Blind Dr

Hi everyone, I have an original 1982 rx-7 that my parents purchased new off the floor. It has been sitting in a garage for 20 some years. My father passed away and my mom handed me the title. I am trying to figure out if I should put some work in this car and then use it or if I should sell it off.

I am not very mechanical, so I would have to have all the work done to it. It hasn't been fired up in maybe 18 years. It has really low mileage, I think under 20k. IS this car worth putting any money into?

What issues will I be looking at with this vehicle trying to get it into road worthy condition?

If I sell it how do I determine a value for this car? Where would be the best marlet to sell it?

Thanks for your help...

Blind Dr

I looked the car over today and it has 9170 miles on it.

Anyone have any input as to which direction I should go with this car?

Kentetsu

Take some photos and post them up. Overall condition of the car will determine your choices. Since it has not run in so long, you are probably looking at extensive repairs (motor rebuild, carb rebuild, all rubber hoses and vacuum lines, brake calipers/cylinders/lines, etc.).



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cab91089

iTrader: (3)

Its sad when I read stories like this (Im sorry about your dad, I was just 17 when I lost my father) when a ridiculously low milage rx-7 sits in a garage for years not being started. The only benefit is the body is probably perfect but it is almost no different then leaving it sit outside. One way to determine the value is look on kelly blue book, Im not sure if they have SA/FBs on there. Try to see if the eccentric shaft pulley will turn by hand BEFORE trying to start it. If it spins suprisingly it is not carbon locked and you can try to start it after flushing all fluids and replacing all filters. If it does not sping by hand do not try to start it or you will damage in the internals on the engine. Rx-7s are great sports cars and a blast to drive. If you feel like you want to step into a project then do it because it will be worth it to drive such a classic. Goodluck

samvall2009

if you want to sell i will buy it

david rx

Get it running and drive it...You'll never look back. Its how I started 25 years ago when I briefly drove my friend's 82.

Blind Dr

Well I decided to try and get this car running. I will have a friend who is a mechanic help me get it going. I also have another neighbor who has some experience with the rotary engine. I have printed off some of the sticky's to give me some reference, really good information. I will try to get some pictures taken of the car easter weekend. I will be hauling it to my home then.

My dad kept logs of when he started and ran the cars. He had 15 corvettes in the same garage all have mileage under 500 and have all the original stickers onthem. They are all in running condition as he had a fellow going over weekly and starting them and maintaining them. Not sure why he did not do this with the rx though. It was last started and run in 1995, about mid summer. The battery went dead on it and he did not replace it. He also has a note about the clutch not working properly when he drove it around the block a time or two that day. Not sure where this will lead.

My mom was excited when I told her I was going to throw some money in it and try to get it up and running. It was like a new chapter in her life was opened. She told me she hasn't driven it since 1992 due to a hip injury which prevented her from getting into the car. I can remember driving the car when they first bought it and I loved it. My hope is to be able to get it running and keep it in working condition to give it to my son.

Blind Dr

I forgot to add that my neighbor mention that the apex seals would have to be replaced on this engine. Anyone have any thoughts on this?

cab91089

iTrader: (3)

That is awesome good luck with the car! I bet it the body and interior are mint!!! But yes you can compression test the engine with a normal compression tester hold the bleeder valve and plug it into the spark plug holes and depending on how high each bounce out of 3 is per rotor tells you what is wrong with the engine and compression. Youll have to look it up on here how to exactly do it. It is hard to tell the apex seals are bad just by looking at it but since the car did sit for so long it may need a rebuild due to seals becoming weak which would replace those seals and all inside the engine. The apex seals are the seals at the tips of each rotor.

diabolical1

iTrader: (3)

i'm glad you're going to keep it, whether it's for yourself or your son.

about the apex seals, don't get ahead of yourself. first confirm the engine turns by hand, then you do a compression test. with it being garage-kept and having only 9000+ miles, i'd bet on it not being a problem, but the point is, you won't know until you check it.

as for the rest of the car, i know you said you'll be having someone else work on it, i would say choose the shop VERY carefully. you have a true gem in this car and some people out there can be less than honorable.

Riggs

I vote you dont trust ANY shop with this. You have the knowledge of this entire site at your fingertips. Plus it would honor your father's memory to do this yourself. It'll be good for ya.

Red_Rotor

iTrader: (3)

u can take the intake manifold off and squirt some oil into the combustion chamber and let it soak overnight. could help if it wont turn by hand

snivley whiplash

iTrader: (4)

I have dealt with a few that sat for long periods of time. if it turns freely by hand, take the spark plugs out, fill them with marvel mistery oil. pour more down the intake and keep turning the engine. make sure you have a catch pan under the spark plug area as it will be pushing oil out. Put the plugs in and let it sit for two or three days.

After a few days, remove the spark plugs and turn it by hand to remove the marvel mistery oil, put a catch pan under the car to catch what is coming out, this will take some time as it will be every where in the engine. the results are to free any carbon and to lubricate the internals of the engine.

After you have cleaned the entire fuel system including the fuel tank and supplied fresh fuel to it, and replaced all fluids it will be ready to do a start up. Make sure it is outside as it will smoke very baddly for some time after start up. Once it is running let it run for about two or three minutes and shut it off or you will have an exhaust overheat from it trying to burn the mm in the exhaust. it will take a few cycles to get it to stop smoking, run it longer and longer each cycle. two minutes, five minutes, ten minutes, and look for leaks everytime you run it.

some times it will take adding a little engine oil in the intake to make it restart until it runs for some time. Also make sure you let it cool off well before trying the next run cycle. This process has worker for me several time in the past. Others may have some ideas, but give it a try, might save you a rebuild. After you get it cleaned out and starting on its own when cold, go drive it for a minimum for 20 minutes, No hard pulls and no lugging, 2k to 5k running, moderate driving and see how it does. I feel you will susprised at how well this process works for freeing up stuck apex seals and saving an engine.

Joe

Kentetsu

This is very good advice, but I would recommend Seafoam over MMO. Seafoam will clean any carbon deposits out of the apex seals, allowing them to move freely. MMO is basically just a liquid wax, which will lubricate things, but not clean them.

Blind Dr

I am going to clean out the tank this week and replace the battery. I will add some seafoam, as I had already planned to do that. I will add some to the new gas as well. Will I have any issues with the plugs frozen and not coming out without breaking them?

I took a couple of pictures of it today and am getting really excited to get it running again. of course my son is on a major high about it, knowing at some point i will allow him to drive it.

My neighbors both of which are mechanics, looked at it for the first time today and about died. They could not believe the condition of the car, the fresh new car smell inside, and the overall shape of the vehicle.

I was also told by my mother that the car had some clutch issues. She told me dad had a tough time getting into gear. Anything I should check immediately? Ideally, i would like to drive it home, about 12 miles to my garage instead of trailering it, but whatever it takes.

So, it looks like I have a new summer project, one which I really didn't have time for but will make some time to work on.

cab91089

iTrader: (3)

It really depends if whoever put the spark plugs used anti-seize compound on the threads of the spark plugs but I doubt they will be frozen to the point of breaking them. Lol if I was a kid I would be excited to drive a perfect condition first generation Rx-7 too. The way you describe it is probably the exact same way I think of it, showroom floor condition. You can check the clutch once it starts up and see if it feels spongy or if the car is hard to get in gear it can also be the shifter linkage. It would be a good idea to replace the clutch but I doubt driving it to your garage will be impossible. I cant wait to hear and see more progress on this, good luck with everything

littlebit421

remember this dearly, do not let any shops work on your car unless they are a reputable rotary shop, one that has been around for a while and can show you stuff that they have done and has been on the road for a while. These cars are kinda expensive to work on and even more expensive to have worked on, but very well worth it. Keep the car you got a diamond in the ruff and cant wait to see the pics.

Kentetsu

Clutch issues could be (and probably are) related to the hydraulic system. Could be as simple as a slave cylinder. Good luck...

Blind Dr

Well I have been really busy and anxious working on the car. I bought a new battery for it. Pulled the drain plug out, which came out like it was installed yesterday, no rust no problem removing it. I have drained the gas tank....super nasty! I added some seafoam and several gallons of gas in the tank. I noticed the fuel gauge is not working, at least right now.

I pulled each plug and put oil in each one, let it sit for several days, then turned it by hand. No issues so far. Today: Sunday, I have spent most of the day working on it. I tried to fire it up and it coughed and sputtered then died. ran about 30 seconds. tried to restart with no luck. I checked the carb and had gas inside of it so I removed the carb. I took the carb apart and with the help of my neighbor, we cleaned out the carb and he put it in an ultrasonic heated cleaner. It had some nasty gunk in the float bowls and one of the floats were sticking...go figure. I reinstalled the carb, man talk about alot of hoses...geez. I pulled the plugs and turned her over several times. Installed old plugs, new ones are on order. I tried to start it but she would not start. I pulled a couple of plugs to check for fire and they were flooded. Cleaned them up and again checked for fire in them. Pretty weak looking and they were not sparking at the end, so it appears the plugs are bad. Oh well, I was hopeful. Monday I will be charging the new battery up and installing some new plugs. I hope she will fire up so I can run it for a few minutes.

I also added air top the tires and blew off some of the dust as well. Had a couple of neighbors who came by that knew the car was in there. They were curious if I was going to revive it.

in all pretty confident that she will fire up and run. It sounded pretty damn good running for a short spell. Just like I can remember it running when I was a little younger.

Landon303

iTrader: (25)

http://cgi.ebay.com/Clutch-Master-Cy...item45fa0f2fa1

http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-Mazda-Clutch...item56301e4874

I'd be almost anything if you replace both of these & bleed the clutch you'll get it back in no time (the clutch that is)

cab91089

iTrader: (3)

I dont know if this works on first generation rx-7s for deflooding then engine but it works for second generations. (Difference is carb vs. fuel injection (12A vs. 13B) if you didnt already know) But you can take the two bottom spark plugs out when it floods and Im not sure if there is an EGI fuse on first gens. but you would take that out too if there is one and crank the engine say 3 times for about 3-5 second each time. The point is that whatever gunk is in the engine will be spit out through the sparkplug holes. Put a couple drops of oil in the holes like before to build compression. Clean the holes and plugs and reinstall them and the fuse and then try to start it up. Again Im not too sure if this works on first gens. because Ive never worked on one just second gens. so hopefully someone with more first gen. knowledge can step in and let you know if Im right.

Landon303

iTrader: (25)

You're right other than the EGI (ELECTRONIC GAS INJECTION) part, as it's carb'd. You'll always be pulling fuel in through a carb unless the floats are empty, so disconnect the fuel pump, or its respected fuse & go from here. G/L! Your'e close!

Blind Dr

Thanks for all the information so far, i really appreciate it. I am off to work on the car for a little while. Maybe, she will start.

Landon303

iTrader: (25)

Good luck! All I ask for in exchange are some pictures & that it gets enjoyed =)

cab91089

iTrader: (3)

Awesome! goodluck with deflooding hope it works out for ya