FollowThisLogic

OK, so hopefully I won't be seen as too horribly stupid because of this....

So I bought an 86 N/A and would like a daily driver. I also have an 88 with a blown motor, which is mostly stock. What I'd like to do is restore the 86 to mostly stock so it'll be a decent DD and hopefully pass inspection (no easy task in NJ).

I've lurked a lot on the forums and gotten endless repair help so far, incredibly valuable information. So I want to put my whole process up here and see what people think, and get help or suggestions.

The situation when I bought the 86:

-Compression is good, condition is driveable (drove it home).
-Reverse lights don't work, bulbs are good.
-Engine:
---ACV - removed, cover plate.
---Air Pump - removed.
---Split Air Pipe - removed, split air hose just left hanging.
---5/6 Actuators - removed, ports held open with wires wrapped around stud & valve control.
---BAC - removed, blocked w/plate and hose caps. Coolant hoses were connected straight-through.
---Power Steering & A/C - removed entirely.
-Primary Fuel Injectors were apparently changed, received the originals in a box with the car.
-Taillights had been switched to S5 but he put S4 back before I bought it, yet gave me the S5 lights anyway.
-Headlight motors disconnected from power and kept at "sleepy" half-up look.
-S5 idiot cluster instead of S4, so most lights are wrong (e-brake = low fuel... fun!)
-Add Coolant light on, which actually is a correct light, coolant is low. Doesn't overheat but sucks from overflow bottle and never spits back in. Also wire from radiator goes nowhere.
-Wire comes up from bottom of engine, drivers side, directly below front plugs... goes nowhere. Wire seems to have been cut at its origin and a new wire spliced to it. On the 88 this goes to a plug. From what I've read this MIGHT need to go to the radiator.

So the 88 had all of these things! So far I have transplanted:

-ACV and related hoses.
-Air Pump, belt, hoses.
-5/6 Actuators.
-BAC.

Also:
-Put on the S5 lights.
-Hooked up headlight motors and found one to be bad, transplanted from 88.
-Split Air Pipe is back on along with a Racing Beat header, Bonez high flow cat, and RB catback (all purchased due to bad advice on the 88 - thinking it was *only* a clogged cat before I knew about compression testing..... the bad advice did not come from this forum but compression knowledge did).

Okay, here is the point....

-Is it stupid to have put all these things back on? I figure it would never pass inspection without them. Also as a DD not trying to be any sort of race car, just a fun car, I figure stock is best.
-Can anyone confirm or deny my suspicion about that radiator wire?
-Are the PS and A/C systems as much of a pain in the *** as they look?

Any thoughts?

I really apologize for the freaking novel.

But I'm not even done! There are also unimportant things I didn't mention like:

-Hood, headlights, sunroof, and doors are from a red S5 (the S4 parts are blue - lucky me).
-Instrument cluster is changed - it's ok, except for the ghetto wires run to support it.

I figured I should write those in case they become important later.

To anyone who reads this far, as well as anyone who chimes in to help - THANK YOU.

FollowThisLogic

Bump? Nothing huh? Nobody wanted to read all that?

rowtareh?

iTrader: (1)

Why go back to stock form? Just get it driving well enough to pass safety/emissions inspections, and enjoy the car.

And alot of RX-7's don't pass emissions.

cloudx189

iTrader: (3)

I kinda didn't want to read it all but i did...
Seems like you're doing fine. Treat the car as if it was Ancient (I remember someone saying...) Change EVERYTHING. Redo all you grounds and such.
It's not stupid that you put all that stuff back on.

I believe the wire you're talking about maybe the oil pressure. Take a picture.
PS and AC won't be a pain if you know what you're doing... Look at the FSM and you'll see it's really simple.

RX7 13B 4 UR AZZ

iTrader: (8)

To keep it for a daily driver if A/C is a must it is not that hard to repair but have it checked bye a pro as A/C systems are finicky
P/S You might want back since the wheel is pretty hard with out it. In my 88 i removed it a looped the lines and you get used to it after a while till you actually like it better. It is a good work out when you are at a dead stop.


if all else fails get it registered in another state like when i lived in cali for 3 months i had my 86 with headers and a fake cat which actually had a test pipe running through it but it was a registered Florida car they could not d **** LOL

niburu

iTrader: (1)

I believe NJ requires that he pass emissions and that all the equipment will need to be on there to pass the visual inspection as well

RX7 13B 4 UR AZZ

iTrader: (8)

Ohh i forgot with the air pump and the ACV there is some info some where where you swap vac lines or something to that extent and the acv feeds air to the cat all the time and definatley helps emmisions. and do the alky in the tank trick car will run like **** but will definatley pass.

rowtareh?

iTrader: (1)

That's what I figured. Does NJ require a visual emissions inspection as well? If so, move out of Jerzee.

I stand corrected on my previous post, but good luck passing smog part of emissions.

niburu

iTrader: (1)

VA (and many other states) it's the same way where they have both visual and smog testing depending what part of the state you're in
fortunately I only have to visual where I'm at in the state

FirebirdSlayer666

iTrader: (3)

Driving a power steering equipped car under manual power sucks really bad. It's actually alot harder then a manual steering car is. Granted I like manual steering better than power but for a DD, power stuff is nice, so is AC LOL. Nothing should be too hard, just take your time and be very thorough

Acesanugal

iTrader: (5)

The wire from the top of the radiator that seems to go nowhere is for the add coolant. It runs to under the airbox, into a harness that runs along the fender horn. It's brown.

Find the other end and plug it back in. The add coolant light should go out once the level has been brought back up to normal. If not, sensor could be bad... Possibly why it was disconnected...

ericgrau

iTrader: (1)

Stock form plus the add-ons you mentioned sound great. An RX-7 in good shape is worth about $4500, btw, plus maybe another $500-$1000 for the add-ons. If it costs you more than that then I'd just part out the cars. But assuming you've got the budget all figured out, go for it man.

Follow a couple links on www.aaroncake.net to diagnose cooling system problems. I'd check compression, coolant seal and oil seals (dark smoke and/or fuel smell in oil) to make sure the engine is good or else you'll really be stuck. I'm not saying the engine isn't good, it's probably fine, but you gotta make sure.