greetings everyone,

so after taking possession of my rx7, i've been fixing this-n-that. lately have been told that the oil pressure sensor guage is not working. i'm wondering if anyone here can help me. is this a difficult thing to find/order/fix? my bind is that i am w/o tools/manuals here (in mtl.)? how serious is the problem? can i actually overheat the engine? can i drive in the short run (in to storage for winter)? how expensive would any action cost be? prehaps relatedly, the tach has given out too? could the problems be related? corroded connections maybe?

and finally, in driving the car, it is by far, THE MOST quiet vechile i've ever driven. is this typical of the rex-es (84 se w/12a)?

thanks for help offered.
norman ng

 

Ummm... SE's didn't come with 12A engines. More on that later on.

The oil pressure sensor/gauge isn't a BIG problem, just make sure you have enough oil in the engine. Most of teh gauges are probably inaccurate now and you might want to look into an after market gauge. The sensor is on the left side of the engine, near the filter. It looks kinda mushroomish, and has one wire coming from it. Remove the wire and clean it thoroughly, do the same for the contact on the sensor itself. Most of these problems are caused by poor electrical connections.

Anywho.. on your 12A powered SE, Check the rear brakes. If they are drum type, then you most defenately don't have an SE. Also check the label in the driver's side door jamb for stock tire sizes. Stock SE tires were 14 inch. Non SE's were 13. (For USA models at least.)

 

thanks, for putting fears to rest. i'm going to try to find a haynes manual today. i'll look out for the true identity of my mazda. i do know that the original motor was replaced with a 12a, so that may explain why this engine is in this car. possibility that the original was a 13b...i laugh at myself...

 

You can easily get/order a haynes manual at your local Canadian Tire (assuming you have those in Montreal) for about $15. Easist thing to do is call their Automotive Parts desk, ask if they have one in stock (Mazda RX-7 1979-1986 All Models), and if not they'll order it and have it in like 2-3 days.

As for if your car is a GSL-SE or not, assuming it still has stock rims, they should be 14" diameter 12 spoke rims. If they're 13" 4 spoke then you have a non-SE. Like Pele said, easy to sheck the door sticker too. Both GSL and GSL-SE models have rear disc brakes, and since you're Canadian, does it have the sprayers for the headlights? Only GSL and GSL-SE models have those. Also the three piece stereo and both opaque sunroof and translucent moonroof were all standardequipment on-SE's.

Also, if you're planning on doing a lot of work on your car yourself, you might wanna consider investing in a Mazda Shop manual for your exact car. Hell, even if you're not planning on working on your car yourself it's a nice refrence to have. You can order one at the parts counter of your local Mazda delearship. As I recall they're in the $50 dollar range. Just make sure you order the correct model and year.

Hope this helps,
-Spencer

 

Also, about the sounds from your car.
The Rotary engine in the RX-7 can be quite quiet or quite loud, depending on your exhasy system. Of course a lot of the mechanical noice from the engine is missing (valves, camshafts and connectng rods are all absent). You'll also gennerally notice a much lower sound from it. Most of us think it's much niocer than the higher pitched whine you get from a lot of small piston engines.

 

When I get on it, My Honda sounds like a cat eating a bumble bee.

 

Good one! I don't think I've ever heard that analogy before.

 

It was supposed to be in the tome of Ralph Wiggum form the Simpsons saying, "My Cat's breath smells like cat food."

 

i stand corrected -it is a gs.

had to replace some gaskets-n-rear DRUM brakes.
dumped some MMO into gas tank and along w/oil-filter change.

still not absolutely comfortable w/o oil pressure guage. but the civic is the daily driver, so i can wait for the weekend to check things out further. waiting for haynes to arrive from canadian tire anyways.

thanks for the advice found here. be warned: i'll probably be looking to pick the experienced rotary brains on this forum further. sorry!

norman ng

 

ncmn
We live to serve
Seriously tho, feel free to ask away!

Pele
"It says 'I choo-choo-choose you', and there's a picture of a train!" :p