85 SE radiator resurrection
 

Ok, so this thread got its start from DGRR 2017. My first ever btw. The events that led to this thread are part of enlightenment. If you don't know what that means then just keep coming back. Somehow it' might make sense. More on this later since it's late and I'm spent.

Ok... popcorn,check. Cold drink,check. lol,has to be related to that rollback pic.

So,this will be a little about dealing with the R&R of a stock 85 SE radiator and a little about the events that got me to here.

On on my Bucket List for years was going to DGRR. This year two friends told me they were going so I decided it was time. 2017 would be the year. As the event got closer just a couple days before one friend suddenly couldn't make it. I was counting on him to kind of be a tour guide since he's been here before. The other buddy had never been to DGRR but he was bringing a badass 3 rotor.

We, my fiancé and I, left Friday morning. The trip across NC was uneventful but the pleasure of cruising in my stock black five letter 85 was heaven for me. No stereo, no air conditioning, just the sound of my headers, the wind and the road... perfect.

we decided to stay at a cheap motel just outside of Bryson City. Called the Two Rivers Lodge. Kind of reminded me of the Bates Motel from the infamous movie but all in all it wasn't fancy, but it was clean and the others staying there were all really nice people. https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...0b7b3d5ed7.jpg
At $78 a night it was just fine.

For the trip I packed a gallon of 50/50 Prestone, a quart of 20-50, a screw driver and a crescent wrench. In all the years I've owned rx7's I've never wrenched on any of them. Bad experience in the early 70's taught me to leave it to the professionals. What even possessed me to pack that is beyond me.

As as soon as we got there we are and headed to Fontana Damn for the Damn Dam photo. She plugged in the address to GPS and off we went! Driving the roads around there was a thrill. Mine has 119k on her but I was impressed with the acceleration and handling. Two winters ago my buddy did a mild restore on it for me. Suspension, brakes, bearings everything new.

I was anxious to put a face on all the OGTA people and knew I'd finally get to meet them at the Dam. We left early so we could chew the fat for a while. Left at 3:15. The GPS took us south for quite a spell. I was loving the roads and wondering when I'd see more 7's. Nothing. We kept driving. GPS took us left and right for 30 miles until I finally said to my girl Cindy. "Where are all the 7's and 8's!!?!" GPS took us in the opposite direction till it said destination arrived!! We were in the middle of nowhere on a "holler" kind of back road. It was 4 and we had no service all of a sudden. Had to rely on memory to get back to civilization. When we got service we realized we were a good 40-45 miles away and I had to hoof it big time. After a fast paced run towards the Damn we still couldn't find it!! It was 4:50 and I was pissed off!!! Still no other 7's!! WTF!!!!!?? Just as I was about to give up six first gens passed me by moving fast. I turned around but lost them!!! Damn it!!! I was about to give up again till I asked somebody and we just made it at 5:00. GPS in the mountains?? Don't trust it!

Don't worry the radiator part will be here eventually. This is as much a DGRR 17 thread as it's going to be a radiator thread. I've been chided to do this so hang with me. You might get a mild chuckle out of it. Just starting out with the back story first. Think they call it groundwork!!

hey!! My first audience!! Yes rollback it is. First time doing something like this.

So there we are at the Dam. Glorious row after row of rotary madness. I'm really getting amped especially after that ride out and back to get there. Obtw, once we figured we were lost I drive my SE like i had never, in the twelve years I've owned her, balls to the wall. Cindy was heard several times , as I upshifted and downshifted like a maniac at Monte Carlo "oh babe!!! Oh honey !!! Oh my!!! Oh shit!!!" She thought she was good on those virtual race car games but this was the real deal. And in a 32 year old nearly stock Gsl SE!! I was loving it but real pissed we might not get to the Dam in time.

i wore a T shirt to the Damn Dam that said "Tool and die guy" so someone might actually acknowledge us. Cindy's T shirt said " Tool and die guy's fiancé". https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...bdbe227712.jpg
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Honestly I've never seen so many 7's 8''s in one place in my life. It was heaven and quickly the last two hours faded from memory. I'm looking all over the place for my buddy from Ohio with his 3 rotor SLC car... no Garry!!! Wtf?!!

If you were at the Dam you'd know what I'm talking about. That part of the event lead to the pep talk by local authorities on being a conscientious driver on the dragon and elsewhere. Good thing he didn't see me an hour previous.!! We stood still for final pics, drone passes the whole nine yards. Then we got to leave one by one to pass the over the Dam and pass the official DGRR YouTube video camera that records each and every one of us leaving. I saw it, its cool. Followed a white FC out and as soon as we got clear it was all on again!! Chasing those fc's and fd's was another highlight for me. We made it back to our motel "Bates" and settled in for a few beers and downtime. Taking in the whole day was the best way to rest. Our neighbors at the motel were a small group of old guys on nice bikes. Great guys. We chatted up the evening drank some swill and said our good night. Me?? I simply couldn't sleep. You see rx7's have been an important part of my life. Ever since my first ride and drive in 1983ish I've been way over the line in my respect for this car. The first gens are still IMHO the most beautiful car ever.. I know I know..Ferrari, Porsche, mclaren etc...but in my financial wheelhouse this was the motherload. https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...0adced0fa4.jpg

The Show!!
 

ok so I finally got some sleep but the show starts at 8:00 ?!?! Oh man, that sucks because my five latter needed washed of all the bugs and dust it accumulated from getting there on the 4-1/2 hour trip. Think I got three hours sleep but I was up at 6 looking for a hose at a the motel. Brought my bucket and cleaning stuff. I walk outside and now it's still dark and my car is drenched in dew on top of all the road gunk. I got it washed and chammied but the few kept coming back. Guess itd have to wait till I got there to the village for a final buff. We were late getting away so had to skip breakfast. Later I will know why I had a lapse of conscience. Empty stomach till end of show with three hours sleep leads to bad decision making processes.

We pulled in to a parking lot quickly filling up with gorgeous rotaries of all kinds. With exception to the rotary golf cart all were beautiful!!

Found my my spot and backed in for a morning of questions and comments. Honestly I had no indication that mine would even stack against the others and settled in for the ride and experience. The ride and experience was just getting started.https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...9c1a7c1a36.jpg

Doing this on the fly and I'm not a journalist but I failed to mention that at the Dam I finally got to meet others from OGTA for the first time. Tim, Tom, Robert, Mike, Michael and Crit. I also met Holly and Phillip. I bet I met others but I was blinded by the feast of rotaries all around me. Ray was not there nor my friend from Ohio SLC 3 Rotor. This is what you all missed. Hope he comes next yeathttps://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...497b0938ed.jpghttps://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...a07ee821cd.jpg
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The show was great as expected. Beyond my wildest dreams. Old school rx2' rx 3 rx 4. A cosmo, a Luce. It was well represented. First second and third gens all over the place. Mine seemed a bit too stock but I didn't care. I was surrounded by like minded individuals. That's what I came for.!!some old timers stopped and checked mine out on a number of occasions. The key word that came up was "time capsule"...for mine. One old timer (with much respect I use "old timer".. I'm 61 so if the shoe fits wear it!! Lol) couldn't stop shaking his head staring at mine. Proceeded to tell me he was a mechanic at a Mazda dealer in the 80's and was pleased to see mine in it's all Original Glory. 32 year old paint straight from Hiroshima!! Talked to him a long time.

At at some point around 10 am a guy from "rotary compression tester" was walking around giving free tests. I saw him do at least three while I was standing there.

it was my Birthday that day. Yep 61!! My fiancé wanted to do something special ( the whole trip was to be my gift!!! Ain't she great!?!?) so she asked this guy if he'd do mine.? He said sure and proceeded to place his tester at my car saying he'd return later. Now this is where it gets jiggy. Remember I didn't eat breakfast!!!! ??Just high octane coffee and cigs!!!
He said he wasn't familiar with the SE but said it can't be a big deal. ..... that's when I should've said no thanks...but it was FREE!!! And I really wanted to know the numbers on 119k car because I'd been thinking of a rebuild and was planning on meeting with Brian from RotarySports to talk turkey...could I Hansen THE TURKEY???!!

I like your Fiance's T-shirt. I might get a bunch of those printed up for all my friends family and casual acquaintances.

Think the "old timer" was me,but...you're older. I'm only 60,so there!

Damn spell check...could I have been the TURKEY?!?! So while I'm talking with various people about my car he proceeds to hook it up via removal of the spark plug. Says he needs to shut off the fuel injectors and proceeds to tell me it's different than FC's but moves along anyway. Gets it all hooked up says get in and put your foot to the floor and crank it over. I do so not knowing what the proper procedure really should be. We spin it and the tester says I have 108 front. Repeats the process and 118 rear. At this point I'm thinking that's impossible. I would've been happy to hear mid to high 80's or more so low 90's. He insists it's correct.

At at this point I'm not sure what to think but I'm fairly impressed and think to myself I don't really need a rebuild. Cindy had an alternate reason for elation. All she could think was NO Rebuild??? "more money for the wedding!!!!".. the plot thickens.

Now this is where I get a little bit sketchy but I'll do my best. The compression guy, Rob I think his name was, leaves. We still have an hour of show. I think nothing of what just happened. At the end of the show people are pulling out quickly. Me and the "old timer"... btw I'm older than him so I can say that 😂... keep talking. After he leaves I crank it up. Now let me preface this with, I've been smelling gas lately at redlights, have had a few flooding issues lately, which hasn't been the norm with this 7 in the past, and I know my car better than anyone but Kenny, my Ohio buddy that did the mild restore. The first three rotations I knew it wasn't going to start. So I tried my foot to the floor thing... huh huh. Ain't happening. I see the compression guy at his tent and tell the situation. He comes back w socket and wrench and pulls the plugs. Sure enough. Wet... he dries them off replaces them and we crank again. Nope!! Not happening. At this point I'm freaked, pissed and wanting answers. Another guy walks up and starts telling this Rob to pull this wire pull that wire tells me to crank it. Says he's from Rotary Resurrection. Well I happen to know that place and remember having traded some texts with this guy. I ask him.."you Kevin Landers??" He says yes we shake. Now at this point I'm slightly relieved that he's even here at this moment. I know his background and we had a good chance of getting out of there soon.

He tells this compression guy what to do and they pull this and that and eventually starts. In my mind it didn't sound right or feel right but with rotary and flooding you have to gun her for a few miles to clean her out. She's idling rough but idling. They leave, and I couldn't help but notice that Rob was high tailing it to remove himself from the scene.

hey!!! I don't think I caught your name. Did you have a black T shirt on? I really enjoyed your conversation. I'm Paul btw. You worked as a mechanic at Mazda...right?

not sure where you're going with this but... knock yourself out!! Lol

Yeah, that compression dude was shifting gears like I was earlier to get away from ME. I don't know for sure why but ...

we pull out and I gun it to clear things. She ain't pulling and it's rough. I'm thinking good thing we're going down hill for a ways I'll just wait it out. Man it's not getting better. Now if you recall we didn't eat. So all Cindy can think is get me to anywhere to eat. All I can think is my car is f'd up!! I'm suddenly not at all thinking food. But she's pretty adamant and at this point could care less about this ssuddenly shitty rx7 were driving. We barely make it into Bryson. We get a table at a restaurant and I immediately want info so I call Carlos first, tell him what happened. He says sounds like plugs!!! Now I know you're all wondering how many miles on these plugs and I'm ashamed to have to tell the truth.. just turned 9000 miles on em at that point. I know I know shoot me. But it ran just fine before compression wank. While she's waiting for grub I go back out in the street pop the hood and start checking to see if the wires are all correct. They look right to me. To get confirmation I ask a group I recognized from show to take a gander. Yep, he says look right to him too. Now I'm really off the rails. I know very lit about my car because I don't work on them. I'm my own worst enemy.

She pays the check and now I'm thinking we will be lucky to start or even get back to the motel. I'm so mad at this point I'm actually wishing it really was the Bates motel so I could knife the skinny bastard that knives the chick in the shower!!!!

it starts and we limp back to the motel.

We pull no limp into the motel parking lot. All I can think of is to let the OGTA boys know I'm not gonna make it to the award ceremony that evening. So I text Tim. Now these mountains make communication nearly impossible. I don't hear from him st all for awhile so also text Tommy. I tell him that I can't make it tonight, I think my plugs are fouled or maybe even one of them is cracked at the ceramic. Why do I tell him this??? Because when I called Kenny from the restaurant back to Akron, my home town, HE said that it's possible that the idiot pulled up hard on the wrench and compromised my plugs. I called Advance in town they didn't have any plugs in stock. Tim gets right back to me Saying " "sorry to hear you can't make it. No I don't have any plugs"

I text back to let Holly know I can't make it tonight but that I saw the judges check my car out on two different occasions and to let me know if I win anything!!? In my heart I'm really not thinking there's going to be a prize for me.

Tom texts back "ok I will"

moments later he texts back.." Crit has plugs, tools were on our way to you"!! The cavalry is coming. Circle the camp and hold out till help arrives!!!

By by this time I've already called advanced back and told them to ship those plugs and I'll pick them up in the morning.

During all this Tom texts me to swap the top and bottom plugs.(leading trailing) it'll run much better. Great idea... oops I have s screw driver and a crescent wrench.

He's on the way. There are Rotary Gods and they like me!!

Tommy and Crit pull in in Toms rx8. The old biker guys are hanging around and they are quite inquisitive. even the motel owner is in the mix now and he has tools and a shop behind the hotel!!! Didn't know that earlier...

Crit starts removing plugs. Turns out he only rustled up 2 used plugs. Both are different too but he says it'll get us by till the new ones show in the Morning. Im down with that so let's get some temporary relief and just maybe I still have time to go to the show.!!!

As crit removes plug plug one he's baffled at where the tip of the plug is???? Pulls the second plug... same damn thing!!! No tip on either plug. Compression boy broke two plugs and never said a word. Now we know why he was doing wheel stands getting out of Dodge and away from Me!!! The tips were pushed way up inside the plug wires!!! The remaining two are intact. We have two so we should be good right??
Slaps those puppies in place.. crank it she starts but still runs like shit. The same "like shit" we drove back with. Tommy and Crit understand at this point that I'm running in only trailing plugs. This is all new to me. I kind of knew the concept but when put to test it all screamed "enlightenment " to me. We were running with a severe amount of HP loss but... it still ran.

We stood in the motel parking lot with Tom and Crit and they told me to follow them back to they're cabin. Mike had a tool kit and there's something more serious going on we can't fix here. The car will run bad but it should make it.. follow us..we got up to speed and really felt sluggish and powerless. Had to make a run at every hill to make it up. Barely could hold 45-50 at times going up hill in 3rd. when we get to the gates of the gated cabin area Cindy and I realize it's going to be a very steep climb. I mean real damn steep. Narrow, rugged basically lousy black top path up the side of the mountain and it rises very quickly. It was dark to boot. No railings, and the higher you went the more shear the drop off was to your right, it went on like this for what seemed a never ending ascension.the car barely had the balls to go it and I wasn't even sure we'd make the climb. Successfully.

When we pulled in the cabin there were four rx7's in the driveway. It was pay dirt to me. Four bitchin 12'as sitting there. Or was it three!?? It was dark and I was just fully aware that all the right people to render a positive path forward were right there. Ready, willing and able. I hardly knew them. Excuse me but I get a little choked up here. I had a car I couldn't fix. I had the love of my life with me and if these people didn't come to our aid we'd be plotting another strategy that might have a profoundly different outcome. I was well aware in the moment how blessed we were. Didn't feel like luck to me.

Am I losing anybody?? Lol..you'll just have to bear with me. Or not. I'm not doing this for me or the OGTA guys. Honestly at the end this whole diatribe is going to have a clear conclusion. Multi faceted too!!

That's me,name's Mike

As we parked the car at the cabin we were motioned to pull right up to the porch where the light was best. We got out of the car and immediately surrounding us were Tim, Robert, Mike and his girlfriend ( I simply forget her her name but she's a cool lady!!) Tom is coming in behind from leading us up the mountain and Crit is coming shortly having stopped at his cabin first. The first thing that went through my mind was that these are fine people. We just barely met them the first time at the Damn Dam photo shoot. Traded plenty of posts on threads but I didn't really "know" them. I'm sure Cindy feels the same way but in those first few moments at the cabin I felt like we were surrounded by family. Family on a mission!!! Damn it!!! Gonna fix Paul's car!!

The next hour hour or so is still convoluted because all of a sudden with Crit joining in there were no less than three heads bent over my engine bay at the same time. Tim, Tom Crit, Mike Robert.. at one point possibly sensing I might have reservations about what was transpiring at the time Robert looked at me and said something to the effect of "the best minds in Rotary engines are right here at this cabin...". I believed it was a true statement. I had no doubt that if we weren't leaving in my car tonight then it was something that simply could not be fixed. We were in good hands.

All I was good for was adding light to the distributor with my cell flashlight.

The series of events and revelations that occurred during the "fix" process might be one for the books. I'm going to try my best to convey the mechanical evaluations and efforts as accurately as I can. If OGTA guys want to chime in and correct me feel free.