FC RX7 5.0 race car thread

[SnazzyQ]

Is that Evergreen Speedway in Monroe WA?

whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat

[Teeson1111]

You're making me want to rush my swap. lol Just picked up my motor a week ago out of a 94. Got my transmission. Getting the small things figured out now.

lil dont rush! but ya the small things are like most of the swap.


well my weekend didn't exactly go as planned. Saturday prep went well for me, buddy's 240 was not as co-operative.



got every loaded up and headed down there. had a hiccup at the border (lol we lost each other after crossing) so we got there a little late



got to Evergreen at around 1:00 (full how later than we wanted to...) and set up and started waiting for the open drift part of the day...



which didn't really happen. The comp started late, took too long, and they ran a top 32 which with like 80 cars in attendance (and a lot of us waiting for the open drift) wasn't the best call imo. Should have done top 16.

So the open drift was for an hour, they didn't let us Tech until the comp was over and then they split into 2 groups that got 1/2 each. Then they offered refunds if we wanted it, so very reluctantly we took it. Sucks to have driven all the way down there, but we had a good time and got awesome milk shakes.

but I finished the 'modernizing' of the tail lights, with minor collateral damage. they werent in good shape to begin with (but they were cheap!) so I'm not very broken up about the small chip or two. Feel better prepared for doing it again on mint ones

[805vert]

You're making me want to rush my swap. lol Just picked up my motor a week ago out of a 94. Got my transmission. Getting the small things figured out now.

[Zach Thomas]

Yeah one of these times I'll make it work lol. Forgot it was mother's day, chances of me making it are slim to none :/ ah well, next time I'll prepare better! And yeah I'm pretty positive it's the help section, we had to replace the bushings in my buddies wrx wiper linkage and I have some of the ones we didn't use lying around and realized they're the same style as the headlight linkage ones

[Teeson1111]

Yup evergreen. Would be awesome to see you there.

And really? Lol good to know, I swear I looked through the HELP section...

[Zach Thomas]

Evergreen I assume? If I'm not too busy I gotta try to get out there and check out your car!! Help keep me motivated lol. I saw the grip royal on IG, looks awesome! Also, just as an FYI those bushings *should* be easily replaceable by going to your local auto parts store and going to the "HELP" section and buying windshield wiper linkage bushings. They'll come with a couple different style of bushings, and I'm about 80% sure there's the right size in there for the headlight motor linkage.

[Teeson1111]

Im so ready to see your car rip!

oh me too!



been listening to this guy lately



While George Ezra's single "Budapest" is good, (and low so I can keep up) the rest of the album is good too. I'm on the fence if I like Cassy O' or not...

had my birthday a while back. Got these two little guys



Grip Royal King (suede!)



and a NRG gen 2.0

I was waiting for the QR to come, it was on back order. They apparently discontinued the red with titanium ring ones (which is what we were hoping to get) but the all red is cool. Has the NRG ten year anniversary logo on in which is cool. Seems that they upped their level of quality as this is the nicest NRG product I've ever laid hands on. They made the button removable too which I immediately did. and the horn leads.

money shot



Found a guy parting out an RX7 and nabbed some headlight rods with bushings that aren't broken like one of mine was (one on my daily was broken too) and a passenger mirror. I went to rob the glass off of it and promptly broke it



also got a set of S5s taillights for fairly cheap. Well not that cheap but cheaper than normal cuz one of the corners is chipped but driftcar



So I fit them on





and them took then right off so I can 'modernize' them.

just FYI, I had to cut the top off the S4 license plate plastic frame, and bend (one could cut, but I didn't want to ruin my paint) the area near the reverse light to get them to fit



Got some aluminum and cut out a foot plate, as I was sick of my clutch foot catching the floor every time I released the clutch





those sunk allen head bolts were hard to find and expensive for some reason....
sorry for the crap picture too

Got a new lid for the battery box from the guys, also cut me some battery holders that don't look crap





So this sunday I'm hoping to drive my first drift event. Have a bunch of prep to do on my car and my buddies s13 before we head down.
Stoked I got the NRG in time, keeping the S5 tails off till after, and got the battery box ready to pass inspection.
Hoping all goes well and I don't hit a wall after the first corner. Plan is to take it slow and not do that lol. Get comfortable and build up speed as I progress. Never been on a track drifting, and never been out of 2nd gear, I try and avoid pushing it

[Skervey]

Yep went and checked it last night and you are right it does have a cable that goes into the starter. I though mine was missing it but I just over looked it.

Im so ready to see your car rip!

[Teeson1111]

love this build!

thanks man! you're 300 is insane

Thank you very much for the info, I hope were both right cause I don't want to burn up the ignition switch lol. And I'm excited to see the update!

havent burnt anything yet lol

Im getting close to wiring so I guess ill chime in. My starter is the smaller starter with the solenoid on the side of it. The solenoid had two threaded studs that I would assume are for power to the battery and ground to the frame. Then there is a small tab comector like the ones on speakers and I thought that the small tab comector would conect to the cars ignition (the wite that has 12v when you to the key to the start position) I haven't gotten to the point of witing it but thats just what I was thinking. Seems like the most straight forward way of doing it.

yes, he was wondering what to do before the starter tho.
the other stud btw goes to the starter motor. One side is constant power, the other is output to the starter motor. Its a large relay really.

[Skervey]

Im getting close to wiring so I guess ill chime in. My starter is the smaller starter with the solenoid on the side of it. The solenoid had two threaded studs that I would assume are for power to the battery and ground to the frame. Then there is a small tab comector like the ones on speakers and I thought that the small tab comector would conect to the cars ignition (the wite that has 12v when you to the key to the start position) I haven't gotten to the point of witing it but thats just what I was thinking. Seems like the most straight forward way of doing it.

[Zach Thomas]

Thank you very much for the info, I hope were both right cause I don't want to burn up the ignition switch lol. And I'm excited to see the update!

[EasySpeed*Inc]

love this build!

[Teeson1111]

As always, very nice work!

Aaaaaannnnnnd question time for you my searching has failed me. On the Mustang mini starters (the stock ones on at least the 94-95s, maybe other years) the solenoid on the starter has the one stud that goes to the positive battery terminal and the other that goes to the ignition switch. Is there any reason to not just directly hook up the starter wire off the ignition switch to the solenoid? As in no relay or anything? I can't see how it would really hurt it seeing as all the diagrams show the starter wire being 18 gauge or so, but as I mentioned earlier I seem to have a hard time to finding some answers from the Ford sites. The stock RX7 wiring does have the starter cut relay, but to me it looks like that is used more for the factory alarm than taking a load off the ignition switch.

fox and older styles are a remote mounted solenoid (fender mount)
Sn95 and newer like explorer are a starter mounted solenoid. Most if not all aftermarket is too.

I just finished converting my buddy's Fox to the later style starter and I just ran if direct off the ignition to the starter solenoid. My car has a relay for the starter for added uhmm overbuiltness? lol I didn't want to have high currents running through the switch panel.
Since you're keeping your ignition switch, and I believe Mazda ran it straight to the starter (minus alarm, minus clutch pedal switch) so I see no problem.
Larger gauge wire is strongly recommend though, like at least 14 awg.

I have an update brewing, been waiting on one more part to get here before I post

[Zach Thomas]

As always, very nice work!

Aaaaaannnnnnd question time for you my searching has failed me. On the Mustang mini starters (the stock ones on at least the 94-95s, maybe other years) the solenoid on the starter has the one stud that goes to the positive battery terminal and the other that goes to the ignition switch. Is there any reason to not just directly hook up the starter wire off the ignition switch to the solenoid? As in no relay or anything? I can't see how it would really hurt it seeing as all the diagrams show the starter wire being 18 gauge or so, but as I mentioned earlier I seem to have a hard time to finding some answers from the Ford sites. The stock RX7 wiring does have the starter cut relay, but to me it looks like that is used more for the factory alarm than taking a load off the ignition switch.

[Teeson1111]

John Mayers new album is stellar. I'm told he suffered some vocal range loss and can't sing as high as he used to be able to, but I don't even miss it after listening to Paradise Valley. My favourite album since Continuum.
A bit slow and sappy for working in the garage, but keeps me chill for when I can't get that last bolt or something lol.

so finishing what I started:

IMG_6859 by Teeson111, on Flickr

borrowed a dial indicator and set backlash and mesh. (thanks Steve!)

IMG_6868 by Teeson111, on Flickr

everything torque'd, lock-tite'd and assembled

IMG_6869 by Teeson111, on Flickr

out with old

IMG_6870 by Teeson111, on Flickr

in with new.

took it out for a drive, and wasn't exactly sure what to make of it. Locked up diff is great, and good fun. Still smooth for low speed cornering with little hopping (worse in the rain or gravel) or clicking. But it made a noise like a plane taking off when under full load. So took it out and loosened the backlash a few thou (it was a touch tight) then put it all back in again, noise is still there. So whatever, there was no grindings in the oil or wear so maybe thats how the diff was before I got it. The old was was loud too with no interior and solid everything.

Then I took the n/a LSD that was in it, took it apart and put 3 pop cans (total) in it and reassembled, set backlash and mesh and swapped it with the auto n/a diff in my daily RX7. It's very nice having a LSD in there, makes no noise, breakaway ended at 100 ft-lbs and I need to add some friction modifier to prevent it from clicking.

I went in detail here (http://westcoastrotary.com/posting.p...ply&f=10&t=393) if you're interested in reading more.

Now besides the rust built on the exhaust you may also notice those aren't the same wheels I've had on it, a buddy threw me some freebie 18" tires so i could roll to a meet we had

IMG_6863 by Teeson111, on Flickr

IMG_6862 by Teeson111, on Flickr

they pretty. however there wasnt much rubber left to start with, lol there definitely isn't much left now

anyway back to finishing things

IMG_6872 by Teeson111, on Flickr

got the battery box welded and assembled.

IMG_6873 by Teeson111, on Flickr

its a tight fit

IMG_6876 by Teeson111, on Flickr

IMG_6867 by Teeson111, on Flickr

to the point where I'm going to have to go with a flat lid just to clear the seat. The last pic was during test fitting, i got a little more space than that but not enough to use the lid I have.

IMG_6865 by Teeson111, on Flickr

took the stock S4 lip and drilled some holes, riveted some rivets and glued some glue to get this. It's cove surround from home depot. I love buying race car parts from home depot. Using things in ways for which they were never intended.

IMG_6871 by Teeson111, on Flickr

I'll let you guess where this goes

IMG_6875 by Teeson111, on Flickr

or not. Still have to put it in, but finally got the parts and made the oil temp sender. We have a Faria temp sender, JB weld and a 2004 WRX drain plug with gasket. m20x1.5 is coincidentally the same thread pitch the WRX uses for a drain plug and that ford used for the oil level sender in the side of the pan.

IMG_6860 by Teeson111, on Flickr

apologies for the photo. I made a quick gas pedal out of some scrap aluminum. More to have one but also to experiment with shape and size. The little angled part on the side is awesome for rev matching.