Hey fellas I need some much needed advice, I'm new to this site aswell as the world of RX7. . .I bought a 1987 F.I. RX7 off my buddy about a month ago. The motor has 147k but the body and interior are near mint, and I'm fallin in love with every detail already. When I bought it, it didn't run..it start, but once you accelerated the car spuddered dead. In doing this and a little bit of reasearch I discovered the problem was the mass air flow sensor. It was swapped with another that came from a 6 cylinder car from a junk yard. I replaced it with the correct one, and she ran smooth for a couple days, then every time I tried to feed some speed into her, she'd bog down. I'm only 20 and just getting into cars but I knew only three things could cause this problem. The mass air flow sensor, the TPS sensor or the second fuel injector. Since I had already fixed the MAF sensor, and the second fuel injector only comes into play around 6k rpm and this problem occured say when I was at 25% throotle and I'd suddenly floor it, I pin-pointed it to the TPS. I switched that out with a new one and it turned out I was right, the car runs like new, engine's clean and I was looking forward to upgrading it. . .yet while I let the car idle for 20 min. with a few revs here and there, it started to over heat! I checked the cooling system and discovered that my radiator was freezing cold on one side, and burning hot one the other, and the previous owner took the thermostat out so the water would be constantly flowing in the motor. .which someone would do if they couldn't figure out why it was over heating. I took it to a mechaniic buddy of mine and he said i need a new radiator and all my problems should be solved. .but I'm starting to get frustrated. I love this car but I want to upgrade and fine tune it, not blow my wad keeping it together. I need advice from experienced RX7 drivers on what I should do? Is this car going to be a chain of problems or should just give up? The car has amazing potential, and I feel I'm close to a great stock RX7 that I can really build upon. . .any suggestions?

 

I say if the car was kept in good condition its only gonna have problems like any other 20 yr old car... but sounds like ur rad is stopped up. Get u a good used one from somewhere and put a new thermostat in it and have fun...make sure to do a good tune up!!!

 

thanks. .Ive been checkin prices and the cheapest new one is a $150, I can't find a used one any where. Even on Ebay. . I was thinkin about rebuilding but when I ran compression checks on it everything came out smooth, so I have a while before I think about rebuilding or even swapping. does anyone know where I can get a used or cheap radiator that will last me?

 

Try Napa- the replacement I bought from them is all metal, replacing the brittle plastic end caps (mine split at the top). IIRC, I paid about 150 for mine as well. Trust me, don't scrimp on the cooling system- get at LEAST a new stock replacement, and make sure you use FACTORY t-stat and rad caps. (NOT STANT, or other major supplier).

 

I've got a couple laying around I'll send you just for the cost of shipping. let me know if you're interested. Neither of them have cracked end tanks or anything.

Chris

 

Before you replace the radiator, put in a Thermostat. Then check it again. I do believe that if the TStat is removed it will cause overheating problems because the coolant will never flow through the radiator becuase the rad bypass is no longer blocked by the TStat.

If you are having hesistation at high rpm's check to ensure your 6th port actuators are working correctly. If the exhaust was replaced or modified you probably no longer have vacume pressure to actuate them. One way to test is to wire them open and see if the car still struggles.

The factory radiators in these cars are very good and will last a long time if the cooling system is cared for properly. Mine lasted over 250,000 miles. I put a salvaged one in at it has worked great for the last 60,000 miles.

 

Hell yeah bro, I'm definatly interested in getting one of those off of you. . Are your sure they are in good condition tho, because mine isn't cracked or any thing either, well that I know of, yet its still junk. .and do you have the stock caps and T-stat aswell? I appreciate it bro. .