christi

I already posted this on the MRCCFL.com's list... Anyone know?

======================================

Hi list -

Well, I did mention about somewhat fixign the heating
problem. I called my friend who has my t-stat and will
be getting it Monday or Tuesday.

Ok, today is like 100+ outside, or so it feels, I'm
driving around with a friend - it gets WAY too hot for
the windows and sunroof to be down, so I turn on the
a/c. A while down the hwy... I see my temp guage more
than 3/4ths up there. Whenever the a/c is on - my temp
goes higher, than normal. I pull over, turn on the
heater, and it dies down. Ok, so... we checked a few
spots here and there - the belts "seem" tighten,
(though when Brian checked them, he said they were
loosen....?!). My way back home, I have the a/c off,
and everything down - it rises in temp again. I am now
just shifting when the "shift light" turns on - if I
don't crusie, it wil rise, if I go above 5500 rpm,
it'll rise.

Now... my biggest question.. Is it JUST the t-stat? Or
is something else screwed up that I don't know about?

I have had suggestions that it might be the water pump
- Now.. my thought to this is... 'How can it be the
pump, if I just changed it out almost 2months ago?'.

So... monday or tuesday when I get the t-stat, I'll be
flushing out my radiator, putting the new coolant in
(I have dex-cool orange coolant right now) and putting
on the t-stat. If this does NOT fix the problem... the
what in the world is it?

It's really frighten me - Nearly everyone I've seen or
heard about (perferbly two on this list) their engines
went kaput. I really don't want that to happen

=======================================

Aaron Cake

iTrader: (1)

If the thermostat is not the problem (it isn't), then it is the rad.

christi

Total stupid question... but...

If it IS the radaitor.. .... it should be replaced correct? Or, in some mind, would it be clogged? ...

Aaron Cake

iTrader: (1)

Take it to a rad shop and see if it can be rodded or recored. If they can't do it (and they might not be able to since it has plastic end tanks) then it will have to be replaced...

I'm at work now and heading home. If you want more info, PM me.

Aaron Cake

iTrader: (1)

Oh, and you could try a commercial rad flush chemical, but it may not be effective and might be a big waste of time...

christi

I should add that, after we turned off the car (getting back to his place) ... letting it sit for a while - I turned it back on to head home... the idle jumped... a very werid idle at that. I can't explain unless told via phone , or shown in person...

Should it be taken care of asap... or should I wait until the t-stat comes in place?

deadRX7Conv

Flush products don't work. I have two radiators(this week) from nonmazda vehicles that had corroded internally/externally and were not cooling the engine. I tried the flush products(people tend to be cheap) and still had to replace the radiators. This hot weather keeps me busy.

When you flush the engine, make sure you get all the old coolant out. This is difficult. You might need to run it with no thermostat, heat on high, and with the garden hose flooding the radiator. It will take some time before all the old coolant is removed from the block/heatercore/radiator/hoses..... Be patient. Or, drain/refill the radiator and run the car with heat on 4-5 times with straight water. When the water comes out clean, drain radiator and top of with 100% green antifreeze. The radiator holds half and the engine/core(full of water after flush) holds the other half. You will be close to 50:50. I would also toss in a bottle of redline water wetter.
Also, if your radiator cap is old, while your at it, replace it.
If the new t-stat/cap does not fix the problem, I would double check all hoses. There could be a leak somewhere that isn't noticeable. Hows the fan clutch? Are all the shrouds(fan/undercarriage...) in place?
If your water pump a Mazda OEM or parts store rebuild?
What were the details again?
Mileage?
Is your radiator original? If so, 10+ years and 100k+ miles is a long life. It needs to be replaced. I am strongly anti "rodding the core".... because all it does is postpone the inevitable rad replacement.

This might help:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...tem=1844098184

Two choices $140 and $420:
http://absoluteradiator.com/cgi-bin-...24e+1027029299

Idle problems could be anything(bad sparkplug/vacuum leak/blown engine/ any sensor....). But, with overheating problems, it just might be time for a rebuild

christi

bump...

Thanks deadRX7conv. Atleast I won't be the only one there while I flush the rad and do a few other things.

Your answers to your questions:

1. rad cap old? Nope, changed it 3 weeks ago, after having a spewing competition with the engine and the cap. Wasn't fun at all

2. How's the fan clutch? I don't know. If I remember correctly Sledgehammer (a member on the forum) said something about the clutch ... but I can't really remember...

3. Are all the shrouds (fan/undercarriage...) in place? I believe so, but I can take a look on that ...

4. water pump OEM Mazda or store rebuild? I hope I am correct or if I remember, but we bought it at discount autoparts, I could be wrong though. I remember they didn't have it in stock, so it could be a Mazda water pump - would that make any difference?

5. What were the details again? Sorry to sound dolt, but details on? The temp?

6. Mileage? About 158ksomething

7. radiator original? Don't know on this one, but can find out tomorrow morning. .

I seriously hope i don't need a rebuild, chances are I don't. ... it could be just a few things around the coolant system like you said - I hope so. I can't afford for a rebuild, nor a new engine. I don't want to lose her

MadMaxine

You used the long life coolant in your coolant system. It's corrosive and not ment for the rx-7. It's basically eating your coolant system from the inside. If you're not careful it could dry rot the O-rings inside your enigne that protect the combustion chamber from getting coolant where it's not supposed to be. My advice is to take it to someone who knows what they are doing.

P.S. Check the lower radiator hose can get crimped and it can close off the sucktion of the water pump and the engine can overheat. Might want to check that too if you are having an overheating problem.

SureShot

The fan clutch will wear out every 100000 miles or so. It is very gradual, so it sneaks up on you. On the series 4 version the fan pulls hard up to about 4k, and then maintains ~4k as the engine revs higher. Mine was slipping at 2500. You can get the fan clutch to bite better by bending the bimetal strip on the front of the fan outward. That should help for a while.

Felix Wankel

I agree with that. When you flush it, don't put Dex-Cool back in. Use regular green ethylene glycol coolant and (distilled, preferably) water mixed 50/50.

I'm suspecting your fan clutch. Next time your car is warmed up, stop the engine and spin the fan by hand. You should feel resistance from the fan clutch. If you don't, replace it (or be performance-minded and install an electic fan )

Funklord

the one on absolute radiator says its for non-turbo only.. would it work for a turbo?

Aaron Cake

iTrader: (1)

Yes, it would.

christi

Ok, to answer questions

dex-cool coolant - there is no way I can flush it out now, my buddy is not available today, and I have no *other* person(s) to get incontact with that will be available to help me, so I have to wait until Monday....

I checked the fan clutch yesterday, with someone's suggestion (I believe Aaron's) - said to turn the car on, let the fan run, turn the car off.. if the fan stops imediately, the clutch is OK. Which is did.... So, I'm sure it's not the fan clutch.

elec. fan - I have talked to my parents about it, I'm probably going to be getting it soon.... I just need to fork up the money for one... Don't they run around $300?

new coolant - When I go to flush the rad, and put the green back in - should I do (well, I'm going to do) 70/30 (water/coolant) then buy some Redline Wetter Water?

MadMaxine

Buy the dang 50/50 coolant and stick with it.

christi

You don't "buy" 50/50 coolant. It's a mixature of water and coolant....

I've read posts on here to also put redline wetter water (I believe that's what it's called) in as well. And that is /why/ I ask.

MadMaxine

Hahahahaha! Really!?!? I never knew that! Doh, *smacks forehead*. Maybe I should break it down nickelodeon style for ya instead, "buy" the green stuff that keeps your car for getting too hot.

And as a side note, why do you need help flushing the coolant system out. Just do it yourself, it'll save you in the long run.

christi

well, as I said before.. my mother won't let me do it "myself" just cause that's her... If I don't have someone with me - the car doesnt get done, IE: she won't let me touch it.

And.. I'm not sure if you saw the sarcasm there, but it was insert.

I'm going to get the green coolant, I have it.... I just need to find time and stuff to put it in - which more than likely the only day will be Monday.

MadMaxine

oh, my bad, sorry about that! I'm kind of on the defense. I had a long night of midnight shift and now I'm back at work 8 hrs later, so I'm a little pissy.

If you lived in the midwest I'd give you a hand... (if they'd ever give me a damn day off around here)

christi

Yeah, no problem. I don't know much about my car, nor rotaries to tell you guys I know everything - which would be a lie. So , I go ahead and ask questions, more than likely have already been asked.... Some get annoyed, some say use search engine (I do, barely works, so I ask anyway) ...

but.. when you have parents who say "just take it to the shop" you don't learn ****. I don't take it to the shop, unless I can't get any suggestions I've been offered to work... or I can't do it myself (and/or I can't find anyone around here for some helping hand...) They're the typcial parents of the old days... who think women (perferbly my mom) aren't suppose to work on cars...

anyway, yeah... only reason the orange coolant was in, was because my boyfriend and I thought it'd be *better* in the winter - well, I guess not. I will be, monday flushing it out, and getting it back to normal, I hope.

MadMaxine

Yeah! Flush that crap out!

As far as the mother who thinks this is still the 1950's... I wouldn't listen to her. Do your own thing, coming from one female to the anther. If I hadn't sat down one day with a Haynes manual and my friend who has all the groovie tools, I would still to this day know jack **** about cars. But, now I'm friggin addicted to cars and racing. I've completed my 87 rx-7 project and now I'm on to my next project the 86 300zx. It's kinda cool to see the 2 cars sitting next to each other. You can definetly tell that they are Japanese cousins. Anyway, if you wanna work on cars work on em, ask questions, feed your brain!

"Don't let the Man keep you down!"