1987 Mazda RX7

DRIVING HOME FROM MY PARENTS HOUSE I NOTICED MY GAS LIGHT COME ON ON THE FREEWAY. I WAS A LITTLE CONFUSED BECAUSE I HAD JUST PUT GAS IN THE TANK. I PULLED OFF ONCE I HAD GOTTEN DOWN ON A SIDE STREET NEAR A GAS STATION TO HAVE A LOOK TO SEE WHAT WAS GOING ON. IMMEDIATELY AS I GOT OUT I NOTICED BLACK SMOKE COMING OUT THE HOOD. I RAN INTO THE GAS STATION GRABBED A FIRE EXTINGUISHER AND ANOTHER GUY RAN OUT WITH ME AND WHEN I POPPED THE HOOD THE ENGINE WAS COMPLETELY ENGULFED IN FLAME. AFTER PUTTING IT OUT I HAD TO GET MY FRIEND TO HELP ME TOW IT BACK TO MY PARENTS WHERE IT STILL SITS TOTALED. AFTER A BIT OF INVESTIGATING I CAME TO THE DISCOVERY MY PULSATION DAMPERS ON MY 1987 RX7 HAD LEAKED GAS DIRECTLY ONTO THE ENGINE AND EXHAUST MANIFOLD CATCHING THE ENTIRE COMPARTMENT ON FIRE. I ALSO INVESTIGATED OTHER INSTANCES OF THIS HAPPENING AND THIS SEEMS TO BE A FAIRLY COMMON OCCURRENCE ON THE RX7, ESPECIALLY YEARS 1986 TO 1988. WITH THIS I WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST A RECALL AND REIMBURSEMENT OF DAMAGES FOR THE VICTIMS OF PULSATION DAMPER FAILER RESULTING IN ENGINE FIRE. *JB

I TOOK THE CAR TO A LOCAL MAZDA DEALER FOR A COOLANT LEAK. THEY SAID THEY FIXED THE PROBLEM. WHILE THEY WERE TEST DRIVING THE CAR, THE CAR CAUGHT ON FIRE. FORTUNATELY, IT WAS CLOSE TO THE SHOP, AND THEY PUT DOWN THE FIRE WITHOUT ANY INJURIES. THE CAR WAS TOTALLY DESTROYED. ACCORDING TO THE MECHANICS AT THE DEALERSHIP, AN OIL LINE IS VERY CLOSE TO THE EXHAUST PIPE IN THIS MODEL. THE EXHAUST PIPE IS AS HOT AS 800-900F WHEN THE VECHILE IS OPERATION. THERE IS ONE PLASTIC CONNECTION ON THE NEARBY OIL LINE. THE PLASTIC CONNECTION CRACKED OPEN THAT DAY, POSSIBLY BECAUSE OF AGE AND/OR TEMPRETURE CHANGE (IT WAS ABOUT 0F THAT DAY.). TE ENGINE OIL THEN CAME OUT AND CAUGHT ON FIRE BECAUSE OF THE NEARBY HOT EXHAUST PIPE. TO MY KNOWLEDGE, THE 87 RX7 TURBO IS THE FIRST OR SECOND MODEL YEAR OF THIS PATICULAR MODEL. IF THE FIRE WAS INDEED CAUSED BY OIL PIPE, MANY OTHER RX7'S WOULD HAVE THIS DANGER SOON. I AM REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF OTHER RX7 OWNERS. BY THE WAY, THIS CAR WAS ALWAYS IN EXCELLENT CONDITION. THOUGH I AM THE 2ND OWNER, I KNOW THE FIRST OWNER QUITE WELL AND WE HAVE ALWAYS KEPT GOOD MAINTAINANCE OF IT.*AK