Rote8

OD - Seafoam time?

olddragger

iTrader: (3)

already tried that---with atf. no difference
Plugs looked good--
The car cranks pretty easy, idles when warm. I can see just a slight fluctuation from the vacuum gauge needle. It backfires now--never did before, dead skip all rpms. Classic sx's.
I will do audible compression check tonight, but I dont expect any change.
This really sucks
I have decided to sell out.
Going to list it for $9,500--as is. I think most know all the options I have.
OD

Moon Assad

Dam Denny, that sucks. Are you going to atleast check it out and maybe find the cause?

olddragger

iTrader: (3)

Talking to Paul at Mazmart today.

09Factor

Bummer OD.

Rote8

Supercharged 2011 Mustang in your future?
Stuff an LS1 into the 8?
Update: KB Hemi!

olddragger

iTrader: (3)

we are all scratching our heads as to what happened. Who the hell knows?
I am beginning to believe that if you want longitivity then you have to drive it hard all the time.
Maybe I was keeping it too cool? 180F?? Hell dont know again. Really dont care. It doesnt matter anymore as you really cant fix this kind of problem. End up chasing your tail all the time. Fustrating.
I can take a gradual lost of compression, but this sh-- i get fustrated.
I also am growing weary of working on it.
I will know more tonight.
OD

olddragger

iTrader: (3)

Damn puzzling---the audible test could not have been better--straight pop-pop-pop on both rotors. ????????
So I checked spark at the plug on both leading plugs and----- damn no spark at all on the leading plug in the rear rotor---nada. WTF??? The spark on the front rotor wasnt that great--only a yellowish orange flame.
Plugs (they are new) looked like they had been firing??
Sudden ignition failure on the rear rotor?
So working backwards I check the sparkplug wire resistance---there is none---zero. Bingo I say--bad wire. But wait a minute--all the damn sparkplug wires have no resistance!! WTF again----I double check my meter on some other sparkplug wires I have and it works fine. Those bring just a very slight resistance. ?????? Ok put the new sparkplug wires on and still the same---maybe just a little better. Maybe.
Ok--i remove my twin fire system i have been running for a while ( red light has been on all this time) just it case that is the problem--nope no difference.
I got cold and tired --worked all day and then on the car until 10:30pm so I called it quits. As soon as it warms up a little this morning (30F outside now) I will replace the coils.
I did find that the ignition harness condenser (why do we have one of these?)
had came aloose somehow so i retighen that up. No change.
I also got to thinking about bad gas--this all happened about 2 miles down the road after I had filled up from 1/2 tank at a station (Walmart) that I dont normally use--a lot of people do use it but------??? But how does bad gas cause a dead skip?
Puzzled--but maybe NOT blown?? The saga continues.
Regardless I lost over $400 for a paid track w/e I cannot attend this w/e.
Car has pissed me off-----.
OD

jskup1

iTrader: (7)

Glad to hear the engine is still alive. I'm sure you'll get it figured out soon.

Brettus

iTrader: (2)

so you did the audible check and found solid even pulses ?

olddragger

iTrader: (3)

yes--that is correct.
I am chasing some type of electrical problem?
I have changed coil--i had a left over known good set. it has new plugs.
after further work i have found that when i pull the coil connector on either trailing coils---it makes no difference. on the leadings --if i pull them then yep big difference.
Anyone have any idea why both trailing's would suddenly stop firing?
No they are not crossed up-lol.
OD
OD

Brettus

iTrader: (2)

/\ i wouldn't think that pulling the trailings would make much difference at idle ....

california style

weird... 8(

Rote8

I thought the trailing side of our multiple spark ignition, was for higher rpm.


Pull both lead plugs, disconnect all the coils from the ECU.
Spin the engine.
Listen for the even woosh-pop sounds.

olddragger

iTrader: (3)

i have equal pop-pop-pop sounds.
I know at idle the trailings are not that apparent--but i idle at 1100 and the engine still skips at 3K, pulling the trailing coil connector makes no difference at that rpm.
Now at over 5K the engine still pulls hard.
After working on this for a little while I now have spark everywhere except the rear trailing.
So I start splitting the ignition coil harness----low and behold--the trigger coil wire for the rear trailing is broken (i have no idea how). Cool--now I can fix this.
So I solder the wires together etc etc. Fire it up and NO DAMN CHANGE----huh---WTH?. I switch coils--no change. I again check for spark---no spark. I pull the coil connector and no difference at 3K.
Ok i strip the entire coil part of the harness, from coil to ecu. Its all good.
The coils have a good ground, the condenser is plugged in.
Tomorrow I guess I will get the little connection light thingy--stick it in the trigger output of the coil connector and see if the light goes off any?
By the way my front rotor trailing spark is present on cranking? And its weak--orange color only.
I am really puzzled about this sudden thing that happened?
Why me Lord--Why me?.
OD

MazdaManiac

iTrader: (3)

Equal pops mean nothing. Anything over 20 PSI will sound "normal".
Trailings are totally responsible for idle, but they do not fire during cranking.
Plug wire resistance is meaningless.

olddragger

iTrader: (3)

i was just checking for continuity by resistance measurement. Yes it didnt work.

My front trailing sparks during cranking, my rear trailing never sparks I checked til 3K. I changed everything and checked the full harness.
I am still pulling good vacuum and above 5K i have good power.
Engine sounds like it has good compression and until i can get sparks were I need them--i wont know for sure.
I dont have a rotary compression tester. On a manual regular compression tester the needle jumps the same for all faces.
maybe my ecu has blown? I just dont know.
OD

swoope

iTrader: (5)

denny,

pm me your address.

will get compression tester out monday am..

beers

Rote8

Denny zero resistance means there is an electrical connection, plug wires resistance is measured in Ohms, and they can be tested if your multi-meter has a Mega-Ohm range.

What coils are you running?
I have already had one MSD coil fail a few months ago.

Check/charge your battery, put in new plugs, then switch the front and rear trailing coils. Does the problem follow the coil itself?


I would reflash the ECU, to confirm your ECU can still take a flash; If it won't take a flash, expect to get an ECU real soon.


How high does the needle go?
5? 50? 100?

olddragger

iTrader: (3)

no, spark doesnt follow the coil.
new plugs and i tried some others i had also.
rear trailing spark plug is wet when you remove it.
I have had blown engines before and this engine has too much power over 5 k to be blown. It still pulls hard after 4-5K
I am beginning to wonder if the ecu circuit is fired? Any special test for that?

Rote8

You really should find/buy/borrow a real rotary compression gauge to eliminate/confirm "blown engine" fears.
I had a side seal fail and the engine did run pretty good, but failed a test with a borrowed rotary compression tester (Thanks Swoope!)
Can you check the spark plug wire Ohms?


I do not think there is an ECU test we can do, except reflash the ECU.
If the flash doesn't work, you KNOW the ECU is broke....



Update:
Check your wires from the ECU to the coils and coils to ground; could they have gotten too hot?

Striker-7

iTrader: (3)

I'm going to throw in with Rote8 on this re. the ECU and associated wiring. Since the trailing plugs aren't fired during starter cranking (as MM points out), it's impossible to check wiring on them with a spark test. The engine does run, the trailing plug(s) are showing wet even though the leading plugs are firing?

MM will probably chime in, but I'll say coil driver circuits in the ECU are toasted. Seen it twice with another vehicle, coils checked OK, just not getting the juice needed to fire. I'm not that familiar with the wiring loom on the -8, but I'm certain you can wire a "twinkle light" to the questionable coil's ECU lead and see if a voltage pulse is present once the engine is idling.

Save the current flash, reload stock flash, start the engine if possible and catch the codes as they show. As Rote8 stated before, if it won't support the reflash, the ECU may be the faulty part.

olddragger

iTrader: (3)

i appreciate everyones thoughts and help---
BUT
got a better compression tester today--------- and it is blown------
rear rotor.
Seems like for me its always the rear rotor.
This is my 3nd engine in about 35K miles. I guess the results speak for themselves. I dont know what in the hell I am doing. The 1st 2 I know what happened. This one I dont have a clue.
I repeat i dont know what the heck I am doing. I thought I had learned a little--but i think i have blown more engines than any one else running the pettit kit/flash.
I keep the car/engine well--lowered the rpm limit to 7.5K, pre mix 1/2 oz, water meth kit that comes on with high boost, keep good plugs/coils on it, have temps well under control, running good air filter---my run data files have always been spot on--no hiccups, no misfire cels, change oil with 20w/50 @ 3 K, magnet on oil filter etc etc.

Please all--forget what all I have said--tried to give advice for some. I have been wrong. I didnt know it at the time, but now the proof that I dont know how to run a rotary engine is setting in my backyard.
I give the friggin up
OD out

Rote8

Do the numbers show two down chambers? (just one down rotor chamber is a bad side seal)

olddragger

iTrader: (3)

2 chambers down