New To Rotarys
04-12-2004, 12:03 PM
#1
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 20
My son and i picked up an 85 GSL-SE in the local junkyard for $325 in good shape. It needed a water pump and heater hose. Started first crank. Never wrecked and apparently well cared for for most of its life save for the most recent owner who went cheap on it. I'll be asking the usual newb questions for rotaries. We not new to mechanics, just these no boingers.
04-12-2004, 12:18 PM
#2
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Jensen Beach, FL / Sylva, NC
Posts: 2,934
Fire away! We love questions.
The first things I would do to that car would be the basics.
Tune up - Plugs wires cap and rotor
Fuel filter - this is the most overlooked and most critical.
Flush the coolent system - but it sounds like you did that already.
Good luck and enjoy - I case you didn't know the 85GSL-SE is a pretty rare car. They were snapped up when the 86 body style came out. So you have quite a car there.
Make sure to take care of any rust spots asap make sure also the undercarraige is in good shape they tended to rust really bad.
Welcome to No Pistons
The first things I would do to that car would be the basics.
Tune up - Plugs wires cap and rotor
Fuel filter - this is the most overlooked and most critical.
Flush the coolent system - but it sounds like you did that already.
Good luck and enjoy - I case you didn't know the 85GSL-SE is a pretty rare car. They were snapped up when the 86 body style came out. So you have quite a car there.
Make sure to take care of any rust spots asap make sure also the undercarraige is in good shape they tended to rust really bad.
Welcome to No Pistons
04-12-2004, 08:34 PM
#4
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 20
already had new cap and rotors. I discovered the bum heater hose and water pump when i started to flush the coolant. Fuel filter already bought. I had the Marvel's Mystery Oil and new plugs ready to go but the darn thing fired right up on my test crank. If it ain't broke....
The remaining problem is the leaking non stock exhaust. I've got to work up an aftermarket exhaust that will pass the sniffer in metro Atlanta.
The remaining problem is the leaking non stock exhaust. I've got to work up an aftermarket exhaust that will pass the sniffer in metro Atlanta.
04-13-2004, 09:00 PM
#8
Junior Member
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 4
Lucky you! Here's a couple of good sites for general 1st gen tune up advice. You also might want to get a hold of a factory workshop manual. The wankel.net site listed below has the entire 85 manual and wiring diagram on Adobe PDF files! It makes the Haynes manual look like a comic book.
In my opinion, the first thing you should do after tune up is invest in an electric fan. The stock fan clutch is garbage, and an electric fan is good insurance against overheating. Heat kills rotaries.
http://www.nellump.net/peri/epi/default.html
http://www.wankel.net/~krwright/cars/rx7/rx7.html
Take care of that GSL-SE. They're getting more scarce every day.
Andy
In my opinion, the first thing you should do after tune up is invest in an electric fan. The stock fan clutch is garbage, and an electric fan is good insurance against overheating. Heat kills rotaries.
http://www.nellump.net/peri/epi/default.html
http://www.wankel.net/~krwright/cars/rx7/rx7.html
Take care of that GSL-SE. They're getting more scarce every day.
Andy
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