lead_foot

alright so i just got my 94 rx7 yesatarday. its completely stock and and none of the good mods are done to it. i just put a new batery in (cause the one that came with it was dead) and i wanted to test drive it. I took it out for 5 min, not even driving hard and i park it in the driveway and pop the hood and here comes the steam. The coolant level is low and the guy said he has been putting water in it, but regardless there is a leak somewhere!! i am really new with the mechanics of cars and rx7's. I have read tons about them, but this is very overwhelming for me.

WHAT SHOULD I DO?!!!

I know i was going to have to fix it up, but not this fast. its got only 76K miles on it and like i said before completly stock. what should i do first? that is the main question. i know all the upgrades i have to do but since this problem came up i am asking you experienced guys to help me out. i know most of you dont like these questions but i am in serious need.

so what i need is what maintence stuff should i do first? and which upgrades to go with first? I live in GA and if anyone knows some really good techs, please let me know. i really want my baby to run smoothly.

Thanks to all who help!

yuichiror

iTrader: (1)

where in GA are you? Where's the steam comming from?

lead_foot

i live pretty close to cumming and the steam is coming from behind and below the air intake (which has a crack in one of the pipes)

yuichiror

iTrader: (1)

I think it might be a coolant hose on the turbos leaking onto a hot engine component/exhaust. Seems you're pretty close to Atlanta, isn't there any rotary shops nearby?

lead_foot

well there is one in atlanta but i was just wonering if there was one any closer because right now i dont have a trailer to get it there. but i thought it was the coolant, now i just have to figure out where it is. but if you guys could help me with the maintence problems that would kick ***.

yuichiror

iTrader: (1)

Your best bet for now is to get a pressure tester, put the cooling system under pressure and search for the leak. Then find out/ask how to fix that particular leak. Just to verify, does the steam smell sweet like coolant?

lead_foot

alright so i trouble shooted the car and me and my friend first ended up taking out the air intake to take a better look and then ended up taking out the coolant tank(which was a bitch) and found out that it was overfilled with water(which is what the previous owner did). so then we top off the tank with coolant and water and took it for a drive.

not even five mins later we were back in my driveway and popped the hood and bam!! more steam out of a different area. so now i think i am just going to get the engine rebuilt and have the guys do other stuff(vaccum hoses and other engine mods) since they have to take it out anyway.

so i was wondering what i should do. take it to a specialist or wait and try and fix the leak(wherever it is). it has 76k miles and its the original. are there any good specialist in GA, FL, SC, NC, TN?

jmadams74

If you're looking for someone close by, Charlie at Mazcare in Marietta (just north of Atlant) knows 7's very well. Let him (or someone you can trust) take a look at the whole picture before you jump too far. Also, read the forums, not too many questions that haven't been answered.

OpticChrash

hey, i am the friend he is talking about, i own an 89 turbo t2, so i dont really know too much about the fd. I only know about what i read on the forum, and how to make the car run. I think i noticed while i was there, while the the intake box was off and the car was running (both bov on) the back bov was blowing air out at idle, seemed wierd for any car. The front turbo bov was acting fine no air coming out. this is at idle no load on the car. i unplugged the vacumm hose on the back bov and istantly no air. i dont know what this could mean?


sorry for the spelling and bacd sentices, it is 4:30 am.

cruiser

Jeezus, get the car to a mechanic. I have a feeling you dont have a slightest idea what you're doing and you may be jumping on the "rebuild train" too fast.

OpticChrash

Well u may be right, Josh lets get a mechanic to look it over first, get the guy that "Charlie at Mazcare in Marietta" get look at it if he has time. No point in spend thousand when u can spend a couple houdred.

josh can i ask did u go test drive the car before buying it or what. If so i should have gone with u on a day i had off or in the morening. i would have atleast known what to look for in a good car. If u did test drive the car and it was fine then, i hope u went more than a few miles on the test, because if it was fune then and now does not even make it out of the naiborhood u could have a problem.

lead_foot

well cruiser your right i dont have a complete idea of what I am doing but that is why i use this forum and my friends to help me so i can learn about them. but in the end your right, i do have to take it to the mechanic. that will be the first thing i do when i get back from vacation. thanks for all your guys help i will keep u posted and chris i will let you know when i am going to take it down and mayby you can come with to make sure they don't rip me off.

dgeesaman

iTrader: (7)

Priority #1: replace all the coolant hoses and both radiator caps. At 76k I'll bet they are original. Call Malloy Mazda (contact info in the stickies) and take care of that job with all OEM parts. You've got to solve that coolant leak.

Don't try to diagnose bad coolant seals until you're absolutely positive the hoses aren't leaking. The presence of steam indicates an external leak.

Also while changing the hoses look for loose vacuum hoses and stuff. The Charge Relief Valve is solenoid controlled, so if any part of the vacuum lines from the manifold to the vacuum tank to the solenoid to the actuator is leaking it won't work properly. But that doesn't need to be solved immediately.

Dave

lead_foot

well i just decided to look at it cause i couldnt sleep and i found that there was a holde in the hose to the AST and i think that was causeing the steam. and the caps have already been replaced along with the fuel lines. where does the opposite end of that hose go to? i was also wondering if anyone had a picture of an engine with all the labeled parts. i would really like to learn where everything is what exactly they do. thanks

bajaman

Okay, you know just enough to be dangerous....lol! I don't say that to be mean, just to state a fact. What you describe as "weird" regarding the "blowoff valve" is perfectly normal. These cars have a CRV (charge relief valve) and an 'air bypass valve' (ABV) as part of the turbo control system. This control system is EXTREMELY complex, and consists of multiple solenoids and vacuum tanks and pressure tanks and about 60 ft. of vacuum/pressure lines.
You MUST know what you are doing before you just start messing around.

Now, back to the coolant issue. It is more than likely that the car has one or more leaks in the coolant system's hoses. The AST (air separation tank) can have a pinhole or a bad cap. The coolant filler neck can have a bad cap. The AST has a pressure relief type of cap, the coolant filler neck is a NON pressure relief style. If the right cap is not on the right place or is bad, it can cause the problems you describe. As can ANY small hole or leak in any coolant hose. The coolant system on these (and all other) cars MUST be absolutely leak-free to function properly.
WORST CASE scenario is that the coolant seals (also called 'O' rings) in the engine block have failed in one place or another and the engine needs "rebuilt". A fact IS that most stock engines fail around 75K miles as far as the coolant seals go.

PLEASE read all you can, use the 'Search' function as much as you can by using keywords, and download the Service Manual and study it. Help your friend to FULLY understand the complexities of the rotary engine. A TII and and FD are very different cars. You can learn a lot too while helping him.

Good luck to both of you.

jmadams74

At a minimum (even if you take it to Charlie or someone else) replace all the stuff Dave refers to but also replace the plastic AST if it is still original with an after market tank (Pettit or someone). They fail regularly (especially around your mileage) and cost me my first engine with a major overheat! Also, the overflow tank being too full doesn't sound very good. Could be any leak that is not allowing it to suck back into the system, but it is one of the signs of engine water seals too. Let us know. . .Good luck!