Must be the compression thing. I pulled the lower plugs and spun it, saw the clouds of gas coming out. The plugs looked absolutely horrible, stuff flaking off the flat faces, black gunked up inside. I'm going to replace the plugs before driving it again.

 

[quote name='Baldy' date='Jul 12 2005, 08:18 AM']Must be the compression thing. I pulled the lower plugs and spun it, saw the clouds of gas coming out. The plugs looked absolutely horrible, stuff flaking off the flat faces, black gunked up inside. I'm going to replace the plugs before driving it again.


[/quote]



Sounds very much like a classic flooded condition. Definitely replace the plugs - -they sound like they're in really bad shape.



While you have the leading plugs off, you could also squirt in a small amount of oil. This will help the engine rebuild compression with less cranking. Even with this, you're going to want to pull the EGI fuse and crank it with WOT to clear out the fuel and get back your compression.



I had this same problem earlier this year after the car had sat unused for a while. I did the EGI fuse trick, crank for 15 seconds WOT, etc, etc. It took 3 or 4 iterations before it fired. It did smoke for a bit after it finally started, but this is to be expected.

 

Yuo don't necessarily have to replace the plugs. Get get a wire wheel and wire wheel the tip. Then get your propane torch and burn the tip clean. Bingo 40 bucks saved for the moment.

 

The RX-7 sound dictionary:



RrRrRrRrR - starter gear sound (normal)

rrrrrrrrrrrr - starter gear sound (flooded) (no compression surges)

RrRrRrrrRrrrR - starter gear sound (bad apex seal) (uneven compression surges)



Thunk (when starting out) - Front diff mount.

Tink (when starting out) - u-joints

Clunk or groan (with suspension movement) - old grommets.

Zoom zoom (short cycle) - vac leak

Zoom zoom (long cycle) - TPS or BAC or grounds

Crunch - high rev shift to 2nd

Beeeeeeee - over rev or low coolant or low oil.

 

[quote name='Cheers!' date='Jul 12 2005, 08:32 AM']Yuo don't necessarily have to replace the plugs. Get get a wire wheel and wire wheel the tip. Then get your propane torch and burn the tip clean. Bingo 40 bucks saved for the moment.


[/quote]

I'll give it a shot!

 

[quote name='sureshot' date='Jul 12 2005, 09:53 AM']The RX-7 sound dictionary:



RrRrRrRrR - starter gear sound (normal)

rrrrrrrrrrrr - starter gear sound (flooded) (no compression surges)

RrRrRrrrRrrrR - starter gear sound (bad apex seal) (uneven compression surges)



Thunk (when starting out) - Front diff mount.

Tink (when starting out) - u-joints

Clunk or groan (with suspension movement) - old grommets.

Zoom zoom (short cycle) - vac leak

Zoom zoom (long cycle) - TPS or BAC or grounds

Crunch - high rev shift to 2nd

Beeeeeeee - over rev or low coolant or low oil.


[/quote]

 

[quote name='sureshot' date='Jul 12 2005, 08:53 AM']The RX-7 sound dictionary:



RrRrRrRrR - starter gear sound (normal)

rrrrrrrrrrrr - starter gear sound (flooded) (no compression surges)

RrRrRrrrRrrrR - starter gear sound (bad apex seal) (uneven compression surges)



Thunk (when starting out) - Front diff mount.

Tink (when starting out) - u-joints

Clunk or groan (with suspension movement) - old grommets.

Zoom zoom (short cycle) - vac leak

Zoom zoom (long cycle) - TPS or BAC or grounds

Crunch - high rev shift to 2nd

Beeeeeeee - over rev or low coolant or low oil.


[/quote]

Thanks...I think I have a bad U-joint.

 

I tryed cleaning a set of NGKs once using one of those air powered spark plug cleaners, didnt work and I had to replace them anyway, the car didnt run quite right

 

[quote name='Baldy' date='Jul 12 2005, 03:04 PM']Thanks...I think I have a bad U-joint.


[/quote]



[digression]



U-joint failure scenario:

Seals wear

Lube spins out

Needles start to wear into race

Wear slack allows needles to squirm as load is applied

As needles take a set the slight "tink" sound is amplified by the hollow drive shaft.

As wear increases, the drive shaft will sometimes run eccentric an you will feel a vibration



[/digression]

 

I bought new spark plugs, put those in, jumped it off the wifes car and it fired right up. Runs great!



So how does it lose compression when flooded? That was weird; and just like you said, I could hear it build compression back up the more I cranked it.