Thought maybe this was worthy of a new thread.



Here's the original for reference:



https://www.nopistons.com/forums/index.php?...showtopic=23485







OK, now my nightmare just got about 10x worse.



This morning I talked to my mechanic and decided he would just clean up the oil in the area it spilled, replace my plugs, give me an oil change, finish checking my coolant, and we'll see what happens.



Well, I guess he left the cooling system under pressure overnight and this AM he disconnected, changed my oil and filter, started it up and it ran like **** and blew lots of blue/gray smoke. He says it's running 'very rich'. He swapped the plugs, said he tried replacing the air sensor, and says it's running slightly better, but basically I'm screwed now.



It starts, runs like crap, seems like it's going to stall, and blows out blue/gray smoke.



He's basically bailing on me, says he has no clue and thinks I should bring it to a dealer.



Unfortunately, there are no good rotary mechanics around me that I know of (otherwise I would be bringing it there).



Someone please tell me something good.

Go to your BANK manager A.S.A.P and make arrangements for about

5K.....Sorry bro sound's like big trouble....Get your budy to do a comp.

test, that's what most rx7 experts are going to ask you first, and go from there



Good Luck https://www.nopistons.com/forums/pub...R#>/violin.gif

I'd agree on the information you've given that it's running real rich. When you say he replaced your air sensor which did you mean?



I would have a good look at your map sensor- if that is faulty or the vacuum line is blocked/leaking/not plugged in properly, you could get those symptoms.



Obviously check that the plug leads are hooked up correctly. Each coil is marked with the markings L1, L2, T1 & T2 (T&L marks are on the rotors, 1&2 refer to front and rear housings)



I'm sure some others will have some advice too. You really need a rotary mechanic to go to so that they can read the computer codes, swap things over (like the map sensor). Not much help, eh?



One final thought- has he performed a coolant pressure test just in case coolant is leaking into the combustion chamber and getting burnt (which sometimes can produce white/grey smoke?). Long shot and unlikely but worth checking while you're there. If you had seriously overheated it before when you lost all that coolant, you could have killed the coolant seals.

Of course! That is almost always your first port of call when they don't run good.



My old S5 dropped a rotor and ran rough, smoked, wouldn't idle etc... https://www.nopistons.com/forums/pub...1047683664.gif

Do a quick poorman's compression test first. Pull the fuse for the ECU. Pull the front leading spark plug. Put your hand over the spark plug hole. Have someone start the car. You should feel 3 even whooshes. Repeat for the rear spark plug hole. If you get a total of 6 even whooshes, your probably good.

Is the car hard to start the next morring after you shut it off? I have read that once the coolant temp gauge goes past 3/4 it is already to hot. When my water seals took a dump, the pressure would cause coolant to shoot out the over flow. #1 Compression check, #2 coolant pressure check

Thanks for the tips...



I just got back from my mechanic, who says he didn't do anything to it and it's just a result of the previous problem, which may be true. I wasn't trying to be an ass, but he just wants to bail out and leave it running 50x worse than it was, even though I was willing to pay him for his time.



He claims he checked the MAP sensor and it was hooked up, but didn't know if it was bad. Said the car didn't show anything wrong when he hooked it up to his computer.



So basically, I told him to screw and took my car back.



I'm thinking of just shipping the thing to KD Rotary and be done with it.



I don't know, but I'm so upset right now...

Where do you live?

Have you found out where the oil was leaking from? Have you taken off the intake elbow to see if it is full of oil yet? If the turbos are bad enough to be putting that much oil in the intake track, they could be the problem. It sounds like a sensor, maybe o2 or map.

definitely not the 02 sensor. Possibly the map however.

Massachusetts.



I'm going to try and look at it this weekend. Triple check the MAP sensor, plugs, wires, etc...



https://www.nopistons.com/forums/pub..._DIR#>/sad.png

Not saying its the problem. But, I cut my O2 sensor wire on accident one time and it smoked like a biotch. Syptoms just like the MAp sensor.



I personally, think the guys mechanic jacked the **** up. Prolly plug wires mixed or something. But, he still has not told us that he checked the intake elbow hiself!

Hey...



What should I be checking exactly on the intake elbow?



To be sure I know what you mean, is the intake elbow bolted to the right-hand side of the throttle body?



I'm making a list and will check it out to the best of my abilities this weekend...



Thanks...

If you are looking at the car from the front, yes its on the right side of the TB. The mechanic said thats where the oil was coming from, right?

Just unbolt it and look inside for oil. If there is a ton of oil in it, then your turbos are shot.

Hey If your in Massachusets then I have heard that there are some good rotary shops in Connecticut. Check that out! I used to live in CT but now I am in San Diego. I can't remember where the shops are but I am sure if you looking is a directory then you can fine them.

this might help



Hey check this sight out! They might be able to help you and maybe even be able to tell you where a shop is in Connecticut. They are located there.

These guys answer questions about a lot of stuff and they have answered about RX-7s. I hope it helps.

OK! Very good news! I pulled the intake elbow, throttle body and oil filler off and double-checked all the plugs and wires - looked good. Checked the oil level and it looked overfilled, by maybe 1/2 quart. Drained and refilled the oil, and it's running far far better! No smoke, very driveable.



HOWEVER, I pretty much get no boost! on occasion it does, but in general if I gas it it will stammer and stutter around 3.5K RPM or so and gets no better at 5K. Basically, no power at all up there.



But, it is very driveable around.



I checked around for anything obvious, but have come up with nothing so far.



Only thing obvious that I saw was behind the alternator. Open spot for a hose, but I don't find an obvious hose that is unplugged.



Look familiar to anyone?



Any other ideas???



Thanks!

Mike

That open line is normal. It's only used on automatics.

Hmmmm....



OK.



Any ideas that as to what could cause my car to basically cut out when the turbos should be kicking in?

I dont think that hose is normal....Their would only be a open pipe for automatics and a blocked pipe if I recall. Their shouldnt be a hose that is just laying their. Looks to me like it might be the hose to the EGR solenoid. It is the first one on the rack and might cause a lumpy idle. Not sure if it would cause the turbos to just cut out.

Hmmm, I guess the resolution on my minotir was way too high. It looked like a metal pipe, but zooming in I guess it could be an actual hose.

Fixed my problem - was the hose to the damn MAP sensor, must have had some restriction due to the routing, but it's back to normal now!



How pumped am I???



Anyway, I'm still a bit curious about that nipple. I don't see a loose hose, but I do see a suspicious open nipple.



What's my best chance at figuring out if that's normal or not??



Thanks,

Mike

That is normal. What dadel GT said was correct.





this is what your talking about correct? I wondered the same thing when i did my first hose job.

Vindication! :p: Yeah, that's what I was talking about.

Glad to hear - thanks guys!!