Lisa

Guess you could say it's my "happy divorce" gift to myself.

Anyway, it runs, passed smog, etc., but it definately needs work. Any suggestions on where I should start? It's stripped down, interior is crap, needs shocks BADLY, etc., but it was cheap ($400). I'm already in love with it!

Suggestions from anyone would be appreciated.

Skidrain

Congratulations, you have recently entered the wonderful and exciting world of driving with odd sounds from under the hood, envious looks from pedestrians, several sets of tires, and a lifelong dedication to your new wife, the rotary. She's beatiful in every way, and continuously performs wonderfully, if you treat her right!

Anyways-what condition, overall, is the car in? It's tough to see where to start if we don't really know the basics yet.
Obviously a tune-up would be the best foot to step on (plugs & wires, (make sure they're NGK), oil, air filter, make sure she's idling well (accelerator pump check) etc.

Lisa

Um... how about we call it a new husband?

He seems to run fairly strong - the last owner hadn't driven it in months. The longer he ran, the better he drove, although it's a little loose. Definately in need of a tune-up, shocks & I'm thinking a break job. There's a little chatter from the clutch (flywheel maybe?), but it doesn't affect the operation a bit.

The cosmetics are horrible - oxidized paint, trashed interior, etc. But, I'm in LOVE!

Will start with the basics, i.e., a tune-up. Would sure like to figure out where that little oil leak is coming from, tho...

Skidrain

oops, sorry :O Didn't mean to sound sexist at all!!

Anyway's, about the oil leak-check the cooler lines, if they're stock, they're prone to a little dribbling.

Lisa

You weren't being sexist - how were you to know?

Thanks for the tip on the dribbling, will check that out.

Also, AC was ran out of freon, froze up. They want a fortune to convert it - any suggestions? Too friggen hot in CA to NOT have a working AC for the summer!

1984special

I guess it depends where you are in CA! I'm fine without it... I just lower the window and drive faster!

Anyways... about the shocks. People on the forums say Tokico are the best performance and price wise. The Blues or HP are the non-adjustable ones that are pretty good. If you want adjustability you want the Illuminas which are 5-way adjustable and widely praised. Try shox.com

If you are looking for stock shock replacements then try classicgarage.com. I think that they are OEM, I really haven't looked into it. I figure if you're gonna replace em, you might as well get nice ones. But maybe that's just me.

Anyways, welcome to the forums. You can also search up topics that interest you because there is a lot of good info in the forums/archives.

RotorMotorDriver

iTrader: (1)

No, Im that way too, hell, just look at my sig. Everything upgraded was because I needed a new one and we ahve the same thinking .

~T.J.

Cody

I only wish my woman was that knowledgeable about car talk. Then, I wouldn't have to sell her to the Taliban for more Rx-7 modification money.

Defprun

So much fun these cars are. Dont be surprised if you have more than one in a couple years, lol. Hope your cars isnt an automatic. Got any pictures?

Lisa

No pictures yet... c'mon guys, I've owned the car for 3 days! And I can't find the camera (just moved)...

As for the shocks, I'm all for upgrading. And it's a manual - I'm too young for a damn automatic, lol.

Sucks that it didn't pass smog yesterday. Needs a little adjusting on the carb & choke, cleared all but 1 test with no problems. Mechanic tried to buy it from me (runs strong). Damn CA emissions laws.

As for AC, I'm in Stockton, it's a MUST HAVE!

How's everyone feel about aftermarket sun/moonroof? Mine doesn't have one, that's the only thing I don't like about it.

BrewerBob

Sounds about right to me (husand). I'm hard to start but once I get going I'm ok. I'm a bit bumpy and not too worried about cosmetics so long as everything works right.

Now, what model (of the car) did you get? We already know your choice of men didn't work out. In order to help with the mods (future ones) need to know what we are starting with. All of the basic ones will be the same. Tune up, replace bushings, brakes, etc.

Cheap used parts at http://www.mazdarecycling.com/
They are in CA so finding a "new" compressor and everything else should be fairly easy for you. I live in SC and even with shipping no one was close on price for an alternator.

Lisa

Yeah, I've already found mazdarecycling... I may be heading up there this weekend to scope out a dash & see if I can't find a compressor.

As for the man, he's an 82 bare bones. Love him already, can work around the stuff he doesn't have (power windows/locks, sun/moonroof, etc.). He's gonna be handsome someday! He's supposed to be blue, but mostly he's blue/grey oxidization.

When I get the car back, will get more specs for you.

Checking into Tokico shocks as we speak.

Thanks, everyone, for helping a girl out! lol

Scruch

Congratulation but we want to see foto =) .. another time CONGRATULATION =) i think your bast affair =)

BrewerBob

Mine's an ugly dark green '85 GS. She has some dents and dings and can difintely use a face lift. But it's what's on the inside that counts. And I'm going to work on that first.

Maybe we should get the two cars together. With enough time and a dark garage, maybe they would have some baby RX-3's.

Lisa

Ugly Dark Green, peeling/fading/oxidizing blue - what color 3 would we get, do ya think? And I'm not sure my boy is up for a cross country journey just yet!

bliffle

You should be able to get the required AC parts at a junkyard, cheap. Stay with R12. It's available in all metro areas (Stockton, probably, Sacramento for sure), it cools better than 134, and 134 requires different seals and etc. R134 is a combination of gases that wear out at different times, and have peculiar sealing problems. Folks will try to talk you into 134 but you'll be disappointed in it's cooling properties. The local Howard Street Radiator in Redwood City did a good job on my AC for $170 (mostly coolant cost) last summer.

Most of the stuff you need for repairs can be gotten at junkyards and recyclers. For the rest, I use Mazdatrix (www.mazdatrix.com), which seems to have good prices and a variety of goodies. It's so easy to order off the internet (and I have the pricelist on my palm so I can idle away my copious freetime dreaming and planning). And then stuff shows up at your door about 4-5 days later! Like christmas!

Lots of RX-7 stuff is available on ebay, too. I look there first to see if I can make a killing.

As for mechanics, who knows? I do many things myself. And I've been training the two gorillas down at the local garage by showing them the manuals and telling them what's different, etc. They appreciate the help (now they can do work on other Rx-7s too) and give me a little cut on the prices. Also, since I have two RX-7s, I tell them to not rush, and to call me if they have any questions, and not to force the issue and HOPE they did it right. Now they LIKE RX-7s, and they used to HATE them!

B

BrewerBob

The paint on mine is faded and oxidize but not peeling. Mine isn't ready for the trip yet either but I can assure you the color would be just awful.

Lisa

Well, if the color will be that bad, we'll have to consider it down the road, when the kids are potentially ready for a trip

SoRRoW

Dam a chick who digs first gens

Welcome

Lisa

Hey, there are a few of us out there! I'm still learning, this board's been a big help so far. You guys rock, just be patient with me!

BRealistic

a/c problems? Does anybody have any experience with the 20$ "converter kits" from places like autozone? All they are is some R124a, some "conversion conditioner and oil", and the adapter to allow the R124a connecton to the freon fill plug. No new o-rings or anything. I did this on a 90 323, and it worked excellent, but I sold the car soon after so I don't know if it had any long term problems.

Lisa

Ok, so yesterday my buddy (who's been getting it smogged & **** for me while I'm at work) tells me that there aren't even any damn belts on the A/C, but it spins freely. Gonna have to hook it up & see if it even blows. As for the conversion, will check it out - thanks for the tip.

BrewerBob

I believe, from what an A/C shop told me, that the compressors have to be changed. This was years ago and maybe he was trying to make a sell. Told me it would be $290 for new rings and a recharge on a system that didn't need to be replace (different car). I ended up going to a different shop and had it done for $110.

Anyway, if the compressor you have doesn't work, just go with a used one. The freon is still available but at $100 a lb (literally, I think) so a complete system charge still isn't going to be cheap.

How close are you to Mexico? Maybe freon is cheaper south of the border.

Lisa

Too far to go for cheap freon (about 8-ish hours). Will get it working somehow, don't want swamp-butt during the hot valley summer, ya know? That's so not attractive!

BrewerBob

We just had our first autox of the season where the temp made it to 80. One guy was complaining about swamp butt. By the end of the day, he said he was up to soup butt.

I know what you mean. I bought a new car because the compressor went out on my pickup. They were telling me the same thing. Replace existing compressor and recharge $600 or convert $600.