not much down there than i know of that would smoke, someone else will have to go into that one.

Did it turn over? any life?

 

Nothing but clicking. I’m stumped; I don’t know what would be smoking maybe the starter?

 

Since the car hasn't started yet, the "smoke" wouldn't be heat related- i.e., burning oil or steaming coolant- so electrical would be the likely cause and the starter the obvious first candidate.

Judging from the picture, the engine bay is filthy.
You might want to spend a few hours with some Purple Power/Simple Green, a brush and some hot water and remove the bulk of the gunk since it's likely you'll be spending quite a bit of time in there.
Do it now before the weather starts to get nasty.

As for oil...I'd just use some Castrol GTX.
No point investing in expensive synthetic for a motor of unknown condition.
Use a Mazda filter, they aren't expensive.

 

I went out and bought some gunk to clean the bay out. It worked out really good the first time and I followed up a second time and it looks a lot cleaner now.If I get time tomorrow ill get a toothbrush and get the remaining spots.

Now I can actually see what I’m touching and looking at, as were before I was just looking at grease. I’m letting it dry over night and all tomorrow and my Sunday is dedicated to her. Ill post some "clean" engine bay pictures tomorrow.

I was told it could be a shorted wire, loose or open wire that was smoking. So ill check on that Sunday.

Dose anyone know how many standard 91 verts were made I can't find a sales figure site.

 

You know, now that i think about it i think it just might be your starter/battery cable going to the starter that was smaoking.

The starter is down where that picture is pointing. just quite a bit lower. but it is there alright. Next time you try it feel the battery cable going to the starter, when mine went out it would get REAL ghot and even smoked before i relized what was going on.

Also feel your starter. I am willing to bet you need ot replace the starter. It is a piece of cake to remove, so i would take it out at least and take it to be tested, though that is not always going to tell the truth. I tested mine and it said it was good but i knew for a fact it was bad. it just had to have load to show it.

 

Ryan-

Congratulations on that clean vert deal. You will have lots of great fun with your Dad working on this car. I helped my son with a couple of project cars, Honda CRX and Integra. Its a great way to grow your relationship with your dad into an adult to adult relationship.

One word of advice. Do not 'rice' it out. Leave everything as OEM as possible with exceptions of wheels/tires shocks and springs. You are going to spend a thousand or two thousand dollars on this car before it is nice. Don't believe me? Keep a file of EVERY receipt. I bought my Vert for $1100 and I had about $3500 total in it before paint. That is every fluid, filter, fuse, battery, wire connector nut and bolt, exhaust repair, etc. Honestly though, your vert looks like it is a lot nicer than mine was.


Avoid parts sold with the words 'Race'. This will be hard to do so at your age, but it is the key to not losing your *** when you sell the car. You basically don't want to do anything that will reduce resale because every car gets resold someday.

My son did pretty well with the CRX but he totally riced out the Teg. Lost his butt.


Good luck and have fun with your Dad.

 

Dose anyone know how many standard 91 verts were made I can't find a sales figure site. If i get time tomorrow ill get a toothbrush and get the remaining spots.

My goal is to restore the car to show room condition. I’m going OEM with everything except the inevitable. Was having fun working on it, but I’m being really picky when it comes to what I put into it. For example when we thought we toasted the radio my dad wanted to just get a new one where the cd player actually works, while I wanted the stock radio and I eventually found the reason it wasn’t working.

Today we got the starter out. The starter was bolted in so tight we had to go out a buy an impact gun that was more then twice the price of the starter. After that tried to test it at auto zone and it wouldn’t even work. I ordered a new one witch only cost me $104 with a $42 core charge witch will be ready Monday or Tuesday.

 

Must have been the factory starter if it was that hard to get off, mine just popped right off.

How would you have spent $200 on an impact gun BTW? You can get them for $30 from harbor freight for a cheap one and a real nice one for well under $100.

Starter price is good though, i spent $120 on mine.

 

total RX-7
year RX-7 convertibles RX-7 model year sales
1986 0 56,243
1987 0 38,345
1988 7,002* 27,814
1989 4,032 16,249
1990 3,535 9,743
1991 3,151 6,986
totals 17,720 155,380

https://www.rx7club.com/showthread.p...8&page=4&pp=15

 

Ok I got good news and bad news:

The bad news:

The car still won’t start...
We put the new starter in and still smoked and clicked.

The Good (kind of):

We were looking were the smoke was coming from and saw there was a thick black wire that was all stripped. It was propped alongside the block.
The wire came from the big bunch of wires an its only about 3 inches long.
If anyone knows what it is, were it goes and how to replace it that would be great.

 

How big around? It might be your battery cable. Mine got so hot when trying to start my massivly flooded car that it started to melt. I caught it in time though.

Pics?

 

its dark but sure ill go take a pict ill post in say 10 mins

 

right in the center of the two right most wires.
LOLthat was more like 5 mins

 

thats not good, looks kinda burned up

 

That looks like the battery wire, which would make sense if the starter was bad.

As i said when my starter went out my wires got HOT FAST. Trace it and figure out what it goes too. But i am willing to bet it is the battery to starter wire.

 

I put the positive wire on the starter and the L wire that goes on the prong. The frayed wire is only 3 inches long and not long enough to reach the starter. Its an looped wire and there’s a bolt on the engine housing that looks like it might fit on? Could it be a ground?

Any Ideas???

 

Ground seems reasonable. Though i don't know of one in that area.

Someone else will have to speak up on this.

 

YESS IT STARTED!! YUP it was the ground!!

We got it started and then it stalled. Sure in enough it was just the ground wire. We taped it and put it on with the positive starter wire and it WORKS.

Now, I changed the air filter. I have the oil filter, antifreeze, fuel filter and I’m going to buy AMSOIL tomorrow. What should I get 20-50 or 10-40? Is there anything else I need? Be specific plz.

Here what on my list now:
Spark plugs
Amsoil
Gas 90 oct
Break fluid
Air conditioning cap


Any recommendations will be added.

Thanks.

 

Oil depends on the temp where you are.

Personally what i did when i got my car was changed the oil with some cheapo dyno when i first got it and then drove it about 50 miles. Then changed it again with AMSoil. The oil the first drain was NASTY NASTY NASTY.

Even after the second change it was NASTY. I plan to change it again after about 1000 miles. So rather then waste good stuff for the first 50 - 100 miles just use cheap stuff then change it again. trust me it will need it.

Plug are also good, make sure they are NGK and you get 2 Trailing and 2 leading. The shop will usually try to give you 4 of 1.

Get some plugs wires as well. I got some from pepboys, 7mm silicone for about $30.

Flush the radiator with some flush (just ask for it at a parts store).

Use 87oct gas if it is an NA, only turobs need 90+. I would also dump some injector cleaner/seafoam/RXP ect in the tank. Can't really have too much. I personally run 1 tank with a handful of bottles of Injector cleanrs and then another tank with some injector "oil" such as lucus injector something.

Flush/bleed your brakes with fresh fluid is a good idea.

Change your tranny fluid and diff fluidtire pressure of cousre. while you are doing it. I used AMSoil on these as well, no need to really change these twice like the oil unless it really looks dirty.

Tire pressure of course.

I would also grab some vacume hose and replace ALL the hoses under the hood, 1 AT A TIME. just to stop problems before they start.

 

i have a 91 vert as well. i was reading the last post but y 87 oct only? and not 90?
thats just me. but i like 2 use the 90. and i have been using it for like 2years.

 

For one thing an NA doesn't need anything high then 87.

An NA is also tuned to work with 87

It runs better with 87

Plus did you know that the higher the oct the less power it actually has? The high oct just means it is less likely to knock, which is what you need in a boosted engine so you don't ruin your engine. But with an NA you don't need to worry about that so you actually get more power out of the 87 over 90.

Not to mention that the 87 is cheaper.

 

It fired right up today!!

It shot out some smoke, then after that it was fine. We did a radiator flush and right before the 10 mins the duck tape on the thermostat housing gave. We went driving around to find some one that carried one. We ended up finding a place that will order it for 89 bucks and its a good chance it aluminum. I also picked up 10-40 mobile clean 500 performance oil or 2.50ea, thermostat, top cleaner/protector, electronic cleaner to try a fix the cd player, spark plug wires, injector cleaner, jet off bay cleaner and the radiator flush. The housing will be in for 3 days along with the plug wires.

Other then that it ran good for 10 mins we backed it up about 5 feet and it went nice and smooth. Hopefully it will be done earlier than spring! And I have hit the $400 mark today so I’m in about $900 but I’m exceedingly happy so far.

I remember reading that you can put some kind of oil into the engine to lube the seals, what was it and is it a smart thing to do?

 

Good to hear it is running! At least you had it easier then me!

As for the oil, that is more for getting it to start the first time. Since yours is already started it is not a big deal. you could put a cap full of oil in each rotor if you really want to though.

You can also run some seafoam through it if you want, or do the water treatment.

 

grats man! cant wait 2 see pics of it while u are driving it

 

Well a little set back with the housing. The company switched suppliers and they no longer carry the housing like everyone Else. So i went to a Mazda dealer and it should be in by Thursday.

Haven't done much besides put it in the garage. I wanted to clean the top but with all the rain up here i haven been able to apply the protectant.

Dose anyone know of a good rotary store in western mass?