Build thread

[Dwduc]

I think if the ECU was not functioning due to overvolt it would have not made any spark at all. the coils are triggered by the ecu and he said he verified spark. The fact that you verified spark and used starting fluid and it still didn't fire is concerning though. It sounds silly but are you sure your ignition wires are routed correctly? The starter turning it over that fast is surprising also. Even at 17volts. I have jumped cars from 18v golf cart batteries and the crank speed isn't that noticeable. good luck. I am very curious what you find. Let me know if I can help at all.

[$crillaTor]

I had a problem on my 86' FC many years ago that sounds like this. I beat my head against a wall forever trying to figure it out. It turned out that I had two injectors that went bad. Replaced them, and it fired right up. I never did figure out why it happened, but swapping them out fixed it.

I would check to ensure you're getting fuel.

[lOOkatme]

Only two things I am going to recommend.

1) Check to see if your throttle cable has slack in it. make sure its not tight.

2) When the car did run it was pig rich idle, 11.2ish from what I remember. I still think it is a tuning issue. Settings 2, water temp correction, make entire correction factor 1.000 down the whole temp scale. INJ VS AIRTEMP do the same thing with 1.000 down the whole column. This is for the powerfc.

See if the car starts now, still might need to peddle the throttle. If this doesn't work, go to settings 4, IGN vs WaterTCool, change bottom setting to hardly any retard timing, perhaps 3 at 60. try again.

Still doesn't start, I would throw in that adaptronic ecu and let's try it with that.

Another thing, did you bump your trigger wheel or something?

[speedjunkie]

Great progress!

Your starter problem has got me curious. Have you hooked up a "remote starter switch" to help troubleshoot? I'd start there if I were you. That way you can bypass everything in the starter system & check if the car actually fires.

Also, with all those attempts at trying to start the car, the car may be flooded by now. Have you tried deflooding it?

Last, if you haven't already done so...I'd bypass the clutch safety switch. I'm all about keeping it simple...and the CSS is one variable that I don't like to worry about.

After all that, then I'd start looking at troubleshooting the MAF/MAP, fuel trims, fuel pressure, etc. at cold startup.

Good luck!
FDEEZ

Remote starter switch, what do you mean? Like jumping the starter itself and leaving the ignition switch out of the equation? I have my battery hooked up directly to the starter also. I had a Pettit starter booster in there at one point but since I relocated the battery and reran the wire to hook up directly to the starter, I took out the booster because it was redundant.

Yeah it might be flooded, but it also sounds exactly the same as all the previous times trying to start it, even in the beginning, so I'm not sure.

The CSS, are you talking about the switch that ensures the clutch is pressed during starting? I actually bypassed that several years ago and made it a kill switch because it wasn't letting me start the car.

My fuel pressure seems good, but I'm not sure about the other stuff. My only thought with them being good is that a few months ago it was starting better, or starting period lol, and that was with no changes to the map or anything. It seems to me that it's something mechanical because of how nothing was changed but the problem got worse and worse.

have you tried the battery from your SUV? I think with that high of a voltage the ECU might be protecting itself and not doing anything.

I haven't tried the Pathfinder battery. I did think about it though to see if that would solve my battery problem lol.

I think if the ECU was not functioning due to overvolt it would have not made any spark at all. the coils are triggered by the ecu and he said he verified spark. The fact that you verified spark and used starting fluid and it still didn't fire is concerning though. It sounds silly but are you sure your ignition wires are routed correctly? The starter turning it over that fast is surprising also. Even at 17volts. I have jumped cars from 18v golf cart batteries and the crank speed isn't that noticeable. good luck. I am very curious what you find. Let me know if I can help at all.

Yeah all the wires are correct, that's something I made sure of early on. We've been back and forth on whether it's ignition or fuel or compression, etc. Just really not sure at this point. I may have been exaggerating a bit saying it sounded like it was running lol, but it was pretty amped up nonetheless. Thanks! I'll probably send all you guys my number, if not for help with this, at least we'll have each others numbers for meets later on.

I had a problem on my 86' FC many years ago that sounds like this. I beat my head against a wall forever trying to figure it out. It turned out that I had two injectors that went bad. Replaced them, and it fired right up. I never did figure out why it happened, but swapping them out fixed it.

I would check to ensure you're getting fuel.

I've been wondering for a while now if maybe I have leaky injectors or something and it's keeping the car flooded. I contacted T1 Race Development where I got the plugs and also Injector Dynamics about cleaning and flow testing the injectors. Now I'm just waiting to hear back. But I'm definitely doing that. I want to get this issue fixed before I install the new fuel and ignition setups just in case I run into another problem after installing those things, then I'll know it had something to do with the install.

I'm pretty sure I'm getting fuel. My fuel gauge on my FPR is reading normal and we can smell fuel in the exhaust.

Only two things I am going to recommend.

1) Check to see if your throttle cable has slack in it. make sure its not tight.

2) When the car did run it was pig rich idle, 11.2ish from what I remember. I still think it is a tuning issue. Settings 2, water temp correction, make entire correction factor 1.000 down the whole temp scale. INJ VS AIRTEMP do the same thing with 1.000 down the whole column. This is for the powerfc.

See if the car starts now, still might need to peddle the throttle. If this doesn't work, go to settings 4, IGN vs WaterTCool, change bottom setting to hardly any retard timing, perhaps 3 at 60. try again.

Still doesn't start, I would throw in that adaptronic ecu and let's try it with that.

Another thing, did you bump your trigger wheel or something?

No my throttle cable is fine. I might try again with the Power FC. I drained the fuel today and put it in the Pathfinder. I think after I send off the injectors and get them back, then I'll put new fuel in again and try some of this stuff. I have the Adaptronic in right now and it started on that ECU even with the wrong MAP sensor hooked up lol. Actually it fired up almost perfectly with that configuration. I tried it again though and no dice. I don't believe I bumped my trigger wheel but I can't be certain.

[FDEEZ]

With everything you've done to the car, there's a possibility that you may have already repaired the original problem(s) you were experiencing IRT starting. But with all the attempts at starting the car, you may have sooo much raw fuel in the engine that your compression is now too low for combustion.

Also, are you reading good voltage for your MAP & TPS sensors? Crazy question, but is the computer throwing any codes?

[speedjunkie]

Yeah that's true. It just seems like the starting problem has gotten worse and worse over the past year.

I'm not sure about voltage on the MAP sensor but I changed the throttle body and set the TPS a few months ago. I haven't checked it again since though. I don't believe the computer is throwing any codes. I don't have a check engine light or anything, and I'm not sure how to check for codes with an aftermarket ECU lol.

[speedjunkie]

Someone on RCC posted this as an alternative to the fuel setup I'm doing.

http://coachmanperformance.com/uploads/IST_Manual_-_IST_RX7-9395_-_140302.pdf

While it would be much easier to install, it gave me an idea of a way to modify my current setup and possibly not even use my in-tank surge tank. I'm very excited about this, I just hope I follow through with it lol.

[speedjunkie]

Oh yeah, I removed my fuel injectors this afternoon so I can send them in to get cleaned and flow tested. Now I have another concern...there was a bit of sand buildup around the primary injectors and some of it has fallen into the ports. I got in there with Q-tips to try to clean out some of the rest but it wasn't very helpful. I'm wondering if the little bit that has dropped into the engine will hurt it when it runs again.

[D Walker]

I have a guy up in Loveland clean and test my injectors, he can often even do it while I wait.

[FDEEZ]

Yeah that's true. It just seems like the starting problem has gotten worse and worse over the past year.

I'm not sure about voltage on the MAP sensor but I changed the throttle body and set the TPS a few months ago. I haven't checked it again since though. I don't believe the computer is throwing any codes. I don't have a check engine light or anything, and I'm not sure how to check for codes with an aftermarket ECU lol.

This may seem a little rudimentary, but have you checked the condition of your "ignitor"? It's a small, yet important piece, that folks may overlook. It's possible it's either bad or went bad from voltage spikes.

Last, is there any way you can plug in an OEM computer to start the motor? If it doesn't fire, at least you can check if the computer throws any codes. I don't think the PFC (if that's what you're using) performs a factory systems/diagnostics check.

[speedjunkie]

I have a guy up in Loveland clean and test my injectors, he can often even do it while I wait.

I figured there would probably be a place in Denver that cleans injectors but I'm going to mail them off today. They give a 30% discount on replacement injectors too if they're needed, and they make sure the injectors are still matched.

This may seem a little rudimentary, but have you checked the condition of your "ignitor"? It's a small, yet important piece, that folks may overlook. It's possible it's either bad or went bad from voltage spikes.

Last, is there any way you can plug in an OEM computer to start the motor? If it doesn't fire, at least you can check if the computer throws any codes. I don't think the PFC (if that's what you're using) performs a factory systems/diagnostics check.

Actually, that's one thing I haven't checked this time around. I've swapped it out before when I had problems, but it was never the culprit. I have an extra one I can try. However, if it was bad, I wouldn't get spark at all, would I? I'll still try it anyway.

I don't think I have a stock ECU laying around. But I'll try that too just in case. I also noticed when I took my UIM off that I forgot to hook the ISC back up when I put the Adaptronic back in. I have the PFC set up for manual idle control, but the Adaptronic is set up to control idle. I'll have to see if I can find a stock ECU somewhere. I also have an RE Amemiya Redom ECU at the moment but I have no idea what it's set up for.

[millertime]

I figured there would probably be a place in Denver that cleans injectors but I'm going to mail them off today. They give a 30% discount on replacement injectors too if they're needed, and they make sure the injectors are still matched.



Actually, that's one thing I haven't checked this time around. I've swapped it out before when I had problems, but it was never the culprit. I have an extra one I can try. However, if it was bad, I wouldn't get spark at all, would I? I'll still try it anyway.

I don't think I have a stock ECU laying around. But I'll try that too just in case. I also noticed when I took my UIM off that I forgot to hook the ISC back up when I put the Adaptronic back in. I have the PFC set up for manual idle control, but the Adaptronic is set up to control idle. I'll have to see if I can find a stock ECU somewhere. I also have an RE Amemiya Redom ECU at the moment but I have no idea what it's set up for.

Pretty sure I have a stock one in a box somewhere. I can bring it down with me this weekend if you need it.

[$crillaTor]

If he ^ doesn't have a stock ECU, I have one you can borrow. Just let me know. I could meet you this afternoon if you want.

[FDEEZ]

I figured there would probably be a place in Denver that cleans injectors but I'm going to mail them off today. They give a 30% discount on replacement injectors too if they're needed, and they make sure the injectors are still matched.



Actually, that's one thing I haven't checked this time around. I've swapped it out before when I had problems, but it was never the culprit. I have an extra one I can try. However, if it was bad, I wouldn't get spark at all, would I? I'll still try it anyway.

I don't think I have a stock ECU laying around. But I'll try that too just in case. I also noticed when I took my UIM off that I forgot to hook the ISC back up when I put the Adaptronic back in. I have the PFC set up for manual idle control, but the Adaptronic is set up to control idle. I'll have to see if I can find a stock ECU somewhere. I also have an RE Amemiya Redom ECU at the moment but I have no idea what it's set up for.

That little ignitor performs actions at such a fast rate, that it may be difficult to determine if it's working correctly. You may be getting "some" spark, but you may not be getting a "high-voltage" spark.

The best option for you, IMO, would be to borrow a known "good" ignitor & see if the car starts. If that doesn't work, borrow a known "good" set of coils and see if it starts. From there, a known good ECU and etc. Swapping out known "good" parts is a lot quicker than ensuring/testing continuity, resistance, voltage, etc., of each part or the signal between the ECU to each individual part is within spec. But you can do that too if you're adventurous :-)

Hopefully you're not going through all this only to find out your fuel feed/return lines are mixed up, j/k

[Saul_Good]

Operation Rotary Rebirth has commenced