ever since i got my '82 rx7, the elec. system has been giving me problems. most recently it has been doing this this where the radio (i ran it straight from the battery) cuts out whenever I use turn signal or headlights or brakelights or anything. It doesn't always happen, but pretty often. When its doing this, the voltmeter reads like 11, when its not i can get 12 0r 13. i checked the alt at autozone and they got 14 out of it. It has had a history of ruining alternators. Is there any beefier alternator i can get that can give me more juice? thanks

 

You should run your radio straight from the battery. There is a reason that God invented fuses: so that if you have a short you don't **** up your alternator or drain your battery. I'd redo the wiring so that the radio goes through the fuse box and then check the grounds. Replacing the battery cables on our cars and supplying an extra ground or two is supposed to go a long way in solving electrical gremlins like this.

Check out this link:
http://www.jimrothe.com/mazda/battery_cables.html

I know that it was written with a GSL-SE in mind, but most of it applies to any year RX-7.

Good luck.

 

I do have my radio wired straight to the battery through a fuse. It seems almost like my voltage regulator is screwed, cause I get big jumps and drops when I turn crap on, it doesn't seem to be compensating.

 

Ack, I meant to say that you SHOULDN'T run your radio directly to the battery. I guess I should proofread my posts a little more carefully...

As for the voltage reguator, it's integral to the alternator, so if this problem spans more than one alternator, that probably isn't it.

 

I have a similar problem with my radio, although it looks as if its playing, no sound is coming through. I have the same unit in my truck with no problems. It does it rarely, and at random, but seems to be triggerd by the signal, or brake pedal, although it does it when I install the faceplate and turn it on sometimes.
I have yet to run a direct line to battery, do you have both lines(one requireing power only with key on, and one for memory, constant power.) run to battery?
Both lines run to battery requires manual turn on and off of radio/cd.

 

I had one circuit that had a short in it that I couldn't find, so I reran the radio and some other things straight to the battery with an in-line fuse. I kept the ignition switch line through some other circuit. I'm gonna try and add some grounds, maybe get an alt from a newer model.