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From: cal@pyramid.UUCP (Craig Levin)
Newsgroups: net.auto
Subject: Re: 1986 RX-7 review [long - 250 lines]
Message-ID: <5@pyramid.UUCP>
Date: Sun, 19-Jan-86 01:00:03 EST
Article-I.D.: pyramid.5
Posted: Sun Jan 19 01:00:03 1986
Date-Received: Sun, 19-Jan-86 07:43:07 EST
References: <1295@sdcsvax.UUCP>
Reply-To: cal@pyramid.UUCP (Craig Levin)
Organization: Pyramid Technology Corp., Mountain View, CA
Lines: 29
Keywords: RX-7 Mazda

Great report!  I have long been an RX-7 driver and fan.  We still
have my first '79 GS with 109K miles and an '85 GSL-SE with 17K.
Somewhere along the line I also had an '82 GSL, which I traded
for the larger engine.  We plan to trade the '79 on a turbo once
enough get here that the local dealers won't be marking up the
prices.

> ...  Also, when you remove the oil
> filter, it will invariably drip oil down the side of the engine, so
> plan on cleaning it off afterwards (the engine runs quite hot, and it
> will smell AWFUL if you don't clean the spilled oil of it).  I'm
> probably going to pay to have it done in future.  I plan on putting a
> new filter and fresh Castrol 20w-50 into it every 3000 miles (twice as
> often as the manufacturer recommends). 

In an obscure place in the early maintenance manuals they told
you how to solve this problem.  You need to punch a hole in the
top of the oil filter can before removing it.  Be sure that you
puncture both the outer skin and the inner filter surface.  I use
a 1/2" chisel point, making sure that it enters at least 1" into
the filter.  You should also use 10w-40 oil instead.  The 20w is
too heavy for temperatures under 70 degrees.  This only effects
the first 5 minutes of operation, but it has gotten my '79 this
far.  The only major mechanical repairs were the standard water
pump at 33K (on both '79 & '82) and a transmission pilot bearing
at 51K.

For Porsche 944 and RX-7 enthusiasts, this month's Road & Track is
required reading.