Re: My Mazda RX-7GSL-SE build log with the occasional balsa inclusion

rdw777 Wed Feb 15, 2023 7:29 am

That’s great news on the compression Bob, The heart of the machine!!! That had to make you feel good….I had the 280 ZX which was a lot of fun… My high school car, A ‘66 Mustang with 289…. But if I could get any of them back it would be be my ‘60 model Chevy PU truck I had when I was about 25…. Long narrow bed, 283, Three on the tree….I painted it red Red….
I overhauled the shifter when it got way too sloppy…. Two tubes in the steering column that both rotated and slid in and out…Plus all the bushings in the linkages…. Was a fun old truck….

GallopingGhostler Wed Feb 15, 2023 7:39 am

Bob wrote, "For you clutchless drivers, clutch is on the left.... Is anybody reading this stuff?"

Yes, I have been reading, Bob, wonderful assistance by your son, looks like with the Wankel cylinder compression test good, you're not too far off from having a running engine.

My 1999 Chev. S10 pickup is manual 5 speed. Was able to bring back all our furnishings in 6 trips from Alamogordo to Clovis in 2012, a normal 5 hour drive. 5 times rented a trailer from Rec Services at Holloman AFB for $20 a weekend, box trailer or 2 ATV trailer. Last trip was remaining stuff in the pickup bed.

Did this over a 4 month period before retiring. The little truck was the truck that could, and this on a 2.2 liter 4 cylinder engine. Fully loaded, box trailer had a tendency to sway at speeds above 45, so took an hour and half longer to make it home, but did it safely, thanks to mostly rural New Mexico.

My 1968 Hino Contessa, a 4 door rear engine Japanese Renault was 4 speed manual to a 1300 cc 4 cylinder. My 1967 Datsun PL411 4 door sedan was 4 speed manual to a 1300 cc 4 cylinder. My 1970 Mazda 1800 4 door sedan was 1800 cc 4 banger to a 4 speed transmission. Replaced the clutch in my Hino and Datsun. Plus, all my motorcycles have manual transmissions, riding off and on since 1979. Manual transmission is second nature to me.

rsv1cox Wed Feb 15, 2023 10:42 am

The only truck of any sort that I have owned a 2003 GMC Sonoma. Pretty thing.

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V6 that ate gas, Ok though as I put it to good use hauling lumber, carpet, and decking. Was building in the garage and loft at the time. Carpet went up in the loft.

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Sold it when it was no longer useful. Probably should have kept it, actually made money on it. People do love these GMC's.

283 Robert, same engine that I had in my 1959 Corvette.

Gears are pretty wonderful George, but sometimes I get lazy..... Smile

rdw777 Wed Feb 15, 2023 12:41 pm

Here’s my 2017 GMC Bob…. No three on the tree though lol!

It’s hauling some blow sand from a cotton field and a few blocks for the garden today…

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HalfaDave Wed Feb 15, 2023 7:44 pm

Hi rsv1cox,
I enjoy your posts... Cool

Manual transmissions and clutches, I agree:
-learned to drive on a Mini Coachman (64?) I re-varnished the real wood on it, so Dad would let me drive it on my own. Smile

-74? Ford Capri, inline 2Lr 4cyl with 5speed box. It had a long stick shift lever, very fun to drive.
-73 VW Bug. Baby blue. $800 bucks cash. Cheapest vehicle I have owned. (skinny lugged tires could get me anywhere in the winters here near Toronto, Canada) With roof racks and a hitch, I could haul a lot of stuff. I miss it.
-first new (painfull financing) was a 79 Toyota sr5 pickup.
-then got an 82 4wd with even worse financial conditions. (the Toyota's did run great)
All did not survive the salt of Toronto, Canada.
Most vehicles, after that were, 'company vehicles', all boring automatics....
One day,
I was washing the the vans at the brewery. Had some loonies($1 canadian coins) left. For the coin wash.
Nancy had this very nice manual Saturn and said she would like it washed...
Gave me the keys. As I was getting in, she said. "It is a Manual!"
Before I closed the door, I said, "Don't worry, I will figure it out," ... She chased me down the street. On foot.
If I was an asshole, I could have burnt some some rubber, but, brought her back her nice clean car.
Last manual I drove...

Thanks for these posts, I like learning new things.
Hope you do not mind.
Some jesting, and intended humour,

I like the roundabout way, you are getting that Wankel together... Very Happy

Take care,
Have fun,
Dave

rsv1cox Sat Feb 18, 2023 7:56 am

Thanks all.

Getting serious. 30,000 BTU's. In the 70's here yesterday, 30's today. Son's propane heater that I have had for years and I have some work to do on the Mazda this morning - Radio/radio antenna.

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While the Nissan sleeps.

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Really like these flex heads. Son gave up his metrics and I added a missing 14mm. Life savers.

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GallopingGhostler Sat Feb 18, 2023 9:54 am

HalfaDave wrote:If I was an asshole, I could have burnt some some rubber, but, brought her back her nice clean car. Last manual I drove...

Good thing you didn't, Dave, the lady folk don't seem to have the same sense of humour as us guys, good way to wind up in the doghouse for a very long time, just saying ... Laughing

Good set of wrenches, Bob. Thumbs Up

I am reluctant to dispense with my odd set of tools. You find that one weird situation where no other tool will work, some nut or bolt in a hard to get at place. Even at times had to make my own tool.

rsv1cox Sun Feb 19, 2023 9:36 am

Sifted through my pile of lumber cut-offs and came up with a couple of possibilities to hang those flex wrenches. Correct size and I don't have to make sawdust. Means only two holes in the panelling instead of eight. Painted it with the same color.

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I don't like fumbling around in draws looking for the correct wrench and this gets them out there. If my son had any ideas about getting them back, this should let him know that isn't gonna happen. Smile

(He reads this stuff)

rsv1cox Sat Mar 04, 2023 9:30 am

Getting serious. At this every day with occasional visits from Mark. When the real work gets done. Takes two to make a RX-7.

Running fresh gas from a milk jug under the car. Haven't pulled the gas tank to clean it yet. Starting fluid in the ports. Engine wants to run but will not continue. Fuel rail and injectors probably, so I pulled the throttle body this morning. Fuel rail and injectors are under the manifold.

Crazy system, fuel pump runs continually pumping fuel from the fuel tank then back into the fuel tank. It's a circle. Injectors only use a small portion, most is rotated back into the tank to be used again.

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Starter last week. Was catching about every fourth try. Parts cleaner, gasoline, compressed air. RemOil...........RemOil will mend a broken arm.

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Good teeth on the gear, works every time now.

Got to remove the manifold to get to the fuel rail and injectors. Mazda didn't make this easy.

rsv1cox Sun Mar 26, 2023 3:27 pm

Ok, this is strange. I have had a life-long battle with rusted/stuck machine screws and bolts but these have me scratching my head.

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I

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I had to grind the head off two. Amazing I could just finger unscrew them after. 1/4" impact tool had no effect, even my best leverage screwdriver hogging out the head. Heat and penetrating oil tried also.

Sand, paint, reinstall.

Mark shows up Tuesday with the new fuel injectors.

GallopingGhostler Sun Mar 26, 2023 3:37 pm

The tar like underseal that they used probably acted like a superstrong Locktite that with the larger fender style undersurface, was stuck hard like glue. In other cases, I have found a serated bottom edge that acted also like a lock washer, as with both, been set in their ways too long that probably a small touch of of corrosion locked them. (Like us seniors. Shocked

) When you ground away, the flimsy edges could break free.

In the past when I ran into a similar situation but bolt was rusted by thread. Drilled out, removed thread fragments, then retapped with SAE, (a half size to next common metric), then put an American bolt.

Always a way to fix. Tired w/ Coffee Read

GallopingGhostler Sun Mar 26, 2023 4:06 pm

(duplicate post. Doh!

)

rsv1cox Sun Mar 26, 2023 4:57 pm

That thought crossed my mind too George, but these are smooth, both the machine screws and the self tappers. Mazda used the machine screws on the corners and the self tappers on the interior. All came out easy except these two. But, I did unscrew them with my fingers after I ground the tops odd. Go figure. Big relief, I did not want to drill out those bitter ends.

The nuts that held the stereo amplifiers on (see in the cup) were serrated.

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GallopingGhostler Mon Mar 27, 2023 4:25 pm

My motorcycle, same deal, just depends on location and what fastened. Seems when you thought you've seen everything, then that one catches your attention that you never saw before. Reminds me of Murphy's Law: If everything is going well, you overlooked something. Laughing

rsv1cox Tue Mar 28, 2023 7:59 pm

GallopingGhostler wrote:My motorcycle, same deal, just depends on location and what fastened. Seems when you thought you've seen everything, then that one catches your attention that you never saw before. Reminds me of Murphy's Law: If everything is going well, you overlooked something.

Murphy's law, yeah.....been there.

Be happy your motorcycle doesn't have electric windows. Wondered why the drivers side on the RX-7 wouldn't go down.

A story in pictures. Ron Cribbs put me on to the Evapo-Rust some time ago........By the way where is Ron......hasn't posted since Feb 12th. Sent him a PM asking why. Can't let a regular get away with that. : Smile

Bandwith hogging.......

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Yabby Tue Mar 28, 2023 8:10 pm

wow, Bob, the recovery of solid rusted and gummed up parts is amazing. The car is going to end up better than new by the time you have finished it. th log is amazing in recording the work that has to be performed in so many parts of the car to to return it to working condition/ A true labour of Love. Thumbs Up

rsv1cox Tue Mar 28, 2023 8:26 pm

Yabby wrote:wow, Bob, the recovery of solid rusted and gummed up parts is amazing. The car is going to end up better than new by the time you have finished it. th log is amazing in recording the work that has to be performed in so many parts of the car to to return it to working condition/ A true labour of Love.

Thanks Yabby. Yes a ball of rust. Armature frozen solid. Let it sit in the rust remover for a couple of hours, dumped it out and had to use buffered plyers to remove it pulling against the magnetic resistance of the field. Lot's of soapy hot water and plastic tooth brush action to clean it and the housing. Still have a little work to do before it's finished then a little 12V battery test. Replacements can go up to $400 for a pair on ebay.

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rdw777 Wed Mar 29, 2023 8:09 am

Nice job on the electric motor restore Bob…. Looks pretty toasty in the first photos….I will like to know if you are able to get it to work…. I think you are giving it a great chance!!!

rsv1cox Wed Mar 29, 2023 9:35 am

rdw777 wrote:Nice job on the electric motor restore Bob…. Looks pretty toasty in the first photos….I will like to know if you are able to get it to work…. I think you are giving it a great chance!!!

Thanks Robert, I will. Maybe tomorrow maybe next month. As Yabby said a labor of love, but labor none-the-less. Told my son - nothing to lose as it was - toast anyway in it's present condition.

With my eye sight and shaky hands ----there he goes with the shaky hands bit again----I have to take frequent breaks. As it sits now. Getting that ball bearing past those magnets was no easy feat. Kept sucking it off the greased dowel. Answer was another magnet.

Takes a lot of crap to make mayonnaise.

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Thought about sandblasting the housings interior, passed on that for several reasons. Opted to spray with Remoil (This stuff will mend a broken leg) and wipe dry then a compressed air blowout.

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One brush in, one to go.

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rdw777 Wed Mar 29, 2023 1:12 pm

Kudos for tearing into the thing to start with ….A lot of folks these days first reaction is take the modular approach and just replace the whole thing….. I remember in younger days a friend had a little Honda car and the fan motor was out and he couldn’t afford another one for a while…..I suggested we take it apart, nothing to loose anyway… Sure enough I found some something with the back end, can’t remember quite what, But patched it, cleaned it, and reinstalled….. Kept him going for several months until he finally got another one…

rsv1cox Wed Mar 29, 2023 2:43 pm

Small electric motors are a challenge Robert. Those little end play spring washers and carbon brush springs always want to go flying. Almost lost these a couple of time, little pencil magnet found them.

Got the second brush spring secured this afternoon. Pulled back far enough to clear the commutator. Waiting for a second pair of hands to hold the wires back while I drop the housing. End play spring is upside down, the hope is I can drop the housing far enough to engage the comuntator before pulling out the wires, then slide it the rest of the way down. Not done yet. Wonder how those clever people that did this daily did it.

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Don't forget to grease the worm, don't forget to grease the worm, don't forget,,,,,,,,,,

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Got the second set of fuel injectors in this afternoon. Mothers milk to these things.

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GallopingGhostler Thu Mar 30, 2023 8:12 pm

Excellent refurbishment of those electric motors along with sufficient photos and narratives to explain how done, Bob.

Yabby Thu Mar 30, 2023 8:44 pm

Hey Bob, the packet for those injectors looks like a deisel packet. Now that is extreme! A diesel rotary mazda. Lol. I guess they are injectors made for diesels that happen to also be just right for the Rx7. Laughing

HalfaDave Fri Mar 31, 2023 2:24 am

Hi Bob,

Thanks for taking us on your 'roundabout' Wankel ride with us... Cool

How do you keep your hands clean, and take photos too ?
The Mini's and VW bugs were total rust buckets,
Here in 1/2 time salty conditions,
The windshield wiper 'jalopy rigs' were the most hard to fix.
Under the dash, where the latest 8track/cassette music got played... Smile

Thanks for taking us,
On your ride,
Dave

getback Fri Mar 31, 2023 7:42 am

Good job on the fix of the Window motor , I don't think there will bee a problem with it now ! You know they had there special tool ! I had to make a few in the small engine repair buss. took time but made it ALOT easier , still got some of them never to bee used again . Laughing

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