Help!!
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 3
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From: Nashua, NH
Help!!
i just recently pick up a 1987 non-turbo Rx7 and it has a problem that i cant figure out. when i run it for a bit and it starts to get warm there is a smoke coming from somewhere between the radiator and the fan. it sort or smells like rubber. i cant figure out what it is cause i have no experence with a rotary engine and i have no idea what is different and what is the same. so i dont want to take something apart and not know how to put it back. any help or advice anyone could give me would be great. thanx in advance.
James
James
...94% correct.
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 1,283
Likes: 2
From: High Texas
Kinna smells like rubber? lol...first thing you need to check is the belts, then. Go out and try to turn each of the accessories by hand...shouldn't be hard.
Does it make any funny noises? Is there any smoke coming from the exhaust?
Does it make any funny noises? Is there any smoke coming from the exhaust?
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
From: Nashua, NH
yes it was making a kind of screeching noise but i didnt think it was a belt cause the smoke was coming from more toward the from of the car and the exhaust seemed fine. im am still a noob when it comes to mechanics so please give me some detailed info on how to fix this if you can. thanx.
James
James
Junior Member
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 18
Likes: 0
From: Sandy, UT
The radiator, fan, and belts are basically the same on a rotary as a piston engine. The only thing in that area that may generate smoke and smell like rubber burning will be your pulley belts. Check all your belts for proper tension. Also, you could loosen the belts so you could spin your air pump, power steering pump, and A/C compressor clutch by hand which should all spin relatively freely, just to make sure you don't have a bearing/bushing frozen. Good luck.
It sounds like a blown engine to me...
But really, it is definitely one of your belts. An easy way to figure it out quickly without doing too much would be to start your car for a few moments and shut it off. Then feel the underside of each of your 3 belts and smell your finger afterwards. The belt that leaves the burn smell on your finger will be the accessory that is locking up. I would just swap that accessory out and put another belt on.
But really, it is definitely one of your belts. An easy way to figure it out quickly without doing too much would be to start your car for a few moments and shut it off. Then feel the underside of each of your 3 belts and smell your finger afterwards. The belt that leaves the burn smell on your finger will be the accessory that is locking up. I would just swap that accessory out and put another belt on.