I know some of you guys have owned an RX-7 or three. The one I have (1988 Turbo II) has a drivers door that is hard to close. I've checked the weatherstripping, the latch, and all seems fine. If I slam it, it will latch. Otherwise, it catches the first click and won't fully close. The alignment seems perfect. I even loosened the latch on the jamb and pushed it slightly outboard. There was very little adjustment there, if any.
No impacts, no rust on the car, really. Used to be fine, but has gotten gradually worse over the years.
Anybody else have a similar problem with these? I doubt I can find a new latch mechanism. Any way to adjust what I have?
I made it 20 years and 282,000 miles with my FC without having any issue with the doors latching.
Frame sag...hard landing and/or rust belt perhaps.
Can you apply some trace material (grease, chalk, etc.) to see exactly where contact is being made?
Hinge pins worn out. Replace pins and bushings.
Check to make sure the seals are in place, and lube them lightly with silicone to see if it makes an effect.
Also... you're checking the alignment at the latch. When the door is half-latched, check the distance to closure at the top vs at the bottom. If the top of the door is getting bent towards the car, that makes latching difficult. This used to be a big problem with door mounted seatbelts when people would pull the belt to close the door. It's also an issue for people who like to lean on open doors. If the door is bent, doors are extremely easy to bend straight again. Also easy to go a little too far and cause a wind leak.
