Sears actually had the flywheel socket? I was going to buy one of those custom one piece jobs but if I can get by buying from Sears that would be awesome!

From his head on picture of the flywheel, it looks like the pilot bearing is still in one piece. I've never seen that happen. Usually they self destruct and the outside part welds itself to the eccentric shaft. It took me longer to chisel, pry, yell to get the pilot bearing out of a replacement salvage yard motor than it took to put it in.

You definitely need to replace the pilot and the throughout bearings even if they look good.

Mazdatrix has a pilot bearing puller/installer for $125.
http://mazdatrix.com/getprice.asp?partnum=49-1295

I wish I'd had it last time I changed a clutch. Since his is in good shape, it might come out easy, you just gotta be careful putting in the new one.

 

Thanks for all the info. I'll try a quick reply since you gave so much info. Tolstoy would be proud of your post. It's not my 1st 7. My 1st one was in 1991 and it was an 83gsl. Clutch master and slave were shot when I got the car so that was the 1st thing I fixed, which led me to my bad cluch diagnosis. New pilot bearing came with my clutch kit, which is a stock oem replacement since I won't be dumping the clutch for any reason, just driving around feeling all nostalgic (sp?). Thought about the oil cooler swap, but it will have to wait. Turned rotors, don't know how close. It's just a temporary fix so I can drive it. I will be putting new ones on in the future. Brake lines will be replaced. Driveshaft seems to be in great condition so I don't think I need to do anything with it. Exhaust was rusted to pieces so a complete replacement will be next before it can be legal. I got the 54mm socket from northern tool & hydrualics for $13 or so. I have a pilot bearing puller but i'm gonna have to grind the insides of the hooks to make it small enough to go in the bearing so I can pull it out. The car is in great shape inside and out minus the things i'm fixing. The previous owner took great care of it apparently or it wouldn't be so. Fired up first time I put gas to the carb. Just needed some maintenance to make her run like she should. Thanks for all of the advice.

 

Ok, so I finally found time to get the clutch kit put in. Pilot bearing too, and now the transmission won't mate flush with the engine. Doesn't matter how much I wiggle and shove it won't go. Now I tried putting a couple of the bolts in and tightening them slightly and it looks like it's getting there but I wanted to ask you guys if that's the right way. I don't want to mess anything up. Thanks.

 

Well, my buddy Robert came over Wed and helped me put the transmission back in. Just couldn't get it by myself. It's in and all that's left is to put new oil in and hook all the connectors back up, install starter and put the driveshaft back in. She's all but ready to go for a drive. Still have to put an exhaust system in before it can be legal but at least all of the mechanical issues are almost resolved. I can't wait to go for a drive.

 

Ok, it's been a while but i've kinda been waiting to get all my parts together to get anything else done. Had the 7 towed to the local muffler guy, the one everyone I asked suggested I take it to and had the exhaust work done. I did put a cat back on it because I didn't want to smell the fumes so my exhaust is pretty much stock. Still have the air pump etc. Flowmaster system with single cat, custom pipe to the exhaust manifold and air tubes intact. Chrome Flowmaster muffler with dual tips and she sounds sweet. I'll upload a short video when I get her home. Should be tomorrow. Couple little things legal wise and I'll be on the road.

 

It is good to see people restoring these old RX-7s. I can't tell you how many I have restored since the mid 1980s, mostly wrecked ones. I have also scrapped a few that just were not worth repairing, and with my trips to the local PicNPull, I also have a collection of spares as someone suggested - complete distributor, plug wires, alternators and starters, ignition switch and pigtail, instrument cluster, coils, and a few switches and relays. All this stuff will fit into a moderate sized box and give you some piece of mind, so keep an eye out for these things when you are at a salvage yard.

I was once criticized for rebuilding all these Japanese cars, and I pointed out that every one I rebuild is one less car that has to be imported from Japan. So then the guy says "Why don't you buy an American car?", and I said " I haven't found any American made RX-7s."

Have fun with your new toy. I restored a GSL back in 1997. After driving it for 14 years, I recently did an engine swap, and I plan to keep on driving it. My exhaust guy installed a 2 1/2 inch Cat and then just straight back to the stock RX-7 muffler, which is only about 2 1/8 inch. Seems to choke a bit at high rpm, so I will have to go 2 1/2 all the way back. Sounds like you have that issue resolved.

https://www.rx7club.com/nw-rx-7-forum-33/next-project-982785/

 

Ok, so I got my "flow" exhaust systems mixed up. It's a flowmaster, not magnaflow, but still sounds pretty sweet. Some input here would be appreciated. She seems to be bogging down a little, or a lot. I drove it home today from the muffler shop. It's the 1st time it's been driven on the road in probably 8 yrs. Had to play with the gas pedal to find the spot where the engine had the power it should have. Carb rebuild?? Thats my 1st thought. Any suggestions if anyone thinks otherwise? Thanks.

 

When we were rebuilding a lot of wrecked ones, they sometimes sat for a year or two, and would run crappy at first. But after 50 or 100 miles they would seem to clean up and run fine. I would suggest a bottle of injector cleaner in the fuel tank and drive it for a while before you start replacing parts. Of course a carb overhaul is a good idea. At least take the top off and look in the float bowls. If they are full of debris, buy the rebuild kit and do it.

 

Put a bottle of seafoam into the gas tank with only about 1/4 tank of gas in it. I'll see how that does then go from there. Thanks for the input and the suggestions.

 

Drove her around for a bit today. It seems a little better at times. I'm on my 2nd can of seafoam. Only putting about 4-5 gallons of gas to a can so hopefully with it concentrated that will help. If not we'll see about rebuilding the carb. Question though. Could the ignition be causing the hesitation? New plugs, but the cap and rotor along with the 2 coils and plug wires are all original. Any input is appreciated.

 

New coils, plug wires, rotor cap and button. Still has hesitation but it does seem a little better. Guess I will be doing a carb kit.

 

Got the nikki mostly torn down. No wonder she was running so rough. Got the rebuld kit ready and after my break will start cleaning.

 

Ok if someone could give me a clue........Tore the nikki down and getting it cleaned. Got all of the nomenclature from here and looking at the rx7 carb manual for a 1985 gsl, there are only 2 weights in the carb. The accelerator pump inlet weight with check ball and the accelerator pump outlet weight with check ball. Problem is, I have a 3rd weight and didn't see where it fell out of the main body. Anyone have an idea? Thanks.

 

I had this exact same stumper a couple of weeks ago. It goes under this plug:

 

You are my hero!!!! Ps, your carb looked about as trashed as mine. Did you have the bogging down and hesitation that I had too? I've been having to feather the gas until I could find the sweet spot so it would have any power.

 

... that is a picture of your carb.

 

As you can see, i've got my plate full. So full I didn't recognize my own pic. Thanks for the help......go ahead, laugh at me. I did.

 

Picking up a new fuel pump tomorrow. Installed an inline fuel pressure gauge and am only showing 1.5psi I guess the fuel pump is tired after 27 years and won't pump strong enough. Hopefully that will cure the hesitation and bogging down. We'll see.

 

New fuel pump in but still only have 2psi. Damn!!!!! One of the fuel jets, ports or whatever by the primary main air bleed only dribbles fuel in compared to the other one. It's the one on the front of the carb closer to the driver's side. Has about 1/2 the volume of the other one. I guess that's the culprit. Question is can the air horn be removed without removing the whole carb? I guess I didn't get that one cleaned out as well as I thought when I rebuilt it. On the flip side I bought some plastic paint for my faded interior parts. Well see how it looks once I try it out on a couple of pieces.

 

.

 

Well, not an exact match color wise but still looks pretty good. Guess i'll be redoing all of my plastic pieces that have faded. Luckily most of it is in the back.

 

Decided to Grease my window regulator gear and slidey thingies......Took window out, put in new glass run channel and greased said thingies. Decided since I took the glass out, why not tint it. Got the passenger side done and the back right quarter glass. Turned out pretty well. 1 piece of friggin siberian husky fur inside the tint. Dammit!!!!! Still looks pretty good though. I also found a carb in a junk yard that i'll be aquiring for $30. Hope it's better than the one I have 'cause i've rebuilt it and it still isn't right. Pics to follow.

 

how much did you pick that thing up for?

 

$30.00. Got it put on and fired her up. No time for a test drive. Tomorrow after work. Seems better than what I had. Idling ok around 600rpm. Don't know how it will drive though. We'll see tomorrow.

 

Well, finally!!!!!! Carb rebuld must have been ok so i'll probably be putting it back on. I put the one I got from the junk yard on after cleaning it as good as possible since it was still together and the damn car still ran like crap. So I went for a drive today and somthing told me to pull the vac line from the #2 anti afterburn valve. I did and immediately she drives like a champ. Don't know what the hell but it sucks air constantly at idle and who knows what while i'm driving but there it is. Went for a drive tonight to the car wash and cleaned her up a bit. Sorry the pics are a bit fuzzy, I guess my hands were shaking a little from all the exertion of washing the 7.