Second question: Is the rear transmission cover (the one that holds the shifter ) is interchangable between all years s4/s5 RX-7?



I used the old one on the new tranny i bought, since the T&R cross member brackets fit that peice and not the one from the new tranny becuase it was bigger


[/quote]

yes they are interchangable, i have done diffenrnt trans swaps, hell i built a s2 12a trans center section, aka the gearbox with a s5 tail housing and bell housing with out any issues. now to me it sounds like the reason for the fire is quite simple, the starter got over heated, check the starter terminal for the 12v bat. line make sure the terminal post is not loose then check the ground that is bolted to the back side of the motor that is bolted with the long starter bolt, since that is directly below the slave the problem may lie there , all these reasons can make the car crank very slowly and sound like the motor is binding but then again i am not there to see what is truly the problem. also make sure the throw out bearing was new and also free spinning when it was installed.

[quote name='fc3sboy1' date='Jul 5 2005, 06:53 PM']

Second question: Is the rear transmission cover (the one that holds the shifter ) is interchangable between all years s4/s5 RX-7?



I used the old one on the new tranny i bought, since the T&R cross member brackets fit that peice and not the one from the new tranny becuase it was bigger


[/quote]

yes they are interchangable, i have done diffenrnt trans swaps, hell i built a s2 12a trans center section, aka the gearbox with a s5 tail housing and bell housing with out any issues. now to me it sounds like the reason for the fire is quite simple, the starter got over heated, check the starter terminal for the 12v bat. line make sure the terminal post is not loose then check the ground that is bolted to the back side of the motor that is bolted with the long starter bolt, since that is directly below the slave the problem may lie there , all these reasons can make the car crank very slowly and sound like the motor is binding but then again i am not there to see what is truly the problem. also make sure the throw out bearing was new and also free spinning when it was installed.


[/quote]



yeah the throw-out bearing is new. I took it out my old one and put it on the clutch fork and it was free moving. I would hate to take it all apart again. If the ground doesnt work and its a binding issue im driving a truck over there, not my car.



jason nyc



Thanks for yer help

is this the starter ground. anD IF so where should i connect it. I know you guys said behind the motor, but i dont ever remember removing this. I guess it was somewhere behind the area where i was working and when i removed something, i guess i was only paying attention to the front and not to anything in the back.



Jason NYC

Yes - under the head of the starter mounting bolt.



Also check the #10 ga clip on ground from the top of the bellhousing to the firewall.

If it was on, it probably got burned.

[quote name='sureshot' date='Jul 6 2005, 07:19 AM']Yes - under the head of the starter mounting bolt.



Also check the #10 ga clip on ground from the top of the bellhousing to the firewall.

If it was on, it probably got burned.


[/quote]





sureshot is right about this and the foaming you're seeing on the clutch line im a lil late responding here cuz i dont frequent the fc sections.



the cause of your slow cranking sounds like something is misalligned in the bell housing. you may have installed the clutch disk backwards. did the tranny go in easily (slide flush into the dowel pins on the motor)? or did you force the gap closed by running in the 14mm bolts? check the orientation of the disk while u have the tranny down and make sure the tranny goes back in easily with no forcing.

i had the ss clucth line cacth fire well not fire but started to smoke and it was a bad ground and the line was acting as a ground and frying

[quote name='SPEED_NYC' date='Jul 6 2005, 06:22 PM']sureshot is right about this and the foaming you're seeing on the clutch line im a lil late responding here cuz i dont frequent the fc sections.



the cause of your slow cranking sounds like something is misalligned in the bell housing. you may have installed the clutch disk backwards. did the tranny go in easily (slide flush into the dowel pins on the motor)? or did you force the gap closed by running in the 14mm bolts? check the orientation of the disk while u have the tranny down and make sure the tranny goes back in easily with no forcing.


[/quote]



the clutch was installed in T&R and the car was running fine before that. So i dont think its that. At first we tried to align it by tightening up some bolts but then we figured that was wrong and on the third try it slipped right in. No fighting it or anything just slid right in. The tranny sat perfectly centered.



Another question is after we put the crossmember it kinda moved a lil towards the passenger side. SO i was wondering if that was okay. I know its better to have it straight but thats how it is right now.



And once i fix the ground i think the car will start up fine.



jason NYC