I have a 1985 GSL-SE with a 12A water/oil cooler that sits right below the oil filter. What exactly do I need to do to convert this oil system to a 2nd gen. Again, I have access to several 2nd gen oil coolers. 1st gen oil coolers are very difficult to find and very expensive to purchase. Can someone help me out there in the rx7 world. Please give me step by step instructions. Thanks

 

HEY! I know where the oil cooler goes!!!

 

I need help. Thanks

 

PM me if you are the LA area, I can offer you some assistance.

 

NO, but I can send a butt load of pics to you of my installation if you email me. Only things you need are the cooler, a 2nd gen oil filter pedestal, o-rings, new lines, fab some mounts, block the extra water passage on the rear housing and your there.

 

is there a step by step picture guide???

hehe, i like purrdy fb pictures

 

online i mean. just bought an fb last week. going junk yard surfing tomorrow.
yAY! JUNK TO IMPROVE PERFORMANCE!!

-one mans junk, is another mans treasure!!!

 

You want to send me the pics? I went with a cooler from a -SE, used the 2nd gen pedestal and fabbed some mounts for the cooler. But I didn't block the water passage because I wasn't sure how to safely. I just routed the hoses in a way that looked reasonable. But I wouldn't mind getting rid of the hoses if I can. I'm a little worried about leaks.

One other question. What's a good way to tighten the fitting in the front? I can't get a wrench in there solidly so it leaks a bit. Didn't spring for AN fittings, just used new hose on the old barb fittings following some instructions on how to make my own hoses.

 

Alright, Im getting swamped with PM's for the pics. I'll put them up on my website today. There wont be any text for a while though.

 

Which fitting? On the cooler? Or on the front cover?

I hvae no good way to block the water hoses on the 83-85's. I use rubber caps with a clamp from autozone, but I replace them when they start to age and crack. Cant afford a failure.

 

Is the T pipe for the water hoses coming out of the engine threaded in?

 

Sorry. Front cover, down low. I used teflon tape, tightened as well as I could, and still have drips.

Will stop by autozone and look for the caps.

 

The way you tighten the front hose( front cover) before the other end goes on the cooler use a box end wrench and slide it over the cooler end down to the fitting on the cover then slide it back off once tight. then the cooler end, thats easy to get too. don't over tighten any of these fittings.

 

Thanks, mark. I don't think I tried it that way.

 

Nope, its pressed in.

 

Ok, heres the link.

http://www.pbandjracing.com/oil_cooler_pics.htm

 

awsomeness

 

Great minds must think alike, because thats EXACTLY how I mounted the FC oil cooler in my old 85. Every detail down to the line going under and over the front to the top fitting. Nice job CARL!

 

wow, that looks way simple...except for the custom mounts. 1 more question about the pics carl, did u have to do something to the oil filter tower? i can't find the filter at all

 

On my 83, the T was just cut off the block leaving enough to attach a hose and a clamp, I think. All I know is it was only a single pipe coming out of the block, and a "custom" copper pipe T was installed in the hoses themselves so it was just one hose out of the block that went to a T where those hoses went to where they needed to. So, when I did my swap, I just put the hose on the pipe coming out of the block and threw the "custom" T and hoses in the trash. The PO might have done something that actually helped me!

~T.J.

 

Thanks hornbm.

woodonastick- I used a 2nd gen oil filter pedestal. As I recall 86-88's are the easiest to use. They are identical to the 79-82 pedestals, no extra holes or fittings to deal with. The mounts were thrown together out of some old angle iron I had laying around (old bed frame, great stuff for fabbing things out of). Ghetto, but they work ok. I'll make the one for the streetcar a bit nicer.

D'oh! TJ that true. If you just cut off the tee, you can run a single heater hose and be done with it. But the other end is still needing to be dealt with. Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

 

nice info here,cause actually I was going to get maerials to make my hoses today.I wished a litle better pics were posted,I still havent found out where to mount the cooler,somewhere in the front of the airdam where a FMIC would be mounted,I will figure that out later,I just got to get the materials

But TJ your fittings or maybe where the oil cooler is sitting is making the hoses,looked cramped..

nice work though..

 

heres what im workin on,new pics and im just kinda hppy its getting there..



and my scatter sheild

 

Very nice work! Whered you get the scattershield?

 

the scatter sheild was free from a friend who drag races,we gave each ther so much free **** recently,its just like trading off,I just repainted it to match my engine..

well Carl,I called 2 speed shops up here in tampa,
no one had these ****** adaptor peices I needed,So I went to a company who makes hoses here ein tampa,they had the anodized fittings and ****.

BUT I read TJs site and he said he used 16mm adaptors,well these peeepl mesured it and said it was 18..

anyways,I can find the pedalstools,and coolers pretty easy..

I think I can fab up the mounts,and if so . Im thinking of selling this as a "kit" but it will be a little pricy ,not sure if its worth it..

I will post pics after im done..