An ‘83 LM is still alive
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Joined: Jul 2017
Posts: 38
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From: Lenox, MA
An ‘83 LM is still alive
Hey all,
I bought this car last year and trailered it up to Massacusetts from Georgia. I lost contact with the original owner whos email doesn’t seem to work anymore. If he’s reading this then pm me. Anyway, long story short I’ve finally got her back up and running. It’s been a big learning curve for me as I had no experience with rotarys or rx7s but some advice from this forum and some purchases from rock auto have finally come good.
I’m so happy to be finally driving this car - it sticks to the road like glue and I love the pick up in fourth gear as I run past 80. Also got my first speeding ticket - the cop was so excited to see the rx7: he used to have one.
I know this is nothing to be too proud of, but here’s a list of things that were done in the last six months in no particular order;
- Smoke check for vac leaks (a few)
- Replaced various rubber hoses
- Rebuilt carb, adjusted float levels, replaced seats and needles, unstuck secondaries
- Changed fuel filter, plugs, leads, engine oil
- Replaced broken clutch slave and master
- Adjusted ignition timing
- Replaced belts
- Fixed loose starter ignition wire
The carb was by far the biggest pain - setting the floats and finding a combination of needle/seat that worked (from three different rebuild kits) was trying. I remember once getting the carb back on, taking her down the road and then setting the idle only to realise that I’d forgot the spring in the accel pump. Anyway. I’ve had a tone of fun getting this thing working again and want to thank everyone here whos advice in these posts made it possible.
Last edited by Bouyo; Jun 22, 2018 at 06:34 PM.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Jul 2017
Posts: 38
Likes: 4
From: Lenox, MA
I saw the car last year here in the forum classifieds (https://www.rx7club.com/se-rx-7-foru...-sale-1113337/ ). I immediately fell for the car when I saw the ad and looked up the location in GA ... It was only twenty mins drive from where my college best friend had just moved with his family. I took it as a sign (excuse) to fly down to GA, meet up with my friend and spend some time with his family, buy the car and U-Haul it back to MA. My wife came with me and was a great sport about the whole thing, even when we parked a 40ft truck and trailer in downtown Atlanta 
All of the real work, including the great body work and interior was done by the former owner, Barron, as you can see from the original classified ad. There’s also a built page on the forum for this car here: https://www.rx7club.com/build-thread...imited-983706/
The story went that he, Barron, owned the car when in school and later sold it to a friend. Then one day, years later, he happened to randomly see the car again on the street and bought it back! The build thread shows what he did after that point until I bought it last year.
I might post some more pics if anyone’s interested. I’ll also surely be back on here if and when things need fixing ...
All of the real work, including the great body work and interior was done by the former owner, Barron, as you can see from the original classified ad. There’s also a built page on the forum for this car here: https://www.rx7club.com/build-thread...imited-983706/
The story went that he, Barron, owned the car when in school and later sold it to a friend. Then one day, years later, he happened to randomly see the car again on the street and bought it back! The build thread shows what he did after that point until I bought it last year.
I might post some more pics if anyone’s interested. I’ll also surely be back on here if and when things need fixing ...
I remember seeing that car for sale! I had considered it but the distance was too great with my schedule. I'm glad someone that will cherish the car bought it. You can post as many pictures as you want as we love to see pictures here!
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Jul 2017
Posts: 38
Likes: 4
From: Lenox, MA
Here are a few photos from last month in Lenox, MA. After driving her a few days ago I've got a hunch that my secondaries still aren't opening all the way. Anyone know of an easy test for this? I'd read here that they won't just open with the car stationary - that you need the engine under load ... my only thought is to GoPro the carb linkage while driving. If I do I'll be sure to post that too!
That is a beauty!
For the secondaries, is there a spot on the linkage or something you can put some Plasticine to get an indentation if it opens fully? I used this on my Dellorto throttle stop.
GoPro is easy also.
For the secondaries, is there a spot on the linkage or something you can put some Plasticine to get an indentation if it opens fully? I used this on my Dellorto throttle stop.
GoPro is easy also.
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That is one beautiful 7!!! I absolutely love it!! Did Baron add the IMSA front bumper? Looks like he added the three piece IMSA wing as its gloss black. Would have been Chateau Silver originally from Mazda.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Jul 2017
Posts: 38
Likes: 4
From: Lenox, MA
Yes, Barron added the IMSA front bumper, or at least kept it on from the previous owner. There were also louvers and side skirts but Barron, and I, think the car looks better without those. I still have those trip parts but I’m pretty happy with how she looks
I was working on her this weekend, finally got a GoPro (with flashlight) into the engine bay and filmed the vacuum secondaries linkage under wot. It actually was doing really well - all I noticed was some play in the linking arm so I adjusted it a little to take up the slack, added new washers and pins and now the throttle response and secondary transition is smoother, yay!
I was working on her this weekend, finally got a GoPro (with flashlight) into the engine bay and filmed the vacuum secondaries linkage under wot. It actually was doing really well - all I noticed was some play in the linking arm so I adjusted it a little to take up the slack, added new washers and pins and now the throttle response and secondary transition is smoother, yay!
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Jul 2017
Posts: 38
Likes: 4
From: Lenox, MA
Quick update, in case anyone’s googling rx7 high rpm belt squeal :
I was getting wicked belt squeal at 5k+ rpms from the airpump/fan belt. I’d replaced all the belts but to no avail. Then it dawned on me that the fan clutch, while not totally stuck on, might be binding too much and spinning too fast at those high rpms (too much air resistance for the poor belts to take). It seemed I was getting more fan noise than most cars I’ve driven. I bought a replacement fan clutch and voila, squeal free!
Now I have to attend to a bad wheel bearing, or something of the sort. Ahh the list.
I was getting wicked belt squeal at 5k+ rpms from the airpump/fan belt. I’d replaced all the belts but to no avail. Then it dawned on me that the fan clutch, while not totally stuck on, might be binding too much and spinning too fast at those high rpms (too much air resistance for the poor belts to take). It seemed I was getting more fan noise than most cars I’ve driven. I bought a replacement fan clutch and voila, squeal free!
Now I have to attend to a bad wheel bearing, or something of the sort. Ahh the list.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Jul 2017
Posts: 38
Likes: 4
From: Lenox, MA
Just got back from my third annual inspection of owning this car and wanted to share with you guys and gals how happy I am that I bought an fb! She’s running pretty well and still has a little life in her yet
Thanks to all the people here how give great advice all the time.
She is a beauty for sure, and you have obv been spoiling her. We DO like to keep our Mistresses happy!
Glad she is still putting a smile on your face. Mine is too, at year 15...
ermm, maybe not so much a Mistress as a Marriage
Stu A
80GS
AZ
Glad she is still putting a smile on your face. Mine is too, at year 15...
ermm, maybe not so much a Mistress as a Marriage
Stu A
80GS
AZ
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Jul 2017
Posts: 38
Likes: 4
From: Lenox, MA
Hey guys, sorry to bring up an old thread but it’s maybe easier to just add to this one as I own the car
I had a puzzling experience today that maybe some of you have an answer to:
Started the car up and tried to get in into reverse but it wouldn’t go. I’m thinkin’ oh great, it’s the master and slave that I replaced last year ... I manage to get it into reverse and drive down to my auto-mechanic friend. We tighten the master up (turns out it was a little loose against the firewall) and then proceed to re-bleed the system. It takes a good while but now my clutch pedal is nice and firm and disengaging the clutch all the way, great.
I take the car down the road, off a side road and onto a straight-away. I open the throttle and to my amazement the car’s pulling harder than I’ve ever experienced. It’s gone from being a ‘no-slouch’ car to being a ‘pretty damn quick’ car. I can’t work it out. The clutch master and slave are only responsible for disengaging, not engaging the clutch. I don’t think I ever experienced slippage either (I know what that feels like from other cars).
My question is, what’s making my car faster all of a sudden? Have any of you ever experienced something similar in performance gains with a 12a in the course of two drives? Is there something that can magically come unstuck in a 12a?
Btw, suffice to say: she’s running well
I had a puzzling experience today that maybe some of you have an answer to:
Started the car up and tried to get in into reverse but it wouldn’t go. I’m thinkin’ oh great, it’s the master and slave that I replaced last year ... I manage to get it into reverse and drive down to my auto-mechanic friend. We tighten the master up (turns out it was a little loose against the firewall) and then proceed to re-bleed the system. It takes a good while but now my clutch pedal is nice and firm and disengaging the clutch all the way, great.
I take the car down the road, off a side road and onto a straight-away. I open the throttle and to my amazement the car’s pulling harder than I’ve ever experienced. It’s gone from being a ‘no-slouch’ car to being a ‘pretty damn quick’ car. I can’t work it out. The clutch master and slave are only responsible for disengaging, not engaging the clutch. I don’t think I ever experienced slippage either (I know what that feels like from other cars).
My question is, what’s making my car faster all of a sudden? Have any of you ever experienced something similar in performance gains with a 12a in the course of two drives? Is there something that can magically come unstuck in a 12a?
Btw, suffice to say: she’s running well
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Jul 2017
Posts: 38
Likes: 4
From: Lenox, MA
Yeah, it’s true that the secondaries were sticking when I rebuilt the Nikki. I had thought that I freed them up though - even stuck a GoPro in the engine bay and filmed a run at wot to watch the secondaries opening at that time. I’ve always been able to feel them open too ...
The secondaries are all that makes sense I guess. That’s the only way to explain a jump in performance like I had. Just really bizarre that I should drive down to the auto shop with the engine performing one way, do work totally unrelated to the carb, then drive back with the carb working better!
Thanks for the input guys, and for keeping me sane. I don’t want to become one of those people who make up reasons for things simple because of coincidences
The secondaries are all that makes sense I guess. That’s the only way to explain a jump in performance like I had. Just really bizarre that I should drive down to the auto shop with the engine performing one way, do work totally unrelated to the carb, then drive back with the carb working better!
Thanks for the input guys, and for keeping me sane. I don’t want to become one of those people who make up reasons for things simple because of coincidences
84SE-EGI helpy-helperton
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 3,584
Likes: 542
From: Phoenix, AZ
These cars respond well to even the slightest improvements. You can feel it in the butt-dyno after doing some of the most mundane maintenance, like washing it...
Just enjoy it, but not too much! The saying is, "...they always run best just before they blow." (*reduced internal friction as seals start to fail...)
Just enjoy it, but not too much! The saying is, "...they always run best just before they blow." (*reduced internal friction as seals start to fail...)
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