Ms. DIY, I agree with JedisonsDad. Park it for now. Autos are far less fun to deal with than they should be, but when they're working right, they're nice. Just wait for better weather to get back to it like I do on mine.

Oh and besides, I checked your profile and you said Smooth is your keeper. You don't want to go back on your word, do you?

Another thing to consider. If you did sell Smooth due to an issue you couldn't solve, and turn around and buy another 1st gen, which being a 30 year old car is sure to have some other issue you wouldn't be able to solve, will you be any better off? Nope, because Smooth is a one of a kind. The issues are known. Stick with it. If you have to swap to a 5 speed, it's not a difficult process. I've done it in a 76 Cosmo. I'm sure Smooth, being an SA, will be about the same process. It's not like it's an 84-85 chassis where they changed A LOT from auto to manual requiring a different driveshaft etc. All you need is the tranny and maybe some shifter boot stuff along with a clutch pedal assembly. That's what my Cosmo needed. I asked on the forum and got help from others who'd done the swap. There was like a park safety switch I needed to connect. Otherwise straight forward. And there are a lot more RX-7s than Cosmos around.

 

It's so sad, but I need the $$$ just to pay rent until another job comes through. I KNOW I said she was my "Keeper" and I'm still hoping beyond all hopes that a rescue is in the stars.

I took her on a little jaunt and she's running well to show off. I AM making a strong point in all my efforts to say it's a ROTARY engine (to scare off half the prospects?) so no one is duped into a surprise.

I've started to call her "the Mazda" to help myself deal with the situation. Put a For Sale sign in the windshield and parked her out front (we live on the highway). I'll be taking her to work and continue to detail, detail, detail... Besides, she's much less visible in the parking lot there. I AM hoping to fail to sell her.

I can see that there has been a cut out for a clutch (home mechanic) in the firewall. I think she was thrown back together as original a/t to sell when I got her. Abandoned from PO's ambitions...

IF I get to keep her (I know you're all pulling for me to get a great job!), a 5 speed is probably in her future.

 

If you ever want to make a 4/5 speed out of the auto trans, its very easy. I've converted a 1980 before and everything swaps right over.

I say keep the car. Lets hope your hours pick up or you find another source of income.

 

DIY, good luck with the 'no sale'. Keep it.

 

Removed and replaced my inop coolant temp sensor with a bran new one I picked up off of eBay. To make things easier, I removed this from just underneath the oil filter. No fluid came out of it and it had an electrical wire attached to it. What is it?

 

Oil pressure sender.

 

That's what I was thinking, but good to know for sure.

 

FC Ignition and megasquirt have arrived. Commence wire tuck and EFI upgrade!

Edit: no clue why it rotated the photo sorry bout that! Posting from iPad.

 

Hallelujah! Drive that car already!

 

After removing the s4 GXL rear that's been sitting in the cargo area for almost two weeks, I Drove 150 miles to the inlaws for a party.
The Rx7 is a much better ride than a Suburban. And here in the middle of nowhere they know I'm coming from about 2 miles away. Gets the kids excited.

 

Bought a set of Wedge Engineering seat brackets for my Recaros.

 

Today I picked up my CAS from ArmyOfOne, kicked it for a bit, sourced all the OEM plugs for the megasquirt install with factory sensors, turns out I had everything I needed from the FC intake harness, and did some deep clean scrubbing now that the OEM engine harness is pulled for the wire tuck.

Taking my time and figuring out which wires to keep and which to pull. It's looking like mostly just the headlight/running lights, horn, fusible link and main relays, can ditch the ignition and AC circuits completely. As much as I'd like to keep the AC, the cold air intake takes up too much space, no way I'll be able to fit the condenser, plus I've got the radiator overflow hanging out up there now. To finish the deal I'll pull the AC unit from the dash, perhaps mount the ECU there to get it up off the floor (the foot panel and stock ECU mount were totally rusted when I bought the car, that spot is notorious for collecting water.)

Tomorrow I'm going to check out Turbo GSL-SE's build, and his son has a wicked 12a wire tuck I'm gonna pick his brain on for some inspiration. It's so clean, even cleaner than many of the the Aussies' builds.

I'm wondering where I'm going to mount these FC coils - they are SO big. I feel like all my efforts of OCD clean wire tuck will be moot if I just mount them where it's convenient.

Time to get clever ArmyOfOne had some very interesting ideas... Hmmmm

All for now, pics to follow when camera battery is charged.

Geoff

Niiiice, which Recaros do you have?

 

Period correct LX-Cs complete with net headrests. I got two sets off eBay, the ones going in the 7 came from someone in FL, the set in the Miata came from Thailand. There is some damage on the outer upper bolster on the passenger seat (driver's in Japan) but I also managed to pick up a complete set of replacement foam, so when I get them recovered that will be fixed.

 

Finally got the motivation to tackle the heater core. Garage temps not too bad - maybe 30 or so...

Also, dropped the blower fan box and replaced the top seal no more cold drafts.

Replaced the rubber O rings in my AC box, so when I convert to 134 I wont have to worry about leaks from in there.

Cut some furnace air filter cloth and fitted it between the chassis and fresh air intakes ducts & fan intake to filter incoming outside air. I am tired of leaves and crap blowing in from the cowl.

Replaced faulty logicon while I had the dash out.

Should be good to go once I get everything back together later today!

 

Moved some parts around. Will probably take her down off the skates for a little exercize today

 

Did it; georgeous day, 80 mile drive in 75-deg sunshine. Runnin like a boss.

 

Dam you're lucky. Seven degrees here in Kansas City and expecting to be colder tomorrow.

Ordered a new Mazda thermostat and door handle cups.

 

With a low of 9º overnight and the temp at 20º when I started the Mazda up... I saw defrost action out my window (through the screen)
Came home from work and put the Singer industrial sewing machine up on craigslist to try to get ahead of needing to sell car!

 

Didn't do anything to my car
But I came across this on ze interwebs
So accurate

 

Today i pulled the intake manifold (again) to pull the Haltech harness and plan out the tucked Megasquirt harness. Noticed the VDI and 6ports were seized again. Also noticed a black, gritty grime in the primaries. Closer inspection of the intake manfiold reveals that the ceramic coat overspray that they left in there is totally flaking and disintegrating into the a/f mixture. I'm not happy.

Going to source a new S5 intake manifold and go down to the shop in person - they need to fix what they broke and do it agian for free. If they do, I will gift them with my continued patronage and have them ceramic coat my header, cold air intake duct, hood prop, heater and vacuum hard lines.

If they don't honor their work, Ill talk mad smack about them here, there, and every car show I attend.

In other news - sorting out the engine bay harness and getting a much better idea of what I can pull, what to extend, and what to leave for the tuck. Hung out with the Randall's today (TurboGSLSE) and checked up on their builds. He lets his kids slam their cars WAY too low. I like it

Was great to hang out with some fellow rotorheads and swap ideas. Daves doing an AMAZING job on his wiring, has a special set of crimps and a full box of weatherpack connectors. Definitely the route I'll be going, i'm inspired!! Thanks man! Was great kicking it!

 

Nice. Monday I drove 90 miles in 70 degrees and driving rain. I love my Michelin pilot tires. Running like a boss, east coast style.

 

I was hoping by now that I would have my Bride seat in the car bit work has kept me busy and a friend of mine might be interested in the seats already in the car. I originally wanted bucket seats to go in and this might be my chance. I did decide to modify stock rails. The Bride seats rails are nothing special compared to what we are given already. Time will tell the outcome.

 

Replaced my no-name thermostat with a factory one from Atkins Rotary. I ordered it on 12/23 and got it today. I'll let the high-temp RTV setup a couple of days before testing.

My brand new cheapo thermostat was not opening. I could tell because the upper hose was under pressure and my after market temp gauge was reading zero. The sensor is in the t-stat neck. Lets hope I get a reading now. The factory temp gauge was reading right in the middle and my choke would pull back in when warm.

It's 45 degrees today. Time to get more stuff done.

 

It was almost 40 on Dec 25 so I took the opportunity to start up the GSL-SE and get it warmed up. I have found that it doesn't like to start if it has been sitting too long. I am hoping I can drive it tomorrow assuming the roads dry off.

Posted the first part of a thread on making replacement door pull cups over in the technical section. For those of you who don't much care for reading I did include pictures <grin>.

I hope everyone's 7 got a present! Both my cars asked for door pull cups this year.


Doug

 

I've never seen an auto RX7 but with most automatic sports cars there are provisions for a clutch pedal in the fire wall from the factory. All you have to do is poke out the little spot welded flap.