I'm primarily looking to buy a NA RX-7 and I'm trying to find out which models had the options I'm looking for. It's a must that my car will have the bigger brakes and the LSD.

I know that the turboII has all the options I'd want.

I believe that all GXL's (positively the '86 - '88, but maybe not on the '89 - '91?) will satisfy this, but what about the '88 GTU? Can I also assume that all '91 models will have both since there was only one NA coupe model? What other options may I put in my "must have" list?

I'm also leaning towards the '86 - '88 models for their weight advantage and I'm planning to swap the '89 intake to help bridge the hp gap. The part that concerns me is I now would have to pass emissions and I read that the EGR must be blocked. Do the '89s have EGR, or is it just done differently?

I've been doing a lot of searching in this forum and have read conflicting info, so I'm trying to get it cleared up here.

I'm looking for it to share my daily driving almost 50/50 with my current car, so I can handle some downtime if necessary.

 

Well, all Turbos had the LSD. All GXL's also came with the LSD. I dont think that the GTU had lsd, but the GTUs did. The GXL's also came with the larger 4 piston front calipers. The GXL is slightly heavier, but not that much, On mine I replaced the stock steel hood with a lightweight aluminum one, and replaced the AAS (auto adjusting supension) with a good set of struts and springs. Also about the intake swap, there has been alot of debate on whether it is actually worth it. Read the sticky on the top of this forum for some good info. Id say for what you want buy a GXL, or if you can find one a GTUs (theyre rare). Good luck!

 

Bigger (4 piston) brakes and LSD came standard on the following models:

86-88 GXL (manual tranny versions).
88 GTU
89-90 GTUs
and the 87-91 T2

A few 86-87 sports which also came standard with the 4 piston brakes will have a LSD, but they are fairly rare.

And even fewer '91 coupes came with the 4 piston brakes and the almost never found on a '91, LSD.

As a general rule of thumb, the car will not have a LSD unless it already has the 4 piston brakes. But just because it has four piston brakes doesn't mean that it will have a LSD.

But the parts can be swapped onto almost any FC from another, if you find the parts in a junk yard.

 

Seconding the above, all GXL's did NOT come with LSD. The 86-88 models did, but that's a clutch pack and according to Ted Kosecki's FC3S-Pro site, those clutch packs are good for only 30-40,000 miles. I have one of those 86-88 differentials waiting to go in, so this last was a real kick in the butt.
The 89-91 GXL did NOT come stock with the LSD rearend (viscuous) as I can personally attest to.
The GTUs had the 4.3 rear end, I believe, in any case, numerically unique to the lineup.

Ralf

 

1991 only model was Coupe, and all options were available at the dealer. My 1991 has all power, no sunroof, no LSD, small brakes, cloth. Weird collection of options...

 

My dealer brochure lists two different accessory options available for the 91 coupe. One makes it look like the GTU from the previous two years, the next adds more stuff to make it a GXL. Then you could add leather and a couple of other things to top it off. I don't remember if the limited slip was an option at all.

Ralf

 

Right, but it was not a GXL or GTU. It was labeled as a Coupe. Well, I don't have an LSD, and I have seen several 91s w/ it, so I think that qualifies as optional

 

Good info, thanks. I think for now I'm going to keep focusing on a '86-'88 GXL. Anybody with info on the '88 GTU? I'll probably still look at a couple of '89 - '91 cars to be sure I don't regret it later.

I did read the intake swap sticky thread and it looks like it gained about 10 hp up top and did not lose anything along the way. That seems like a good deal to me. I'd probably not be able to get the time to do it anytime soon, but it will definately be on my list if I can pass emissions with it.

I'd be okay with a clutch type.

 

You're right, it was not labeled as anything but a coupe. I should have been clearer and meant to say that the option packages made them like the GTU or GXL models of previous years, though neither of those models were part of the lineup of the 1991 model year. It was simply the coupe.
As for the LSD, that bears investigation as to whether or not it was an option and the brochure might be helpful. Of course those cars your refer to could have had the LSD retrofitted before they came into the present owners life.
Ralf

 

Good call. I am not sure how the LSD thing works out. If you find out anything PLEASE let me know Great info man!! 5 star vote for this info!!

 

The 88 GTU would be a great choice, as like the 86-87 Sport, and the 89-90 GTUs it came with the heavy Duty suspension from the T2.

Comparing it to the other models, while it is generally lighter than the GXL because of the manual windows, no AAS and stuff, but it does have the same heavier carpet and insulation package as well as the optional sunroof (which came on so many it really should not be an option) from the GXL/T2 making it slightly heavier than the 86-87 Sport.

In the FC sportier NA cars the 88 GTU should be considered in the top three, (86-87 Sport as number one, 89-90 GTUs as arguably number two). The 88 GTU however should not be confused with the strippy base 89-90 GTU version which wasn't in the same ball park.

 

did the 90gxl have 4 piston brakes?

 

86-87 sport package had the big brakes but NO LSD.

Jeff

 

Yes, but no LSD

 

The LSD on a Sport was an option in some parts of the country.

 

Is no LSD on the 90 GXL a definite, or was it an option?

 

I have a gtu with a superbly working lsd but if i could i think i would go with the sport eh no sunroof so what i like sports- base model with a 5 lug thats all good

 

guys how can i tell what kind of car mine is from the vin #?

or is there any other markings on it?

thanks.

 

Nope not even a factory option, but that deosn't mean that in the 12 + years since you car was sold that someone didn't put one in. It just didn't come with one from the factory.

 

The sport was more than a base model with 5 lug brakes... it was much lighter and sport oriented than even the GTUs, in that it came with the aero kit (which dropped the Cd to .29 ( the GXL and T2 models were .32) had the heavy dudty suspension from the T2, and didn't have even poser mirrors (whoops I meant power mirrors) or power windows or even a heavy tilt wheel. Probably the only other simular model it around that time, was the 911 Porsche Carrera Americana, which also was factory stripped of all the extras like power everything, 8 way adjustable seats, insulation and fancy carpet.

The only GTU that came with a LSD was the 88, which also came with the heavy insulation and carpet package form the GXL, much like the 89-90 GTUs did as well.

 

year? power anything? wheels 4 lug or 5? transmission?

 

ok its 5 lug. power windows/ power mirrors 5 spd 89 i think.

 

looking at the front brakes, if it says Mazda on the caliper (four piston brakes) then you have a GXL

If it does not say Mazda on them, you have a GTU with the single piston brakes

 

someone I know has a '90 GXL and he busts one leggers, doesn't seem to have lsd to me

 

what the heck is busting a one legger????

and again, No. The 90 GXL did not with a LSD.