Barn Find 1982 RX-7
 

I Finally got an RX-7

Now I turn the forums for help

The specs

1982 RX-7 GS 12a engine 89,000 miles
Hasn't run for at least 10 years

Ower was trying to work on the ratsnest and some other problems happened, the carb is off but sitting in a box. He said it needed a rebuild or cleaned out. I will be learning how to do a rebuild.

Newish fuel pump installed

Here it is today, it will be rolled into the shed and sorted out

So I need help with figuring out the ratsnest and installing the carb.

First step of project I believe is get all fluids changed over and get the car running.

Any suggestions for engines that haven't run for 10 years?

http://i1277.photobucket.com/albums/...ps59813d69.jpg

http://i1277.photobucket.com/albums/...ps098b9b2a.jpg

I was kinda in the same boat, except mine hadn't run in only three years. I followed a thread on the forum here for starting a car that hadn't been started in years. Can't remember the title of the thread, but a quick search of some key terms will likely show you everything you need to know. Basically change all the fluids (engine oil, antifreeze, transmission oil, gear oil in rear end, etc.), go through the brakes to make sure they work (slave cylinders and master cylinders tend to bind up), change the plugs, wires, fuel filter, air filter, remove old gas from tank and replace with some fresh gas, put a fresh battery in it and cross your fingers.

If it starts and runs it may need a carb rebuild, and some would go so far as to remove the gas tank and clean it out as it has likely gotten gunked up over time. Same with the carb.

Good luck! Post up pics. We all love to look at these things.

Looking for a couple of FAQs

Carb rebuild

Rats nest removal

I have been searching for a little bit and the threads that I am pulling up are so old that they don't have pictures or take you to websites that don't exist anymore. I am also getting threads that says use the search button which is getting old to read...

The rats next is pretty much removed but in a box incase I want to install it.
It is one thing if I can follow instructions but the person before me is half way through the process. I don't know where he left off

The results of the search function on this forum are more geared to specific terms vice phrases, and as such, will spit back a lot of threads with the search term that may or may not contain information you're looking for. You'll have to wade through the results and read, read, read... The upside is that you'll learn a lot and maybe discover an idea you hadn't originally thought about. The more you search though the more you'll learn and you may find that it's easier to start from scratch with your rats nest issue rather than try to pick up in the middle of a previous owners project. You really have two options - keep it or pitch it. There's lots of information on the forum for both options. IMHO, if it's half installed it's not installed at all and that's where I'd start.

With all that said, I learned that it's easier to use a google search for specific phrases and most times it will bounce you back to a thread on this forum that is more specifically geared toward your search phrase.

Looks like you're headed in the right direction. Searching the forums, but do you have a FSM? That'll really help rebuilding the nest.

Aside from flusihng the fuel tank you might want to check for rust in it. If it was stored with fuel in it you shouldn't have much issues, but if it was empty for 10 years you might want to look into getting a new fuel tank.




I gotta know. Your join date sugests you started looking for a 7 in 05' is that correct? MAN thats called looking for the PERFECT car :D
I guess I might have been too hasty with my first purchase, but I had NO idea what I was getting into :D

Yeah, I was searching around for one and for a while it wasn't possible for me to buy one.

I became involved co driving in stage rally (in a Mazda MX-3) and then bought a miata. Miatas are fun but a rx-7 has been on the dream list for some time (that and a datsun 240z)

On a side note today I checked the engine and it spins. I can spin it by hand, it takes a little force probably because of the compression but it isn't seized up.
This means that I probably won't need the MMO or AT fluid) Maybe a little oil to make sure it doesn't go dry but I should be good. All fluids are going to get changed.

The rats nest is going. I know it can do good but I don't want the headache of trying to put it together right.

So keeping in mind that this is going to be used for ralllycross (mostly) and other off roading adventures

What kind of suspension setup should I go with? I am thinking stock right height so leave the springs but replace with good shocks

What brand of shock to people go with?
Would you upgrade the sway bars?

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Finally some pictures posted

Here is a picture of the carb. Still trying to figure it out. Some of the stuff isn't really that needed

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-j..._135654147.jpg

I'm only an amature at the nikki carb but I'm leanring.

If you can find an S/A choke plate it'll make the primarys considerably larger. I don't know if that will benifit preformance or not.

Did some work to the carb last night

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-e..._214448595.jpg

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Y..._205813218.jpg

The previous person said that he rebuilt the carb but when we took it apart it was gunked up full of white stuff.

2 cans of carb cleaner, and an air hose later all the little openings were cleared up

we found a set of instructions or diagrams on where everything goes but the problem is that we are missing parts. I can't find the accelerator pump diaphram anywhere so I am at a stand still again.

There is an article also on how to strip a nikki carb. I am wondering how much of this we should do especally with the choke. The car may get ice raced and I would imagine that it would be hard to start it without some of those components.

Also if we are this far if the mechanical secondary mod would be worth our time.

Any input?

Haven't updated this for a while but made progress.

Took apart carb and put it back together. Put it back on the car, waited for the fuel bowls to fill up, cranked it over and it was running. I am guessing I need to adjust the carb a bit because it had a hard time holding its idle below 2500 and I bet I have some vacuum leaks but it ran.

After that the exhaust fell off the car

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/tN...hGo=w1576-h655

The cats are heavy and the bolts that held them on were rusty. My guess is that after all the vibration that they just broke but time for a new exhaust

I bought an RB header. I will take a picture of it later. Someone welded a smaller tip to it but I can cut that off and put another flange on it. The header was cheap so there is going to be some sort of fabrication

I don't have much of a budget so I am going to have to put together my own exhaust system. It will be satisfying.

*Just to make a note, I am getting depressed when I am searching for parts for this.

I think when I origionaly wanted one of these cars RE Speed, G Force engineering, and Sterling Carbs were all in business. And 13" Tires where easy to get. What happened?!! Now it seems I have to fend for my self now.:(



The carb and intake is off the car again. I want to do sterling mods to the carb but I don't know what is involved. Does anyone have a good writeup?

It's in the archives:

https://www.rx7club.com/1st-gen-arch...orial-1029440/

OK so that is how to strip the carb. I am going to have to search how to go the few extra steps.

for getting the engine running, i would pour a little oil down each intake port. it isn't super important what type of oil you use, although something light is good.

you should only need about a cap full for each one. i'd wait for the oil to get down there, and then take a 19mm socket and spin the engine over by hand a few times to get the oil distributed.

then when you're ready to put the carb back on, spin it again. this time you are looking for compression pulses, it may be easier to pull a trailing spark plug, and then you should hear a whoosh every half turn of the engine.

if you get that, it'll run