1985 GS hardtop: Let's prove my wife wrong and get this running.
02-17-14, 03:05 PM
#28
My wife bought me 2 RX-7s
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
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Man. I must be the only one who installs engines from the front. 
I think you're SOL on those brakes. I got lucky and had a spare set of cables that came with the donor disc axle, so I just separated the cable at the T junction and pulled the old axle with the cables still attached. I don't remember having to use spring compressors, I just jacked up one side of the axle as high as I could and I was able to wiggle the opposite side spring out.
That said, if you have a set of compressors, why not use them? The only reason I didn't is because I couldn't find them that day.
I think you're SOL on those brakes. I got lucky and had a spare set of cables that came with the donor disc axle, so I just separated the cable at the T junction and pulled the old axle with the cables still attached. I don't remember having to use spring compressors, I just jacked up one side of the axle as high as I could and I was able to wiggle the opposite side spring out.
That said, if you have a set of compressors, why not use them? The only reason I didn't is because I couldn't find them that day.
02-17-14, 04:37 PM
#29
Man. I must be the only one who installs engines from the front.
I think you're SOL on those brakes. I got lucky and had a spare set of cables that came with the donor disc axle, so I just separated the cable at the T junction and pulled the old axle with the cables still attached. I don't remember having to use spring compressors, I just jacked up one side of the axle as high as I could and I was able to wiggle the opposite side spring out.
That said, if you have a set of compressors, why not use them? The only reason I didn't is because I couldn't find them that day.
I think you're SOL on those brakes. I got lucky and had a spare set of cables that came with the donor disc axle, so I just separated the cable at the T junction and pulled the old axle with the cables still attached. I don't remember having to use spring compressors, I just jacked up one side of the axle as high as I could and I was able to wiggle the opposite side spring out.
That said, if you have a set of compressors, why not use them? The only reason I didn't is because I couldn't find them that day.
1. my crappy Harbor Freight engine hoist would never reach far enough
2. the lip of the garage floor is about 24 inches in front of the car, and it's a 2" drop to the alley from there.
So if I just separate the cables at the t-junction I should be able to just pull them through the frame where they go through and pull the axle out with them attached? That's what I want to do. I think RockAuto has the disc brake cables I need. If they don't, I'm not too good to keep chocks in the car
If I need compressors, I'll either have to pick up a loaner set at autozone or buy some. I asked for these for Christmas but nobody loves me.
02-18-14, 11:29 AM
#30
My wife bought me 2 RX-7s
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
Posts: 2,328
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Ha. My first thought was to put the engine in from the front but 2 things killed that:
1. my crappy Harbor Freight engine hoist would never reach far enough
2. the lip of the garage floor is about 24 inches in front of the car, and it's a 2" drop to the alley from there.
So if I just separate the cables at the t-junction I should be able to just pull them through the frame where they go through and pull the axle out with them attached? That's what I want to do. I think RockAuto has the disc brake cables I need. If they don't, I'm not too good to keep chocks in the car
If I need compressors, I'll either have to pick up a loaner set at autozone or buy some. I asked for these for Christmas but nobody loves me.
1. my crappy Harbor Freight engine hoist would never reach far enough
2. the lip of the garage floor is about 24 inches in front of the car, and it's a 2" drop to the alley from there.
So if I just separate the cables at the t-junction I should be able to just pull them through the frame where they go through and pull the axle out with them attached? That's what I want to do. I think RockAuto has the disc brake cables I need. If they don't, I'm not too good to keep chocks in the car
If I need compressors, I'll either have to pick up a loaner set at autozone or buy some. I asked for these for Christmas but nobody loves me.
I really like the color-matched alternator on the engine. Makes a big difference in how it looks. Very nice.
02-18-14, 11:32 AM
#31
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Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Florida
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I have some Meguiars polishing compound left over from painting my motorcycle, so I tried it on the faded RX7 paint. Shines up real nice. Next dry day I get, it's getting a full polish and wax. Not going to be perfect, but for 237k mi it will look real nice.
The door and fender will need a respray or replacement. I think chances are good I can find red replacement panels though.
The door and fender will need a respray or replacement. I think chances are good I can find red replacement panels though.
06-02-14, 01:33 PM
#33
Life got in the way for a while, but I made a little progress last weekend.
Put a battery in it and hooked it up - a lot of the electrics lit up! Mirror motors, headlight motors, headlights, tail lights, all but 1 turn signal, heater fan, dome light. Bummed about what didn't light up: the electric fuel door release.
I finally noticed that the engine harness came un-tucked during the 200 mile tow home when I bought the shell, so some of that got ground off from being dragged over the pavement. I hope nothing important got chewed up, but I expect something did.
Bolted in the radiator and front-mount oil cooler.
Installed the drive shaft.
Put a battery in it and hooked it up - a lot of the electrics lit up! Mirror motors, headlight motors, headlights, tail lights, all but 1 turn signal, heater fan, dome light. Bummed about what didn't light up: the electric fuel door release.
I finally noticed that the engine harness came un-tucked during the 200 mile tow home when I bought the shell, so some of that got ground off from being dragged over the pavement. I hope nothing important got chewed up, but I expect something did.
Bolted in the radiator and front-mount oil cooler.
Installed the drive shaft.
02-12-15, 04:05 PM
#36
Anyhow, upon closer inspection it does need a good bit of work. I'm going to drop the tank and clean/inspect it. I think it will need a new fuel pump. Everything on front brakes are seized including the fittings on the MC. The clutch MC is going to be "fun" to replace as well. The bolt on the back sides of the calipers are pretty rusted tight too, and they're hard to get at period.
Anyhow, weather getting warmer means more garage time. I'm going to focus on putting the ignition system together and starting the engine first.
02-13-15, 12:52 PM
#37
Hey, so I did some scouring and of course Jeff's old geocities DLIDFIS tutorial is gone. Anybody have a basic wiring diagram for DLIDFIS? I am inclined to run the engine off a relay regardless, why stop at just two igniters?
Also, my starter wiring is... gone? Can anybody point out what (+/-/keyswitch) connects to what terminal on the starter?
Also, my starter wiring is... gone? Can anybody point out what (+/-/keyswitch) connects to what terminal on the starter?
02-14-15, 12:45 AM
#39
So your starter harness if gone? Isn't that the one that includes the reverse light wires? The one was gone in my brown car too. Fortunately I happend to have a spare from some other car that could be swapped in. Man I got lucky.
If you are generally unfamiliar with the starter wiring on the starter itself, you just have two connections. The thick battery cable and the thin solenoid wire. The solenoid wire gets power when the key is in the Start or Crank position. You cna find this wire with a test light in the harness up at the steering box. Find the wire and run a thick (14 or 12 gauge) wire with a femal quick disconnect (.25" size with is extremely common) which just pushes onto the little male terminal.
If your starter is not installed yet, you can get a crash course in how it works by hooking up jumper cables to it. The red positive goes to the solenoid stud that doesn't have the cable strap on it which leads down into the motor. Does that make sense? The "naked" solenoid stud is what the thick battery cable normally goes to. Make sure the jumper cable clamp doesn't ground out on the starter body anywhere. Next hook up the black jumper cable clamp to the starter's mounting ear or anywhere convenient so it won't slip off. Now take a screwdriver you don't care about and jump the red jumper cable clamp up to the little quick disconnect tab. Hold the starter REALLY tight because it will want to jump out of your hand when it springs to life. The solenoid will push the gear forward and spin it at the same time. Be ready for this.
I'm not entrirely sure this is what you were asking about, but thought I'd throw it out there. I just tested a couple starters today with this method. Works ok to test for operation but isn't a load test.
If you are generally unfamiliar with the starter wiring on the starter itself, you just have two connections. The thick battery cable and the thin solenoid wire. The solenoid wire gets power when the key is in the Start or Crank position. You cna find this wire with a test light in the harness up at the steering box. Find the wire and run a thick (14 or 12 gauge) wire with a femal quick disconnect (.25" size with is extremely common) which just pushes onto the little male terminal.
If your starter is not installed yet, you can get a crash course in how it works by hooking up jumper cables to it. The red positive goes to the solenoid stud that doesn't have the cable strap on it which leads down into the motor. Does that make sense? The "naked" solenoid stud is what the thick battery cable normally goes to. Make sure the jumper cable clamp doesn't ground out on the starter body anywhere. Next hook up the black jumper cable clamp to the starter's mounting ear or anywhere convenient so it won't slip off. Now take a screwdriver you don't care about and jump the red jumper cable clamp up to the little quick disconnect tab. Hold the starter REALLY tight because it will want to jump out of your hand when it springs to life. The solenoid will push the gear forward and spin it at the same time. Be ready for this.
I'm not entrirely sure this is what you were asking about, but thought I'd throw it out there. I just tested a couple starters today with this method. Works ok to test for operation but isn't a load test.
02-16-15, 12:31 PM
#41
Thanks, that's the info on the starter I wanted. Didn't really want to start randomly connecting stuff for fear of suddenly having a burning starter in my hands. Similar thought to running the ignition off the battery through a fuse, switched by relay. Doesn't the stock ignition go through the key switch? Scary!
Don't really know what to look for for the starter harness but I couldn't find any loose harness that seemed happy being routed down to the trans.
Going to find out real soon if my coils, or the spares that came in the hatch, are any good.
Don't really know what to look for for the starter harness but I couldn't find any loose harness that seemed happy being routed down to the trans.
Going to find out real soon if my coils, or the spares that came in the hatch, are any good.
02-17-15, 02:59 AM
#42
Yes the stock ignition does go through the key switch. Lots of cars are that way. What's the problem?
Keep looking for an empty harness and start probing with your test light!
Are you able to hook up a distributor to your coils? I figured out a way to test ignitors by hooking up a dizzy and a coil with some aligator clips along with a spark plug held gently in a vice grip as a ground. The same setup can be used to test coils.
Keep looking for an empty harness and start probing with your test light!
Are you able to hook up a distributor to your coils? I figured out a way to test ignitors by hooking up a dizzy and a coil with some aligator clips along with a spark plug held gently in a vice grip as a ground. The same setup can be used to test coils.
09-23-18, 10:03 AM
#43
Project restart! I've been spending my spare hours on the car the past month. Previously, a lot of life got priority, including my daughter who is almost 1 and a half!
Here's some updates:
Did an inventory of what I have and came up with a short list of things I need.
New reman brake calipers, brand new clutch slave and brake master are in.
Got new radiator hose and heater hose in.
I have a bunch of missing bits surrounding my stock exhaust, so I just pre-ordered a racing beat full system.
Got in touch with Jeff20b about his modified Nikki work and brought him my carb to get started. Jeff is awesome and showed me a bunch of cool carb stuff that he's working on. I also surreptitiously inspected the wiring on his 12a turbo and he gave me a super useful hint about where to find my oil sensors' wiring; thanks Jeff, I was able to track them down to the right side harness like you suggested. I'll probably use the spade connectors on the factory harness connector where I need them, which gets me fewer feet of useless harness bundle.
Here's some updates:
Did an inventory of what I have and came up with a short list of things I need.
New reman brake calipers, brand new clutch slave and brake master are in.
Got new radiator hose and heater hose in.
I have a bunch of missing bits surrounding my stock exhaust, so I just pre-ordered a racing beat full system.
Got in touch with Jeff20b about his modified Nikki work and brought him my carb to get started. Jeff is awesome and showed me a bunch of cool carb stuff that he's working on. I also surreptitiously inspected the wiring on his 12a turbo and he gave me a super useful hint about where to find my oil sensors' wiring; thanks Jeff, I was able to track them down to the right side harness like you suggested. I'll probably use the spade connectors on the factory harness connector where I need them, which gets me fewer feet of useless harness bundle.
09-24-18, 01:15 PM
#45
All I need after my dash gauge wiring is new battery and some hope that the stock ignition is intact enough to work. I'm confident the igniters will work, but not as much confidence in the coils. I'll probably be setting up a DLIDFIS for it. But I might need to come up with an extra J-109
I'm also hoping that the rear brakes are good enough to shake down. I have a GSL axle with calipers and discs still sitting on the floor, but I'd like to get some satisfaction of driving it with the stock rear end before I undergo another project on it.
I'm also hoping that the rear brakes are good enough to shake down. I have a GSL axle with calipers and discs still sitting on the floor, but I'd like to get some satisfaction of driving it with the stock rear end before I undergo another project on it.
Last edited by cpt_gloval; 09-24-18 at 01:44 PM.
09-24-18, 01:47 PM
#46
LOL. Man, the oil pressure and oil level instrument panel wiring really takes the long way around the car. From the left side of the engine, up over top to the right side along the engine harness to almost the firewall connector. Then it comes out there and connects with the front harness, which takes a lap forward around to the left, past the front of the radiator and finally through the firewall back on the left side.
