Ok, as people have hurd, i wanted to do alot to my 79 rx7.. well with new found respect for the style of the 1st gen rx7 i have decided the only change im going to do is the head lights!!! i love this car! It sat for 5 years before i got it. and today about 35 minutes ago drove it to the corner and back! this thing runs like a champ for sitting 5 long years.. Tho i have some questions... i have no inside power to the dash. im not sure why.... and suggestions would be greatly helpful! and what i mean for no power is the head lights wont turn on, they wont even flip up.. no blinkers, no speedo or temp or gas.. pretty much nothing in the cluster.. soo.. please help? and here are some before and after pics of the car...

 

Congratulations on the first drive!

I don't know much about interior electrics, other than checking fuses and fusible links. The speedometer is mechanical. There is a cable from the transmission that goes up right behind the gauge.

Good luck.

 

k ill check the cable. and all the fuses i cld find (about 10 or so?) are all good...

 

check the fuseable links up on the drivers strut tower, wiggle them around and such and check for corrosion and or a fried connector or the link itself.

you can even make a test link out of solid wire if suspect BUT be mindfull of a short that could cause a fire, there is usually a reason a fuseable link goes bad.

could also be the power connector on the cluster got undone or corroded.

 

Hey Zack and welcome - always nice to hear folks wanting to keep the "OEM" look of their SAs!
As too your problem - since both electrical AND speedo to dash weren't working, I am wondering if some one pulled the _cluster_ at some point before you got it and didn't hook it up properly in the back?? If other suggestions here don't help then:

Might be worth pulling the cluster and making sure everything is hooked up properly...
Attached 2 pics that might help understand layout back there and assist in removal. very simple really:
-DISCONNECT BATTERY!
-pull steering wheel: your lug wrench should be the proper size for the nut under the horn button; otherwise 2mm I believe.
-to remove wheel, place hands at 3 & 9 oclock position and push one side/pull other, back and forth to work wheel off shaft
-might help to remove steering column covers: hint: headlight switch stalk end PULLS off
-cluster has a plastic "surround" that is released by 2 philips under the TOP edge, then you PULL it out, noting the BOTTOM edge is held by 2 press-fit plugs, see pic (illustrates where surround plugs IN). you need to pull quite firmly.
-once trim cover is off, reveals 2 MORE philips screws up under top lip that attach fr. of cluster to dash - see main photo of cluster
Thats it for the FRONT.
Rear:
-need a l-o-o-o-ong philips (8"+) to reach 2 rear-mount philips screws. Need to contort yourself on to your back to get at these. Real PITA with dr. seat in place but doeable...
-since it sounds like the speedo cable may already be loose (this usually need to be release prior to pulling the cluster), just pull cluster foreward - there is enough slack in the two big electric connectors to permit this - (the connections are obscured a bit in photo behind the printing....!)

AND
now you can see if its correctly attached....

cheers
Stu Aull
80GS
Alaska

 

Hey, thanks for the welcome and thanks for the info. about to go out and start with that to find out if i cant get her to have power! Thanks again!

 

sad day.... okayy... i took the cluster out and found multiple problems... well two to be exact.. 1: Speedo cable... GONE! witch sucks.. 2: I have two wires with connecters just kinda hangin with no were to put them.. not sure where they go... other then that in the engine bay i got like 12 freeking plugs that are not even pluged into anything.. soo.. if anyone lives in spokane WA or close to here that comes into town once in a while that knows alot about rx7's and wireing.. PLEASE HELP ME!!! lol.. not kidding.. i dont have money to pay you with due to the fact i have no job.. but the car gods would love it if you helped lol... please pm me if your willing to help a noob with wireing... Thanks!

 

ok so heres the update on this beast.. im still looking for a speedo cable witch is IMPOSABLE to find here in spokane.. anyways. i did some wiring and found the problem with the cluster lights... eroded wire.. so clipped and fixed that and all lights work now.. im putting in custom halo headlights i built in the car(Pics coming) then i found out my points are shot.. just re-gapped them and it fired up.. THEN! driving to the corner store my battery died.. so im like wtf... got home and did the alternator test.. (Pulling off the positive cable while the cars running) and it died.. soo.. its going to be a fun little project to get this car up and running good lol.. time to search for alternators...

 

Ok so this is amazing!!! I got my lights finished tonight that i thought id never ever do!!! sooo here are some pictures! and if you got any questions please go ahad and ask. if u want day light pictures just ask also... not completely finished.. id like to put a peace of plastic over the front so no water will get in.. but thats later..

 

Keep plodding away Zack - one thing at a time. Check your local wreckers for dead rx7s!!! best parts source you'll find short of breaking into a Mazda parts dept with a shopping cart (and even then, the wreck will have more parts!!)

Stu Aull
80GS
Alaska

 

Streetported?

 

zack I'm in spokane might be able to help will look to see if I have a speedo cable
or if you need help with anything just pm me have every other weekend off

 

also keep checking pullnsaves web site they get sevens every once in a while but get there quick there are alot of us in spokane looking for hard to find parts even if we dont need them right now