Thanks for the quick responses on my blue smoke question. I will drive it for a while and report back. Another question: after all these years I finally swapped out the points/distributor from my early 79 RX7 and put in an electronic distributor. Replaced the coils with matching units from a 82 (I think, they are a different part # from my original coils). Wiring changes included bypassing the resistors on the shock tower, and disconnecting the two relays near the left headlight. This is a California car, so there are a couple additional relays there, but I think I got the right ones by comparing the wiring diagrams and connector drawings for the 49 state and Cal versions. So, I start her and set the leading and trailing timing, all is fine, but for a couple of things. - lack of power and the tach is jumping all over. The tach is smooth while the choke is on, but when the choke kicks of it idles fine, but the needle is jumping between 800 and 2000 RPM. When driving, it also jumps around constantly. When I press the accelerator down, there is hardly any power and the engine seems rough. Going at constant speed or decellerating, it is smooth. The idle sounds pretty good and smooth, nothing like what the tach is showing. Any ideas?

 

Sounds like something is intermitenly sparking or a rotor is not firing. Check your coils and wiring on the trailing side.

 

Bad plug wires, bad plugs, possible failing ignitor, possible failing coil, poor wiring...

 

try this link
http://www.wankel.net/~krwright/cars...stributor.html
Stu Aull
80GS
Alaska

 

try this link
http://www.wankel.net/~krwright/cars...stributor.html
Stu Aull
80GS
Alaska

 

Usually when two electrical things go wrong together it means there's an open common connection (usually a lifted ground) somewhere. So what happens is the system tries to complete a circuit by running thru another electrical gadget.