Please help with my new '85 GSL SE
 

Hello,
I have just purchased an '85 GSL SE and would like to get it back to perfect running condition. It seems to be pretty good already, but I have noticed a few problems.
(93k miles, everything original)

1. The idle is rough. It bounces around 500-800.

2. It only occasionally does the proper warmup routine. My understanding is that when starting a cold engine, it should idle at 3000 for 30 seconds, then drop to 1500 until warm, and finally idle at 800 when warm. Sometimes it does this, but usually it just goes straight to 800.

3. (New problem) When warm engine is idleing in neutral with clutch out, it occilates between 1200 and 1800 RPM. When I push in the clutch, it races to 2000 RPM steady. (This just started happening today. The master cylinder was recently replaced)

4. A rotor feels bent. When I press the brake at >40MPH the car shakes. The rotors were just replaced 20K miles ago, so I wonder if something is causing one to bend. How can I determine which rotor(s) it is? Could a bent spindle be causing this? or something else?

5. At >90MPH it shakes a bit. Maybe a tire needs to be balanced, or it could be related to item 4?

That's it. All things considered it is in great shape. The body and paint are perfect, and the interior looks like it just drove off the showroom.

A few other questions:
1. Has anyone found a good modern stereo system for the GSL (double deck) that retains the original look-n-feel? (Silver, with flat face and sharp edges)

2. Is there a mirror of these newsgroups for plain NNTP news readers?

3. Is there a way to view these threads in a tree-view like NNTP?

Thanks,
And I really appreciate any help I can get!

Ben

First on the brake rotor check that it is within specs and have it turned... I know you said it is relatively new. New when putting tire back on DO NOT OVER TORQUE. will f-up rotors.

As for the idle check the vacumme hoses.... good ref
http://www.nellump.net/peri/epi/firs...gslseIdle.html

Good luck

First, congratulations on your purchase! These are bloody amazing cars :)

1. The idle is rough. It bounces around 500-800....

Perhaps the idle was set too low by the previous owner? Try turning the big, isolated screw on top of the DEI (that large silver metal box on top of the engine that says RE-EGI on it) until your idle comes up to a steady 800RPM

2. ...but usually it just goes straight to 800....

Does it do this even if you blip the throttle? When mine (rest her soul) was cold she sometimes idled at 800 until I touched the throttle, then she'd shoot up to 2000-2500 and slowly come down as she warmed up.

3. When warm engine is idleing in neutral with clutch out, it occilates between 1200 and 1800 RPM. When I push in the clutch, it races to 2000 RPM steady....

Mine did that. Turned out the ports were stuch partly open. Removing, cleaning, and replacing them did wonders :)

4. Could a bent spindle be causing this? or something else?

No idea off the top of my head.

5. At >90MPH it shakes a bit. Maybe a tire needs to be balanced, or it could be related to item 4?

These cars aren't very stable at higher speeds - that chisel-nose front end tends to lift noticeably above 90-100 MPH.


***

I had a Sony MP70 deck in my car. I set the colour of the LEDs to orange and the deck looked virtually stock. It also played 180 song MP3s!

This isn't a newsgroup per se but a php driven web based forum.

For idle bouncy idle... I suggest pulling off the air intake hose and cleaning the throttle body out with carb cleaner and changing all the vacuum hoses :)

Any shaking can be due to a factor of things..check all suspension parts for wear and engine mounts as well as tranny mount..replace anything worn out..torque down whatever needs it...do a general checkup and maintenance over the car.

My SE feels solid cruising around 100 MPH.. a front airdam alleviated the 'floaty' feeling :)

Where in SoCal are you at Ben?...check www.socalrxs.net and get that ReX ready for SS6!

Read and follow David Lane's write up. He goes through all the details. I will say that any one of several problems can cause the same symptoms. My car has had that from an exhaust leak, a switch in the trans mission, and voltage regulator, a bad O2 sensor, etc. It seems that it is a failsafe mode for many problems.

Thanks for the help. I am following the write-up now. I'll keep you all posted with my progress.

Ben,
Join up w/ www.socalrxclub.org
We should be having a meeting sometime next month.
BTW. Yours isnt white and bought in San Pedro is it?

I will, and would love to attend. I can't wait to learn more about these great cars.


Nope, I bought mine in Phoenix.

Welcome, you are about to be assimilated. Oh, so much to teach, where does one begin? I've owned my GSL-SE for over 2 years now and I had to work out a lot of idle gremlins with it so now I feel it's my duty to share my unfortunate experiences and fixes.

First, check that link out that was previously posted about common GSL-SE idle problems, I suggest you print it out, staple it, and put it in your glove box.

Second, as far as your hunting idle problem, it seems to come and go right? It's a problem myself and other GSL-SE owners have experienced and it is a documented problem. Click the following link: http://www.iluvmyrx7.com/1stgen/manu...erformance.pdf

Print out pages 94 and 95 and you should be on your way to a full diagnosis and recovery. Also, here is some good reading on a thread about the problem
https://www.rx7club.com/forum/showth...hreadid=103324

Finally, as far as the warmup procedure goes, whenever you start your car cold, like say for the first time after it hasn't been moved in at least a few hours, turn the key to the on position, push the accelerator pedal all the way down then bring it back up, then turn the key to start the car and dont touch anything, you should find that your startup rpm's and such is normal. If it still just starts and goes right to 800, you have some adjusting to do on your throttle body.

There is so much to learn at first under the hood of the GSL-SE as far as engine idle is concerned, if you spend enough time on it though it all starts to fall into place. A good starting point on your car would be cleaning out the throttle body with some carberator cleaner. That will remove old carbon deposits and also help free up sticking throttle butterflies. Also, adjusting the TPS (Throttle Position Sensor). That should put you at a good base then to do your fine tuning.

Brakes are not a strong point for me so the only thing I can add to that is that A.) possibly your wheel lugs were overtightened, causing the premature warping, or B.) your front rotors were overheated while driving. As far as diagnosis of the problem, typically, if you get the vibration through the steering wheel, it's the front rotors, if the car vibrates in general, but the steering wheel doesn't shake, then it's the rears. Keep us updated, good luck.