Anyone know Mazda rotary engines?

Got a killer deal on a 2004 Mazda RX-8.

The reason for the great price,.... it won't start. Engine turns over, but no fire.

I know little-to-nothing about rotary engines, so when I suspect a broken timing chain/belt, I'm not even sure they have one. Same with cams. cranks, and other "normal" engine parts.

It was hooked up to a diagnostic, didn't show any codes.

so, that's where I am....cranking without a clue. Don't even know where to start

Anyone?

 

The only two times I've ever worked on a rotary engine, both RX-7's, 2nd and 3rd gens, they wouldn't crank and the problem turned out to be flooding. The solution was to dry the plugs and then tow it around in gear until all the funk blew out of it. Eventually while towing it coughed to life, then smoked like a train, then cleared up and ran fine.

Whether this was the right way or the wrong way is another question, but it worked when nothing else would. I don't recall whether flooding was the primary issue; I think at least one of those cars needed a coil, but having tried to crank it so many times, it definitely became the reason they wouldn't start.

 

I don't know much about these engines either but, they are awsome little engines. Here is a link to the engine diagram and internals.



http://www.tomorrowstechnician.com/Article/1517/the_rotary_engine_turns_40.aspx

 

Also, check this out.

 

I'm not even gonna start on the rotary rant, but they have there own problems

More then likely you got a rx8 that hasn't had the motor replaced yet lol
(Common for them to fail)

 

Heck if all else fails you can always toss in an LS into it

 

http://www.rx8blog.com/rx8-starting-problems-rx-8-flooding-issue/

 

Thanks for the tips and links,....keep 'em coming.

We were told about flooding issues from another source too. I guess even with modern, high-tech computerized fuel injection, some things never change LOL

I don't know if "tow starting" is the proper way to deal with it either, but sounds just like something I'd do.

I'll check the links, and keep on digging

The thought has already crossed my mind.

Uhh, has it been done? (just keeping my options open )


.

 

http://www.rx8club.com/showthread.php?t=174888

 

Only thing I know for sure, is don't put liquid glass in one if it has a coolant leak! My Pa in law did that several years ago on a little rotary powered Mazda work car he had, locked that sucker slap up! He tore it down just to see what it looked like inside, it was weird looking. Two big triangles and a lot of gears. It also had two distributors, each with two terminals side by side, and blank on the other side of the cap, like half a 4 cylinder cap. Needless to say, the junk man ended up with it....

 

Had one at work for a no start in our body shop. Called my buddy at Mazda. HE said they are horrible for flooding the plugs. Even sent me a bulletin on how to start an RX8. I pulled the plugs which I will never do again. Yep soaked and flooded. Its common apparently. That is the extent of my experience with those.

 

We worked on some in the 70's. I'm thinking R/X 2 and R/X 3's. The little cars were tin cans, But surprisingly fast. The one i remember the most had a duel point distributor and not the kind you would think. Anyway we found out too late NOT TO USE STARTING FLUID, Because it dry's out the compression stick THINGS?? and some big seel?

 

a buddy of mine had a first gen rx7 when we were in high school..all i know is that you can turn those rotary motors up to about 10,000 rpms:bananaman. not that i would know from experience...fun little car, and would drift like crazy! honestly id just yank the rotary and throw in a coyote 5.0

 

I remember the old ones if set up right ran like a TOP

 

i worked at a mazda dealer in the 90s. when they would come in not running we would put a cap full of atf in each rotor through the top spark plug hole. then you crank it till its starts firing. then you let it run and after about 20 min it stops smoking from the atf. i dont know if this works on the new 3 rotor motors. it worked every time on the 2 rotor motors.