Rear tail light/antenna removal?
 

Okay, today after I got my trim painted and put back on, I decided to take a look at the antenna. I can hear the motor running when I turn the radio on and off, but the antenna does not go up or down. I can easily move it though.

Anyway, first I notice the padding is soaked under the carpet. I pull it back all the way and see I have 1/4 inch of water in the spare tire compartment. I take the tire out, pull one of the drain plugs and dry it out. Is this water coming from my back glass? It did not seem to seal good so last week I lowered the latch. No rust, but lots of water.

Second, I have read threads on antenna removal and most said to take out via the taillight. Well I have removed the 8 gold nuts and the frame around the back light. I see two small gold screw near the inner support also attached to the light it looks like. What else do I need to remove in order to get the light out and to the antenna?

Thanks, Rob

Check the drains located where the hatch glass seats to the body. There is one on each side, they can get clogged and will allow water to enter.

As far as the removal goes.

Yes you will have 2 inner nuts that hold the tail light assembly that are located near the quarter panel area. Remove the tail light assembly.

After that you unscrew the nut that secures the antenna at the body and remove the nuts that hold the antenna that are also located at the inner quarter panel area. Detach the wiring and the antenna and remove.

Also check the rubbers on the glass latch area. I had one severely cracked and it ended up making a swimming pool out of my spare tire.

The drain holes were clogged up. I unclogged them last week, but I bet they were not draining and water was overflowing into the car, only to settle in the tire well. I will keep an eye on this.

I have removed all the nuts I can see, I think there was 8 of them, slid the bracket away from the lights, but they still wont move. Where exactly are the others? I do see two small screws but they cant be holding it that tight.

Thanks

Here is a pic, what do I need to do to get it out?

[IMG]http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/h...te81Z28/M3.jpg[/IMG]

There is only 8 nuts that hold them in. It is just stuck because of the seal . You can either tap on the assembly on the inside or wiggle it back and forth, it will come out.

rob
if you play guitar you can use a broken string down the drains to make sure you have cleared any blockages in the drain tubes this gives you a little piece of mind

It will just take some pushing to get it to release. Start from the center and work to the side. Chances are they have never been out. Plus if the car has ever been repainted (Maaco style, tape 'em up and shoot 'em), the seals may have paint on them.

Okay guys, Ill push on it tomorrow. I just did not want to do too much pushing today without knowing I have all the nuts off.

Thanks axle, yes, I took some heavy duty weed eater cord and ran it thru them last week. The back ones had clogged and it was holding water. I guess it had been overflowing to the inside.

On another thread, a guy said if I can hear the motor, than the cord is broken, that I can reattach it, is that correct?

I havn't had to do it but thats what I've been told

You can try to reattach it. It all depends on where it broke. A friend of mine years ago fixed his by using weed wacker line as a replacement for the nylon cord. :)

Alright, I have broke the tail light seal and have the antenna out. I am going to start taking it apart to see where the cord is broken. Anyone know what I should be looking for???

Well the autoparts stores sell an aftermarket unit that is very similar to the old Radio Shack units that everyone used to use (see Jim Rothe's web page for details and installation instructions, the RadioShack unit is better than the stock one for various reasons, cost being most important). The ones I've seen run around $30-$40, for a new unit I think this is probably better than trying to repair a 25 year old stock unit. That's what I plan to do when (and if) my current RadioShack units quit.

But yeah take it apart, see if it's something simple. But I've heard replacing that plastic drive strip takes all kinds of patience and skill.

Okay, antenna is open and Im down to the weed eater type line inside. Its broken very close to the antenna itself, about 2 inches stickin out. How do you get the line detached from the metal antenna? I think I could reattach the good line if I could figure out how to detach the small broken piece???

So if it dont work, does advance or autozone have the better unit?

Yep that's where I've seen it, looks like it was manufactured by the same company that made the RadioShack one. It's nice because the mast goes up and down when you turn the radio one, not when you turn the car on and is simple to put in, see Jim Rothe's instructions on his web site if he still has it posted.

The advanced/autozone unit looks like this one on ebay, which has dozens of similar units listed. The advantage of getting it locally is that you can make sure it matches the stock unit (the mounting screws will be different, but Jim Rothe explains the fix for that). Also no shipping and you can take it back.

http://cgi.ebay.com/PYRAMID-EA48-FUL...3A1%7C294%3A50

https://i17.ebayimg.com/07/i/001/2d/56/e4fb_1.JPG

okay, I have a red and blue on my Metra antenna. The car has a red, blue and a blue w/yellow strip. Anyone know how to wire it? I assume red to red, but what about the blues?

It looks like you have already bought the Metra, shame, I would have suggested this: https://www.rx7club.com/1st-generation-specific-1979-1985-18/another-power-antenna-alternative-pictures-790301/

For the metra, what does it say about wire colours. You should have a +12V, a trigger, and a gnd. The ground may be tied to the mounting bolts for the antenna. For the +12V you will want a constant 12v line. I suggest the rear cargo lamp (constant 12V is Blue/Yellow IIRC, NOT the same as the blue/yellow in the stock antenna plug). As for the trigger wire, I think its the blue wire in the stock plug you will want to use. This wire has 12V when the antenna is supposed to be up only. I recommend using a spade connector to plug the trigger into the stock plug.

Good ole Jim Rothe, he's updated his web site with installation instructions for the Metra antenna:

http://www.jimrothe.com/mazda/antenna/index.html

Thanks guys. Yes, I would have went with the German one but I had my tail light out today and needed to get one in since its my daily driver. I could not wait on shipping.


Thanks Ray, I went to his site and wired it to the back cargo light. Now it goes up when I turn the car on, down when I turn the car off. IT will also go up and down when I turn the radio on and off.

Everything seems to be working well, now all I have to do is dry my padding out where I was getting some overflow from when the drains were clogged.

Thanks for everyones help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Next best thing after getting the oscillator unhooked, I just love it when that thing goes up and down. Those drain holes almost always clog near the top, almost anything you can stick down in there will get them flowing again, even a pencil.

On the drain from the antenna, the original was just laying in the finder well. There was no rust so I assume not alot of water gets down there. I did the replacement the same way. Anyone know how much water actually makes it down there? I know some have drilled holes, but I did not want to do that. I did seal around the opening for that antenna itself where its attached to the car.