I hope this is the right place for this post as it pertains to some technical stuff...
1990 rx7 + long trip... I've heard a lot of horror stories on some forums.
I was just wondering if some more experienced rx7 drivers could inform me of if I should stop everynow and then to let it cool off a bit or some things I need to look for/check before and during the drive...
plz?

 

Do the normal checks, stop every once in awhile to let the car cool down. Check oil when you fill up on gas. Other than that you'll be go to go. If you trust your car to drive 300 miles in the city then I don't see why highway would make any different. (Unless your having problems already)

 

250-300 miles= long trip?
You must be joking.

Would you ask these same questions about a 1990 Honda Accord?

Assuming your car is in reasonably good shape and regularly maintained, you should be able to hop in and drive coast to coast without worry or special "cool-off" stops.
Steady state highway cruising is probably the least stressful driving that any car experiences- your car would love it if that's all you did.

 

As long as theirs no current problems, you'll be fine. Most roadside breakdowns could be prevented with regular maintenance and preliminary checks before you depart.

Check:
-Fluids! Oil, Coolant, Brake, Clutch, Washer fluid if you need.
-Hoses! (heater hoses too!) Almost lost my 91 GTU because i didnt check this. I shut down the engine when i heard the buzzer.
-Belts! Nothing sucks more being stuck because you lost a alternator or waterpump belt.
-Tires! Dont forget to check the spare too.
-Vacuum leaks are always a bitch on older cars but usually wont leave you stranded. Usually wont idle. Good to replace with silicone hoses.
-S5 temp guage is worthless. Oil and Coolant idiot light will save you though. (If they still work)
-You should always check oil at least every fill up with a rotary if you have factory OMP.
-And i'm sure you already always carry extra oil and/or premix.
-Other then that, take some basic tools and coolant if you're feeling iffy.

I regularly take a 450 mile trip from SF to SD every couple months with no problems; 87 tii. I'll carry my toolbox along with premix/oil/water/brakefluid and extra yoohoo/alt belt vacuum caps and zipties, ducttape. I usually have to fill up twice and while i'm stopped i quickly check my fluids and such (I log everything). I had a small leak in my clutchline once. Luckily i discovered it before one trip and i changed it out for a braided one. Same with a fuel line leak, have my pulsation dampner removed now too.

Its a really good idea to keep a maintenance log/fuel consumption log (i have a friend who is a pilot); know everything thats going on with your car. It's good to be **** with maintenance. Preparedness is a good added redundance.

 

It's a freakin' car.

If it is broken fix it.

If it is not maintained, bring it up to date.

Then just drive it.

 

300mi is not a long trip, I just put that on my TII cruising around on memorial day weekend. As jackhild said, It's a car. Don't drive with a wounded cooling system, low or charred oil, and you'll be fine.

 

took my fc 300 miles home first day i got it. didnt have any problems. luckily i happened to have anything i would need if something would have gone bad with me. its all a matter of knowing if the car is in good running order. if it is go for it. i take mine on a 200+ mile round trip monthly no issues.

 

I used to make a 300 mile trip 2x a week in my FC for 9 weeks straight a couple summers back. It was a champ (and loved to cruise right at 80mph the whole way there).

 

True story, It's a car.

 

Keep a pair of pantyhose in the storage bins. It will last long enough to get you to a parts store.

 

Or you could carry spare belts.
They'd keep you going till you found a Victoria's Secret.

 

That was too easy..

 

yea really its a car
i drove cross country twice in rx-7s the second time was crunched for time and drove 16 hours straight one day and then 14 hours straight the next and not once did i worry about if the car would make it because its a car and i made sure the fluids were good just like on any other car
why would it not be able to make the trip? i dont think they would have sold many rx7s if they told you at the dealership that you wouldnt be able to drive more than 200 miles

 

Well, thanks for all the input....
So, I should def. take the highway and not the backroads to where I'm going ?

 

Take the backroads if you like...you'll have more fun that way. As said before, if things are good (fluids, hoses) and working fine, go for it.

Having said that, it's always good to take extra fluids and some tools on any trips.

 

i always try to take the back roads, but yeah i take a 300+ mile trip in my FC about every month, never had a problem

 

it's possible. just check the regular stuff as you would for every other car out there.

i've drove from LA to Sacramento, CA and back with no problem. you can do it!

 

What if you don't have the tools to get a belt off?

 

i thought rotarys liked running in the first place? i thought it was short drives that killed them lol

 

Then one must depend on the kindness of strangers.

A better option IMO than robbing Ms. DuBois of her pantyhose.

 

I've been driving my TII home from school and back (300 miles one way) for like 5 years. Its only ever not made it once (that is at least 30 trips). If its in good shape it will be fine, it will just use alot of gas. Its done Rochester to Asheville, NC before in a straight shot too. Its a car, its designed to be driven.

 

i drove my car from vancouver, bc to Redwood City, CA and back again... roughly 3000KM round trip with no problems. 15hrs there 15hrs back, both non-stop except for food or for gas.

 

I've put about 2500 miles on mine in a week between Michigan->Boston -> Ohio with no ill effects at all. Once these things are at a steady RPM they rarely fail unless theirs a large outside factor. Generally I make sure all my fluids look good, grab the usual tools (metric wrenches/sockets, spare belts/plugs/plug wires/vacuum & coolant hose) Typically I over-prepare but I never had an issue. Hell I just drove my FD 1500 miles straight shot without an issue too!

 

Befor i did my dual belt pully, i was always killing alt belts. I kept a spare and the parts+flash light to change them. Took maybe 15 mins after i got good at it.