Production Models
Turbo II production began in 86 but there are no 86 modeled cars,
production ended in 91 but '91s were resold through 92 before
the 3rd gen. Debuted. The only MAIN difference is between
the years 88-89. If you own a 87 Turbo II, you can NOT use
a part stated as being for a 89-92 vehicle unless otherwise
stated. The same holds true visa versa.
Synthetic Oil
What is the deal with using synthetic oils in a rotary
engine?
This seems to come up a lot. Net wisdom preaches that you
shouldn't use a synthetic oil in your rotary is because the
engine sprays some oil in with the fuel to lubricate the apex
seals on the rotors. Synthetic oils do not combust fully,
which leaves deposits between the seal and the rotor itself.
This buildup prevents the seal from sliding like it should, which
leads to premature seal wear and engine failure. Many people will
tell you that they use synthetics all the time in their rotary and
that it doesn't cause any problems at all. The fact of the matter
is that synthetics don't make your engine run faster or better.
They cost more, and you really should change them just as often.
It is cheaper to run conventional oil. Synthetics are great in
the differential and the transmission, just make sure that the
differential fluid you use is the proper type or it will cause
problems with some types of limited slip differentials. Use the
RedLine oil in the transmission and the differential.
Now for brutal honesty. If you read through the catalogs from
some of the engine tuners out there, like Racing Beat and
MazdaTrix, you will see that they either recommend, or are
careful not to condemn, the use of synthetics in the engine.
While a new engine should always be broken in on a high quality
mineral oil (Castrol GTX is the oil of choice according to net
wisdom), in the long run, using a high quality synthetic oil,
like Redline or Amsoil can help keep temperatures and wear down
in the engine. Some claim that it can also significantly reduce
carbon deposits on the rotors housings. Mazda Competition Parts
recommends the use of synthetic oils in rotary engines once they
are properly broken in.
For what it's worth, I use Castrol GTX in my car, and so far the
oil has come out close to the same golden amber color that it
went in.
Speeding Up RX-7
What is the least expensive way to speed up my RX7?
The easiest way to speed up your RX7 is to choose music that
fits the RX7 experience. There are a number of excellent
suppliers for driving music. ZZ Top has been providing excellent
driving music for over twenty years. Start with their nowclassic
Eliminator and ZZ Top's Greatest Hits. For more fun, check out
their latest album: Antenna. If you are more of a classical listener, try
Wagner's "Walkurenritt (Die Walkure)". In fact, many parts of
Wagner's "Der Ring des Nibelungen" is appropriate for high speed
driving. For the MetalHead, Megadeth's Rust in Peace works very
well. If you are a member of club Xanadu, try Robert Palmer's
Addictions Vol. 1. The all time best song to drive to has been
scientifically proven to be I Fought the Law (And the Law Won)
by the Bobby Fuller Four. Paula Abdul's "Vibeology" on the
Spellbound album is great on a twisty road.
Wheels
How big can my wheels get?
With the stock offset, you can run up to 215/55 r16's in front,
and 245/55 r16's in back. With spacers 225's can be run up front.
The car was available with 14, 15, and 16" wheels. The 16" wheels
of off a Turbo II look great on a nonturbo, as well as being
fairly inexpensive used. And as a small note, I thought I'd
mention that if you have a white non-turbo RX-7, and you can
find them, get the white wheels from a 10th anniversary edition
RX-7, this is what I have on my car it really makes the car stand
out.
Paint
How to Clean up your paint job
Start by purchasing the following products:
-
Zymol car wash
-
Mother's Gold: Precleaner (Step 1), Glaze (Step 2), Wax
(Step 3), and Back to Black.
-
The strongest bug and tar remover you can find (If it is NOT
ozone friendly it will work)
-
Any spray on white lithium grease (with a non-ozone friendly
propellant)
-
Armor All: Quicksilver wheel cleaner, Low Gloss Protectant,
Tire Foam
Start off by hosing the car with the Bug/Tar remover, this will
help remove the old wax and any crud that may be on the car. If
possible, get aggressive and get the door hinge area cleaned as
well as possible, then hit the moving parts with spray-on white
lithium grease. Once you have finished with the bug and tar
remover, wash the car with a good dishwashing liquid, like
Palmolive, this will make sure that all of the old wax is off the
car. Then use the Zymol (if Zymol is not available, use the
Meguiar's gel soap, the Mother's soap is crap) car wash (plus
add one tablespoon of olive oil with the soap before adding water)
and wash carefully and thoroughly. Dry the car completely
(do NOT use anything but towels or synthetic chamois, never use
a "genuine leather chamois").
Once you are done washing the car, get out a clean cloth and the
Mother's precleaner. Use this aggressively on any area where
the paint is rough. It is an extremely light abrasive, so the
possibility of damaging your paint is minmal, it will take a long
time to deal with really rough areas though, so be prepared to take
your time and invest some serious elbow grease if you want top notch
results. If a section of paint is extremely bad, you might want to
try a traditional rubbing compound, but these can cause serious
damage to your paint, so be careful if you do. Multiple applications
of the precleaner may be necessary for optimal results.
After the pre-wax cleaner, use the Mother's sealer and glaze. This
makes the paint a bit slicker, hides swirls, and deepens the luster,
it does not take much to do an entire RX-7. Finish the job off with
a coat of Mother's carnuba wax. Be careful not to get the wax,
precleaner, or glaze on rubber trim parts.
Once you have finished with the paint, it is time to move onto the
rubber. Start off by hitting the wheels with a generous application of
Armor all Quicksilver. Let it sit according to directions and hose
off. Some of the smaller areas may require direct intervention in the
form of a rag. Be careful when applying or spraying it off to keep
it from getting on your freshly waxed car. Hit the tires with the
tire foam according to the directions, and then get aggressive with
the Back to Black on the rubber trim. To deal with the interior of
the car you may need some other chemicals, like leather or upholstery
cleaner. Generally any chemical which does not say it is
environmentally correct will work well. I specifically mention the
low gloss Armor All because the high gloss will cause noticeable
reflections on the windshield while driving If you use it on the top
of the dash. Both the Armor All and the back to Black are excellent
on interior components as well. The back to black is better on more
worn surfaces, while the Armor All can make things look a little
shinier.
Use all the chemicals according to directions written on them, and
take your time going from one step to another. While following this
process you can burn most of an afternoon without half trying.
Cooling System Flush and Fill
There is an easy, clean and effective way to completely flush and
fill your cooling system. Prestone makes a nice flush and fill
kit (~CDN$10) that requires nothing but a garden hose. It includes
a drain hose and container, funnel adapter and hose clamps.
Disconnect the top rad hose at the water pump housing (kit says
cut it - don't), attach the drain hose to the pump outlet and
insert in the container. Insert the funnel adapter into the
open hose going to the rad, and fill with water. Bring the engine up to
temperature and turn on the heater. When the thermostat opens, the old
coolant is pumped into the container, and the water is drawn into the
system. Keep the funnel full to avoid drawing air into the system; it
helps to have two people - one to keep the funnel full, and one to
make sure the drain hose stays where it is supposed to. When the
drained fluid is clear, you can start adding coolant to the funnel.
I wait a couple of minutes after the water is clear to make sure the
system is well flushed. Add a full jug of Prestone (about a
50/50 mix), and shut the car off. Replace the hose, top off the
rad and you're done. Easier and more effective than just draining the rad.
Fusible Link
Is there a main fusible link in a 89 model?
Sort of, the fuse box under the hood contains a series of high
current fuses that are effectively the same thing. The main
one is an 80 ampere fuse that is held in by some 10mm bolts.
It costs about 5 bucks.
TPS and Timing
Are the TPS and Timing related in any way? Should I do
one or the other first?
No. Set the TPS first because otherwise the car might not idle
correctly and then of course setting the timing will be
problematic at best.
TPS Adjustment
What exactly does that TPS adjustment do? Is it for
performance or economy?
The TPS is used mostly to engage the 3k startup when cold, to
notify the computer when the throttle has been released, and
depending on how far you depress the throttle, the sensor will
help the ECU decide on how much richer to makle the mixture
for acceleration.
Timing
How far to the right of the yellow mark is it safe to
advance the timing?
Don't bother. The car's ECU has built in spark advance tables
that it employs under normal operation.
Technical Service Bulletins
| 1990 |
| MAZDA |
| RX7 |
| 2RTR-1308CC 80 |
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