gonetomorrow

I'm hoping to pick up a 1988 RX7 (FC3?) with 142,000 miles. I'd be completely new to rotaries and that's one reason I'd like to undertake this project. I noticed the car sitting in a field for a couple of years and finally approached the owner, who it turns out, knows next to nothing about the vehicle (long story) but has title. The exterior and interior are in in good shape though. However, when I pushed on the clutch, it felt like the brake pedal. Finally, with enough force, it went down to the floor, and stayed there. Rust? Master cylinder? I've started to read up but thought I'd ask for ideas on what it could be. Thanks for any help.

theflatlander

If the car's been sitting for as long as you've said, the clutch issue will be the least of your problems(i can almost guarentee it need a rebuild). But yeah sounds like clutch hydraulics are bad. Now you've said the exterior and interior are good but what about the underbody(floor and frame rails, etc)

gonetomorrow

Don't have it home yet. It was 95 degrees and I was wearing a suit when I went to take a quick look at it. I figure it's going to need a rebuild or possibly I'll swap something in it instead. From what I've read so far, I'd guess some/all seals are shot. I was just going to replace all fluids and belts, possibly hoses, put a little two stroke oil in the spark plugs and try to start her up. Was also thinking of having the injectors blue printed first.



Damn tires are flat and the wheels are sinking into the ground so couldn't look under. Stuck a camera under and took one pick, as follows. Also, I'm hoping the floor is ok since I didn't see any rust stains or smell any mildew. When I get it home, I'll strip the interior out. Guess I'll know then.









Hmm, a little rust on the frame rail?

ColinRX7

How do you figure? I've seen good motors sit for years.. Two stroke in the combustion chamber, turn it over by hand for a bit, then fire it up. They seem to sit around just fine..



What I think you might be referring to is the reason that they sit for years - motor died and the car was abandoned.



If the motor was good, it will probably still be just fine.







Before you do anything, drag it out of the weeds. It might not even roll, so before you worry about blueprinting injectors (which won't be neccessary mind you to get this thing up and running, you can do that later on), you'll probably have to free up the brakes. If you can't get them to free up with the wheels off, just pull the pads out of the calipers. Do not use the brakes on the car at any time, and trailer the thing to your home base (shop? garage? driveway?). Put it up on stands, and service the brakes new - rotors, pads, etc. Then you can start dinking around with getting the motor running. You'll feel alot less pressure to make the thing run (and chances are - break less stuff in the process) if you're doing it at home.



It's at that point you'll probably decide to dismantle half the intake apart looking for creatures or debris, and at the same time you can dump two stroke down the holes, pull the spark plugs out, crank it over with a 19mm socket and breaker bar, and listen for compression to happen. You'll be less likely to want to do that in the middle of the field.

theflatlander

thats what i was thinking, motor was shot before it was parked. This car will be a project for sure.

j9fd3s

sitting in a field means the clutch and brake hydraulics are bad.



who knows what else you'll find, but like colin says, the engine will probably run, although who knows if its good or not

gonetomorrow

Went up the night before with a compressor, filled the tires and pulled it out of the weeds. Thing rolls surprisingly smoothly. Tires still round in the AM so had it towed home. The former owner, who I believe, said it was running when parked so I'm hopeful that after taking necessary precautions, I may just be lucky enough to have it start. I saw in the owner's manual that there's a drain plug on the gas tank so that'll get drained and I'll try to purge the fuel system of old gas. Another positive is that when I checked the oil on the dip stick, it was clean. I'm going to change it anyway but when I asked the owner about it he said they were **** about oil changes (this was part of a fleet of varied vehicles) changing the oil every 3000. The radiator fluid was clean too. Car wasn't clean though so that's where I started. First just opened it up to breath.



[attachment=44744:IM000038.jpg]



There was a bees nest between the door and the frame so I sprayed that down and on the other door there was a big ol spider's nest so I brushed that off and started to take the carpet out from the trunk (smells and also want to check floor.)



[attachment=44745:IM000039.jpg]



Damn, that looks like a mouse nest behind the passanger seat.



[attachment=44746:IM000044.jpg]



Yup, and there's Mr. Mouse, LOL. Same chewed up underliner on the other side as well. Also, looks like he chewed some of the lighting wires that run to the bins so that'll have to be replaced. So far only had time to pull the rear carpet, which I'll try to wash, and threw out all the padding underneath. After I get all the carpet out and have replaced fluids, I'll pull the intake for cleaning, replace the battery and try starting as ColinRX7 mentioned above. This is purely a project car, for the time beings so there's no pressure, other that I can't spend too much money. Thanks for the advice. I'll let you know how it goes.



Clutch and brake hydraulics bad because of moisture?



Also, some guy saw the tow truck, pulled in to my driveway and asked if I'd sell the car. I told him I didn't even know if it ran. He said if it started after replacing the battery he'd give me a grand for it. Since that's several times what I paid for it, I considered it but even if it starts, I'm not selling. I'm liking the car more and more and I haven't even driven it yet!