Heya fellas, new to the forum, so forgive me if I sound ignorant...because I am...

The issue - I just bought a 1990 RX7 convertible a few weeks ago. Love the car. Rides relatively nice, great mileage and in great shape. One problem. When I shift into 5th gear, I hear a very low, very LOUD hum. It doesn't occur in any of the other gears...just fifth. Anyone else had this problem? Any ideas on what it may be?

I'm also not familiar with the 1.3 rotary at all...do you tune this thing up normally? It runs ragged at times and the exhaust is overpowering. Seems as though I'm getting about 18 mpg. Is that normal?

And thanks for understanding my ignorance. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

I've got a '89 vert.
Got a couple of questions about the 5th gear problem.
Is the noise at all engine speeds? At all MPH? Is the noise the same with the clutch in? With the clutch out?
The tune up info is in the stickys at at the top of this section-lots of good info in there.
18 MPG is pretty good

 

lol 18mpg, sounds about right. I can get mad mpg if I shift around, 2500, which is how I drive my fc 80% of the time. My tranny is kinda opposite of yours, mine is loud in 1st and 2nd, but fine in the rest of the gears. It shifts great and doesnt grind, or leak, it is just noisy. SO I dont worry about it, although I do have an extra transmission just incase. As far as tune up, yeh, about normal, change plugs, that might help some. By exhaust overpowering, do you mean the smell of it, or the sound of it? smell could be fouled plugs not burning enough gas off, or mabey a fuel ratio problem.

 

Thanks for the responses, fellas.

It's just in 5th gear, with the clutch out. 1st through 4th sound great. No noise at all. Well, outside the norm. I spoke to a Mazda dealer yesterday and he said sometimes if the car hasn't been up to max speed in a while, the 5th gear may not be used to be used...he told me I had no worries..

and thanks for the tune up heads up...

and BDP, the exhaust smells bad...all the time...