Benjamin4456

Well the inevitable has happened, my tail light finally burned out. Unfortunately, this car has suffered some moisture issues causing all of my light bulbs to be rusted in their sockets. I had to replace one not too long ago, and for that I just grafted a plug from the '82 harness on my parts car. Although, only a couple of the later year plugs (out of the whole harness) use the same locking system as the SA's and so soon I will run out of plugs that fit.

I haven't been able to find replacement harnesses for the SA's anywhere, so does anyone have some pointers on where to look? I'll probably post a WTB pretty soon here too. Are there any "universal" connectors that will fit the SA housings?

And if anyone has some magic solution to getting thoroughly rusted bulbs out of their sockets, shoot. This is my daily, so being able to replace a bulb quickly is of fairly high importance.

Thanks

GSLSEforme

PB blaster or some like rust penetrating solvent,thick gloves, shop rag/towel.
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Let penetrant soak at least a couple minutes,gloves on,try to turn bulb ccw while pushing slightly. If no movement,hold socket firmly and continue twisting bulb ccw. It may break or the complete glass envelope will break loose in one piece,50/50 chance. If comes loose continue twisting ccw til filament wires twist and break off and remove glass globe. If breaks up,use needlenose pliers and break up and remove remains of glass from bulb base.
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Holding socket firmly,use a pick or small screwdriver to break up the cement that held the glass globe in place inside the base. Don't be rough with the bulb base,you don't want to distort it and lock it further into socket. Once you get the majority of the cement out, take a pair of good/solid needle nose pliers and grab as much of the side of the bulb base as possible without catching lip of socket in pliers
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Holding socket firmly,twist the pliers ccw about 90 degrees which will collapse bulb base shell slightly inward and away from socket wall. Go to opposite side of bulb base and do same,spray some PB blaster down into the gaps you've now created. Twist a little farther on each side which will allow you to insert the pliers further down bulb base and collapse base further and begin to break up the ceramic base where terminal contacts thru base of bulb housing. Shake out whatever will come out.

Put one jaw of needlenose pliers down (bridge)into both gaps created and squeeze together further collapsing od of bulb base inward.Push down and ccw and twist out remains of bulb base. This works 100% of the time and leaving the socket housing intact.

Take a 1/2" copper water pipe cleaning brush you can get at Lowes,Homies and clean up socket base id. Take a small screwdriver,Push down contacts in bottom of socket and let spring pressure bring them back up. If you can't get disc/contact terminals to freely move up and down,spray PB blaster into socket base and using your finger work disc/contacts up and down til freed up. Scratch screwdriver tip across contact faces til metal is shiny.

Spray out socket housing with contact cleaner and let dry. Using an acid brush and some vaseline,paint the inside circumference of bulb socket and push contact disc down and force vaseline as far down as possible,coat disc and bottom contacts and install a new 2357 bulb. The brake light filament in this bulb shines brighter than the 1157 or 2057 bulb you took out giving you @10% brighter brake lights. The vaseline when it gets warmed by the bulbs in operation will flow like a semi liquid into all the nooks and crannies between bulb/socket/contacts and prevent any further corrosion as air can't get to metal-no air,no oxidation. You can do the same for battery cables at battery posts. Underhood heat will do same to vaseline and in couple days you can see how it flowed and covered post and terminal 100% resisting oxidation/corrosion at most important connection in car. Connectors,same. After cleaning a ground wire attaching point,painting terminal/fastener and body/chassis part,the connection will stay rust/corrosion free indefinitely. Vaseline is cheap...

Benjamin4456

Dang that was thorough. Thanks for all of that plus the bulb swap suggestion. I'm gonna count on getting through the week without getting pulled over for the brake light (running light still works) and do it this Friday / weekend.

I don't remember, but is it possible to get the harness out of the car without pulling the housings? I've removed them before with the housings, but since then I have spent a good deal of time sealing them up and now that it's rainy, I doubt they would dry in time (the gaskets are nearly impossible to find and are stupid expensive when you do). I know you can unplug them from the back, but I feel like the wires for the brake light get pinched between the body and the housing. I'll check this, but if anyone knows off the top of their head it would be appreciated.

Thanks again.

Banzai

iTrader: (13)

Daily driving a 30 something year old car can present challenges, but you already know that. Are you looking for connectors, another harness, spare tail light assemblies? Seems like maybe all of the above! There are places that specialize in connectors and parts. https://www.easternbeaver.com/Main/E...cna250-tl.html

You may be able to find spare tail lights for sale, they used to be fairly common. Harness's not as much, you need to search out vehicles being parted out or at a scrap yard. These cars do still show up at junk yards from time to time but normally aren't kept around too long.

GSLSEforme

I know FBs taillight harness has a connector at taillamp assembly. I cannot recall if SAs separate like this but believe you can remove enough of the harness from lamp housings to allow you to work on light sockets in the car. I would put a fender cover or towel down 1st so any mess can be contained on that and no staining of interior parts.

Eastern Beaver is great to deal with. They specialize in old Japanese motorcycle wiring harness rebuild/repair/upgrades. The connectors and terminals used in these old bikes are identical to those used on our cars. Connectors are available to replace the wiper connector at wiper motor that turns to dust. They are an exact replacement,as are the connectors for igniters on distributors. All the terminals for both sides of connectors are also available allowing you to repair any part of RX7 harness to oe function and appearance. It's cheaper to buy items in quantity as far as shipping goes and owner will advise you of that. Delivery pretty fast also.

7aull

iTrader: (2)

Ben-
As too SA taillight gaskets, they were still available and as you may have discovered, are pretty fragile once installed if you try to remove them.'The gaskets are about $30 each which, to me, is pretty reasonable.
Mazdatrix say the LEFT is still avail:
Cart Price Check Part:51-1630-8871
Worth some research with Dealers to find the RIGHT one, but looks to now be (SA Owners Alert!!!!) NLA...
8871-51-153
If/when you install gaskets run a bead of BEARING GREASE (or lithium would be OK too) on each side of the gasket before install. It seals the gasket and housing from moisture, but more importantly, any time you need to REMOVE the tail light assy, the gasket s will pull of easily and cleanly.

Stu Aull
80GS
AZ

Banzai

iTrader: (13)

Parts:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1978-Mazda-...53.m1438.l2649

GSLSEforme

Good link,light housing/sockets look to be in good shape if only for parts and answers OPs question about being able to remove light harness/sockets from car to work on sockets.

Benjamin4456