New FC owner... first time owner of a Rotary :)

SSScoupe · August 30, 2010, 07:21:36 PM

Hi all

Quick intro and hopefully some of you can steer me in the right direction! I ve been a long time fan of retro Jap metal for many years and owned various jap machinery. Ever since seeing and going in an a 72\' RX3 Coupe in Australia back in 1997 ive wanted one.... in 2003 after looking a Mazda 929 coupe, i brought myself the below:

This 1974 Datsun 710 SSS coupe was my pride and joy for six years until selling earlier this year.

My fleet until recently! I ve usually owned Toyotas and Nissans but it was time for a change!

I brought myself an 87 RX7 FC last week.... its not a show car but is an awful lot of fun :rollin

Its low.... very low in fact and handles like its on rails! It has a twin full straight through powerflow exhaust set up which pops and bangs on high rpm overrun... i quite like it but its a hard and noisy old ride! The RPM buzzer caught me out when i overtook on B road on sat... it buzzes a 7k rpm to remind you to change up! Engine is so smooth im glad its there!

Needs a few bits looking at... wipers only run on 1 speed, heater only has hot and cold on a switch no in between etc. Dosen\'t have power steering either... unsure if its been removed or just didn\'t have it... another job to look at!

Always wanted a rotary after going in that RX3 in 1997.... now i ve got one it hasn\'t disapointed!

After someone came up to me in a garage and said they liked my Porsche(!) I took these pics... i know its a 924 not a 944 but its the right colour and i can see some similarities!

This car has almost no history with so i ve taken a bit of a punt really. All i know is that for its last mot it had the injection system tuned as the emissions were all over the place and it was running like a dog and it had some welding done under neath.

There is a sticker saying serviced by RJS Autos in the centre console, its covered 120k so it must of been serviced by someone and i suspect rebuilt at some point!

If any one can shed some light on its history id be keen to hear!

I also need a wing indicator as one is cracked plus if any one has some centre console interior trim, that would be handy to as some has bodged putting the cd player in and broken the trim :2Rolleyes

Couple of Noob questions... are the pops and bangs normally from a rotary with straight through exhausts? Also the car smells a little more than normal of fuel.. im guessing this related and also perhaps why i seem to be getting about 20mpg!:guinness

Will66 · August 30, 2010, 07:37:22 PM

Welcome to the rotary world. Your FC looks like it\'s in very good condition. Whilst I am by no means an expert on the FC3S but my RX8 does pop and bang on the overrun, mine does it when you close the throttle at high revs. Not sure about the fuel smell though.

SSScoupe · August 30, 2010, 07:45:15 PM

Quote from: Will66;713949Welcome to the rotary world. Your FC looks like it\'s in very good condition. Whilst I am by no means an expert on the FC3S but my RX8 does pop and bang on the overrun, mine does it when you close the throttle at high revs. Not sure about the fuel smell though.

Thanks, My FC is ok... pics are bit deceiving but its in average nick i would say. A bit of rust in the sunroof and on the front lip and the sills are tatty. It also has a rust bubble of drivers door at the bottom and a few paint chips... but hey its at 23 year old jap car... its what id expect!

Mine pops and bangs pretty loudly if you back off the throttle at any thing over 4k or change down a gear. If your going for a blast and you don\'t change up quick enough it will pop between gear changes too! :-)

Will66 · August 30, 2010, 07:49:24 PM

Mine belches flame at high revs.

1990_fc3s_t2 · August 30, 2010, 07:58:57 PM

Does indeed look nice, engine bay looks especially clean. I might be biased but white fc\'s look the best but have the worst quality paint, mine just flakes off in places leaving behind grey primer :2Mad no jet washing for me id end up with a grey car! :rollin

I also needed the indicator lens a few years back if you cant get one on here (im sure you will) mazda charge about Â£25 each for the whole thing, dont think you can just buy the lens.

SSScoupe · August 30, 2010, 07:59:14 PM

Quote from: Will66;713958Mine belches flame at high revs.

Im told mine does too but they have not been big enough yet for me to see out the back window.... i ll have to keep practising! :flamed

SSScoupe · August 30, 2010, 08:01:32 PM

Quote from: 1990_fc3s_t2;713964Does indeed look nice, engine bay looks especially clean. I might be biased but white fc\'s look the best but have the worst quality paint, mine just flakes off in places leaving behind grey primer :2Mad no jet washing for me id end up with a grey car! :rollin

I also needed the indicator lens a few years back if you cant get one on here (im sure you will) mazda charge about Â£25 each for the whole thing, dont think you can just buy the lens.

Good to know its not just my paint that seems to be like chalk! Thanks for the tip with Mazda too, if no one can help i ll bear that in mind. Good to know they still cater for older cars, the Nissan dealers were mostly useless with anything over 10 years old!

I could also do with a mazda badge for the right rear of the boot if any one has one? I seem to just have holes at the minute!

1990_fc3s_t2 · August 30, 2010, 08:20:27 PM

Quote from: SSScoupe;713941Also the car smells a little more than normal of fuel.. im guessing this related and also perhaps why i seem to be getting about 20mpg!:guinness

This could be the pulsation damper which when knackered leak fuel, Its located at the back of the engine on the fuel rail pretty much above your exhaust :flamed can be dangerous if it is leaking. Im trying not to scare you just something you shoild know! It may be just something as simple as it being flooded. get checking for leaks! :Thumbs-up

20mpg does seem a bit low for an egi but that depends on your driving style! new plugs and wires and a good service would help.

1990_fc3s_t2 · August 30, 2010, 08:23:55 PM

Quote from: SSScoupe;713941I could also do with a mazda badge for the right rear of the boot if any one has one? I seem to just have holes at the minute!

I can help you with that mail me your address and il send you one. mpybus9 at googlemail dot com

SSScoupe · August 30, 2010, 08:45:56 PM

Quote from: 1990_fc3s_t2;713980This could be the pulsation damper which when knackered leak fuel, Its located at the back of the engine on the fuel rail pretty much above your exhaust :flamed can be dangerous if it is leaking. Im trying not to scare you just something you shoild know! It may be just something as simple as it being flooded. get checking for leaks! :Thumbs-up

20mpg does seem a bit low for an egi but that depends on your driving style! new plugs and wires and a good service would help.

Could be my driving style :mmmm but then it is a new toy! Still If i want economy i ll drive my Peugeot 405 TD estate which runs on veg oil! No flames from that, just a smell of chips! I ll check out the pulsation damper and have a look useful to know cheers! Also cheers for your help with the rear badge... i ll drop you an email :cheers

m1tch · August 30, 2010, 09:33:25 PM

Quote from: SSScoupe;713989Could be my driving style :mmmm but then it is a new toy! Still If i want economy i ll drive my Peugeot 405 TD estate which runs on veg oil! No flames from that, just a smell of chips! I ll check out the pulsation damper and have a look useful to know cheers! Also cheers for your help with the rear badge... i ll drop you an email :cheers

I have a 306 TD that im converting so you doing it right for economy lol my 306 does between 48-65mpg, rx7 turbo II does between 8 and 23mpg

the RX7 is a performance car, so don\'t worry about fuel economy

clive · August 30, 2010, 10:16:14 PM

Welcome to Mazdarotaryclub, :Thumbsup!

captainbizzaro · August 30, 2010, 11:14:07 PM

Don\'t worry if your clothes smell of fumes and petrol when you conclude a journey-that just confirms you drive an RX7.:Giggle

Welcome to the club by the way, nice looking FC:WaveBye

grinder · August 31, 2010, 09:32:18 AM

Welcome to MRC

Nice FC you have there

Dont worry about the pops and bangs - thats what you get with a straight thru exhaust

if you have no history of the car , might be worth doing a small service on her ( oil , water , plugs , leads , air filter etc.. )

and no question is a stupid question on here .. so ask anything you like

im sure brett will be along soon with more information

SSScoupe · August 31, 2010, 10:36:09 AM

Guys, Thanks very much... its nice to join a forum and find everyone so helpful!

I ve done 300 miles in the FC since picking her up last week and all seems to be good! I think a service is maybe on the cards although having checked the oil coolant etc its all very clean and looks pretty new. Even the leads ( well three of them) look new from Halfords. Same with the plugs 3 ngk\'s the fourth is a lot further in and i suspect that was tricky to get out and was left. I ll take a good look tomorrow. It still has a standard air box and i was considering a K&N panel filter. With these engine does altering the airflow have much affect or is it best left as Mazda intended?