88blkiroc

*Note, there is a tech question at the bottom of the post*

Well finally got the 83 over to the shop for a cleanup and inspection prior to starting. Its been sitting in my towing impound lot for over a year waiting on a title. Finally got the title in this week. Figured Id toss up some pics so you can all see what Im up against Overall the car is pretty straight and rust free. The paint sucks and the interior is in pretty sad shape but its definitly saveable. Without further ado, heres the pics...

Here she is right off the tow truck, complete with bird poop.








The interior was very dirty and smelled horrible. There was some kind of food or something decomposing in the glove box I think I got most of it cleaned up now and the smell is getting less horrible. Probably need to get it steam cleaned. The seat covers are shot but Ill address that soon enough.




cont..

88blkiroc

These stickers are on the drivers quarter window, are they anything special?


Here she is after the first of many baths. Looks a little better.


Look what else I found, original window sticker, owners manual, maintence manual and warranty info all still in the envelope from the original selling dealer She came out of Grand Rapids originally.


After cleaning out the car I found a picture envelope with this single picture in it. I was a little surprised but not disappointed I have no idea who she is but I'm assuming shes the cars guardian angel and she stay with the other paperwork


Now the tech question. I checked all the fluids, added fresh gas, topped off the oil and coolant, put in a new battery and took off the A/C compressor belt (wanted to see if it was locked up, the air pump? belt was already off). After cranking for a bit she finally fired up and started to make a weird noise and then died out. I finally got it to idle for a little bit but as soon as I gave it gas it died out. To better explain the problem I took a short video of the engine starting and dying a few times. Any ideas what that noise is? It wouldn't stay running long enough for me to take a good look. Sounds like bearings on something squealing.

Here is the video. Thanks for any help or comments.
http://irocu20.tripod.com/sitebuilde...iles/rx7-1.avi

ray green

iTrader: (14)

Well yes the girl looks good but the rest of it looks like quite a project. But you can make the car look and run like new again, whereas the girl probably cannot be restored to the original condition shown in the photograph.

From your video it looks like it's starving for fuel - change the fuel filter first and if this doesn't fix it do a test for fuel delivery (ie unhook the fuel line at the carb and make sure it's delivering enough gas). Could be fuel pump or possibly the trailing igniter, which will affect the fuel pump.

88blkiroc

Any idea on the noise? Also, is this a mechanical pump? Sorry but its my first foray into the world of rotarys.

rxtasy3

iTrader: (2)

can't remember but the noise is familiar. i think it has something to do with the air pump, it's a big hose that connects under the air cleaner. if u plug that big hose it may keep running. like i said, it's been a very long time but i remember that sound.

88blkiroc

I will try that tomorrow. The air pump does not have a belt running to it if that makes a difference.

RotorMotorDriver

iTrader: (1)

Sounds exactly like the shutter (coasting) valve to me. A search for that here should give you plenty of results, but as someone mentioned if you take off the air cleaner cover, its one of the holes in the bottom that should NOT be trying to suck air. Plug it off for now, and hopefully it will run a little longer for more diagnosis.

~T.J.

Heres a link to the MazdaTrix page.

http://www.mazdatrix.com/faq/shutter.htm

grandgarson

Can't say that I've heard that noise on my 7, but I had an 85 GMC pickup that I ended up pulling the air pump from (since it was in the way of hooking up the fuel pump that fell off while I was driving), and it made a similar noise. It never seemed to be a problem and was just the fairly big hose that led to the air pump vibrating from air being sucked in through a hose that was just hanging there.

I'd have to agree that it sounds like a problem of not getting fuel and changing the fuel filter will probably get you to a point where it will at least stay running. One way I've tested this is put some gas in a water bottle and have someone else start the vehicle while I VERY slowly pour the gas into the top of the carburetor. I did this on a 1981 Datsun pickup that I was thinking about buying and the fact that it would keep running while I was pouring gas in, but would die as soon as I stopped pretty much told me that there was a problem somewhere getting gas to the carburetor. I just don't remember if it was the filter or the pump, and I also don't remember if I had to pour some gas in to it to get it to start or only after it started. (NOTE: I'm not really suggesting this as a safe way of testing it out, as just the right conditions would spell disaster to the outside of your engine, the water bottle and the hand holding the water bottle with gas in it) It was a long time ago. I'm guessing that since it actually starts then it's not the fuel pump and just a blockage somewhere (most likely in the fuel filter). Sounds like the pump is pumping, but once it starts up the pump just can't get the fuel from the tank to the carb fast enough and usually a fuel pump either works or doesn't.

grandgarson

Lol, the picture you found in it certainly trumps me. The closest I've found to something like that in a car I've bought was a love letter. There were also bullet holes in the bed of that truck, so I don't know how well that love letter worked. lol

Just kidding, the previous owner told me how the bullet holes got there. It was the truck that they used when they went hunting and on one trip they came back to the truck and someone had shot it. But it was still an odd combination of things to find in a little 2 wheel drive pickup, love letter, bullet holes, and bullet casings.

And in case you're wondering how the truck looked, I found this picture of it. This was after I had cleaned it up quite a bit. When I bought it, it literally had a rats nest in the heater, and the front fenders were smashed in so badly that they stuck up past the hood and it looked like it had horns. I wasn't quite finished with it as you can see from the back of the bed. I had cut 10 inches out of the back of the bed and about 2 inches off the back of the frame to give it a much sportier look and I hadn't finished the fiberglass work yet when this picture was taken.

ray green

iTrader: (14)

I agree with RMD, that honking sounds like the classic symptom of a bad shutter valve, check his link to Mazdatrix for an explanation:

http://www.mazdatrix.com/faq/shutter.htm

This might even be causing a massive vacuum leak that is contributing to the problem with it stalling out, but usually even with a bad vacuum leak you can keep it running.

The easiest quick fix is to disconnect and plug the vacuum lines going to the shutter valve, just make sure the coasting valve (the round butterfly valve in the intake manifold going to the rear rotor) stays in the open position when the shutter valve is disconnected.

But I still think it has a fuel starvation problem, as soon as you ask it to rev it cuts out, like it quickly uses up what little fuel is getting to the carb. (The carb is the next thing to check out if the fuel filter and fuel pump check out OK).

Good luck, nice looking car!

88blkiroc

Well I took off the air filter housing and plugged up the line going to the shutter valve and now she will start and idle just fine (with full choke) and no more homking sound. Seeing as how I have never driven a car with a manual choke, how long should the engine run before taking the choke off? I had it running for probably about 3 minutes and as soon as I shut the choke off it died. Maybe its going lean and dying from lack of fuel, possibly the fuel filter like some of you have mentioned. I have a new fuel filter here for it which Im going to install in the next few minutes. I also got a new video of it running so Ill post that later tonight.

Bud Scott

I would put in new plugs, ignition rotor, distributor cap, and plug wires before you go a whole lot further too. I don't think that's the complete source of your problem but surely would not hurt either. Good luck with the project!

ray green

iTrader: (14)

The choke should disengage by itself after a few minutes, it's main purpose after the initial start is to keep the idle speed up until it warms up to avoid stalling. Just give it a few more minutes, hopefully it will disengage and everything will be fine.

On the other hand with a car that's been sitting like your's has you may still have a bit of tuning to do. High on the list (after the fuel filter) is to check for vacuum leaks, these will cause stalling, a rough idle and poor overall performance and gas mileage.

Let's see some photos under the hood!

88blkiroc

After I let her warm up a bit more she moved around under her own power and once the temp came up the choke **** actually popped back in by itself and the engine stayed running and driving with the choke off. Im still going to replace the fuel filter but its looking pretty bright at this point. Also all the interior switch work as far as I can tell except for the passenger side power mirror and I havent tested the cruise control yet. The brakes need bleed pretty bad too, the pedel is very soft. Im going to flush the coolant tomorrow, this just takes regular old 50/50 green coolant right? How about oil? The manual says 10w40, is that correct? The engine sounds really good now

P.S. is there any way to check if the shutter valve is open or closed without taking off the carb?

P.P.S. Ill get some under hood and under car shots up tonight or tomorrow, gonna put her up on one of the lifts right now.

DivinDriver

iTrader: (15)

The choke timer is supposed to run 130 seconds before the magnet lets it retract.

And ultimately, the blonde would end up costing you more than the car will, so you're doing fine!

Starfox07

Is it just me, or does the blond have no right hand? Looks like a nub to me!

FirebirdSlayer666

iTrader: (3)

As far as I know there isn't a choke "timer" but rather once the thermostat opens up it cuts power to the magnet which pops it back in. If it had a timer it would hold out for 130 seconds whenever the choke magnet was engaged whether it was warm or cold which it only holds if the thermostat is closed

Gabriel82

iTrader: (8)

nice FB dude
goodluck with your plans

88blkiroc

Thanks everyone. Took her out for the first quick drive around the block today and she scoots out pretty good. Just got done doing a serious coolant flush on her, rear wheel cylinders and shoes along with an oil change. Ill take her back out tomorrow for another run and get a better feel for how it drives. The brakes seemed a little inconsistant today so Ill have to check that out and also it feels like the gas pedel shold travel further then it does, just feels like it should open up more. I also have to locate a turn signal/hazard relay for it as the turn signals dont work and from what I understand if the relay is bad the overrev buzzer wont work as well correct? I also think the tach is off since at idle it sits just about at 0 although when the engine is reved it moves up with engine speed. Im afraid the calibration is off and with the overrev buzzer not working I dont want to mess up the engine. Im used to driving pushrod V8s that run out of steam at 4500rpm. What should the carb be idling at? It seems to idle just fine at a happy rpm for the motor but I need to check if the tach is off. How is it driven anyway? cable? Well thanks again for the info and i got a few more pics to post up tonight when I get home.

P.S. anyone know of a good source for the flasher relay? Or at least a picture of one?

RotorMotorDriver

iTrader: (1)

Regular old 50/50 green stuff with distilled water will work fine, and I ran 20-50 Castrol GTX in all mine, but any DECENT oil will do.

Congrats on getting her running! Glad the shutter valve was the major culprit and not something else. I had one I saved that sounds very similar to yours, and the more I drove it, the better it ran and the less I felt like I needed to tinker with it. I hope yours is the same way! Get that filter changed, and some fresh gas in it, and see how it does. Also, be ready to change the filter again if you get sediment and grime from the tank and you start having drivability problems down the road a little later. At least theyre cheap filters!

~T.J.

88blkiroc

Yeah I got the fuel filter changed the other day.

FirebirdSlayer666

iTrader: (3)

The engine should idle at 750 rpms plus or minus 50 rpms. The tach is run off the trailing igniter. As far as the turn signal relay, go to Blackdragonauto.com and get a catalog. Also check around at Mazdatrix.com. If the pedal feels a little short or stiff, check the "teeter totter" for the secondaries. If you do a search on common power loss for Nikki carbs you'll find what I'm talking about. You may just discover a whole new beast

bliffle

Even with bird poop it looks pretty good!

My 83 is my favorite RX-7. It's lighter than later models, and the seats are deeper and more comfortable.

I use Redline MTL in the transmission and Redline in the diff, too. I use 10w30 Mobil 1 in the sump, and I add 6-8 oz. of MMO to every gas fillup to clean the fuel system and lube the rotors/ apex seals, etc. The 83 idles so smooth you can't tell it's running, and my old SE is getting close.

88blkiroc

Thanks for the info! I didnt get time to post up any pics last night but hopefully today Ill have a good video of me taking her out for a drive to post up. I checked through the Black Dragon catalog online last night and the print catalog today at the shop and I cant find the dang relay in there anywhere. I did find it on Mazdatrix though, it looks like a white 5 prong relay right? Thats it right?

88blkiroc

Found the throttle cable off the teeter totter, hooked it back up and holy crap, she moves out now!