i want to know if it is easy to do some work on 7 yourself just with the help of some repair/information books on 7

 

i do without those.........but i do have my next door neighbor......hes real good with rotaries

just get accostomed to the parts and the way they work and it shouldnt be that hard

oh yes it should be easy

 

It depends on how comfortable you are with a wrench. I'm a novice by most standards, and I've been able to do things like the vaccum hose job, replace the alternator, fuel filter, brakes, etc. This is with the tools and resources(shop manual, and various webpages) available to me.

Steve Ciran's webpage: http://www.scuderiaciriani.com/rx7/how-to.html

and Rob Robinette's webpage:
http://www.rx7turboturbo.com/robrobinette/

These two webpages in particular have been extremely helpful. There's always the forum, or biglist if you run into any roadblocks.

Is there anything in particular you're having trouble with?

 

A repair manual for any car is almost a must to have if you work on your car or not. It's probally the best 100 bucks you'd spend (depends on how much they cost) There's tons of info/specs in there and i doubt you would memorize it unless you worked on rotaries everyday. It's good to have websites, but when you are actually working on your car, you don't want to scroll through a webpage, but rather through a manual.

Also a manual will have torque specs, diagrams, wiring diagrams that help out tons.

Danny

 

ONE more thing you need..
PATIENCE and LOTS of it.
When first working on an FD, it will take a minimum of 1 hour to do almost anything. Including the fuel filter

 

In addition to the manual you need the tools, a place to work on the car, jack stands to hold the car up for working from underneath, an alternative means of transportation if the Rx-7 is down a few days, and a great deal of patience when you encounter problems that are difficult to diagnose.

 

You spent $100 for a shop manual? From Mazda? Was it the version that came in the binder?

I only paid $50 for my bound version of the 3rd gen manual, and every other Mazda shop manual I've purchased was roughly the same price.

 

Maybe we as a group should come up with a set of tools that a newbie might need? I know that I've had to run to the sears or a parts store for x tool when in trouble.

Off hand I can say I've used the following:

jackstands, 3 ton jack, misc. metric sockets(10,12,14 mm being the most common?), extensions, air compressor, impact wrench, misc wrenches(vise grips, cresent wrenches, etc). and once or twice a hammer.

Just think about Murphy's Law before you start.

 

where can you get the 3rd gen. manual....?

 

Any Mazda dealership should be able to order it for you. I believe I paid $49.xx for mine almost two years ago.

 

Off the top of my head, I have used:
8, 10, 12, 14, 15, 17, 19, 21, 23, 45(or is it 54)mm wrench/socket/deep well socket

1/4, 3/8, 1/2 ratchet(with all the above sockets)

crescent wrenches(6" to 12"), vice grips, "C" clamp, hammer, pry bar, jack stands, jack, pliers, needle nose pliers, breaker bar, 20.6mm magnetic deep well socket with small 3/8 ratchet.

That SHOULD just about cover it

 

The third gen manual can also be found in adobe acrobat format at several websites. Just do a search for the shop manual and im sure you will find it.

 

The workshop manual can be downloaded from this site:

http://www.iluvmyrx7.com/

Go to the manuals tab and pick the year you are after. Download to your hard drive then print a hard copy and/or burn a CD.

 

Just find the best mecanic in your local 7 group and have him assist you when you need help. Luckily we have 2. One is always busy so the other has been a sort of apprentice to the other and now can do alot on his own. They will pass on their knowledge to you so someday you can also be a jedi roatry master!

 

damn double post!

 

I would like to add to the original question by asking if it is much of a transition if one were a piston guru and moving on to rotary? I know Honda's and many other company have publications that gets deep into performance issues, ie:engine rebuilds, handling tips. Can anybody recomend one for the RX-7's?

 

If you're good with Piston engine's then you should have absolutely NO problems with the Rotary. Mechanics is mechanics. You'll of course have to learn a few trick of the trade...but IMO, it's EASIER

 

most likely i will be and considering i'm a newbie what are the tools that i'll end up using.....

thanks for all your replies