Hi, a bit of advice requested before I bring car into the shop. I can't afford a "classic car" mechanic. Been having my regular guy tend to my 1980 stock Rx7. Been driving her all summer, even letting the 20-something kids drive it around town. She's developed an oil leak over the past weeks. Started as a quarter size spot on the garage floor -now each night leaves a slightly bigger spot. Last night's was about 5 inch round oil "puddle" on the cement. I'm not a do-it-your-selfer, but a nurse trying to keep her original Rx7 alive! I look into the engine area and I can see oil on the flat pan/plate that is under, just behind the radiator. Is this something a general car mechanic can handle - or is this going to be a rotary specific problem? I just checked the oil tonight - dipstick still reads on the "F".

Thanks for any comments before I bring it in!

 

It could be the oil pan gasket. Easiest way to tell is just run a paper towel around the pan at the bottom of the engine (around where the base of the engine and the pan meet) you might not be a "DIY" kind of person but this is as simple as cleaning a desk off. another good way to see where its leaking is put a pizza box or something under the car and follow the drip right up.

Since the car is still FULL i doubt its anything big because 1 when u have the car on it would be shooting all over under pressure. If you bring it to your regular guy he should be able to tell if its the oil pan in 5 seconds flat being on the lift. IF it is the oil pan its not really a big deal its the same as a normal car when it comes to that.

Hope that helps, its hard to tell without looking at it... lets hope ur regular guy is nice and finds it quickly


edit: My girlfriends car was doing the same thing a while back, its weird when oil hits the floor it expands pretty far. it makes 10-12 drops look like the car is bleeding to death lol.

 

Hi, and welcome!

Really matters where the oil is leaking from; try to spot the area above the pan that oil is dripping from. Could be something as simple as a loose oil cooler line, or a filter that wasn't tightened down. Could be worse, like a cracked fitting or line starting to fail.

Pictures can help, too; there are some 'characteristic' leaks that many of us will recognize.

For instance, on the 79-80 SA's, the oil cooler lines connect to the front mounted oil cooler (directly below the radiator) on the driver side. There's also an internal bypass valve on the oil cooler in about the same place. The bypass valve cover can leak, the lines can themselves age and leak, or the line fittings can crack at their bases. The first two just require tightening properly; the last one requires welding of the cracks. Or oil could be running down the lines from the block and be just dripping off there.

Detailed info will help. Could well be a simple and inexpensive repair.

But be aware if it's getting progressively worse over time, something simple to fix now can get more difficult/expensive if left to go.

And the LAST THING you want to do with a rotary, is let it run without oil, even breifly; if the "LOW OIL" light on the dash comes on, you have barely enough time to get to the curb and shut down before you can start to damage your engine.

A fully ruptured line will drain the motor in less than a minute.

 

Also, your mechanic should be made aware that there are also two small oil _metering_ lines that come off the front right (passenger) side of the motor. These plastic tubes (about 1/4 inch thick, each) run up the front of the motor and into the carb to lubricate the engine as well. One of these lines may have failed. They connect to a small mechanical pump on the engine cover.

You would be doing yourself AND your mechanic a HUGE favor of you had a Factory Service Manual with you he can go thru to see and diagnose problems. This kind of issue does not take a rotary mechanic - just a GOOD mechanic.

best of luck. Wow! Original Owner!! Way to hang in there. Now you own a Classic. Who knew!

Stu Aull
80 GS (also RED!)
Alaska

 

if you can get a couple pictures of teh area you are seeing the oil leak develop in that would be most helpful. it sound to me as if an oil cooler line has developed a leak or the oil cooler itself is leaking at one of the bungs. is the leak developing more towards the driver's side or the passenger side?

 

Thanks, Everyone for your input! I have printed it out for my mechanic and will be making an appointment. I'm so glad you guys who know stuff about these cars are here to advise. I have a Chilton Mazda Rx7 1979-81 repair and tune-up guide - I will bring that along. Daughter is getting herself a car and son is anxious to "take possession" [at least in his mind!] of Mom's baby.

So, Stu - our cars are twins???? Cool -come visit! We can have a Rx7 family reunion!

 

yoik! Alaska to Min.? I love a road trip but...
would you settle for a pic?

Best of luck at the shop. As a once-young-fella, and thinking back to what I did to my Mom's VW bug (it involved a snake and a 55 chevy - wasn't pretty), I'd encourage him to get his own RX7...


Stu Aull
80GS
Alaska

 

oh my, i have to admit that is the BEST photo i have seen in my life

 

That thing is clean!!! and i love the way rx8 seats look in 1st gen 7s!!!

 

Wow! Stu, that is one amazing photo of your car - makes me want to be sitting there in my red car, enjoying the view! And your baby - oo-MY! She is lovely! [OK - so, I'm a female and "lovely" works for me!]

I'd like to hear the story of "The Snake and the VW meet the Chevy"! - sorry, I am actually laughing just saying that. Then maybe I would tell the story of the 1970s horrible hippie love-in [read that as orgy!], me leaving VERY quickly, grinding the gears of the guy's Camaro along the I94 freeway for miles, abandoning it when things seemed to totally lock up......................

 

All too kind!
Pic a laborious process involving a 5mi of dirt road (driven at some 2mph to avoid getting car dirty) and cooperation of mother nature's lighting department. Sorry, tho, was not trying to jack thread with image distractions. Linda, you might have me beat with the Hippie Orgy story. That and the Snake story prob better left to other venues!


you'll need to bring us back on track with results of mechanic's inspection...

Stu Aull
80GS
Alaska