My first rotary almost caught fire...plan for it not to happen again
#1
My first rotary almost caught fire...plan for it not to happen again
Ok so my plan was to keep this RX7 a rotary powered daily driver. That almost came to an end yesterday after running to the store the car drove fine no issues sequential set up working perfect. On the way home during a spirited drive the boost pattern was all over the place. Pull into the driveway and the smoke started coming from under the hood and I could smell fuel. I ran inside the house and grabbed my fire extinguisher from the kitchen. Came back outside popped the hood and no fire just some smoke residue and a strong smell of fuel. So I let the car cool down and and pressurize the fuel system to see whats going on. I can't see under the upper intake but I can hear fuel leaking and fuel is pouring on to the ground under the car. So I pull the intake off,coils and rats nest off, by the way all the vacuum lines are hard as rock and broke during this process. Looks like the Fuel Pulsation Dampener is leaking,so now its time to start buying parts. This car has been sitting in a garage for almost 11years, i was able to get some history on the car per the owner it is as follows:
1994 R2 black on black 68k miles
M2 upgraded ball bearing turbos
M2 upgraded ECM
M2 medium intercooler
M2 air intake
down pipe and cat back not sure what kind
Seq. set up running 12#s of boost
Here are my plans:
What I have come up with so far:
New FPD and fuel recall kit(I also have some bigger injectors to put in and move the secondaries to the primary spot) not sure how involved this process is???
New vacuum lines,Dales check valves, block off plates for all emissions
Do a simplified seq. set up and delete all the emissions and air pump
Install the mid pipe no cats. that came with the car
Install the APEXI Power FC that came with the car new in the box
Install new Ron Davis radiator that came with the car
I just want to make sure I am not forgetting anything since this is my first rotary powered car. BTW that rats nest is a pain in the *** to work on!!!!!! hopefully with the new soft vacuum lines it will go in easier then it came out.
1994 R2 black on black 68k miles
M2 upgraded ball bearing turbos
M2 upgraded ECM
M2 medium intercooler
M2 air intake
down pipe and cat back not sure what kind
Seq. set up running 12#s of boost
Here are my plans:
What I have come up with so far:
New FPD and fuel recall kit(I also have some bigger injectors to put in and move the secondaries to the primary spot) not sure how involved this process is???
New vacuum lines,Dales check valves, block off plates for all emissions
Do a simplified seq. set up and delete all the emissions and air pump
Install the mid pipe no cats. that came with the car
Install the APEXI Power FC that came with the car new in the box
Install new Ron Davis radiator that came with the car
I just want to make sure I am not forgetting anything since this is my first rotary powered car. BTW that rats nest is a pain in the *** to work on!!!!!! hopefully with the new soft vacuum lines it will go in easier then it came out.
#2
Rotary Enthusiast
iTrader: (33)
Glad you and your car are safe.
I'm not sure if this is the correct information, but I'm under the impression that lifting your hood up when there is a pontential of fire is not a good idea as this gives the fire more air to breathe and expand. I would think that extinguishing it from below is a safer approach.
As I said this is just an assumption, I have no experience with engine fires.
I'm not sure if this is the correct information, but I'm under the impression that lifting your hood up when there is a pontential of fire is not a good idea as this gives the fire more air to breathe and expand. I would think that extinguishing it from below is a safer approach.
As I said this is just an assumption, I have no experience with engine fires.
#3
PedoBear
iTrader: (4)
^^ you are right, you do NOT open the hood when you know there is a chance of having engine fire. fire goes to the direction of oxygen (air), when u open the hood it introduces a LOT of oxygen and might make it worst, depends on the type of fire extinguisher you have you gonna have to spray it differently.
#5
Rotary Enthusiast
Glad you found the problem before it became a real problem!
In order to install new, larger injectors your going to need a new fuel rail, fuel pressure reg, fuel lines to suit, and probably a new fuel pump (or there's not much point in new, larger injectors)
I think in order to put the secondaries in the primary spot you need to have the rail milled down a little bit. (iv never done it but im pretty sure thats whats required). BUT if your putting in new, bigger secondaries then I question the reasoning of putting the bigger (old) injectors in the primary position.
You going to have more then enough fuel with new, larger secondaries, and the stock secondaries in the primary position are just going to make it idle worse.
I would say install the new secondaries, fuel rail etc, but leave the stock primaries there, unless you really need the fuel. Which I don't think you do.
In order to install new, larger injectors your going to need a new fuel rail, fuel pressure reg, fuel lines to suit, and probably a new fuel pump (or there's not much point in new, larger injectors)
I think in order to put the secondaries in the primary spot you need to have the rail milled down a little bit. (iv never done it but im pretty sure thats whats required). BUT if your putting in new, bigger secondaries then I question the reasoning of putting the bigger (old) injectors in the primary position.
You going to have more then enough fuel with new, larger secondaries, and the stock secondaries in the primary position are just going to make it idle worse.
I would say install the new secondaries, fuel rail etc, but leave the stock primaries there, unless you really need the fuel. Which I don't think you do.
#7
Lousy Crew Chief
iTrader: (10)
Work slow replacing the vacuum lines. Get some good quality silicone hose and it won't get hard again. For the rats nest, I cut each hose in half, one at s time, and heat up the connection with a light let before gently twisting the break the seal and pulling it off. Each rats nest solenoid new from Mazda is $60-70 so take your time. Your coil harness is probably crispy and could use a replacement. Repacking the injectors would also be a good idea. Mine were beginning to spider web on my rx7 with 64k.
Matt
Matt
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#9
Moderator
iTrader: (25)
Glad your car is OK!
The pulsation dampener on my FD started leaking after a day long cruise/spirited drive. Got it home and smelled a strong fuel odor, let it cool down, and had steady fuel drips from the God forsaken thing. Some scary ****, thinking how close it nearly was to burning to the ground. Thread a blockoff into the rail, and never worry about it again, those pulsation dampeners belong nowhere but the trash.
The pulsation dampener on my FD started leaking after a day long cruise/spirited drive. Got it home and smelled a strong fuel odor, let it cool down, and had steady fuel drips from the God forsaken thing. Some scary ****, thinking how close it nearly was to burning to the ground. Thread a blockoff into the rail, and never worry about it again, those pulsation dampeners belong nowhere but the trash.
#10
Thanks for the advice so far, I will look into the fuel injectors a little more when I get to that point. From reading on the forum I assumed this was a common practice(moving the stock secondaries to the primary fuel rail and adding new larger injectors to the secondary rail)Ordered vacuum lines and check valves per Dale Clark and got with Ray Crowe for the other parts.
#11
Form > Function
iTrader: (108)
Moving the secondaries to the primary spot IS a common "upgrade"... but then again, so is crappy idle.
If you're deleting emissions, I would also purchase a JDM UIM and LIM and S8 JDM Compression Tube.
The JDM UIM and LIM are a bit cleaner and already have some equipment delete which will result in less block off plates. The S8 JDM Compression Tube (No ACV Nipple) already has the ACV deleted, so no need for a cap.
If you're deleting emissions, I would also purchase a JDM UIM and LIM and S8 JDM Compression Tube.
The JDM UIM and LIM are a bit cleaner and already have some equipment delete which will result in less block off plates. The S8 JDM Compression Tube (No ACV Nipple) already has the ACV deleted, so no need for a cap.
Last edited by MattGold; 09-30-15 at 06:31 AM.
#13
Sponsor
iTrader: (41)
Depends on the ecu, quality of your tune, and perception of a good idle. The main problem is idle and cruising afrs are less than ideal. Best budget upgrade is the Full Function FD step up kit. Keep the stock primaries, install a new pulsation damper, and add the secondary rail, injectors of your choice, and regulator. You can even make it fit with all the sequential and emissions junk if you get the 34mm height rail.
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