Devin Blair

Hi folks, new to the forum, new to rotarys. I got a 1987 RX-7 practically free and I've got a lot of work ahead of me. How much work however, I am hoping the knowledgeable people here can help me to figure out.

Gen2n3

iTrader: (1)

Hello Devin and welcome to our forum!

Please remember, your account is currently limited to the new member area. As soon as you get 10+ posts then you get full access to the rest of the forum. I encourage you to use the search (or advanced search) function to help answer some questions you have. The chances are high that someone else before you had the same issue with his FC. Additionally, become familiar with our forum's FAQs and guidelines.

Our members are a helpful bunch but they need your help too. Do your best to describe the problem and if you used a reference (i.e. thread or otherwise) then please include it.

Since you are new to the rotary world, please download the FSM (Factory Service Manual), WDM (Wiring Diagram Manual), and the Parts Index. These are invaluable tools and should cover most of your car's problems!

Meanwhile, let's work on your post count! Tell us more about your FC! Is it stock or modified? What problems do you currently have with it?

Devin Blair

A little more about my car - its a pretty average little base model RX-7 as far as I can tell. It does have an electric moon roof though which I think is kinda cool. It doesnt work currently but I am betting that is mostly an electrical gremlin and I'll track it down sooner or later. It has spent most of its life sitting outside I think going from one potential projector to another only to be given up on and handed off to the next person. This time that person is me and I don't back down from a challenge so I will make this car run one way or another. Everything about it is stock as far as I can see except for the push button start which I added because the previous owner decided a screw driver was as good as a key. That is how I discovered that the engine was stuck - got the starter wired back up, pushed the button, and it made quite the grindy noise. Very unpleasant. Car has a manual transmission - not even sure if these came with automatics, I never see people talking about them. I've got the factory service manual downloaded somewhere and I've watched a few videos so I'm sure I can take it apart and put it back together again - at this point in a project I like to run my thoughts through people that know more than me.

At some point i will want to experiment with hydrogen and that will require either retuning with a megasquirt or something similar or reverting this back to run with a carburetor. That is a ways down the road though.

mazdaverx713b

iTrader: (91)

Welcome! Would love to see pictures of the car! May I encourage you to stay away from a carburetor. These engines run so smoothly with the original injection setup and being a 6 port engine, its designed to run with the injection and the dynamic chamber in conjunction with the 5th and 6th port actuators and sleeves. Once you are able to get it running properly and everything working, you will he amazed at how well and smooth the engine will run. Once again welcome!

Devin Blair

I don't have my heart set on doing hydrogen with this car just yet but its on my list and its the only reason I'd run a carburetor. I've been restoring my 79 F150 lately and it is definitely getting some serious experimenting so that may just satisfy my need to run HHO through something lol. Of course up front I just want to make this car run. I'm not even really thinking about bridge porting it or anything. I'll see what I can do about throwing up a picture here later.

Gen2n3

iTrader: (1)

Devin,

Thanks for sharing a little more about your car. When possible, post a pic. It sounds like you are no stranger to take on projects. As with any project, make a list of problems then prioritize that list. For example, engine maintenance - inspect/replace fan belts, spark plugs, engine coolant, engine oil. Trans & Diff fluid change, inspect brakes, replace brake & clutch fluid, bleed brakes, etc... Since the car sat for a long time then inspect/replace fuel filter, check fuel injectors, and inspect the fuel tank.

Could you better describe how the engine was stuck? Does it still make that grinding noise? How long did it sit unloved?

Just a random thought: When you start the car, make sure you let it warm up to operating temps. Rotary engines do not like being started then immediately stopped because they have a tendency to flood. Once a rotary engine is flooded, you must actively purge the combustion chamber. Otherwise, it will never start. As a brief side story, my FC sat flooded for 2.5yrs. My brother tried to start it with no luck (thought it was a bad battery). Within 15min of my return home, I actively purged the engine and it started on the 1st crank!

I believe you would enjoy working on the FC because most components are easily accessible.

Devin Blair

I haven't taken the engine apart yet so I'm not really sure why exactly it is stuck or how long it has been this way. I traded an older xbox one for the car from a teenager who was probably going to do something stupid with it but he never had it running. Possible that its been stuck for years. If I do track down the exact cause of the seizing I'll share with pictures because it could be interesting. From the way the previous owner talked about it he got this car from a guy who bought it as a project who bought it from a guy who bought it as a project so it really could be that this cars been lacking in the love department for a very long time. The grinding noise I know was the starter gear being all grindy trying to turn over a motor that was having no part of it - so yea if I tried to start it again it would make the same grindy noises.

Thanks for that info on the flooding - I don't tend to start and stop vehicles like that without good reason but if it comes up that'll be good to know.

Devin Blair

Devin Blair

Poor thing is in desperate need of a wash I'm afraid but with car projects the outside doesnt get clean until it can haul itself to the car wash.

Its true that I am no stranger to projects, that motorcycle you can kinda see in between the cars there is one thats been frustrating me for awhile lol. 76 kawasaki kz750 twin. One of their first big twins as i understand it - another project that has been passed around for a couple decades. The firebird in the back is my baby though I dont use her much since my family bought this farm that I live and work at.

Arty7

That looks like a big project. What are you plans for it?

Gen2n3

iTrader: (1)

Devin,

Thanks for sharing the pics. You have a diamond in the rough! Based upon your earlier description about the FC being a hand-me-down project car, I'd venture to say it has plenty of electrical gremlins, wire taps, splices, and other electrical hacks. Do you have any experience in electrical troubleshooting and/or reading an electrical schematic? The best tools to use for any electrical problem is a DMM (Digital Multimeter), a schematic diagram, and that grey stuff between your ears!

I could only guess the grinding noise you hear is a combination of stuck apex seals, a corroded flywheel, and other engine accessories that sat for too long. Maybe @mazdaverx713b or others may offer better advise for starting your engine after it sat for a while. Typically, add 1oz of MMO (Marvel Mystery Oil) into the trailing spark plug hole in each rotor housing. This would help build compression and help loosen any stuck seals. You may also have to rotate the engine by hand, which is much harder than it sounds.

Keep us posted on your progress with the FC and look at that...you already have 11 posts!

Devin Blair

My plans for this little gem are quite simple. First and foremost - make it run. I absolutely love the uniqueness of these engines and can't wait to bring this neglected piece of history back to life again. After that - clean it up inside and out and just cruise in it from time to time. I have no commute or anything of that nature so I don't have a need for a daily driver. It is also my first car with a manual transmission so learning to drive a stick will be an adventure all of its own.

Devin Blair

As far as experience with electrical troubleshooting I most definitely do. They frustrate me about as much as vacuum leaks but I never back down from a challenge and no car has beat me yet.

The grinding noise is just the starter gear, the engine itself doesnt budge - even a little that I can tell so its not the apex seals or anything that may be moving. Whatever has her stuck - shes stuck good.

Far as the mmo trick - tried it. Lots of it. plugs all out, intake and stuff is off already, accessories are all off. Drizzled mmo into every hole I could find hoping to manage to get it into that one place that was going to free things up for me. No luck. I didn't realize until recently in my research that stuff inside there is chromed - now that I know that I am not going to try and force this old girl to run as she sits and risk damaging that. If this was a traditional engine and I was in make it run mode I would absolutely just fire it up as soon as I made it budge but it seems like the internals of these engines wont be so understanding about making it machine the corrosion out itself. If I can avoid buying another motor to put in this I would love that - but I am keeping an eye on facebook and craigslist just in case.

Devin Blair

I have no doubt that once I get past the major mechanical problem that there will be electrical gremlins galore. Some monkey tore into the dash wiring a bit trying to do some aftermarket stereo nonsense. Ignition wiring had quite the volume of electrical tape. all you can really do is roll your eyes and dig in.

Gen2n3

iTrader: (1)

Devin,

I've owned rotaries for roughly 29 years. When it comes to troubleshooting problems with a stuck motor, I seek the advice from the experts! I never had the pleasure of rebuilding a motor; I paid for experts to replace or rebuild one in my 1st FC and one in my FD. I would still get a kick out of rebuilding one though.

If your head hurts too much on any electrical issues then shoot me a PM. I could offer advice when needed.

Devin Blair

Thats a long time. I didn't even really know about them until just a few years ago. I've always learned more from breaking stuff and having to fix it than anything else - though it seems with a lot of the vehicles I've learned on they come pre-broken lol saves me the trouble I guess. It always bothers to be using something when I don't understand how it works - I started driving pretty late in life because not knowing just got to me. I've resurrected quite a few fun things over the years and learn something new from every one of them. You totally should dive into one just to have done it, its incredibly rewarding to take something like an engine, broken and useless, and bring it back to life again knowing exactly how much time and effort went into it.

Solo2Man

That looks like a good project, if not challenging. The body seems straight, so once you get it down the road it should be a lot of fun. They drive very differently than the firebird, you will notice the rear end much more planted due to the independent rear suspension, and the lighter weight will give it a more nimble feeling. Just remember to keep an eye out for the shift light, the RPM doesn't sound the same, so when you hit the redline it will sound like its spinning at half the actual rev's.

And congrats on getting a manual! In my opinion, the only way to have fun driving.

Devin Blair

Thanks - I am excited to learn to drive the manual transmission.

I might pull the engine here in the next couple days. I don't have any money to spend on it right now but not knowing why the engine is seized is really nagging at me so I may take it apart to have a look around. With any luck it'll be good news and nothing too serious. I've found a couple of these motors for sale locally in the 350$ range so if I have to get a replacement they're around.

mazdaverx713b

iTrader: (91)

It doesn't appear that it's in terrible shape. I've brought back a lot worse. How's the interior?

Devin Blair

The interior has seen better days, but I wouldn't say its completely trashed. Needs a good cleaning on the inside to really tell though. The person I bought it from used it as storage for their extra parts and random speaker boxes and such so it needs cleaned out and a good running through with a black hole powered vacuum. I think it'll clean up nice though. That being said - whatever this had for a center console is gone and I'll either need to find or build a replacement.