daithan

Hi,

First post, hope someone can help.

Here's the deal - I've got a lead on an 84 RX7 with 34,000 miles on it. It's been sitting in a garage since 1996 and the fuel lines are all bound up with sediment and need replacement. Seems the fuel lines are no longer something you can order from Mazda parts. DSoes anyone know where I can get replacement fuel lines and...(I live in Massachusetts, near Boston) does anyone know a good RX7 mechanic in the Boston area that could care for the car?

Thanks so much in advance.

Daithan

LongDuck

Well, first off - welcome to the boards. You'll find that this group is very knowledgeable about these cars and can help you with just about any problem you have, if you're willing (or able, or even interested!) in doing some of the work yourself.

If nothing else, we can certainly help to point you toward a good mechanic and give you some options to suggest to a mechanic that could save you some money.

To start off; any car that's been sitting since 1996 is going to have some problems. Combine that with the LOW mileage that this car has seen, and you may be facing some issues - NOTE: yes, I did say 'LOW' mileage as potentially leading to problems, more on that later. We may have a board member who lives in your area and can help you find a good mechanic to assist. Most of us are enthusiasts for these cars and work on all of them ourselves, sometimes to the point where we get angry if anyone else touches them or tries to work on them!

The fuel lines can be 'blown-out' using compressed air after you remove their connections to the fuel rail (or carb), the tank, and any filters that may be in-line. In most cases, this just means draining them out along with the tank, and blowing the air in one end and out the other. Rust should not be a problem unless there was a way for water to get into the tank, in which case, it will seek the lowest point and could corrode your fuel pump along with the lines. If the lines are rusting from the outside, you may need replacements, so check with the following parts retailers;

www.mazdatrix.com
www.victoriabritish.com

These parts houses specialize in RX-7 parts and can likely help you find new lines if that's truly what's needed. At the very least, I would also expect to have to rebuild the carb and replace the fuel filter, drain the coolant and refill with 50/50 mix, and put in some fresh gas before you get it started up. Low mileage on these cars and at this age usually means that the seals and rubber O-rings inside the engine may not have stayed lubricated enough to keep them from deteriorating. These rings perform vital functions such as keeping your oil separated from the combustion chamber, and keeping the coolant where it belongs. Any of these rings can fall apart on a low-mileage, sitting car, and result in a costly rebuild that is the only fix.

After you get it started, you'll want to monitor temps and oil pressures to make sure that it's not going to kill itself quickly. Pay careful attention to any oil leaks under the car that may form, since oil starvation will kill an engine faster than anything out there. Also monitor the tailpipe for steam, blue smoke, white smoke, or any other indicators that the Air/Fuel mixture may be off.

Give these things a try, and we'll see what else we can come up with,