My 79 RX7 needs some work. Im aware of most of the problems, but there are a few that im not sure about. the last time i started the car, there was smoke coming out of the engine bay. most of it was coming out of the intake. There are also 2 pulleys, a brown one next to a grey one, missing a belt, and i dont know what they do. the car starts and runs. and a cable dangling in the engine bay, im also not sure what its for.

at the top of the picture is the cable, it ends in a metal thing that looks like it plugs into something, it has some green tape around the metal thing.




Here are the 2 pulleys, a brown and a grey one. I also dont know what they do or what theyre for, but like i said, the car starts and runs.

If someone could help me out, thatd be great. from what i know, the car needs new spark plugs, new fluids, it has a leak in the oil pan and whatever keeps fluid from getting out the transmission, it needs a new one of those. It also needs new shocks and sway bar endlinks. Im aware and have help fixing the problems i mentioned, other then the things im not sure about. i just ask that someone please help me figure out whats missing, and why smoke is coming out the engine. The last owner said its all stock, but im not sure.

 

That's your ac compressor and idler/tensioner pulley

 

Also the smoke sounds like you have coolant or oil leaking on to the exhaust

 

Alright then, I'll keep that in mind. Thank you very much for the help! ^-^

 

Not a problem, the cable picture is blurry, I can't make it out

 

If you do not intend to actually USE the AC system (or it may plain just not be working) I would remove the compressor. Why haul the extra weight? Plus really makes access to that part of the engine simpler. If you DO remove it then you will want to pull the evaporator rad and dryer bottle out at some point (in FRONT of the radiator) so you can maximize air flow and cooling.

As too the smoke, if you can give more details about WHERE you see it (engine? tail pipe? in between?) color (white-ish usually means coolant, darker = oil). Might be worth removing the "floor pan" under the engine to see stuff more easily, esp leak points. 4 10mm bolts I think, pretty easy.

Stu
80GS
Alaska

 

The smoke is coming off the top of the engine, mostly the intake. And youre gonna have to explain the compressor more to me because my AC system works fine.

 

The larger pulley between the distributor and the battery in the second picture is for the AC compressor. In other words, without a belt like it is now it would physically impossible for the AC to work.

A better picture of the disconnected line and where it connects to would help identification.

Not to hijack but on a side note, is the AC idler pulley not on some cars? My 79 doesn't have the idler and had a belt from the crank to the compressor before I removed it due to sn AC issue I haven't fixed yet.

 

How does it work without a belt on the compressor?

 

Your interior fan may work but it isn't blowing refridgerated air through the vents without the compressor hooked up...The smoke is probablly comming out the intake snorkle tube? Your thremal reactor is the begining of your exhaust system. It's surrounded by a 2 piece heat shield with a white cardboard like flex tube running up to the bottom of your air cleaner housing. If coolant is able to drip on the reactor, the smoke will run up the flex tube and out the snorkle when you shut off the engine and its no longer sucking air up the snorkle and down the carb.

I have also saw the inside of the heat shield deteroriate (it has a perferated metal inside lining which sandwitches an asbestos material btw the inner and outer skins) If enough of the inner skin rusts away, it can let the asbestos touch the thermal reactor causing it to smoulder. Same result, the smoke goes up the tube and out the snorkle.

 

aaaand - if you are getting coolant around the intake mani, then its likely one or both of the 2 rubber O-rings that seal the manifold against the water jacket there (yes the engine has a coolant passage into the manifold) has failed. The good news is the 2 O-rings are about $15. The bad is you will need to pull the carb and Manifold off (they can come off as one) to get at them. And you'll need a new manifold gasket as well. Advise draining some coolant first to lower the level in the Block.
NOTE - the torque specs for re-mounting the manifold are VERY low, so don't over-tighten! Its all aluminum… 15-19 Ft Lbs

Re:AC - I said that because it looks like the BELT is off the AC compressor motor, which is hanging off the driver side of the motor in your photo. No Belt = No AC

Stu Aull
80GS
Alaska