What's the dumbest things a previous owner did to your RX7?
#51
Backfire blaster
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Saint Catharines Ontario Canada
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I knew nothing about these cars before I bought mine and drove it for a summer thinking these first gen rotaries were gutless or mine was due for an engine rebuild. Can’t remember how many times I stalled it at intersections. I decided to give it a tune up with new plugs, rotor, cap, points and condensers. I read up on how to set the dwell without the distributor cap on and figured out how to set each set of points. I discovered the one vacuum advance dash pots was not working and replaced it. The grounding wires for the points mounting plates were also broken but looked okay because the insulation was still good, that solved the bouncing tach needle issue. Spent several nights trying to get the leading and trailing timing set though. The previous owner had someone replace the ignition wires and the guy mixed up the leading and trailing wires from the cap to the coils. He had to mess with the timing so much just to get it running. Couldn’t believe how good it ran afterwards.
#54
Rotary Enthusiast
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Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Omaha/Midwest
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Bought a SE from a young lad who had gotten the thing into a no start condition. The young man's dad delivered the car and we went to unload it but it was like trying to push a boulder uphill. The thing just would not roll or budge off the trailer. Had to use a come along and winch it off. I was like "what the He**"....
First thing I did was pull the front wheels and see if maybe a cailper was stuck....
Kid had bought new drilled and slotted rotors and installed them - with the inner wheel bearings backwards, no bearing races on both the inner and outer bearings and the seal was backwards to boot.
I told his parents its a good thing he never got it started to drive it like this because he would had an accident or worse within a block or so......
I wish I had taken a picture....
Then there was the re-wriring he did....
First thing I did was pull the front wheels and see if maybe a cailper was stuck....
Kid had bought new drilled and slotted rotors and installed them - with the inner wheel bearings backwards, no bearing races on both the inner and outer bearings and the seal was backwards to boot.
I told his parents its a good thing he never got it started to drive it like this because he would had an accident or worse within a block or so......
I wish I had taken a picture....
Then there was the re-wriring he did....
#56
Rotary Learner
Join Date: May 2012
Location: missouri, east of kc
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Bondo over rust, every nut tightend as much as possible. Half a carb rebuild, fuse block blown? Lets put spade fuses in it. Swap a perfect brown interior for a trashed black cat **** smelling one, hacked radio not even screwed in running 2 book shelf home speakers, duck taped wires together, rtv sealed a. Sensor into the radiator (no it didnt work) and so many more.
#60
I just thought of another one. The previous owner put in the wrong size battery and to make it fit the hold down fittings crafted a piece of black plastic pipe between the top of the battery and the wire. I guess that was better than letting it flop around. I know why he put in the wrong battery, it was because the cross reference used lists the wrong battery. And several battery places have the same wrong one listed.
#61
Full Member
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Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Granite Falls, WA
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Have had the car for about 3 weeks and my list keeps growing.
So far the biggest is the gap between my turbo and block. About 2mm(?) because when they put it on they didn't use a gasket and of the 4 bolts that hold it on we have..
1 nut Finger tight
1 outright Missing a stud
1 nut that wasn't even touching the turbo
1 nut that was KIND OF tight.
So far the biggest is the gap between my turbo and block. About 2mm(?) because when they put it on they didn't use a gasket and of the 4 bolts that hold it on we have..
1 nut Finger tight
1 outright Missing a stud
1 nut that wasn't even touching the turbo
1 nut that was KIND OF tight.
#62
Junior Member
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Myrtle Beach SC.
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Noticed on the right head light motor assembly is missing the rod that moves the headlight. The previous owner made one from a wood plank. Will post pictures tomorrow. lol. BTW looking for a metal rod to replace the wood one with.
#64
'84 5-letter
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#65
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previous owner also installed the battery with positive facing the vent and the metal touching so it arched. also had the battery strapped down...
lets just say its turned around and has a proper tray holder now
lets just say its turned around and has a proper tray holder now
#72
emissions r teh sux
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Join Date: Dec 2005
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When I bought my 82 there was a horrible loud clunk from the front end when I would turn. Checked it out and found that the po had installed a larger front sway bar but didn't install the bushings in the center...then I found I also had a bent strut and a spindle that had gotten so hot that it was purple, blue, green, yellow and just a hint of the original steel....the horn was wired in to the dash instead of the steering wheel, and my fuel dor and hatch buttons were just gone....