I am gradually getting the feeling (based on a couple of polite comments received over the last couple of weeks) that my neighbors don't appreciate the choke startup of my 79 RX-7 in the morning. I leave for work around 6:30 - 7 a.m. every morning.

I always pull out the choke for startup, and let her run at 2500 until she is warmed up and the choke pops back in before driving off. This takes about 45 to 60 seconds. It's loud, but in my opinion not earth shattering. Most of the noise is the engine fan. Exhaust is stock and in great condition. No leaks.
I suppose it would be like having your neighbor mow the lawn every day starting at 6:30 a.m.

Reading the '79 Owners Manual, it says that California vehicles should be choke started but only run for 15 seconds at the high RPMs and then you are supposed to (can) manually push in the choke all the way in and then drive off. I haven't done this yet, but I'm considering it.
Will this cause any damage or excessive wear on the car's engine/rotors?
Can I drive off with the engine still warming up?
Average morn. temp out here is about 60 - 65 in the morning.

On the one hand, I want to make sure my car is warmed up before driving off.
But I appreciate the fact that most people don't understand why this car starts that way, and that it might be annoying to someone lying in bed at 6:30 or 7 a.m.

I just don't want to get neighbors pissed off or complaining to authorities.
Has anyone had a problem with this before?
Any advice would be appreciated (besides get a new car or move.)

Thanks.

 

[RANT MODE]Does the '79 meet CARB laws out there? If so, I wouldn't worry about the neighbors then. Are you starting it in a garage or in the driveway? I've noticed if I start mine in the garage, it really amplifies the exhaust noise so as soon as I start it I let her roll out of the garage and warm up in the driveway instead Seems people forget that once upon a time there were cars that need manual/semi-manual chokes during startup. Screw them and their SUV's [/RANT MODE]

 

it's not really necessary to let it run for that long before driving it. it's not going to cause any more wear driving it as it's warming up as it does sitting in the driveway running at 2500 rpm for an hour. in fact, it will warm up faster.

 

Yeah I would just drive it with the choke partially engaged. It will warm up pretty quickly once you start driving it. I would be pretty amazed if your car warmed all of the way up in 45 to 60 seconds anyway. My '80 takes much longer to warm up than that. Good luck and even if you just drive it down the street a block or two so that you **** off someone else's neighbors that would be better!

 

tell them to build a bridge and get over it. I hate people. If it was a big fugging ugly chopper harley or a stupid hemi anything they wouldn't say anything....

 

Put a new fan clutch on it so that it releases in a few seconds like it's supposed to do cold, that will eliminate most of your noise and since it won't be stuck anymore you'll big a big gain in MPG and HP to the wheels.

Vernon

 

You could try letting it idle at 1000-1500 rpms, should quiet it down a bit. But yeah, start it up and drive away. Just don't redline it until warmed up..

 

Just smile at your neighbors and tell them the ******* was full!

 

no need to **** off your neighbors. get rid of it before they "egg" your house.

 

Set the choke so it idles at around 1500 rpm, no need to have it idling at 2500.

 

Yeah, set the choke at its lowest point to where it will idle but not die. At 60 degrees or so, do you still need the choke? Mine was broken for so long, I don't remember. I could get mine going without the choke by manipulating the throttle and easing her down to about 800 or 900rpm..

 

Yup, I do the same thing. Set the choke as close to normal idle as I can get it, and then drive off as soon as oil pressure has stabilized.

Spinning up to 2500-3000rpm on startup never seemed like a real good idea to me.

 

Remove mechanical fan and install electric fan black magic 150 model. Electric fans only spin when engine is warm and needs to be cooled. They don's spin during warmup.

 

A stock '79 RX-7 is not loud in any way, shape or form. Your neighbours need to shove it. Your car COULD sound like mine:
http://members.shaw.ca/deuteronomy/DSCF0105.WAV

Before I did my exhaust, the silly thing was so quiet that I couldn't even hear the engine while I was in the car unless I was really revving it out. You could check your fan to ensure that the clutch is working properly. Does the fan noise diminish as you drive off, or does it increase constantly with RPMS. If it increases constantly, then the fan clutch is shot and I'd consider installing an electric fan like Drivefast7 suggested.

 

I have an 85 GSL-SE now, but have owned 2 1979 RX7s. At 60 to 65 degrees you don't have to worry much about warming the car up, just depress the choke to bring the idle down to say 1,500 or less like others have said, let it warm up for 15 or 20 seconds, and drive off slowly. Perhaps let it warm up a bit longer in the winter.

 

Mine will idle fine right from the first start, but ya I am waiting for someone to complain about my exauhst. I say they need to get over it tho, pull the sitck out of their butts and go on w/ their lives.