Am I driving wrong? Or is My Rx7 slow? 83 stock Rx7.

It a 5 speed. Sounds super cool. Start runs idles good.

I've read that these rx7's would beat 280z' and porshes in a Quarter Mile.

I can't beat a ford focus from a red light. Maybe I drive it wrong.

Do you have to run this engine between 4000 and 6000 rpm to develop Horse power?

When I'm commuting, I shift at 3000,and cruise around in 5th at 3000 rpm. the engine is a bit wimpy at 1000 rpm. Is that normal?

What is the std way to rev a rx7 to get a good take off from a red light..

SC











s

 

i'd say you're driving normally... not every light is a drag race.

to get the road test quarter mile times, they are launching (ie dumping the clutch) between 4000-5000rpms, and shifting around 7k, but that's not really practical on the street.... and its not just the Rx7, to launch something like the WRX, you rev it to the rev limiter and drop the clutch, and hope the trans doesn't fall out

 

ok, when the car was originally compared to the Porsche 924, the RX-7 ran from 0-60 in 9.1 secs and did the quarter mile in 17.0 at 83mph. the Porsche 924 ran 0-60 in 9.4 secs and ran the quarter mile in a shade under 18 secs. the 280Z is not far behind in any of the categories so in its day, the 7 was an excellent performing car. comparing its performance to cars of today's performance is like comparing apples to...uh.... Ford Festiva's. the new cars will no doubt accelerate faster, stop in shorter distances, out handle, and return better fuel mileage(though not hard to do really). if i compared my 85 RX-7 to my 63 Falcon, the 7 would easially destroy the Falcon in EVERY performance parameter. 22 years of engineering makes light years of difference.. and you're talking 28 years of automotive evolution here. but i look at the bright side... ican dust a lot of cars with my bone stock 05 RX-8. technology is on our side too

 

I replaced the 5 speed in my WRX after it broke 2nd gear with an STi 6 speed. Now I use launch control from the ECU

To the original poster, keep in mind these cars have slowed down over time due to wear, and newer cars have gotten faster with more HP and better fuel economy. Heck, a Ford Escort in 1985 with the 1.6 liter engine had what, 80 HP? The RX-7 had 100ish, or 130ish for an -SE, so of course it would outrun that back then. A NEW Ford Focus from say 2008 is about 140 HP, good luck with that. Even with the weight advantage to the 7, I think the HP gap would be too much. Focus works out to ~21 LB/HP and the RX-7 to 22 LB/HP assuming no drive train loss, pristine running condition, no traction issues, driver weight, fuel capacity, etc.

As for the Porsche, most of the time they were comparing them to the GSL-SE which had more HP and different gearing such as the Road & Track article in the mid 80s. I also recall that article never said it would WIN, but that it was a close match and held its own for a fraction of the cost.

I used to think mine was fast too, but then I got older and learned a few things, haha.

~T.J.

 

dam it sucks getting old but it just means we have to play faster and harder

 

Yep...130hp in 1984 becomes 100hp in 2011 if your lucky...all the more motivation for a tII swap, nobody expects a snail powered SA/FB , just look at all the fun DirectFreak is having

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8OpU0msF1E

 

Thats great news, There is no way I'm gonna rev up and dump the clutch at a stop light. I just got it running. I don't want to hurt it. I will rev it up a bit when I'm in 3rd or 4th. I can feel it take off when I get up around 5k, Holy smoke, it sounds like I got a monster under the hood when it winding up. Awesome Fun.

 

the Rx8 is some kind of high water mark, the mazda 2 (which is a fiesta?) is 100hp and 2350lbs, so its an FB!

despite its giant 1.5L engine, its a piston engine, so you can't go to racing beat and bolt on a 25% increase in power....

 

Smellycat, bring the car over to Road Atlanta for the Mitty this weekend. There will be plenty of us willing to go for a ride and advise you on how the car is performing, what to do to improve it, etc.

You're already in Georgia, so if I can drive all the way from Michigan for this event, you have no excuse not to show up too.



.

 

It's worth noting that the 1980 Corvette with the top-of-the-line 350 (5.7l) made 220hp, 260ft/lbs, weighed 3500 lbs, and ran 0-60 in 8.1 seconds

My 03' 350Z, nearly 500 lbs heavier, with a displacement 1.2l smaller, chugs out (stock) 287hp/274ft/lbs, is nearly 3 seconds faster to 60 than the "American Supercar" of 1980, and has a viable top speed that wouldn't have been believed had the spec been published in 1980. In every performance particular, the modern Z runs circles around the 'Vette of that time, and it's going on 8 years old.

The -7 cannot even be compared on performance. Yet I love driving my -7.

Racing modern pocket rockets with a 30-year-old stock-build car is really kinda missing the point.

 

Cool invite Kent.. I have to hide easter eggs this week end. I also need to find out what a mitty is. I really could use some expert opinions on this $300 Yardsale Rx7. Some were around here there is another faded black paint Rx7 driving around. I've been trying to meet up with. SC

 

Sorry, it's not this weekend, but the next one. So, unless you're celebrating Easter a week late, you might be in good shape.

Here's a thread on this extremely cool event: https://www.rx7club.com/mitty-mazda-feature-marque-288/2011-mitty-will-feature-mazda-jim-downing-934809/

 

i agree, up here though its the other way around, everyone drives so damn slow, the Rx7 and Tr3 run circles around em! i'm not bragging either, people drive like they are having a slow motion contest...

 

Oh dead lord. That pull away at the end of that was amazing. Makes me want to turbo my FB. Is this right?

 

Yep, these cars are pretty slow stock. Fortunately for us, with a little boost we can more than triple the stock horsepower rating with ease.

 

rip all the emissions off and put a exhaust on and you can notice the power difference. Just a thought =P.

 

I still have the rats nest but the exhaust is a straight pipe to muffler now. Sounds great and probaly is faster.. I'm not sure what else I can do on the cheap. SC