My recently-purchased '85 gsl has cruise control, but as is often the case with these cars, it doesn't work. The light for the main c/cont. switch works but that's about it.
There's a vacuum line that attaches to the cruise unit under the hood (just aft of the washer fluid container). This vacuum line then snakes along the top of the firewall to about the vicinity of the oil filter... and then stops. It looks like it used to connect into something at one time but now it just swings in the breeze. I don't know if this is the problem or not, and the Haynes manual isn't even useful as toilet paper let alone an informative guide.
Anyone have experience with this or know of a likely fix?

 

The cruise control actuator(I think the GSL and GSL-SE is the same) has a connector that connects to the wiring harness(to the ECU).... check if its connected... I think the vacuum line, if you remove it from the actuator and check I think theirs a dial thing of some sort... I don't think its vacuum activated... but I'm not 100% sure about that... so check that connection first...

 

it IS vaccuum actuated. look for a nipple that is missing a hose. either on the carb or the rats nest. (should be on the rats nest if you haven't removed it.)

 

Half right. It should be connected to a white "T" fitting in the near vicinity.

 

I've already searched both the carb and the rats' nest for a fitting to no avail. The hose is still harnessed by the factory plastic clips along the firewall, with only about seven inches of loose hose after the last clip. This puts the end of the hose in the vicinity of the rats' nest, but there's nothing there to plug it in to. I guess I'll have to look at another 1st gen with cruise to see if this one was maybe tampered with by a previous owner. Thanks for the info.

 

Go to http://www.wankel.net/~krwight/files/1985_RX7_FSM/ and open 85RX7(12A)Fuel&emission_12A.pdf go to page15. Also cruise control system is in section 15 (Body Electrical System) page 47.

 

http://www.wankel.net/~krwright/files/1985_RX-7_FSM/
sorry.

 

I have egi don't know if it makes a different i had the same thing, there's a vacuum line coming off the cannister into a T then into a four pronged connector into two switches then onto a nipple under the TB, i reconnected those vacuum hoses on my car and made my car run wierd my A/F ratio gauge bounced around and such, i disconnected it and my A/F was back to normal

 

Hi,
I have just taken three 'happy snaps' of what goes on in the engine compartment in my Savanna 1982 model. I hope it's similar to your own car.


I will put the photos on here. They are not super- good shots but I have increased the brightness a little to maybe let you see the way the various 'pipes' are laid out.
Tell me the exact region of the engine compartment you wish to look at and I will re-photograph for you.

There may be a couple of other shots on my website which may interest you:
http://savanna-rx7.co.uk

I think I'll have to attach these photos one at a time in different posts.

I will be away from my computer tomorrow, so next chance will be Monday from about 0700 GMT onwards.

By all means email e at frank_gw3cnm@hotmail.com if I can help more.
Best wishes from Wales,
Frank

 

Picture 2

 

Picture 3

 

my cruise used to be touchy, i just put my foot under the break pedal and pull it forward, and presto it would work, so It told me it was the brake switch

 

Funny, mine is about 12 inches long and goes straight down from the cruise unit connecting into a T which goes to the rear of the intake manifold...

 

Ok, thanks for all the help. I found and fixed the problem--- the connector where the vacuum hose was supposed to be attached had a one-inch long rubber cap over it, so it was not immediately noticeable, especially at dusk. Pulled the cap off, plugged the hose in, and test-drove cruise. Works fine now.
As to why the cap was there in the 1st place--- previous owner's and mechanic's incompetence. When I bought the car, the first thing I did was remove the after-market fuel line gadget(installed by previous owner. Useless, supposedly increased power and fuel economy but did neither) and plugged the incoming fuel line directly back into the carb where it belonged. I figure the previous owner accidentally disconnected the vacuum hose while installing the fuel-line gadget, then later took the car to a shop wondering why the car was running rough. Mechanic noticed the exposed connection on the rat's nest, but not the loose hose. Installed rubber cap to plug the vacuum leak. Sounds to me like the most logical explanation.
Again, thanks for all of your input on this.
Brett.

 

Well, if you want to pull the rest of the nest, the tutorial we have shows how to keep A/C and CC intact while still gutting the nest

/shameless plug

 

"Ghetto Cruise Control"

My throttle linkage was gummed up so it used to stick, and you would pull the choke to disengage it.

 

Yep. That's pretty ghetto alright.