ingaman

I started restoring and tuning a 1983 RX7 about a month ago, but recently I've come into some money issues. I've had to put many plans or ideas on the side until I can find another job, but I don't want to stop completely. Does anyone know some low cost things I can do while I wait for my budget to rebuild itself? Any ideas and perhaps a price would be incredibly useful. Thanks =)

ray green

iTrader: (14)

2GDFI, about $25 for the 2G coil pack and about a half hour under the hood.

For an inexpensive power upgrade to the exhaust you can get a bonez race pipe that connects directly from the stock header to the cat back system for about $150 shipped. Or you might have one fabricated for about half that much but the quality probably won't be nearly as good.

If you are doing the work yourself routine maintenance and repair of broken or worn out items using stock replacement parts is always a good and cost-effective investment. For example:

carb rebuild ($25 for the kit at autozone)

new plugs, wires and dizzy cap ($50-$100, depending on the wires)

brake job (about $50 for all four pads; add $25-$35/wheel if you rotors need to be replaced)

radiator flush and coolant change ($20)

oil change ($20)

etc...

I know you are looking for mods but if any of these things haven't been done yet they should be a priority.

Kentetsu

Clean the engine bay, and remove everything that isn't needed (if you don't have emissions testing where you live).

Here is a thread on what I did, and you can do most of this for about ten bucks worth of cleaning materials. The results are a beautiful engine bay, which does amazing things to the value of the car (not that you would ever sell it of course).

https://www.rx7club.com/showthread.p...t=finally+pics





.

BandDButton

It all depends on what you are wanting to do with your car! If you have been at it for a month, I hope that you have already done the routine maintenance issues, oil and filter, fuel filter, plugs, wires, rotor, cap. Are you wanting to work on the interior any? What about repairing rust? Have you worked on any stearing or suspension issues. Tie rod ends are pretty cheap.

Jeff20B

iTrader: (13)

If you can get your hands on one J-109 ignitor and one stock Diamond coil, you could upgrade your ignition to DLIDFIS. They can be had for next to nothing if you know a rotorhead. The improvement in the way it runs is noticeable compared to 2GCDFIS, my recent experimenting proved.

You also need to buy a pack of .110 female quick disconnects from an electronics store since most tool boxes might not have this small size. Everything else is easy.

ingaman

I bought the car about six months ago and have replaced some body parts already. Right now I'm trying to repair some rust and such, but I'm pretty ignorant to a lot of the mechanics - in fact the main reason I'm here is to learn. What exactly is a DLIDFIS or 2GCDFIS? Also these are the things I wanted to do.

-RE Amemiya brakes
-12A overhaul (possibly street port it)
-Fuel injection (I understand it makes the fuel more combustable)
-GReddy turbo kit
-Exhaust modification

I'm also open to ideas or opinions as I'm still fairly ignorant. Also in my area we do have to do routine environmental checks, but right now I'm letting the car sit in my garage until I'm finished.

Jeezus

iTrader: (4)

For under $20:
Clean all under the hood (about 2 or 3 engine brite cans)
Block off plates (fab them yourself, not hard. Get sheet metal at Lowes or the like)
710 change
2nd gen leading coil
Seafoam

For under $40
Rewire engine bay harness (torch, solder, and assorted wires from harbor freight)
Remove everything you don't need in the engine bay
Synthetic Trans and rear end oil
Taurus Fan (relay, fan)
Seafoam like woah

ray green

iTrader: (14)

Well the best thing is don't change it until you've got what you got all fixed, especially the rust.

I really like Kent's idea of cleaning the engine bay, nice to know what you've got.

DLIDFIS or 2GCDFIS are different versions of 2GDFI, which are all slightly better ways to hook up your ignition, but not something you need until you get the rust fixed.

Also, if you've got a 12A with a Nikki, it is sacrilege to even think about EFI and turbos. Ewww. But an RB exhaust would be very cool.

Got any pics?

ingaman

Yeah I guess cleaning the engine bay would be a good idea. Like I said before I'm pretty novice at the whole process, so please forgive me for any ignorant statements. There is a significant amount of rust in the back wheel wells. I couldn't get a good photo of it, but I know that's where I want to start. Also the bin frames are pretty rusted through, so I'll need a new set of those. For rust repair, I'm assuming I'll need to weld a piece of sheet metal onto the frame? Does this require a mig welder in that case? I prefer to do the labour myself, so what do you suggest? I also attached some photos of my engine bay and the rusted back of my car. Is it difficult to disassemble the engine and remove? I do not have a hoist.

reddeth

iTrader: (1)

MIG is usually the standard welder used, TIG welders are expensive and hard to use if you're new to welding, don't even think about a stick welder. The general process is: Cut out rusted area. Fab patch panel to sit in it's place. Clean up surrounding area (metal). Weld in new panel. Seal.

Keep in mind, that rust repair can be either a simple patch job, or some pretty intense restoration work, it really depends on how good you want it to look at the end of things. Given the location, I wouldn't worry TO much about looks, focus on strength and making sure your welds are good.

trochoid

iTrader: (6)

For living in the rust belt, the rust isn't all that bad, you got lucky. From the looks of things, you have lots and lots of cleaning you can do. Some of which appears to be dealer installed rustproofing in the engine bay. Have fun with that. The more parts you can clean and restore now, the nicer it will be to work on the car later.

As far as rust in the engine bay, it starts from salt or brake fluid. Clean, neutralize, de-grease, then treat with either a rust converter or an epoxy primer. I like to coat my engine bay's with Dupli-Color Truck Bed Liner. It's chemical, rust resistant and tough as nails. Touch-ups are simple. easy and it holds up to power washing. You can buy it in aerosol cans or by the gallon and spray it on with a siphon gun similar to Campbell-Hausfelds $15 siphon sand blaster gun.

The under body can receive the same treatment but the factory bitumen based based undercoating must be removed first. You can also buy undercoating in an aerosol cal that's compatible with the factory coating. All loose/flaking coating must be removed and any rusted/bare metal must be treated.

That should give you something to think about, work on, until the finances improve.

ingaman

This may sound like a noob question, but do I need to remove the engine first?

mazdawat

for cleaning up your engine bay? nope. after a bit of exploring around in your bay you will soon realise that rotaries are extremely easy to work with due to mass amounts of space in the engine bay. by the look of your its quite dirty at the moment, its amazing what a clean up can tell you about how your car is going, for example you could find the source of small oil leaks, see what could do with replacing or restoring.. so on so forth.

Cheers mate. ill post some pics of some cleaned up bays in a sec...

.... ok so here is one of a forum members on here for some inspiration... nice and shiney[IMG][/IMG]

adding_lightness

That engine bay looks great! any links/prices for the new plastic pieces (coolant overflow, various fluids)? since i've never heard of a way to bring them back looking that good

t_g_farrell

iTrader: (1)

If you need to pass smog tests you will need to think hard about what mods you can
do. MOst of these mods (DLIDFIS, headers, rats nest removal etc) will make the car
unable to pass smog tests for most areas that require them.

Your best bet is to clean and maintain. Get all the little vacuum goodies in the rats
nest working properly etc.