Hello!

I am almost 18 years old and have been driving my 7 since I was 16. I know very little to nothing about my Rx-7 but visit here and read my large book when I run into problems.

I figured I would register and introduce myself...

I am James, and I have a 1986 Rx-7 non Turbo, custom champaign-ish color(Maeco messed up my original paint job) and maroon interior. I jump between loving my car and hating it. I want so bad to fix my car because I LOVE MY 7 underneath it all but I, at times, feel like I will be wasting money I have if I pursue fixing it, and adding on small things here and there.

I actually have at least a couple questions.

#1 - I hear that Rx-7's are supposed to be these bad *** fast cars, but mine just doesn't seem to push out the power that I hear it should have...

#2 - I love drifting. I am semi-o.k. when it comes to it, but I would love to get better, so if you could give me any pointers and or proper ways to actually drift, I would love that. (Currently, I drift at around 20-35mph and go in this order; E-Brake, Push in clutch and then release, and hit my gas)

#3 - I have read up on the over heating issues, and I still do not understand. My father has purchased and installed a new thermostat and new tubing, still it over heats. My overflow tube and little metal piece for lack of better words are busted however, if that has any effect.

#4 - I smoke. A LOT! If I rev to around 4.5+ I start to get my James Bond smoke screen going on, is this normal?

#5 - I love to go fast, and I love feeling the torque. My car does not seem to accelerate as fast as other cars, is this a driver error? I usually shift at around 4-4.5rpm... Also, my 3rd gear is sticky and will grind if I rev too high or do not hold in my clutch for 1-2 seconds prior to shifting.

Anyways, thanks in advance for all replies I may get.

Glad to be apart of the community, if you'll have me.

 

1. non turbo rx7 arnt all that fast. They do handle well though. Your VDI (these on an s4?) and 5/6th port actuators may not be working which cuts donw some on the ponies as well.

2. cant help I don't drift.

3.if your overflow thingy is busted, you will be overflowing the water and not replacing it. that means you are not running with the proper amount of coolant, and will overheat. FIX THIS NOW! overheating will kill our cars!!!!!

4. No its not normal, but could be a few things so I won't feild this one.

5. Our cars don't have alot of torque so that part isn't too good. As far as shifting...RED LINE. If as long as everything else is good (fix coolant and find out about oil) you can run right up to red line all the time. In fact its not good to "baby" the N/A engines, as they get carbon build up.

Check out the FAQs and the archives for lots of good info.

and you should feel lucky, at 18 i was driving a 74 dodge dart slant six, 4 door. I hated that car.

 

I had posted a nice long response but the server stopped responding at 2:30AM so it was lost. I may post later.

 

Welcome to the forum. Go back and replace that thermostat with an OEM Mazda one, if you didn't use one. Also get an OEM Thermostat cover (Rad) cap. Make sure there is no air in the system once you get a good overflow bottle. Make sure the hose between the overflow bottle and rad is tight, or else, air is sucked in when the engine cools down. Hopefully it's not too late. A proper functioning coolant system needs to be at the proper pressure (rad cap) and open enough (thermostat). Note that there's a particular way of orienting the thermostat (jiggle pin at a certain angle). You should also have a well operating fan clutch (will be harder to move when warm), and have the cover under the engine. If the "big book" you're talking about is the FSM, good. If it's like a Haynes or other, see my sig for the links.

I'm replacing the thermostat this weekend...should be posting some info very soon.

Stay safe, find an empty large place and practice your car control only there and compete only at events. You'll stay out of the jail/hospital/morgue/etc. that way.

 

Aftermarket exhaust makes a world of difference in feel - it's still not monstrously powerful, but it's fun

It depends on the corner. My favorite is a little bit of a powerover with inertial drift. Dump the throttle while you steer the car the opposite direction of the corner. When you feel the weight shift to the inside, flip the wheel back the other direction and gas it. The weight shifting across the car to the rear outside tire will make the rear end come out.

If you can't get water to the overflow reservoir then it can't come back from the overflow reservoir, which means you're gradually going to be losing water.

Not normal, what color smoke? If it's white, that's why you're overheating.

Shift higher, there's not a lot of arm of momentum in these cars. Shift at 6500 or 7000, to invoke happy-good-times. For point a to point b driving, 4 or 5 is fine, but the red line is red for a reason, anything below that is fine.

 

These four problems all suggest a blown motor and coolant seal failure.

A compression check would tell you for sure.

 

and bleed the clutch.

 

I agree with Mark. Ck it, then get back to us.

#2. Get an lsd, and a turbo. N/As often lack the torque to swing the rear end back and forth, but I don't think a Tii would have the same problem.

 

For the smoking problem, no, its not normal.

Dont wanna **** on your parade but you might have a blown coolant seal. Do this for me. Take of the radiator cap WHEN THE CAR IS COLD and start the engine. Go back out and check for bubbles. If you see some, you need to rebuild the engine...or sell the car and get another one.

A blown coolant seal would explain the lack of power, smoking insanly and overheating. Good luck, and post back the results.

 

I am bringing it into Parr Mazda tomorrow to see what they think. I am so bummed if it's my coolant seal... not going to lie it will actually REALLY **** me off. It will cost more to rebuild then it will for a new car. The bottom line is I guess I won't be a Rx7 guy for very long if I have to rebuild

 

To answer at least one question... white smoke.

I know that whole "This is an Rx7 forums, what do you think our answers will be..." but if my seal is broken, do you think rebuilding is going to be smarter? I LOVE MY 7! I just hate the work my car takes.

 

Versus what, jdm? Not rebuilding? You could drive it until it dies, but who knows when that'll be. Rebuilding would be smarter though, if that's what the question is about.

 

White smoke implies coolant leaking into the engine due to bad coolant seals. It then shows in the exhaust as white smoke. Not 100% sure, but things look bad and you should definately have it checked out. There is info on how to solve cooling issues in the FAQ and www.aaroncake.net, including how to check for a bad coolant seal. If it looks like you have a bad coolant seal, have a mechanic verify and go from there.

Has your car been doing this since you bought it? You gotta start with a good RX-7 or you'll spend a ton of money fixing it. Always use a buyer's guide before buying a car, and preferably have a mechanic check it out too before buying.

So from here you could either sell it, part it out, or fix it. See if there are any other problems, especially transmission or clutch problems. Then decide if you are willing to pay for the rebuild and everything else. If not, ditch it before it becomes a money pit. If you're thinking about another one, you can check the average selling price of an RX-7 in good shape at www.kbb.com. There are buyer's guides in the FAQ, through google or via www.aaroncake.net. It sounds like you need to take a step back and read up before getting yourself in more trouble: i.e., losing money, putting yourself in danger, and ending up with a slow car.

 

...god damnit.

I mean what is better... Buying a new or used car(probably not a 7), or rebuilding? I purchased this car from my grandma. There are some electrical problems, but that is just wiring. I have a sticky 3rd gear, but that is all.

Everything else is what I have told you.

 

I paid a grand for it.

 

Ah-do you want to spend a decent amount of money on a rebuild and other little issues, or sell it and buy new(er)? That's what it boils down to. We can't make a decision for you. I chose the rebuild route myself. The money doesn't bother me. It's just paper after all But anyway I personally say keep it. I don't like the way people think these days with regards to just selling a car if it has a problem vs. trying to fix the problem. Your call.

 

I hear rebuilds are $1500 to $2500+. I think you can also buy a rebuilt JDM TII (turbocharged) motor for about the same. Dropping it in is supposed to be relatively straight forward (for an engine swap anyway). Just mount the engine, plug in all the connectors, connect all the hoses, etc. Anyway some forum searches could give you more info. If the rest of the car is okay it may be worth saving. I mean, a good RX-7 goes for $3K-$5k or more (if turbo). And just to make sure... have you done the test(s) mentioned to make sure you have a blow coolant seal? Electrical problems are no biggy; I dunno how bad a sticky 3rd gear is. I mean, I would've avoided a bad motor in the first place but now you gotta research and make your own decision.

Oh, and overheating causes blown coolant seals, in case you're wondering how a grandma could possibly destroy a motor. Something as small as a stuck thermostat (especially if it's not OEM) could have caused an overheat. Most common way to blow the engine, in fact.

 

The testing will be tomorrow. I am assuming it will be between $100-$150 at a Parr Mazda, am I correct?

 

I have no idea. But I imagine just to test it would be a lot less.

 

I love my 7, and I cannot say it enough. It is one of the most badass looking cars out there, imo.

However I AM tight on money and either way, no matter me decision it would take months for me to come up with ~$2000.

I make anywhere from 500-750 every two weeks, so 2 months would get me at my marker...

I want to rebuild my engine and keep my 7, but money and experience is something I have very little of.

 

I understand where you're coming with about all this. I am sorry to say, but the symptoms you listed suggest a blown coolant seal. You should not be smoking that badly when you wind the engine up, and white smoke is especially bad. Also, N/A cars aren't especially fast. They have some zip, but in all honestly, if you want real speed, you need the boost snail. You'll find it pretty hard to drift a N/A car, especially if you don't have a LSD. I myself have a 87 GXL, so I understand about having a car that doesn't have much power. Mazda never intended these to be 1/4 cars obviously, but these cars blow away many of the other sports cars I've driven on circuit, road, and autocross courses. The braking and suspension systems on these cars is very hard to beat, especially when upgraded beyond what the stock setup is. I once drove my friend's 2001 GSR Integra and was unable to reach the speeds around certain corners that I could easily handle with my RX-7. His car also had been lowered with much gripier tires, but compared to my 7's suspension, it stood no chance.

 

When it comes to having a 7, from what I've heard, it's always good to have a little cash saved up just for when a problem arises. I mean making 500-750 every two weeks, I don't see how you wouldn't have the money?

If you truly love your 7 I think it would be a stupid choice to dump the ~$2000 into a honda civic. I'm sure you'll have a lot more fun with a healthier engine or hey maybe you could even swap in a TII if you really like some power (motors usually run close to the same $$ wise).

 

I feel your pain but what are your options really?

If you figure $3K (assume the worst) to bring yours back, what else are you going to get for that kind of money that won't need work as well?

 

Yeah, true, RX-7's are awesome grip cars. For drifting a beginner might better off starting with another car. In a straight line they're still decent enough, though. Most common modern cars have a 0-60 between 10 and 12 seconds; less if it's a fancy sedan with a big engine. Most modern "light" sports cars and "fancy sedans" have a 0-60 between 7.5 and 9 seconds. The faster sports cars range from ~5.5 to 6.5 or so seconds. The N/A RX-7 manages the 0-60 in about 8 seconds or a little less, at the top of the brand new "sporty cars". The turbo (TII) does it in around 6.5 seconds, at the bottom of the brand new "flagship sports cars". And you can upgrade power on both. Plus you can upgrade the already great handling which is where most of the fun, good track times, etc., etc. comes from anyway. Compared to the 2nd gen, the 3rd generation RX-7 is a bit faster, more grippy, pretty and is on par with most supercars. But it's also a heck of a lot more money to buy and maintain. That may be what you heard about when you heard "RX-7". The 2nd gen is still pretty amazing tho.

 

As long as you search, read, and ask questions... you'll be able to work on this car. I have learned a lot from this wonderful forum. It is unfortunate though that you may have a blown engine. Here are some coolant seal tests you can perform yourself (for free):

http://rotaryresurrection.com/2ndgen...l_failure.html

Check out the rest of the "Tech" section on that site.
> http://rotaryresurrection.com/2ndgen/techmenu.html