Before:



In the process of running down a ground that was making my temp gauge go up when the headlights were on, I cleaned up the engine bay. I removed the AC, PS, cruise control and cold start systems, all of which I wasn't using. Now it's a lot easier to change the spark plugs and about 50 pounds lighter.

The photos show lots of details about the stock lay out.

After:

 

Looks good!

Now it's time to get rid of that ratsnest and throw some block-style fuses in place of those fusable links.

 

That looks really nice. I just had my '85 steam-cleaned and it made a heck of a lot of difference when I'm spending hours tinkering in there...

 

Ray, I'm shocked, not that your engine bay is clean enough to eat off of, I somehow expected that of you, but that you removed, dare I say 'modded' your 7. Very nicely done.

 

Jeez - compared to most, your BEFORE pic looks pretty good! So you've sacrificed comfort for access? (air con compressor gone...). See, living in Alaska, we don't need no steenkeen air con - but you guys down there?! yike!
Looks extra fine esp with a show-all-flaws white paint - nicely done Ray. How'd you get that alt to look so shiney??
Treat yourself: pull the underpan and get it powdercoated so you don't have to stare down at that rusty metal
Stu Aull
80GS
Alaska

 

Your engine bay is insanely clean. And I am with Trochoid on this one - I can't believe you modified your car.

 

Looked pretty clean before, nice work though.

 

Looks great Ray!!!

 

"I'm shocked ...that you removed, dare I say 'modded' your 7."

You're right Trochoid and Normality, I usually fix what came with the car and keep it "stock". But at least removing something is a conservative mod and I wasn't using any of these accessories anyway.

The PS started making noise last fall soI removed the belt, then never missed the PS, in fact I light the tighter steering better.

Last summer I spent the better part of two weekends and $100+ rebuilding the AC system and compressor. After all that it didn't blow very cold, so I haven't been using that either, instead I rely on the 80 mph cooling system. Guess I'll never be an AC technician.

I nearly kept the cruise control but after a couple of carb rebuilds I decided hooking up the linkage was more effort than the convenience gained. Also all those cables kept getting in the way.

And here in Georgia the cold start system was just getting a free ride, probably hasn't squirted since the car was new.

So out that stuff goes. The problem is it's a slippery slope, I'm thinking about taking out the air pump next weekend - I picked up one of those Mitsubishi dual alternator belts here in Atlanta last week.

And of course my next RX-7, the silver one, already has the RB header and block off plate, so I might as well get used to seeing my engine bay with some daylight in it.

And Stu, yeh, I'll pull that underpan next weekend and give it a spray, that rust doesn't need to be there.

Thanks for the compliments folks!

 

ray, it was clean even before you made it shine like new!!! very impressive. i had an 84 SE that i used to keep immaculate and i try on my 80 LS but it needs some detail work as well. your hard work has paid off my friend. excellent job! now how about that interior.......

btw, missed a spot on that flywheel inspection cover ...j/k nice job!!

 

great job

 

Thanks Eddy and Mr. verx713B.

Here's some picture of the interior, since I have to sit in and look at the interior all the time, I fixed that up first. Only mods here are some red leather seats and a steering wheel I picked up on ebay and some elbow grease:

 

Looks great Ray. Always impressed, and +1 to what Normality glitch and trochoid said.

 

Looking very nice Ray.

 

When I grow up I want to be just like Ray...... 's car.

 

very nice any hints on what you used to clean that engine bay?

 

Autozone engine degreaser. Hose it down. Follow that with warm to hot soapy dishwater, let it dry and spray it down with WD40. Then wipe it with a cloth and take a picture before it looses its sheen

 

It looks very nice and clean, Ray. Nice work! It will be much easier to keep tidy when you get your carb on there and lose the emissions! I know you've been thinking about it, you might as well while you're in the modding mood!

 

ray, even the interior is immaculate!!! great job on the whole car good sir!!! i love the seats!!!

 

Thanks folks, this could be your 7. And yup, taking out that stuff was a good idea, the car is not only much easier to work on, it's running better too, no more slogging at high speed.

I'm not sure if the improvement is due to fixing the ground or removing the cruise control, which might have been interfering with the linkage, but the throttle response is definately better out on the highway.

The best news, and this is still preliminary because I've only burned a half of a tank so far ($45 to fill that mother up this morning, can you believe it?) but it looks like the gas mileage has improved. I'd love to get up above the usual 23-24 mpg I've been getting and start doing 400 miles between fill ups.

So DJ, if you can recommend an aftermarket carb set up that will give me that kind of performance I'm all ears. But everyone with aftermarket carbs seem to get really bad gas mileage, not a good idea it seems to me.

In the mean time I'll be taking out the air pump and related plumbing and installing the dual alternator pulley this weekend, that should get me down another 20 lbs and make removing the carb a lot easier.