Burnt ignition coils? Or worse, please help, just bought it!!
08-09-07, 06:10 PM
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Burnt ignition coils? Or worse, please help, just bought it!!
Ok, happened a few days ago.. No one mentioned that you have to let a rotary motor warm up before you shut it off or it floods when I went to buy the damn thing...I know how they work as far as wankel engines though, so no need to explain the newbie stuff.
After the test drive I shut it off...and it started up 20 minutes later for the trip home..(BTW, 1988 5 speed, non-turbo) it was GREAT!! Got it for 1900..My first RX7!!Been wanting one since high school...anyhow
Driving 100 miles down I75, got about halfway and turned off on an exit, when I came to a stop the motor shut off. Was running great up to that point. No noise, no nothing, just shut off and would not start again. I checked and saw there was no oil (how did he sell it to me with no oil?? It wasn't smoking or leaking, had to have bought it with no oil...shoulda checked that for the trip) so I put oil in it and tried to turn it over again, after a bout 5 or 10 seconds smoke started billowing from under the hood..I opened the hood and saw it looked like it was coming from drivers side firewall, down low by the starter. Smelled electrical. I took the spark plugs out one at a time to listen for a dead rotor and there are three clean "wooshes" for each rotor, I hope that means my motor is still fine. Now, I test spark, I have spark on my secondary coils and not my primaries.. is there a fusible link or a circuit board somewhere that could be the culprit? I kinda need to get to work...lol so the quicker the better if any of you RX guys know what may have burnt?
After the test drive I shut it off...and it started up 20 minutes later for the trip home..(BTW, 1988 5 speed, non-turbo) it was GREAT!! Got it for 1900..My first RX7!!Been wanting one since high school...anyhow
Driving 100 miles down I75, got about halfway and turned off on an exit, when I came to a stop the motor shut off. Was running great up to that point. No noise, no nothing, just shut off and would not start again. I checked and saw there was no oil (how did he sell it to me with no oil?? It wasn't smoking or leaking, had to have bought it with no oil...shoulda checked that for the trip) so I put oil in it and tried to turn it over again, after a bout 5 or 10 seconds smoke started billowing from under the hood..I opened the hood and saw it looked like it was coming from drivers side firewall, down low by the starter. Smelled electrical. I took the spark plugs out one at a time to listen for a dead rotor and there are three clean "wooshes" for each rotor, I hope that means my motor is still fine. Now, I test spark, I have spark on my secondary coils and not my primaries.. is there a fusible link or a circuit board somewhere that could be the culprit? I kinda need to get to work...lol so the quicker the better if any of you RX guys know what may have burnt?
08-09-07, 06:17 PM
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If you have an oil leak near the starter, I suggest you check your oil line that goes from the rear iron to the oil cooler, it may be shot. Common problem.
As for the coil that does not work, how did you test it? If your trailing coil works, no ''circuit board'' is fried.
I really hope your engine is ok, because you dont usually have a lot of time with these when your run dry.
As for the coil that does not work, how did you test it? If your trailing coil works, no ''circuit board'' is fried.
I really hope your engine is ok, because you dont usually have a lot of time with these when your run dry.
08-09-07, 06:21 PM
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I don't think I have an oil leak... I checked the coils the shade tree way, pull the boot from the plug, stick a screwdriver in it and hold it close to ground...
08-09-07, 06:22 PM
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it seems I have spark on the trailing, it looked weak..I don't have anyone here to turn it over for me at the moment but I'd check again for you...
08-09-07, 06:48 PM
#5
Driving 100 miles down I75, got about halfway and turned off on an exit, when I came to a stop the motor shut off. Was running great up to that point. No noise, no nothing, just shut off and would not start again. I checked and saw there was no oil (how did he sell it to me with no oil?? It wasn't smoking or leaking, had to have bought it with no oil...shoulda checked that for the trip) so I put oil in it and tried to turn it over again, after a bout 5 or 10 seconds smoke started billowing from under the hood..I opened the hood and saw it looked like it was coming from drivers side firewall, down low by the starter.
If you had bought it with no oil...
A. You would not have made it 100 miles, and
B. Surely you would have noticed there was no oil pressure.
08-09-07, 07:14 PM
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I didn't make it 100 miles, I made it 40 or so, and the oil pressure guage was registering when I was driving, it seemed fine, and isn't there a buzzer and a light that says there's no oil? Anyway, oil aside, there is no spark from my primary coils...there obviously WAS when I bought it, trying to start it burned something up, what was it likely to burn up?
08-09-07, 07:17 PM
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will a ruptured oil line cause it not to spark ( I don't think so, but with rotaries...you never know)? And if I put oil in it and turn it over wouldn't oil leak AGAIN? I have no mark in my driveway, there's oil in it now and I've turned it probably 50-100 rotations while it's been sitting just doing diagnostics on it..wouldn't some have come out by now? I will check it anyhow but I am skeptical that this is my problem..
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08-09-07, 08:10 PM
#9
Yes, there is a low oil warning light/buzzer.
You'll need to explore why it didn't activate (do all the idiot lights come on with the ignition ON but the car not started?).
And indeed, if the line had ruptured you'd expect to see it leaking while the engine was turned over.
Have you inspected all the wiring on the driver's side?
You'll need to explore why it didn't activate (do all the idiot lights come on with the ignition ON but the car not started?).
And indeed, if the line had ruptured you'd expect to see it leaking while the engine was turned over.
Have you inspected all the wiring on the driver's side?
08-09-07, 08:15 PM
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yeah, I've looked for burnt wires and didn't see anything, but I can still smell it even though it burnt up 100 miles away, so something is burnt. And all the lights come on fine...someone says the car will shut off if there isn't enough oil?
