I recently purchased a 1993 rx-7 (manual).
The car has a new engine with 1300 miles on it. Pretty much everything else has 85000 miles (including the turbos).

I'm getting really paranoid driving it because I want to make sure that everything is working when I'm pushing the car hard. The car is completely stock and I've been reading up for about 3 hours on these threads. While I understand a lot more, I also understand that i have a hell of a long way to go before I come close to fully understanding the car.

Can anyone tell me how to check the turbos to make sure they are boosting right with the cheapest way, because buying the car cashed my bank account. I'm making money but it'll be awhile before i have the G's to spend modifying it.

If anyone could avoid bashing me, and telling me to use the "search" button, I'd appreciate it. I tried using search and really just couldn't find what I wanted. Thanks.
-nill

Also, if anyone has any advice for other things I shold check I'd appreciate it. (Also tips on driving if anyone has any for a new FD owner).

(yes i know i bought the car before checking the PSI boosts on the turbos because I understand I'll have to replace them soon)

 

Install a boost gauge and if you get a pattern 10-8-10 psi then your turbos work fine.

Also make a search about reliability mods, there are some articles you must read, and also the correct maintenance.

You can find tons of info and any question you may have at http://www.scuderiaciriani.com/rx7/index.html

 

Thanks a ton. Another quick question. I have one installed - can you explain how they work? Sorry I know I'm really new to this but I'm lookin all over the web for info on this stuff and its hard to find what im looking for.

Mine is at 0 when stopped but goes into the negative numbers, I guess, when driving at low rpms. I havnt looked at it at high RPMS what type of #s should i be seeing in general? Thanks

-nill

 

The boost gauge is really a manifold pressure gauge. So when the turbos are not giving you boost, you read manifold vacuum. Under full boost (try a clear straight long road (closed track ;-), 3rd gear - accellerate from 2000 RPM full throttle), boost should quickly build to 10 PSI, hold there to about 4000 RPM, drop to about 8 PSI for turbo #2 transition, then at 4500 RPM, when the second turbo comes online, push you back in the seat even harder, and boost should then go to 10 PSI and drop gradually to about 8 around 6-7 thousand RPM.
If you get some "spiking" (boost going over 10 PSI) it is not abnormal, and probably not harmful, unless it goes over 12 PSI. The 10-8-10 is the optimum pattern.
This pattern is the most important thing to watch out for (other than coolant temps.), and is a good indicator of turbo system health. If boost goes too high you can damage (read destroy) the motor, if you haven't tuned for it.

 

David I just went out and tested it in the manner you explained. It boosted 10-8-10 just like you said so I'm feeling a bit more comfortable about driving it already. Thanks so much for the help ^_^

-nill

 

-downpipe
-aluminum AST
-radiator (PWR,Fluidyne, or Koyo)
-new coolant hoses all around
-silicone vac hose job
-fuel pulsation dampener

that should be a good start

 

You just bought yourself a nice car!

Welcome to the obsession...if you don't have the money to mod, don't read this site. FD envy is a killer on the wallet.

 

By the way, how'd that rush feel???

it's worse than a drug when that second turbo comes on line!

Have fun and be careful. About three people have died since I started reading this site and maybe ten totaled fd's.

 

Driving tip: Until you REALLY have a feel for how the turbo power comes on, DON'T try and mash the pedal out of a corner. Nor in the middle of the corner. Swapping ends into concrete barriers is not very... elegant

If you can find a big open parking lot, try taking it out in the rain, or when the surface is still pretty wet. Nail the throttle and see what it do (weren't that fun?). Then drive in a fairly large circle, constant steering wheel angle, and try going faster (slow application of the throttle, no boost) until the back end spins around, and/or the front starts to not go where you want it to (often called "pushing"). Then try letting off the gas as the car starts to not go in the circle you are trying to hold it in, and get a feel for what this makes the car do. Then try hitting the brakes while going in the circle. After your stomach catches up, REMEMBER this imortant lesson you just learned (though trail braking can be fun...). Naturally, also try giving it more gas, and try different rates of throttle input. All of a sudden throttle is all of a suddent spinning, huh?

I say to do this in the wet because it mimics many of the ways the car will behave in the dry at its limits, without too high of a speed, and without quite as much load on the suspension. After you have a good feel for how the car behaves in the wet (something VERY worth knowing in its own right!), try all this again in the dry. You will likely notice you can go in the circle fast enough to make you dizzy. When the car breaks loose on dry, it does so pretty sudden. What's more fun is trying to "catch up" to the suspension loading and unloading rates, often referred to as fishtailing I find a useful technique in simply letting go of the steering wheel (keeping the fingers around the rim to catch it when I need to) and just letting the suspension figure its own damn self out. It's not elegant, of course, but if I've hit oscillating springs coupled with low polar moment and center of gravity that's IN the ground, I'm pretty much being inelegant already!

Hope this helps any...

 

Thanks guys for the advice.. I've already taken to the parking lot and felt what it was like to fishtail and spin out. IMO its the best way to figure out how much your car can take before it loses its grip. Gonna have to go back though :p Didn't get the greatest feel for it.

BTW 2nd turbo feels good ^_^ I love it (went a little too fast on the 30mph road i was on though)

about being careful - im 17 and naturally an aggressive driver but i exercise serious caution when driving this car because crashing it would be the end of my life - literally

i understand how dangerous of a car it is and plan to drive it accordingly


Thanks again for the help guys.

 

I wish I had an FD at age 17

 

An FD before the age of 25 would have literally killed me. No doubt in my mind. At 24 I got a NA 944 and that was a great car to learn on. Handled unbelievably well, yet wasn't very fast.

 

I earned all the money myself. If you're wondering how, it will probably make you sick to know. I spent a few years playing this game called Everquest. Its an MMORPG (mass multiplayer online role playing game). I sold characters, accessories, Everquest currency, etc. periodically over the years and ended up with 10k in the bank. My dad spotted me a few thousand K to get the car. His reward for this is driving it on occaision :p

I'm starting to work a real job now after school so I can get consistent money for this car. I know I'll need it. Thankfully it's my only real expense right now.

Another quick question.... I have a completely stock car, it's not the r1 and therefore doesn't have the spoiler... I love the spoiler so I'm looking into buying one asap

Does anyone have a recommendation site for getting stock wings? Should I be albe to install this myself? thx

-nill

 

kekeek i saw ppl sell'n stuff for Everquest........

Just never thought it could amount to that much...........

Good luck.....and enjoy

 

That's a very serious point to never forget. I've never had any mishaps in any of my cars before getting the FD (that's 10 years of driving), but not long after I got it I spun out (actually, I caught the car but too much and counterspun back outside) because I gave too much throttle pulling out on a turn and I hit a gravelly patch. Then last month a deer tried to rearrange my front end while going about 60 - I braked hard and clipped him at 5mph and so lucky no damage.

But these cars really invite bad luck and trouble - they're not your mama's honda. I need to remind myself of that too.

Dave

 

I am going to be scared when EQ2 comes out. I was addicted to EQ for about 3 years.

Just don't look at your played time. If you were making decent money during those days you probably could have bought a new 911TT.

 

I actually have calculated all this. I spent 160 days playing ^_^ (approx)

Yes, that's nearly half a year at my computer playing the damn game.

 

That's 480 8 hour days.

 

sick stuff right? haha

 

well at least you had fun at your job right, Im just bussing tables working for my FD. I got my parents to help me a little too when the time comes.

 

anyone have an answer for my question about wings please?

 

jeez i never played that much but my friend has played 12-18 hour days since beta. needless to say he is NOT my friend n e more cuz he plays eq ALL day and sleeps only at school

 

if you want a good looking wing, get the 99spec wing, imo its the best looking 1 there is. its not to big, so your car doesnt look ricey. its like $800 or so painted. its on the rx7store.com link at the top of the page.

 

look for the R1 on www.shaneracing.com

it should be there.

good luck bro, im getting an FD soon (hopefully) at 16

 

yeah im 16 and have a FD i think im the most careful driver out of my entire family, so dose my family. i let my Dad drive the car he's 56, he almost totaled my car around a corner > you sound like a safe driver.the 99 spec wing is the best!!!!
Ps dont be suprized when you don't lose any races!
i have taken about 10 good cars down.im undefeated!!