kyle@insight

What's up guys, looks like I'll be geting to know you first gen fellas a little better

I'm selling my truck and I want to find a clean fairly low mileage GSL-SE as a daily driver. Anything I need to watch for? My knowledge ends with 3rd gens so you guys are goin to have to introduce me to the 1st gen world.

What do I need to watch for?
Common problems?
What years of the GSL-SE had the fuel injected 13B?
What's the fuel economy like?

Thanks in advance guys.

ray green

iTrader: (14)

I'm using a 1st gen as a daily driver (100 miles+ daily, mostly interterstate driving) precisely because it is reliable, efficient (just under 24 mpg) and FUN! The 12A is more fuel efficient, reliable and easier to fix/maintain, I think. Common problems? I got rearended recently, other than that, none, once you get used to that morning smoke when first started.
Ray

RotorMotorDriver

iTrader: (1)

1984 and 1985 were the only years with the FI 13B in the first gen, and they were also the only years the -SE was availble. So, if you find an -SE, its got the 13B FI engine, unless its been swapped out.

My Dad gets about 300 miles to a tank of gas in his bone stock -SE, opposed to my 200 miles to a tank in my GSL (but my engine is modded).

Look for common rotary problems (you should know them if you know about 3rd gens ), but other than that, nothing too major except maybe rear wheel arch/wheel well rust, as well as rust under the storage bins. Good luck finding a car, and welcome to the first gen community .

~T.J.

JIMMY54

iTrader: (2)

Besides having to replace worn out parts like on any 20 year old car you shouldn't have any problems...VERY reliable if you take good care of it. The GSL-SE's were from 84'-85' besides the EFI motor they also have bigger rims/brakes and a good bolt pattern for aftermarket wheels unlike the 12a models.

JIMMY54

iTrader: (2)

Forgot to mention, Watch out for Wheel well rust. They tend to rust badly there along with underneath the bins behind the seats. Also i've noticed that alot of them also rust out on the frame where some part of the Steering(?) system is mounted to in the engine bay (right beside the Reactor)

Pedestrian X

I dont think any has mentioned yet that they have LSD. only the gsl and the se have LSD.

CrazyJoe12a

Is this the Kyle from Lou. KY on 502streets??

WackyRotary

Also check the Fuel pulsation damper of any EFI RX7! I have helped 2 GSL-SE owners with mods and checked both for them. Both had the screw laying in the plastic cover!! ITs literally a ticking time bomb for a fire when that happens. If you buy a SE, check that right away and replace the damper if the screw is laying in there. You can't screw it back in, doesn't work that way, new is ~$90 I think, high yes, but cheaper then a impending fire.

A local member of our rotary rockets club had this happen, he even mentioned he had a gas smell and igored it while buying a RB flywheel and other performance goodies! Very bad IMO to worry about performance when there is much more important things to consider.

So do what I do, keep a fire extingusher in your car as "really cheap" insurance that is much better then any insurance companies' estimated value of a Mazda Rx-7 prior to the fire no matter how much money you have put into it and documented. Also pull the plastic cover of the damper every ~10,000miles to see that it still have its screw on.

WackyRotary

Also I have noticed that a stock 12a on the highway 70mph yields about 22mpg if no hard street driving is combined. Above 25mpg if you are driving only 60mph! But who the hell can stand driving that slow in a Rx-7 for more then a experiment to find how good of milage you can get.

Highway/street combined is more like 17-19mpg for average euthuest RX-7 owner.


NOW, for the turbo 12a I am running is getting about 17mpg highway/street. But that number varies wildly with the time VS boost. I also got 15mpg when I was driving hard from dead stops up to highway speed. ON the highway alone with no hard acceration is about 19-20mpg at 70mph, not bad when you can also get some great power/acceration by upping the boost on demand/as needed.

kyle@insight

Sho 'nuff. Whats up Joe