I know RX7's have a lot of problems with running hot/overheating. I've only had my 86 for a week now, and I just wanted to ask about normal temperatures. I read the new owners post, and it says that the car should run around 1/4 up the heat gauge. It does, except while sitting in traffic. (I live in the NYC area, so traffic is a constant.) It rises to about 3/4 up the scale, but stays there. I usually try and turn the heat on and it lowers, and it always cools down once the traffic starts moving again. I know any car will heat up when sitting in traffic, but i jsut wanted to ask how dangerous that is with a RX. Also, what are common modifications or repairs to keep the car running cooler?
thanks in advance - Paris

 

Replace the fan clutch, thermostat, and antifreeze.
Make sure there are no leaks and everything, including oil, are topped off.
Some like to add a bottle of purple ice, water wetter, 40-below to the coolant also.
Use Mazda dealer sourced thermostat.
Avoid orange antifreeze and change antifreeze yearly.
Sometimes good used fan clutches can be found since it is expensive new. Visit salvage yards and ebay.
Also, some people here probably have some since they have converted to e-fan.
E-fan conversion, if done properly, can work. But, since I've seen many hack efan change overs, I'd avoid it.
There are also upgraded radiators available. Koyo/fluidyne/k2rd/griffin/..... have replacement radiators if yours is clogged, damaged....
Under engine/radiator/chasis shrouding is important. If not there, airflow is inconsistent. Make sure that any vehicle shrouds are in place. These are sometimes removed during service or ripped off while driving.

Winter is coming so the problem should go away until spring.

 

First of all. RX-7's have NO/ZERO problems with running hot. As long as you have a working cooling system you should be far better off than any piston engine as far as cooling.

This "myth" is widely held by **** on car drivers because they just don't know enough to make an educated judgment on what is wrong with it so they figure its HOW IT SHOUDL RUN when it really isn't. If your seeing 3/4 gauge on an S4 car(86-88) your running really hot already. I would try the stuff posted above and see what that does then come back and let us know what happened.

From what you described the fan is not doing its job so get another clutch for it.

 

I ran mine for a year without a fan at all, it only rose to about the 3/4 point once after sitting for around 20 minutes. A flex fan is an option, no clutch to slip, the fan will spin at the same rate as the waterpump.

 

flex fans have a LOWER redline than our engines. THey will explode if your not carefule. I wouldn't get one of them. Stock is just fine.

 

I'm just saying it's an option, her car seems to be a daily driven car that isn't ran hard. Flex fans are priced about the same price a stock clutch fan can be picked up at a junkyard for. I've seen flex fans on v-8s that have been ran to 7k rpms, no problem with them "exploding".

 

Hell I have a stock clutch. PM me if you want it. I will let it go for 30 shipped.

 

Do yourself a favour and ignore everyone who has posted to this thread except deadRX7Conv and me.

You probably want to take a look at http://www.aaroncake.net/rx-7/cooling.htm for info on the cooling system and how to troubleshoot it.

The truth is that the rotary runs alot hotter than a piston engine, but RX-7s generally don't have overheating problems unless there is something specific wrong with the cooling system.

I would not recommend a flex fan. If your fan clutch is actually dead, either get another from the wreckers, or buy an electric fan and have it properly installed.