I have an '87 RX7. It is not turbo charged or anything cool like that. I just bought the thing and it has been sitting in a avocado grove for over a year. Once I cleaned it up, it turned out to be a nice looking car.

So check it out, The car will start, it has some stalls in the rev range but I can solve those with a tune up.

The strange occurrence is this: after I start it and let it warm up a little, it hits a spot and just shuts off. Bam, no sputtering, no thinking about it, just off. I wait a second and I can get it to fire up again, with the same results. Also, I sometimes have to turn the key on and off several times to get the thing to turn over, otherwise it just sits there with the lights on but no cranking going on.

seems like a couple of issues to me, the only one that has me buggered is the shutting down. Any ideas? Anyone? Help...

 

Hmm, sounds like your idle is shot after the fast idle cam breaks loose...Check your TPS, check for big vac leaks, check your primary throttle plate opening (gap) when warm...

 

TPS? Not sure what that is. I am finding some wires that are severed, like the oxygen sensor(where does that things wire plug in by the way) and there is no sensor over the thermostat housing where the book shows one should be. I have heard some nightmares about the grounding thing, is there are decent wiring diagram that does not look like it is geared to an electrical contractor out there anywhere?

 

there are also some little hoses that look like a rat gnawed through them, although I was told that this shut down problem was the reason it was parked, and the gnawing appears to have taken place as a result of the grove storage.

 

TPS is Throttle Position Sensor. If you check out the FAQ there is a list of acronyms. Replace the hose and the 02 sensor connections and read the FAQ / Archive for tune up info then see you have any problems.

 

Where does that O2 sensor's wire connect to the car? It was gnawed through when I found it.

 

Look for a single black wire with maybe a green colored plug at the end of it near the back of the engine, behind the throttle body area. That'll be your O2 sensor...

Sounds like you've got a lot of cleaning up to do first before actual troubleshooting is started....

 

You do not know the half of it. When I found this thing it was buried up to the door in leaves and loose grove dirt, nut eating creatures were living in it and they had the entire engine bay filled with straw for nests. I have the engine bay cleaned out and I have removed the air filter assembly and radiator shroud, as well as the battery mounting. I have it down to the engine now and I am finding lots of little things to resolve. I was just hoping someone might have seen or heard of this shut down problem, as it was the reason they stuck the car in the grove in the first place. The good news is that the car looks pretty good underneath, 16" American Racing rims, decent rubber, and the interior is not shot out. It will be a solid ride once I strighten out these issues I am seeing.

Check this out, I got the car for $400.00. Yep, four hundred. So it is worth whatever effort I need to put into it. The fact that it will start gives me cause for much hope.

 

The previous owners have offended the rotary gods, that's why it does not run too well now. Not your fault.

hugues-