New Mazda RX7 owner...couple questions..
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Junior Member
Joined: Jun 2008
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From: Indiana
New Mazda RX7 owner...couple questions..
Hi all...
My first post here on the site. My wife wanted a black on black convertible and I found a 1990 Mazda RX7...A friend of mine has owned the car since 2001. We went to take the car for a drive and she really liked it so we bought it. A few things that I have noticed is that the seatbelt light keeps flashing and the highbeam lights dont stay on. I have seen some info about something close and it says that the cpu #2 is the fault. I have always been a General Motors guy and have been working on gm cars and truck for a dealership for over 15 years. So if this were a GM car I would guess that this cpu #2 is a body control module??? Is there a place that I can find this cpu aftermarket or is it a dealer item??? Another thing that I noticed was an idle surge. I found the info about adjusting the TPS so I am going to adjust that and do a major tune up. I also have a couple of pieces of trim that I need, like a headlight bezel and dome light cover weather strip and little stuff like that and would like to know where you guys get your parts at.... I inclued a couple pics of the car...
Thanks in advance and I look forward to learning about these things....
Cly
My first post here on the site. My wife wanted a black on black convertible and I found a 1990 Mazda RX7...A friend of mine has owned the car since 2001. We went to take the car for a drive and she really liked it so we bought it. A few things that I have noticed is that the seatbelt light keeps flashing and the highbeam lights dont stay on. I have seen some info about something close and it says that the cpu #2 is the fault. I have always been a General Motors guy and have been working on gm cars and truck for a dealership for over 15 years. So if this were a GM car I would guess that this cpu #2 is a body control module??? Is there a place that I can find this cpu aftermarket or is it a dealer item??? Another thing that I noticed was an idle surge. I found the info about adjusting the TPS so I am going to adjust that and do a major tune up. I also have a couple of pieces of trim that I need, like a headlight bezel and dome light cover weather strip and little stuff like that and would like to know where you guys get your parts at.... I inclued a couple pics of the car...
Thanks in advance and I look forward to learning about these things....
Cly
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Joined: Apr 2003
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From: Ft.Bragg NC
Looks good. Ok well all the parts u can get from mazdatrix but i would try to find some of the parts at a junk yard but its all on u. And about the idle one thing u need to know about the Rx7 sometimes it dose that so its nothing big.
Rotary Freak
Joined: May 2001
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From: Peoria, IL
The cpu is on the driver's side floor, the cold solder joints go bad in it, and every other electrical piece on the second gen. Pull the cpu, resolder the bad (brown) joints and see if that helps. Buying a new cpu will be cost prohibitive and not necessary.
The idle is NOT supposed to fluctuate, don't let anybody tell you that is normal. It will be caused by something, vacuum leak, bad or mis set tps, bad BAC, etc. My convertible idles rock solid.
For new parts check with Ray Crowe, or Ralph Hatley, they are both Mazda dealer parts managers. Do a search and you will find phone numbers for them. They will sell you new OEM parts at discount.
The idle is NOT supposed to fluctuate, don't let anybody tell you that is normal. It will be caused by something, vacuum leak, bad or mis set tps, bad BAC, etc. My convertible idles rock solid.
For new parts check with Ray Crowe, or Ralph Hatley, they are both Mazda dealer parts managers. Do a search and you will find phone numbers for them. They will sell you new OEM parts at discount.
Thread Starter
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Joined: Jun 2008
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From: Indiana
Thanks for the info... These brown joints that you speak of are on the inside of the computer? You wouldn't happen to have any pics of what I am looking for do you? Can I use silver solder on the joints or would you recomend something different?
The idle surges only when I first start the car. The idle raises up for a minute or so an then it will idle down and surge for a sec and then straighten out and idle fine. I have noticed the surge at times when the car was started and wasn't cold.(maybe sat for 30 min or so)
Cly
The idle surges only when I first start the car. The idle raises up for a minute or so an then it will idle down and surge for a sec and then straighten out and idle fine. I have noticed the surge at times when the car was started and wasn't cold.(maybe sat for 30 min or so)
Cly
Thanks for the info... These brown joints that you speak of are on the inside of the computer? You wouldn't happen to have any pics of what I am looking for do you? Can I use silver solder on the joints or would you recomend something different?
The idle surges only when I first start the car. The idle raises up for a minute or so an then it will idle down and surge for a sec and then straighten out and idle fine. I have noticed the surge at times when the car was started and wasn't cold.(maybe sat for 30 min or so)
Cly
The idle surges only when I first start the car. The idle raises up for a minute or so an then it will idle down and surge for a sec and then straighten out and idle fine. I have noticed the surge at times when the car was started and wasn't cold.(maybe sat for 30 min or so)
Cly
Per the FAQ's...
"My RX-7 rev's up to 3000 RPM every time I start it when cold
Yep, part of the accelerated warm up process. Start the car with the clutch pressed in, and the car in gear if you don't want it to do that."
It should go up to 3k for a bit, then down to 1.5k, then back to idle normally. Mine usually does it in the morning when the car has not been ran for 8+ hours. I believe i've read somewhere on here that it's to warm up the pre-cats for emissions reasons, but someone will chime in if I am wrong.
Clean 'vert BTW.
Targa 2006 Entry 714
Joined: Feb 2006
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From: Bracebridge
Automatic = Power drain
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 399
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From: Pennsylvania
Welcome to the club!
The idle surging is caused mostly by the fact that the stock ECU advances the timing significantly at about 1200 rpm.
If you actually compare the stock timing to an optimum timing curve for the RX7, the timing is badly retarded below 1200 rpm to allow the engine to idle at a closer to stoichiometric air/fuel ratio.
As the engine warms up and the BAC duty cycle decreases, the engine will eventually go through this transition, causing the surging.
My '86 doesn't do it
The idle surging is caused mostly by the fact that the stock ECU advances the timing significantly at about 1200 rpm.
If you actually compare the stock timing to an optimum timing curve for the RX7, the timing is badly retarded below 1200 rpm to allow the engine to idle at a closer to stoichiometric air/fuel ratio.
As the engine warms up and the BAC duty cycle decreases, the engine will eventually go through this transition, causing the surging.
My '86 doesn't do it
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Epilepsy
Joined: Apr 2006
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From: ..
Thanks for the info... These brown joints that you speak of are on the inside of the computer? You wouldn't happen to have any pics of what I am looking for do you? Can I use silver solder on the joints or would you recomend something different?
The idle surges only when I first start the car. The idle raises up for a minute or so an then it will idle down and surge for a sec and then straighten out and idle fine. I have noticed the surge at times when the car was started and wasn't cold.(maybe sat for 30 min or so)
Cly
The idle surges only when I first start the car. The idle raises up for a minute or so an then it will idle down and surge for a sec and then straighten out and idle fine. I have noticed the surge at times when the car was started and wasn't cold.(maybe sat for 30 min or so)
Cly
That's the AWS (Accelerated Warm-up System).
Per the FAQ's...
"My RX-7 rev's up to 3000 RPM every time I start it when cold
Yep, part of the accelerated warm up process. Start the car with the clutch pressed in, and the car in gear if you don't want it to do that."
It should go up to 3k for a bit, then down to 1.5k, then back to idle normally. Mine usually does it in the morning when the car has not been ran for 8+ hours. I believe i've read somewhere on here that it's to warm up the pre-cats for emissions reasons, but someone will chime in if I am wrong.
Clean 'vert BTW.
Per the FAQ's...
"My RX-7 rev's up to 3000 RPM every time I start it when cold
Yep, part of the accelerated warm up process. Start the car with the clutch pressed in, and the car in gear if you don't want it to do that."
It should go up to 3k for a bit, then down to 1.5k, then back to idle normally. Mine usually does it in the morning when the car has not been ran for 8+ hours. I believe i've read somewhere on here that it's to warm up the pre-cats for emissions reasons, but someone will chime in if I am wrong.
Clean 'vert BTW.
Cly, I'm assuming your vert probably does something similar to mine.
When cold started, mine rev's up to 1500rpm, then to 2000rpm after a minute, then drops to 1500rpm, then after another 30 seconds it'll start to 'hunt' between 1200rpm and 1500rpm. After it's warmed up it'll stay rock solid at 800rpm.
Sound about right?
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Jun 2008
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From: Indiana
Cly, I'm assuming your vert probably does something similar to mine.
When cold started, mine rev's up to 1500rpm, then to 2000rpm after a minute, then drops to 1500rpm, then after another 30 seconds it'll start to 'hunt' between 1200rpm and 1500rpm. After it's warmed up it'll stay rock solid at 800rpm.
Sound about right?
When cold started, mine rev's up to 1500rpm, then to 2000rpm after a minute, then drops to 1500rpm, then after another 30 seconds it'll start to 'hunt' between 1200rpm and 1500rpm. After it's warmed up it'll stay rock solid at 800rpm.
Sound about right?
Great link... I orderd a catalog so I can make a list.... Thanks
Cly
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Jun 2008
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From: Indiana
So the high beam lights do come on?
My wife drove the car this morning to work and when she started it up when it was cold we could smell some burning anti-freeze and when I was behind her I could see some smoke/steem from the exhaust. Clears up within a 1/4 mile or so...I sure hope that it isn't these water seals that I have read about......
Cly
Thread Starter
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Joined: Jun 2008
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From: Indiana
got the new wheels on....New belts,and changed the oil. Charged the a/c and I still need to do the idle adjustment ....Going to do the cpu solder thing nextweek...I hope everything goes ok with that....
Cly
Cly
