throwing in the towel on vac job
 

Well... I've been working in short stints on the vac job for over a month now. So far I've replaced about 15 vac lines, but keep breaking solenoids. I'm starting to get pretty frustrated with it, and I can't seem to get the rat's nest out to replace a broken solenoid. I think I'm giving up and towing the car to some pros. Is KDR the closest place to HdG, MD, or is there another place that I could take the car to locally? The weather's getting way too nice already and I can't keep working for 20 minutes just to create another 2 hrs work when something breaks. I think it's time to take the car somewhere and have it fixed for me this time. Anyone know of a shop that's more local than having the car towed to KDR?

Go to PFS(peter farrel supercars) ray is a really good guy, he will take care of you.

And he's in MD.

(301) 874-0611

great guy...cannot go wrong there...matter of fact I will be there tuesday dropping the car off to get the oil pan re-sealed!

I gave PFS a call today and they said that the vac job is $495, but since I've already started working on it and saved them tear-down time, they could cut that back to $400. It's still an option I suppose, but I made some more headway on the rat's nest, so I'm at least going to give the Rx7 a few more wrenching sessions and see what hapenns. Thanks for the suggestion.

I would suggest getting a rack of low-mileage used solenoids.

Plus clip each stock hose in the middle first, and cut the rubber off each nipple after it's out of the car.

As for the rack removal, I've never managed to get just the part with the solenoids separate. I just take the whole rack that includes the fuel lines and stuff around the ignition coils.

I'd help, but it's at least a 90min trip to get up here.

Dave

The price is right on. I paid $500 for a vac hose job in 2001 at PFS.
I would quit wasting your time and just pay to get it done right. I can assure you that playing cheap never got anyone ahead with their cars.
Good luck with it either way.

dgeesman, i'd agree with what you said, but it's too late already. I already started ripping hoses, putting new hoses in, etc. I've found that the worst part is that the pre-formed hoses give you an idea of where they go, but you rip them out, cut new hose, and ALREADY forget where the damn hose goes! I think once the headache of getting everything out is over, it's going to be an even worse headache getting it together.

Fd3Boost... I sort of agree with you. I gave thought to the idea over the weekend. I was also sick as a dog and didn't want to get the toolbox from my Blazer to work on the 7. I'd MUSH rather do a job myself than pay for someone else to do it and take their word that it's done right. I do trust PFS even though I've never been there... just from what I've heard. I still can't see spending the $400 there, plus $100-200 to get the car there to get the job done. It seemed more reasonable than I expected, but I was almost hoping they'd quote me $1200 just so that I could justify doing it myself and justify having a beer or 23 after the job is done (after the test drive of course, not before) :)

On reassembly, take your time and watch for pinched hoses. Definitely print the vacuum diagram in color and on 11x17 paper. If you really need a print I can probably get one.

There will be some that don't fit the way you first cut them - near the ignition coil box, between the rats nest and the UIM, etc. Take your time, and experiment with slightly different lengths, and bending the hard pipes a little bit. Definitely don't time pressure yourself.

Dave

I've got two copies printed, both on stanard paper though. They're both in color, and I planned on x'ing out the lines or blacking them out as I reassemble. The hoses I already have connected, I'll check before I put the rat's nest back in with my wife... that way with the two sets of eyes we should be able to get them.

I've already seen a couple that kinked and needed trimmed, which I was fine with. I would much rather cut it 1/2 inch too long and trim it rather than going back and re-cutting another piece. The nice thing is that it's not my DD, so i'm not in a HUGE time crunch. The bad thing is that is costs me more to drive my DD, and i'd much rather be in the 7 anyways, so I want to get the thing done pretty soon, get it to my friend's place and get the 5th synchro fixed before summer. At this point, late spring is the estimate for the hose job on it's own. It's been horrible so far.

By the way.... Dgeesaman, check your pm's :D