1gchallenge

Hey I just bought a 1985 rx7gsl-se, all stock kinda trashed on the inside great project car, runs fairly good, especially for having 188xxx miles on it! Haha anyway about my questions. It surges at idle, sometimes acts like its only running on one rotor, and the 5&6 ports aren't hooked up, the guy who sold me the car told me that. How do I fix it? Also what can I remove from the engine to make it simpler? And last question I have for now, can a fox body rear end fit on my car?i know they are stronger by far. This is my second rx7 like this but the first one already had the turbo swap so o never really learned about it, but this time I'm going to do the swap and almost completely re do the whole car.

Any advise, opinions, help is welcome. Thanks

Aaron Cake

iTrader: (1)

Your first step is to get a copy of the 1st gen Haynes manual, and download the Factory Service Manual from http://foxed.ca/foxed/index.php?page=rx7manual

That's going to give you an overview of what's in the engine bay.

As for running sometimes on one rotor:

-replace plugs
-replace dizzy cap and rotor
-replace plug wires
-have injectors cleaned

Your jumping idle is due to a vacuum leak and/or a maladjusted TPS.

You'll need to examine the exhaust setup to determine what can be done about the 5th and 6th aux ports. They require backpressure to operate. Ifthe exhaust is catless and has been upgraded, you'll need to rig up an air pump to run them with an RPM switch.

As for the Ford rear end, why do you think you need such a thing with a 135HP engine? Sure, it can be made to fit...with fabrication and a welder anything is possible.

snivley whiplash

iTrader: (4)

leave the stock rear in it. my gsl-se rear swap into a gs 84 car is perfect, has not broke yet with lots of abuse, dead stop clutch drops, drifting and everyday driving, works great. just do a fluid change and leave it. just my .02 worth

Akagis_white_comet

iTrader: (4)

In addition to what Aaron Cake has suggested, the first mod you should do is upgrade your alternator. The first thing I learned as a RX7 owner is that the core of a healthy car is a healthy electrical system. If your alternator is underpowered, everything that can go wrong WILL go wrong.

The GSL-SE's alternator is rated at 60 amps. To put it in perspective, a S4 puts out 10 more amps and is horribly underpowered for the car. The experience from my S4 is that unless the stock alternator is at its peak of performance (brand new from the dealer), a simple aftermarket stereo headunit will overwork and kill it in quick order. Most upgrades use a FD alternator and a Mazdatrix dual sheave pulley. AFAIK, the wiring should be exactly like the S4. I've got an extra FD alt with pigtail on the cheap if you're interested, PM me for more info.

To simplify what's under the hood, tossing the air pump into the garbage is usually a good idea. Doing this means using a dual sheave alternator pulley and two belts to ensure sufficient water pump contact. Not too sure about the Air Control Valve (ACV for short), Aaron Cake should be able to answer that better than I can. Personally, I'd tackle the alternator first, make sure everything is up to par and then worry about tidying things up.

Be sure to get both the Factory Service Manual and the Parts Catalog on the site Aaron listed. It will save you many headaches later on. As always, Aaron Cake is THE MAN when it comes to most anything rotary. If you've got a question, he's probably answered it in another post.

1gchallenge

Hey thanks a lotgot the advise. As for the ford rear end I was told mine can only handle 250hp, my goal for this car is 400+hp. And I guess the first thing I do with this car is a tune up, loose the ac and smog. I'll be looking for upgrades threw the site, but if you guys have suggestions I'm all ears. I plan on porting the t2 engine in eventually or a turbo on this one. If there's a good thread discussing that tell me. Oh yea, I kinda know about porting on these engines, so what ever engine I get I want to have that done, bridgeport I think is the one I want.

What is the difference in the turbo and nt engines?

1gchallenge

edit on the last post, I plan on putting the t2 engine in eventually, not porting. But I do plan on porting one of the engines. Which ever one is my final one.

Akagis_white_comet

iTrader: (4)

If you're making 400hp, it's going to be putting out a lot of heat and a good chunk of that will find its way inside the car. Some 20B Cosmo have even reported this issue. So my advice would be to not trash the A/C, but make it so it fits around everything else you're planning. Remember, the compressor uses zero engine power with the A/C off. Personally, I feel that the weight saving aren't worth the frustration of ruined fittings, possible frostbite and trying to find a place to store, then someone to buy all the removed components.

Highly recommend giving the car a suitable heat/sound coating such as POR-15 or Lizardskin. As Aaron Cake is much more familiar with this, he's the one you should be directing any questions to.

In regard to the rear end, I'm gonna take a wild guess and say that the GSL-SE and the S4NA are essentially the same, so they should be able to hold the same amount of power. Aaron Cake's TIINA is putting down 500+hp with a S4NA rear end and it held up fine. Look at his threads or his site www.aaroncake.net for details about it.

1gchallenge

Thanks for aron cake site, there's almost too much to read on there! Haha but is a lot of good info. He basically just bolted on the turbo setup off of a t2 engine? And of course some modification to male every thing match up. Is it really works I think that's what I'll do for the first time around, then like he did go back in later and further upgrade.

1gchallenge

aron cake, this question is for you, you did the tina project to a second gen, would it work the same got my 85?

Aaron Cake

iTrader: (1)

I've built some high HP 1st gens using the stock rear end and they hold up, but it all depends on how you drive and what you use the car for. Street driving with street tires, and you'll be fine. Start putting some meats out back and get traction, then you'll break it eventually.

Unless you are shooting for well above 400HP, then you don't need or want a bridgeport.

Short answer is "everything".

Note that POR-15 is not a heat insulator or sound deadening coating, it is a rustproofing coating. Lizardskin (or any number of spray on coatings) would be what you want.

GSL-SE and S4 NA are indeed very similar. Keep in mind that my S4 NA rear end held up fine at 400HP, but was trivial to break at 400HP on the track. There's a reason I now have a TII diff and axles.

Buy a TII engine and go from there. Trust me on that. Unless you are wanting to fabricate the entire turbo system, that's the way to go.