RX-7 Tune-Up

I picked up a 1988 base model RX-7 last weekend. The car will be used for fair weather jaunts and local auto-x action. Overall the car is in very nice shape. The idle fluctuates when cold. Other than that the car seams to run fine. 153,000 miles...no smoke...enigne pulls hard. The first order of business is to perform a propper tune-up. I plan to check and change the following. Am I missing anything?

Replace Spark plugs - Should I run the "hotter" "city" heat range plugs at this mileage -or- - Should I run the "colder" "highway" heat range plugs Replace Plug wires Replace All Belts - The A/C does not work, can I leave off the A/C compressor belt or will the lack of thrust load be bad for the rest of the accessory drive set-up? Change Oil & Filter Replace Plastic Coolant Fill Housing on T-stat Pipe (has a pin hole leak) Change Coolant Replace Fuel Filter Replace Easy to Access Vacuum Hoses - Yeah, I am trying to avoid taking the intake manifold off and replacing the rest Clean the Intake Piping

Should I replace the Charcoal Canister? I thought it might be a good idea but I can not seem to find one on-line. If I should replace it I will need to go to the dealer. What do you think?

Thanks,

Ray

Plugs - I used the stock ones (NGK) on my FB (12A), but I do remember preferring the colder plugs in my FC (13B NA).

Don't forget the wires! Magnecor has you covered.

A/C Belt can come off, smog belt cannot unless you upgrade to a double alternator pulley (or else there's not enough riding on the water pump).

Throw the charcoal canister away.

Thanks P71. So, I should eliminate the charcoal canister and add a new vacuum line to "jump" the inlet and outlet hard lines?

Make sure your aux ports are opening all the way, there are little sleeves in your intake that open extra ports at higher rpm. You will see some little canisters on your lower intake, they are diaphragms actuated by exhaust pressure. The rods off those canisters rotate the aux port sleeves. Easy way to test is to slobber some grease on the canister rods and go for a spirited drive. The grease should be displaced as the rods are pulled into the canisters. You should also be able to rotate the sleeve lever freely. works like this: The sea foam engine decarbonizing is good fun if you feel up to loosing a lung. http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=seafoam&search_type= do this BEFORE changing oil and plugs ;)

Fluctuating cold idle = someone has tampered with the throttle body stop screw, probably because it idled too low with the A/C on. I bet it idles at around 1200 or so wihen the engine is warmed up. IIRC, that one should idle at around 900-950 hot with no load (A/C, lights, etc off).

Have you heard the "stall" horn yet? If not do this...merge onto any interstate...leave the car in 3rd gear until you hear a goose honk coming from under the dash....giggle because it startled you.

Hi racer_ace,

I bought an RX-7 new in ’87 and put 286,000 extremely enjoyable miles on it over the course of eighteen years.

Here’s my advice:

Stick to the cold “freeway” plugs…I’m in California and never had a problem.

Change the fuel pulsation dampener immediately as the original design had a set screw that tended to back off and even if that doesn’t happen, the internal diaphragm tends to crack; either way, you’ve got an engine fire in your future if you neglect the PD. I had an engine fire and it completely destroyed both my vacuum system and my oil metering system.

Something I learned while rebuilding my vacuum system is that Mazda used very brittle plastic throughout the car…be extremely gentle backing the vacuum lines off their connection points and don’t be surprised if you break them anyway.

I recommend that you drop by a Pick-Your-Part and stock up on a nice assortment of the fragile items your vacuum lines plug into prior to working on the car…you do have a false bottom tool box right.

Congratulations…expect to be very pleasantly surprised with your purchase.

Thanks for the advice everyone! I will start checking and replacing the items that you mentioned

I just picked up an 87 RX-7 today to add to my ever growing stable. I got a good deal on it with the frnt end damage it has,but the chassis may be too far gone to get this thing going. If that is the case I may be parting it out if you are interested in anything.

I am not a huge fan of the FC chassis cars,but I love me some SA22C's

Good luck,and I say stay with the cold plugs(NGK's),and Magnacor wires are a must.