PJ87

Hi, I'm the guy who posted about acquiring an FB about a week ago..

When I went to pick it up the other day, the owner wasnt home, but his dumb pothead brother was. Long story short he broke a key in the ingnition. So I came back later hoping they would've fixed it, but all they did was take out and throw away the lock cylinder all together. I had this weekend planned around fixing up the car and getting it to my buddies shop right away. I embarrassingly had to drive it with a screwdriver and scissors holding the ignition in place. I used paper to stuff the chamber so that it would stay perfectly, any bump would throw it off or keep the starting running, so it was one of the most frustrating drives ever (they live up in the mountains, so yah, there were some bumps).

Anyway I wired in an over the counter ignition today. It works, it's alot better than waiting for the potheads to do nothing and having to use a screw driver and scissors, which once again fall off every bump. My only problem is I had to push the car a few times and ended up locking the steering wheel. If I take off the rest of the remaining original key assembly, will it unlock? Remember the original cylinder/chamber is not there, so the original key is useless except on the doors.

Also I searched the forums, read some manuals, saw some schematics, but I have two wires left over. One is small black solid, another is small red/black, they are the only small wires out of the set that goes to the ignition. I can't figure out what they do or what they operate, but I sort of have a hint: I can turn my lights on, but when I turn them off they don't go back into their housing.

Help greatly appreciated, sorry for the long post

Eriks85Rx7

Im not sure really but I always say you never know till you try. I guess give it a shot

Kentetsu

There is a method to removing the steering lock, but can't recall the details. This is required for certain race classes, so you might want to ask in the race section or try searching. Good luck man...

PJ87

OK I was fed up and wanted to go for one more drive before bedtime and I hate "putting this off until tomorrow," especially when you can't turn your baby.

Here is the solution:

Having a locked steering wheel , but your lock/key chamber/cylinder is gone, either

A: Get a large flathead and turn the remaining mechanism as if it was a key to what you think is either the A: On, B: ACC, or C: off position. At the same time you do this, turn the wheel in the opposite direction of the way it is locked. You'll feel a click and it'll unlock. Leave the Mechanism in any position except for the farthest away from you (past where "Start" would be with a regular key, I believe thats where it locks).

B: Get needle nose pliers and on the other side where you "would put the keys," twist a little plastic piece counterclockwise (towards you), while turning the wheel in opposite direction of where it is locked. I don't recommend doing B because although not alot, it took a little force with the flathead to do A, therefor using B would probably break the plastic piece.

I'll have to add some pics when I get my digi-cam back, I'm amused at how pissed I was after finally installing a generic key start, and not being able to drive because the steering was locked.

I'm still not sure what the remaining two wires are, that I'll do tomorrow. I've found that besides my lights not going down, my instrument cluster wont light up either. But the speedo and tach and all the other gauges are reading correctly. Oh well, who needs to know how fast you're going when most of the time you're breaking the speed limit anyway, right?

Rogue_Wulff

The 2 wires, are probably for the ignition light.
As for the lights not retracting, and the dash lights not working, check the taillight fuse. When it is blown, that's what happens.

PJ87

Thanks, time allowing I'll let you guys know tomorrow how it went

PJ87

yah you were right I checked it today, taillight fuse was out, replaced it and my lights go down - awesome.

Dash gauge lights still not working, but then again I still got two leftover wires that I don't know where to put. I did find out how to stop the annoying door buzzer, its the two wires that lead into the back of the key cylinder mechanism, simply pull them out.

I got a sigh of relief today because I pulled the belts to AC, PS, and Air pump. If I hadn't just moved to my house and sold my tools recently, I would've unbolted them completely.

Of course I was expecting better repsonse - and I got too much of it. My engine was doing nothing but surging, wouldn't stay under 4k, and I drove like that to the local bowling alley, drove around a few times there after checking it out to try to get the idle down. Then all the sudden the car just lost power and cut off right when I was parking.

I was thinking initially that I might have blown my apex seals because the engine was really hot and blowing lots of smoke, and it wouldn't start again, to me it sounded like there wasn't much compression since the starter was spinning faster than what I'm used.

Well long story short I ended up meeting other RX-7 guys at the alley and out of sheer frustration kept tinkering away at the carb and vacuum lines, I plugged a tube that originally went to the air pump with a thick wad of paper towel, then after ten minutes of small talk, and some carb cleaner , fired her up. She's never ran smoother since the day I got her! And thank god my apex seals didn't take a hike, the 12a only has 65k miles on it.

So I guess you know you're a 1st gen owner when you carry as many tools without adding too much weight (or justify taking a few more tools than normal now that you don't ride with the spare anymore) with you.

Now my only problem is the belt squeals when the fan engages, but electric radiator fan is in the works, as soon as I can find more money..

Kentetsu

Make sure you take proper care of that tube you plugged. You can get blockoff plates from Racing Beat, or just make your own. I'm wondering how long it will be before that paper towel gets sucked into your engine...

DanielBlakley

I've got a shell I'm rewiring right now in my garage, I came in to get some sleep for the night but I will post the function of those two wires when I wake up tomorrow...