RX7 Hillclimber Build Thread

Thank God for cold weather. Chilling the car was a good choice. This took 1.5 hours and 1 beer (Heavy Seas Peg Leg Stout)

20.5 pounds including the box. So we'll say 20 pounds.

quick work Dave! that sound deadening is a PITA to get out when its warm.

I know how to swing a hammer - especially if I've hit my finger.

Had a guy on RX7club tell me I must have not gotten all of it out because his buddy said there's 100 pounds of sound deadening in the car....

Sometimes I hate the internet.

Racing budget took a hit this weekend when I bought new tires, fenders and lights for my trailer. Total was about $500, which would nearly cover the Koni double adjustable shocks for the front of the car. Ouch.

Miata is being picked up by its new owner later this week, and then I get to place an order with AWR for their E-Prod widebody kit!

Anybody know offhand of any outfits that make new engine harnesses? This one is old and I think may have a few issues hidden around. I'd much rather buy new and not have to worry about it.

There's this one, but it's $650... http://www.rywire.com/catalog/milspec-tucked-13b-harness-fd3srx7-p-144.html

New OEM Mazda harnesses are even more...

DaveEstey wrote: I know how to swing a hammer - especially if I've hit my finger. Had a guy on RX7club tell me I must have not gotten all of it out because his buddy said there's 100 pounds of sound deadening in the car.... Sometimes I hate the internet.

ugh, yeah... agreed

Are you apart of the mazdaspeed contingency program? if you are not I can look up the part number for you and let you know what it would cost you.

I am, but the system rejects my login all the time and support is lacking.

I have recreated RX7 harnesses a few times. Once you have all of teh rats nest and emissions stuff off of them, they are not that bad.

Really you only need the 4 injector wires, CTS, AFM connector, Pressure sensor, injector resistor pack (if your car has one) and the O2 sensor.

I know there is a sensor or two I am forgetting, but that is basically it.

The new injector pigtails can be purchased from Marrin fuel injection (also the CTS pigtail).

Rewire the others using the stock plugs (once cleaned and freshened up). Should solve all of the problems! This process usually takes me about 1 entire day of getting the harness off, running new wires, and taping / wrapping the new wires, and installing them.

P.S. I took all of the sound deadener out of my FC. I told my buddy that i think it weighs about 20 pounds. My buddy thought I was crazy and thought it had to weight LESS than that. He was thinking it was more like 5 pounds.

I picked up the garbage can I was throwing the material into. It seemed like 20 pounds was plausible.

DaveEstey wrote: I am, but the system rejects my login all the time and support is lacking.

what harness do you need? turbo/na? year?

In reply to wvumtnbkr:

I'm still stock ECU right now, so I'm concerned removing too much stuff will cause it to act wonky. Standalone ECU is coming, but I can only throw so much money around at once.

In reply to fidelity101: 87 N/A

I was referring to a stock computer car.

You don't need most of the stuff on / near the intake manifold.

Do you have a large white thing under the air box that looks kinda like ceramic with a plug on it?

P.S. There are at least 3 harnesses under the hood of an FC. Only one of them is labelled an engine harness. What problems are you experiencing?

Rob R.

Doesn't sound familiar. I'll have to look tonight.

I'm not experiencing any problems yet, but I'd like to get ahead of the curve. Nothing worse than sitting at a hillclimb with electrical issues and 26-year-old wires in a hot environment doesn't give me great confidence.

I believe its this: N326-18-051D for racer discount of 360 dollars

but there is only this picture for a plethora of part listings to figure out...

they seem to range from 350-420 dollars for the engine harness depending on trans and chassis#

I rewired my entire car because I hated it so much, also I have a carb and autometer gauges. Wasn't too terrible

In this situation, i would take the harness off, strip it and look for broken / cracked / bad wires and replace as needed.

I will get a list of the items that the computer needs to see for regular operation.

Because this car is older, it doesn't really throw "codes". It will run just fine without an EGR, air pump, rats nest, etc...

Yeah, I already have block-off plates for the EGR and air pump. Need to get a double sheath alternator pulley so I can remove the air pump entirely.

Your help is much appreciated gentlemen.

In reply to DaveEstey:

do NOT yoohoo belt it, double alt pulley is much safer. High rpm on pumps = cavitation and with belt slippage you can see that more. Not good stuff.

Yup. Air pump is staying in place until I get the pulley.

There's some rotards who move the alternator down to the side of the engine, the reason being that with the alternator in the stock position even with the double belts they can 'grow' enough that the water pump pulley will slip.

I haven't run into that with mine yet, but then again I haven't run it two or three miles at 8000 RPM.

Yet.

I can't do that. No powersteering with these wide slicks would be damn near impossible in the pits.

In reply to Curmudgeon:

I've considered it for my room, lower center of gravity. But those relocation kits are expensive and I lack a welder and welding knowledge to fab my own setup.

Dave, since you plan to remove the air pump anyway, maybe put the alternator over there?

Come to think of it, maybe use a really short belt just around the bottom pulley and the water pump in addition to the stock single alternator belt? I've seen that on small block Chevy drag engines that didn't use an alternator at all.

I'm going to go with the simple fix for now, because after this season (or partway through depending on a promotion) I'll be moving the radiator out back and use an electric water pump.

I have always wondered how they get those belts on.

wvumtnbkr wrote: I have always wondered how they get those belts on.

lots of beer

And the rest of it: loop the belt over the bottom pulley, put the top pulley in the belt, then lift it into position (easier said than done) and start the blts back into the pulley. As the bolts are tightened, the pulley moves up and tightens the belt.