worse than you thought and clogged one of your nicely cleaned injectors? Or maybe you need to check the dizzy (this is what I would start with). Take it out and put it back in a few times until youre sure its right. Set the static timing or whatever that Carl talked about, so youre sure that its right. Also, make sure you have all the wires plugged in to the proper places, and all the vaccuum lines hooked up. Im just hoping its something simple like that, and not something more serious that got messed up during the restoration somehow . It seems to me that it being fuel injected, it should start under its own power from the starter without too much grief, so I wouldnt "force" it to start again until the problem is fixed...

~T.J.

 

Have you double-checked all wires from coil to dizzy, and dizzy to rotor? I had those symptoms after a friend "helped" me cleaning the engine bay. To this day he still swears he never disconnected more than one wire at a time, but trailing and leading were swapped for the second rotor.

Hey, it might make you feel stupid if this is it, but if it fixes it, BONUS!

When you going to update the web page? It actually got me inspired to do some clean-up under the engine bay (done while waiting for parts to pass my *%#&$ clean air inspection!)

 

Something about Austin rotaries makes them need to be push started every once in awhile, just for fun.


Trust me!


I would check compression and maybe (flamesuiton) do an MMO soaking if the numbers aren't great. Then check fuel, then timing.

 

https://www.rx7club.com/showthread.p...hreadid=219221

 

I went through a similiar experience with an FC and it turned out that the rear rotor didn't have anywhere near the compression of the front rotor. Basically the car:
- floods easily,
- doesn't idle by itself,
- shakes below 1k RPMs,
- lacks a bit of power

But once you launch it, it just takes off like any other rotary above 3k RPMs.

At first I had to push start and instead of "pull starting" it, I push it with another FC in reverse, rear bumper to rear bumper.