Ok..it's a carb car, right?
If so, am I correct in assuming the choke has been eliminated? It's the flat plate at the very top of the carb. When it is cold, the plate will be closed, or nearly so. I bet your choke has been removed.
Has your engine been rebuild very recently?
Rotories can be a pain to start after a long rest without a choke. And will often refuse to run for long.
So....first, dbl check the fuel level..is it centered on the front and esp the back window?
Second, confirm that the PLUGs are firing when you crank the motor...ground the lower front one and observe a spark, then do the same for the back lower. Don't bother with the uppers. Double check to be sure the wires go where they are supposed to. ON the rotor cap it says "T1", etc. 1 is the front rotor, "T" is trailing or top. "L" is leading, or lower. Easy to remember.
Now, you have fuel and spark....but is the fuel getting to the chambers?? Look down the primaries..the smaller holes, and observe to see if you see two streams of fuel when you open the throttle. Use the cable or the linkage on the carb and a flashlight. If you don't see two streams shoot down the throat when you open the throttle, it is doubtful that it will ever start.
(If you don't, reply, and we will go from there on that possibility)
Now put it all back together, except the aircleaner, and make sure the battery is charged. If you have confirmed your car has no choke, give the gas pedal 5 firm full pushes all the way to the floor, then start cranking. As it cranks, pumping the pedal is often a good idea.
It SHOULD start. I am surprised how much pumping it takes sometimes, esp. in spring!
if it does start, keep running it up and down the tach, say 2K to 4K rmp, for a few minutes, then see if it will idle.
If it starts, runs, then dies after a couple minutes, shut the ignition right away and check the fuel level in the float bowls. If it's low, remove the fuel line feed right as it enters the carb, and get a glass bottle. Turn on the ignition, and you should see a flow. If it isn't strong, you need to find out why.
If the float bowls were half full, (as they should be), double check for spark...perhaps there is an ignition issue.
Is your gas new and fresh?
And, if this motor has just been rebuilt, make sure you keep it running for more then just a minute when you first start it, or you will have severe compression issues when you go to restart. Run it until it warms fully. If you can let it idle without overheating, do that for a while.
Let us know...if it gets desperate, email me for my phone #..
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Jake Gulick
CarriageHouse Motorsports
ITA 57 RX-7
New England Region
[email protected]