If a 1988 Mazda RX7 is turning over but not starting and is getting fuel and spark and compression is 100 in each rotor what could be wrong?

Answer 1

On an RX7 that does not start, the first thing to suspect is always that you have flooded the beast. ALWAYS. So read up on de-flooding, and follow the instructions. An RX7 never ever ever starts when it is flooded. A standard compression guage doesn't work on a rotary, so you may not have good compression unless yours is the correct type. Also check your basic timing. Is it anywhere close to making sense? An RX7 is a very high voltage system--it does not tolerate poor electrical connections well at all (but a Detroit or Japanese car will). If you don't have a strong spark, check the coil and other ignition components. Make sure all 12 volt connections are very clean--i.e. bright metal. Start with the battery terminals, the battery wires, the battery ground point on the engine (often a culprit, since it is easy for it to corrode). Inspect your battery cables as well, as they may be needing replacement. Be sure your battery is fully charged--it should read in the 13 volt range when fully charged. And be sure you get a heavy duty one, since you need capacity to de-flood an engine away from home. Make sure your coils are both working. Did you replace the ignition wires recently? Again, on a high voltage system, they must be in very good condition for the engine to run well. All that said, the old mantra is that if an engine doesn't start, check compression, fuel delivery and ignition. You've already checked the compression. Have you tried starting fluid? If it fires up with a little starting fluid you've narrowed down the problem. If that doesn't help, check for ignition. Pull a plug wire, connect it to a spare sparkplug and lay it on a solid metal surface on the engine. Crank the engine and see if you have a strong spark. If starting fluid started the engine, check the fuel pump and whatever a rotary engine uses as a carb or injector.