Hi, I just purchased my first RX-7 (YAY!), a 1980 to be exact. Its 5-Speed, Blue and basic options, call it an S or whatever the model designation is. Its got Mags, thats about all I can say for options, but something tells me they are not original mags. Anyways...



First thing I noticed was the steering was a bit loose up front. Nothing alarming, but it makes freeway driving nervous. Wondering what it could be, Idler arm? Some worn bushings? Just asking in case someone knows something from experience.



The second thing I noticed was an oil leak. Very slow on the side of the engine and it only drips when its running higher than 1000RPM. Very Slow though. The Compression is good and the car doesnt burn oil from what I've observed, and what the last owner says. It is a blown Apex seal or something? Should I worry? Everything runs A-OK.



Third Thing, XENON (Or XEON, whatever) Bulbs are in the headlamps. I noticed a reduced amout of power to the car when I crank them up, almost like its too much power, sometimes it even cuts out - wondering if Im right and it is too much power.



Fourth thing - Just some quesitons about intake and exhaust. Now my exhaust is new. I've got a performance muffler (Some kinda soup-can variant lol) And a High Flow Cat Converter. The Header is ceramic coated I think, not sure, but it looks Uber. Not sure as I didnt put anything on it, I just got it. But Someone told me that you need a Cat converter for the car to run properly due to sensors or something. If I take it off, will it adversley affect and degrade performance? Or will it increase? (We dont have emmissions testing here, yay!) And as for intake, what kinda carb will fit, I got this nice 600cfm Holly 4 BBL off a 350 I'd like to put on, will it fit? Or do I have to buy some specific carbourator.





Wheew! Lots of stuff. Any and ALL Help will be appriciated. Thanks in advance. I got tons more questions, but this will do for now!



Im new to this rotary stuff.

Congrats on the new ride! welcome



They due tend to burn some oil, however if an apex seal is blown the motor would run very rough, if it ran at all.



Where about on the side does the oil leak originate from?



If you don't have emissions testing you can ditch the cat and it should run a little better. Also you may choose to eliminate all the emissions accessories from the motor as well.

first thing...do a search on here...there is a mod you can do to fix the play in the wheel.



second thing...An oil leak is not too bad unless it drinks so much you can't keep any in it...the cost of keeping it from leaking is usually higher than just pouring more and more oil in...as for the blown apex seal...if you had one the car wouldn't run very well...if at all...each rotor has 3 apex seals...one at each corner of the rotor with a springy thing under it...if you aren't familiar with how the engine works check out howstuffworks.com



third thing...when I turn the lights on my car on...even before I replaced them with hotter bulbs...the engine does tend to bog down some...at idle anyway...if you have problems when not at idle its probably something besides the lights...like a vac leak...dirty plugs/distributor...bad connection on the battery/coils

I run either 2 65watt or 2 75 watts for headlights...plus 2 130 watt fog lights...and a 400 watt amp...with no problems...flys thru the gears like mad without hesitation...and as for your xeon bulbs...there is virutally no difference between them and a normal halogen bulb...they are probably 50 or 55 watts...they just have xeon gas in them...which produces a brighter and whiter light



Fourth thing...I'm running zero...yes...zero emissions equipment...and my car is running better than it ever did with that mess of crap on it...you can find step by step guides on how to remove all of that crap...the guide i used was from mazspeed.com ...but it will take a good day atleast...I'm also running a straight exhaust sytem...the sensors are stuck back into a new pipe where the cats were...and a glass pack on the back...zero problems out of the setup...the car doesn't even know what its missing https://www.nopistons.com/forums/pub...R#>/tongue.png



I'd say performance is dramatically increased...but i've lost some gas mileage...but I think thats due to my driving style recently...might vary for you...there are 3 simple things you need to have your car running great... 1.intake 2. fire 3.exhaust I increased my air intake simply by drilling holes in the carb lid...around the edges so it still sucked into the filter...fire can be increased by getting some better coils...new wires...and good plugs...ngk rotary is all I run...exhaust is also key...I took off my cats and went from 14-16 mpg to 17-19 overnight...not only do they restrict flow...but they also have a tendancy to get clogged when they get old...sometimes either blowing the clog thru or exploding...its not cool either way...so I just got rid of them





and uhm...don't put that carb on your car...they come stock with a nikki 4-bbl carb...plenty of flow for average use...plus if its not designed for your car it will run like crap...stock flow is only around 300-350 i'm pretty sure...so if you stick 600 on the engine will probably just flood with gas...not cool https://www.nopistons.com/forums/pub...R#>/tongue.png



There is a holley 4bbl designed for the car if you just want one...I think racingbeat.com has them for sale...and you'll also find various 2-bbl carbs...the webber is pretty popular...and i"ve also seen 2 of those webbers hooked onto the cars



Also...and this would be your best option...there are certain people who rebuild/rework the stock nikki 4-bbl...I'm running one that was rebuilt by a man name paul yaw...he does awesome work...and it solves a lot of the little quirks the carb had as stock

i'd check all the bushings, ball joints and tie rod ends. the steering box will get looser(more free play) with age(wear), there's an adjustment on it that will take out some of the excess free play, i did it on my 3, tightens the steering up nicely.



that holley u have wont be jetted for a rotort nor will it have the fitting for the omp line. and it wont fit the stock intake. someone had an RB or J-tech intake for holley on either ebay or thepartstrader.com, can't remember which, i have the RB setup.



depending on the noise level ur alowed by law for ur state will dictate the type of exhaust sustem. my system is RB streetport setup, header, dual presilencers, premiflow muffler. i was suprised just how quiet this system is.



find out where this oil leak is. i had one with the oil sending unit leaking.

Congrats and welcome to Nopistons!



#1: If you don't have one already, get a Haynes manual and try to get a factory service manual. Combined with the internet, these will help you learn how to care for your unique car.



#2: Make sure your Oil Metering Lines (and pump) are working! It sounds like the previous owner knew what they were doing (so they should be okay), but this is something you need to understand so you don't go and damage your engine.



I have a '79, and our cars are very similar. Unless the previous owner had some sort of custom fabricated catalytic converter installed, you actually have what is called a "thermal reactor".



Read, read, and read! The more you learn the more you will love your new car. There is a wealth of online information (here and abroad) provided by the strong rotary community. I'm sure most of us here have at least a few dozen RX-7 links saved. A good link to get you started is: Popular 1st Gen RX-7 FAQs



One last thing... drive it like you stole it!



Edit: Hey, cool. I just noticed you live in Calgary too! FYI, if you need anything for your car there is an '80 at Pick-Your-Part.

You should also signup for the SA22C mailing list. They now have a website with all the archived messages and some really great info. Instructions on how to join are in the FAQ on the website.

Thanks for the info guys! I wont be able to turn a wrench on it until saturday, but I'll do some more research, pick up some parts and let you guys know how it goes. The car idles fantastic and runs really really good, even with headlights on. Also, is there any way to take care of rust? Like, Im anything but an autobody guy, theres a little around my fenders (like any car I guess). I might just break down and get it professionally fixed, filled and painted or whatever, but is there any home remedies to, well, help rectify the problem, or at least make it look, well, not rusty?







Thanks for the Info Option6, I'll definately have to plunder that 1980 from pick your part. Maybe we'll meet this season at race city for some good ol' drag racing action on friday nights. Or trade stories over a cup of joe. Until then.....

welcome to NP. well i hope you find much help from here and dont have too much problems with your FB, not that many running around (here at least).

Ok I fixed a couple wiring problems lol. I have this problem where for my headlights and vehicle lights to operate at night, I'd have to permanently have my foot on the brake. Its a short somewheres. I found a blown fuse and replaced it, it works fine for now.



My car is completely Stereo-less. No speakers or anything. Im gonna put in a good CD-Player Deck and probably just average run of the mill speakers. T



he car runs amazing, but Its a bit noisy coming from the rear passenger side of the car when I hit a bump. I think something might be, not broken, but out of place on the suspension on that side. I'll take a look when its daylight.



I also noticed my door is a different colour of my whole car. My car is light blue, my door is like, baby blue. Obviously a poor paint job of a replacement door, as its even peeling. Anyone know what the colour is called mazda used for light blue in 1980? Might either get it matched, or just paint the whole car. Its got a few little rust spots here and there.



Its also got perelli tyres on it. 185/70/ZR13. Wicked awesome grip on the tarmac, not so good on anything but tarmac.



Other than that, I just got kids stuff to chase around and find to replace. I opened my rad resivour today and it was like, gross. Brown "Anti-Freeze". I think its time for a rad flush or something. Thats just wrong. Smelled like.....something from an Anus.



I also wanna do an oil change and tuneup - any recommendations for oil/filter, Distributor parts and wires? I should probably service my transmission too. The car doesnt have alot of KMS, but its like 25 years old. Better safe than sorry.



Guys have any other tips on checking this car out and maintaining it?

Car care is covered in the Haynes manual, so there is a good place to start.



I installed a Fram "SureDRAIN" from Canadian Tire ($19). Type is SD2. This makes changing the oil EVEN EASIER then it already is (I love the top-mounted oil filter!!). I just about stripped my 25 year old oil drain bolt the first time I did an oil change, and quickly replaced it with the Fram part. Now I don't even need to jack the car up... just reach under and loosen the finger-tight cap, and screw in the drain hose which begins the oil flow. Because the oil filter is at the top, you can replace it while the oil is draining! https://www.nopistons.com/forums/pub...1047683329.gif



I usually stock up on the premium Motomaster oil filters when they are on sale, but use whatever you feel like.



Most rotorheads will probably tell you to go with Castrol 20W50 oil, but that isn't very practical where we are. I use 20W50 in the summer, and 10W30 in the winter without any problems. Oddly enough, I found my car smoked a lot more on startup (after sitting more than a day or two) when I switched to 20W50. I was hoping the heavier oil wouldn't seep into my rotor housings as quickly (my oil control rings seem to be on the way out).



You should consider changing your fuel filter (aprox every 10,000K)... it is a quick swap that costs less than $5.



While you have the back end of the car jacked up (in fact, you should have the entire car up on jack stands) it wouldn't hurt to replace the gear oil in your rear differential and transmission. I'm considering trying their light "Shockproof" oil, but currently use Red Line 75W90 in the rear and MTL-90 in the tranny. Both types are $10.83 a quart at Guyons Performance (3702 Edmonton Tr NE, Calgary AB) and they keep them in stock at all times. I bought a small $12 pump from CT (in the jerry can aisle) to get the oil into the housings. A 10 minute job!



Definately clean that gunk out of your cooling system! A good flush is recommended. I have not found an easy way to do this as I don't want to be flushing out all the coolant in my alley (touchy neighbours and all). I just used a very large pan under the car in the garage and kept draining the system into that, keeping the stuff for proper disposal. I replaced all my aging hoses (top hose from Auto Value Parts, lower from CT.. about $15 each), and a few feet of bulk heater hose as well. My hoses all had the original clamps (which I dislike), so grab some new stainless steel hose clamps if required. Make sure to only use distilled water and coolant. I sprung for a bottle of Red Line Water Wetter as well.



I looked at the cost of replacing my distributor cap and rotor and decided it wasn't worth throwing $50+ at something that would require further maintenance down the road. I'm planning on using the parts I grabbed from the '80 at Pick Your Part to upgrade to electronic ignition (my '79 uses a points distributor) while at the same time doing a DLIDFIS install.



Check your coils, wires, and plugs to see if they are within factory specifications and decide if it is worth upgrading or replacing them yet.



That's about all I can think of right now for basic maintenance. Then again, I'm still learning about all this stuff myself!

Ya my car died today. Well, its fine, but it wont fire. I mean, I crank it and crank it and every so often it goes to wanna run, but just quits. I checked the spark plugs and there was like nothing left. So Im going to replace them tomorrow and see what happens. Everyone says that theres no fuel getting to the plugs, but belive me, the engine is getting plenty of fuel to the plugs. I took out a plug to see if it worked, it barely sparked and fuel was plenty spraying out the hole. I also completely cooked my starter in the process of like 4 hours of cranking (while trying different things). I need a new one, anyone know any compatable ones I can find if I can't find an RX-7 Specific one for cheap? Im definately going to replace the fuel filter. Other than that, I have no idea what the problem is. I havent checked compression yet, but my instict tells me that its fine considering the amount of pressurized fuel that shot out. And no Im not out of gas, I have like half a tank. The engine is fine though, like it was purrring like a kitten when I let it warm up this morning. And it drive fine. Then it just died. I had a similar problem on my van one time, only it wasnt getting power to the spark plugs. The ignition module was cooked. This is getting power to the plugs, just barely. And what do I do if it floods, which obviously happend with 4 hours of work and no firing? Any other suggestions are greatly appriciated. I have 2 other questions:



Wheres the Fuel Filter Located?



Wheres the Fuel Pump Located?





I also checked my brakes out today and noticed that my wheels on the front are hard to rotate. Like the brake is kinda still on. Is that a sign to replace a caliper? Or you think it could be a bearing problem?





P.S. I havent gotten my Hanynes Manual Yet, hence the questions.

fuel filter and pump is under the car near the fuel tank.

I killed my starter after dealing with a bout of BAD carbon lock in the fall. I called *everywhere* and just ended up getting a Bosch (rebuilt) starter (with 5/yr warranty) from Canadian Tire for $129.72 (with exchange of your old starter).



I replaced all my battery/starter cables at the same time with 1 guage wire. I can't recall the exact lengths required, but the parts counter has them in their computer. Consider adding an additional ground point to your alternator as well. Linky



In addition to why/how to add an extra ground point to your alternator, the website has other excelent articles (including removing the fuel tank, unflooding the engine, spark plug life expectancy, and something to read before replacing the starter) found here:



http://www.nellump.net/peri/epi/firstGenTech.html

http://www.nellump.net/peri/epi/gen7Tech.html



Before I forget, here is a chartof the 1st Gen paint codes you were asking about.



My front tires have a bit of resistance when turned by hand, but I always figured that was inherent of the caliper design.. maybe I'm wrong? I had my front driver-side caliper LOCK UP on a weekend in Golden, B.C. Don't ask how I got it home. It may be worth having checked over by a professional.



As for diagnosis, the Haynes manual just says "High-quality radio test equipment is necessary to test the condensers, so if they are suspect it is more economical to try new ones". Keep a lookout at the salvage yards for a few spares.



You really should get the manual before trying to replace and diagnose any more problems... that $20 will pay for itself quickly! It has a full troubleshooting section that can help you check items in a logical order to reduce the chance of mis-diagnosis (eg. buying new $200 ignitors before checking spark plug wire resistance and ignition coil condition, etc.).

Ok, I checked Compression today. Its fine, engine is top notch. As for my new starter, well, I bought it used and ended up breaking shortly after I tested my compression. I think its time for that bosch from canadian tire. As for spark plugs, The part source on 52nd Street NE has em, but for $12.50 EACH. They are the NGK platnium ones. I took a good look over everything, and I noticed my car has quite a few 'loose ends', as in the last owner chucked quite a few things. The main things I noticed were wires I was told that were for the pollution equipment stuff that is completely vacant from the car (Woohoo!) Theres alot of other wires too on the starter side of the transmisson that just dont seem to go anywhere. Just stray looking single wires, ones that look like they are for sensors and such. I looked at diagrams and of the wiring, and I can't seem to find a place for them. So I'll just leave it.



The sadest part of all, is that this car is my first experience with a rotary engine. And the worst part of it is, I think this whole time it was just flooded. I mean, I cranked it for hours trying different things and techniques I used on my old Chevys and they just didnt work. In the process I killed my starter and stirred up alot of other stuff too. Im the kinda guy that breaks one thing in the process of fixing another. All this time it was probably just flooded.





*Takes out white glove and slaps self in the face*



Oh well, live and learn I guess.



Oh BTW, I stopped by pick-your-part and alls they had was one RX-7 in the whole place (Well they had another 1981 that was complete and for sale). But the stripped one was an 84 GSL, and it was just that, stripped. Absolutely nothing on it, alls I got was a Mazda RX-7 emblem off the side. No engine or anything. Only thing of interest left was the rear end and disc brakes. Is it possible to put that rear end and disc brakes into my 1980? I think I read somwhere you can do it with great difficulty.



Anyways, Its sleep time. Tommorrow, I start my day with a quest for a starter.

The plugs are expensive, but at least we only need 4. My NGK BR7ET sparkplugs are $9.99 ea. at PartSource. I'm suprised the BR8ET for the 1980 is that much more.

You can put any 12A capatable spark plugs into your car. My car takes the BR8ET, but I've got BR8ET-14Q (Or something) in it. The spark plugs that are specified for 81-85 12A's. The only difference is that the newer plugs have 4 ground electrodes instead of 3. So in other words, the newer plugs are better. My car is in top notch shape, I hosed the engine down with a 3500 psi pressure washer (Used for Tractor-Trailers), its sparkling clean now, and I can see where the oil likes to seep out. Im gonna do a change and throw some 10w30 in it with a FRAM Double Guard Oil filter. I looked for a K&N Oil Filter, but they were out of stock. https://www.nopistons.com/forums/pub...IR#>/wacko.png





Anyone here running synthetic oil in their car? What kinda gas milage you getting? https://www.nopistons.com/forums/pub...IR#>/blush.png

I put an 81 rear on a 79 with little difficulty (sic). So I can't see any problems.



ITs a very good upgrade. https://www.nopistons.com/forums/pub...IR#>/bigok.gif

I'm gettin a new rear end in my 85' pretty soon.

How do you tell if its an LSD or Locker? I think my 80 has a locker because when I do a brake stand, both tyres spin. That and on ice and crap, both tyres spin. I should stop the brake stand though, my Pirelli Tyres are wearing down.

If you haven't done the oil change yet, you may want to ask around about adding Teflon PTFE to your rotary. Using that FRAM Double Guard may not be a great idea. The Teflon additives may reduce compression, and I doubt they burn off properly inside the engine.



It's a loooong read, but here is some well researched information:

Additive section of the Oil Bible



I'm considering switching to synthetic oil after rebuilding & breaking in my engine.

I premix my fuel so I don't have to worry about burning the synthetic engine oil.

You'll know if its **welded** if when you turn a corner, it drags a wheel cos they are forced to spin at the same time. if it feels normal when you turn corners, you most likely have a LSD.



edit: corrected my post

Locking diffs lock when one looses traction, steering still operates normally. An LSD prevents things like brake stands and slippage. I have a locker in my 80.

My lsd went out in my 85, im gettin a new one soon i hope...i think it is nice to have lsd than to have a locker