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I started the weekend off by cutting out new flaps for the oil cooler ducts and riveting them on. I got the material from oreilly auto. It's just a rubber gasket that comes in a roll and you cut to shape. They turned out AWESOME.
After that I went to work on installing the rebuilt R1 oil coolers. I got them mounted up and plumbed in! Tomorrow I'll be dry starting the motor to fill them with oil and bleeding the brakes since I changed my leaky ABS pump with a used unit.
perfect! this is exactly what I need to do on one of my oil cooler ducts!
Oreilly auto has a rivet gun with like 70 rivets for $18. Fel Pro part #3187 is what I used for the flaps. Get you some #8 washers from a hardware store and you're set to go. It was a pretty fun project to get the old rivets out I just squeezed the heads into a square shape with some channel locks and pulled them out. The heads are very malleable so this was easy.
Oreilly auto has a rivet gun with like 70 rivets for $18. Fel Pro part #3187 is what I used for the flaps. Get you some #8 washers from a hardware store and you're set to go. It was a pretty fun project to get the old rivets out I just squeezed the heads into a square shape with some channel locks and pulled them out. The heads are very malleable so this was easy.
Oreilly auto has a rivet gun with like 70 rivets for $18. Fel Pro part #3187 is what I used for the flaps. Get you some #8 washers from a hardware store and you're set to go. It was a pretty fun project to get the old rivets out I just squeezed the heads into a square shape with some channel locks and pulled them out. The heads are very malleable so this was easy.
Just a tip you, can also just drill off the head the rivet with the correct size drill bit. Much easier and faster.
Just a tip you, can also just drill off the head the rivet with the correct size drill bit. Much easier and faster.
I had tried that method. Because the rivets were loosely bucked in the plastic ducts, they just spun with the drill bit :P It took under 20 seconds a rivet to squeeze the head and yank it out. Thanks for the tip though!
I ended up ordering some parts. My defrost vents are in multiple pieces each. It bugs me everytime I have to look at them :P My Rx7 has also continued to lock me out on hot days. I attributed this to heat expansion in the lock cable making it increasingly hard to unlock as the cable is heated. So I ordered a new door latch assembly from Ray. Includes new push rods in case my rods are bent, new latch [hopefully the door closes like butter! Wouldn't that be nice!], and new cables. Should eliminate the problem entirely. I also ordered a non bose privacy cover for the trunk. Having no cover looks ugly to me. Excited for everything to come in!
Mechanically she's a doing ok. I've been experiencing a hesitation followed by bucking between 2000 and 2500 RPM. I followed a TSB that involved cleaning the grounds at the engine, firewall, and the bracket assembly. It helped, but did not eliminate the issue. The TPS is perfectly in spec and idle adjustment is spot on. After some reading I have tried a few more things. I cleaned the positive lead to the alternator, upgraded the UIM to firewall ground, and added a ground to the negative terminal of the battery. The BIGGEST help was the negative terminal battery ground to the frame. My further tests to fix the issue are thus: I'm going to move one side of the ground from the terminal of the battery to the ground on the bracket. I feel this will be a better "ground" for both the battery and the main engine harness. If this helps it more, then I will try a larger ground, as the wire I'm currently using is only 8 gauge. I feel a 4 would be more appropriate.
I had tried that method. Because the rivets were loosely bucked in the plastic ducts, they just spun with the drill bit :P It took under 20 seconds a rivet to squeeze the head and yank it out. Thanks for the tip though!
I ended up ordering some parts. My defrost vents are in multiple pieces each. It bugs me everytime I have to look at them :P My Rx7 has also continued to lock me out on hot days. I attributed this to heat expansion in the lock cable making it increasingly hard to unlock as the cable is heated. So I ordered a new door latch assembly from Ray. Includes new push rods in case my rods are bent, new latch [hopefully the door closes like butter! Wouldn't that be nice!], and new cables. Should eliminate the problem entirely. I also ordered a non bose privacy cover for the trunk. Having no cover looks ugly to me. Excited for everything to come in!
Mechanically she's a doing ok. I've been experiencing a hesitation followed by bucking between 2000 and 2500 RPM. I followed a TSB that involved cleaning the grounds at the engine, firewall, and the bracket assembly. It helped, but did not eliminate the issue. The TPS is perfectly in spec and idle adjustment is spot on. After some reading I have tried a few more things. I cleaned the positive lead to the alternator, upgraded the UIM to firewall ground, and added a ground to the negative terminal of the battery. The BIGGEST help was the negative terminal battery ground to the frame. My further tests to fix the issue are thus: I'm going to move one side of the ground from the terminal of the battery to the ground on the bracket. I feel this will be a better "ground" for both the battery and the main engine harness. If this helps it more, then I will try a larger ground, as the wire I'm currently using is only 8 gauge. I feel a 4 would be more appropriate.
Matt
Good job on the door replacements etc.... Sorry I got your message and then forgot to look for the cable. New is always better
No FD should be without a PFC
It gives you:
All sorts of diagnostic tools
Some useful gauges (mostly water and air temps)
Great running car (ZERO HESITATIONS) although start up and idle are not as nice
Better gas mileage by at least 2 or 3 mpg
etc...
The bad: It doesn't recognize codes so if your OMP goes out you are screwed. Spend the saved gas money on premix. Problem solved and the engine will thank you.
Good job on the door replacements etc.... Sorry I got your message and then forgot to look for the cable. New is always better
No FD should be without a PFC
It gives you:
All sorts of diagnostic tools
Some useful gauges (mostly water and air temps)
Great running car (ZERO HESITATIONS) although start up and idle are not as nice
Better gas mileage by at least 2 or 3 mpg
etc...
The bad: It doesn't recognize codes so if your OMP goes out you are screwed. Spend the saved gas money on premix. Problem solved and the engine will thank you.
I've mulled over a PFC millions of times. I love the fact that it will provide me expand-ability, reduction in hesitation issues, improved mileage, and the troubleshooting factor. I already premix a half ounce per gallon so the OMP issue isn't a huge deal. What's a current thing for me is that the stock ECU has the ability to pull timing under knock detection. I'm unaware if there are any good tuners in the area so I feel that ability is priceless. I believe an adaptronics unit can pull timing on knock, however I think its sequential boost control is not as great as the PFC. It's a pick-your-poison. I think I really need to troll through the PFC forums and learn how to tune and add safety margins myself.
On another note, I moved my 8g ground to the bracket and didn't notice a difference. I then ran out to a stereo shop and grabbed two feet of 4g (my word that stuff is like a real ground cable! :p) and some terminals. I sanded down the bracket mating points, ensured the frame was clean and bare, and added the cable to the washer bottle mount screw. I'll report back on further success or hogwash :P.
Matt
Adding/cleaning/enhancing grounds can make the stock ECU and the hesitation BETTER, but it will never no away.
Also, in theory, the "stock ECU pulls timing on knock" sounds good, but I don't think anyone EVER has said "boy, sure am glad I have a stock ECU, it just saved my engine!" Stock ECU is far more likely to blow the engine than anything else.
Also, what size silicone vacuum line did you use? Looked a little big. 3.5mm is what you want to use. It fits so tight you don't need zip ties or hose clamps, it's a JOB to get that line to come off.
I used 4mm. Even the 4mm hugs it pretty tight. The sidewall thickness on this hose is RIDICULOUS. Super thick.
Over the past two weeks I've been cleaning grounds and individually adding/moving extra grounds to see what constituted the biggest help. I'll report back on a few days on my discoveries.
I think I really do need to just make a PFC my next purchase. Didn't have one on my last FD, but with the hesitation issues I'm having with this one, I'm really wanting to out that at the top of my list.
PFC added as next purchase for the FD. After two weeks of adding/moving grounds, I still have hesitation/jerking around 2000-2500 rpms aggravated by electrical load and only happens once then never again. Hoping the PFC cures it. Also looking forward to the commander sensor checks and what not for troubleshooting purposes.
I've mulled over a PFC millions of times. I love the fact that it will provide me expand-ability, reduction in hesitation issues, improved mileage, and the troubleshooting factor. I already premix a half ounce per gallon so the OMP issue isn't a huge deal. What's a current thing for me is that the stock ECU has the ability to pull timing under knock detection. I'm unaware if there are any good tuners in the area so I feel that ability is priceless. I believe an adaptronics unit can pull timing on knock, however I think its sequential boost control is not as great as the PFC. It's a pick-your-poison. I think I really need to troll through the PFC forums and learn how to tune and add safety margins myself.
Big fan of the stock computer for its ability to retard timing and get-in-and-go operation. The Power FC has a bunch of useful features (especially fan temperature control) but I have a hard time letting someone else define engine management parameters when there is such a small margin for error.
Originally Posted by DaleClark
Also, in theory, the "stock ECU pulls timing on knock" sounds good, but I don't think anyone EVER has said "boy, sure am glad I have a stock ECU, it just saved my engine!" Stock ECU is far more likely to blow the engine than anything else.
The stock computer may be plugged in when an engine lets go but that doesn't make it the source of failure.
Matt.... welcome to the Valley. I'm on the opposite side of town (SE Valley) in Ahwatukee, but we have quite a few active rotorheads locally. We get together at least once a month for car shows and drives, especially now that the weather will be cooling down in the next month. Hit me up with a PM and I'll share some contact info!
Tim
P.S. Mods look great so far. Really reminds me of when I first bought my FD and did many of the same things you're doing now. Excellent job!
A few things have changed. My door lock cable would continue to bind during the heavy hear of summer. I noticed when it was hottest is when it would bind. I've determined it to be thermal expansion working against me. So there was only one way to fix my door lock!
Brand new parts are so oddly satisfying. I can't say for sure that the door closes easier or anything, but man it locks and unlocks effortlessly. I was also lucky enough to score a nice set of low mile, un torn tan seats! When I got them, they were quite dirty, so I made sure to clean them up real well before I installed them.
I was surprised to see that the lower mile seats looked to even be a different shade of tan :P
I have been troubleshooting an intermittent bucking issue and nailed it down to relocating the ground from the AC bracket to the center iron. I think I might not have cleaned the aluminum bracket well enough the first time I tried the TSB fix, because the issue has subsided since the relocation. I also got a new knock sensor, seeing as my old one lost all of its isolation fluid.
Where I relocated the ground
Pic of the oil cooler install too.
Rebuilt R1 coolers installed and a not-leaking ABS pump.
I replaced the defrost vents. My old ones were in pieces, and came out in several more.
The center one was a bit difficult to snap in. But man it's a difference. I think I feel this way because it's something I always see driving the car. Makes it feel a bit newer :P Speaking of new. I waited a whole month to get this baby from Ray.
Nice Matt. Making great progress. Would have been great to have you with us last weekend on our cruise over to Sevenstock18. Hope to get together soon now that the weather is cooler here in the Valley!
Let me know when the next meet up is! Would love to meet more 7 owners.
On another note. This thing is LEGIT.
I've always wanted one and with sakebomb retiring the mold, I finally had reason to get it. This thing is AWESOME. Shout out to sakebomb for a bad *** product. I need to get some headlights from them.
I'm dealing with the typical clunk in the rear from my pillow ***** being worn out, however I had an additional clunk from the front end at low speed and when the weight shifts when the vehicle comes to a complete stop. I jacked up one side of the car and I could wiggle my sway bar end links with my thumb and for finger. I ordered some new ones from a local Mazda dealer since Ray is temporarily out of commission. I also grabbed some new sway bar bushings while I was at it.
Replacing those were reminiscent of doing pillow ***** on my first rx7; the old ones I could rotate the bearings with my fingers, yet I was unable to with the new ones.
Did some serious work on the suspension this weekend.
New upper A arm bushings and boots for the front, new pillow ***** for the rear, and Mazda competition toe link bushings.
This clamp style "ball joint service tool" was the best tool I've purchased in a lg time. We purchased a 6 ton A frame harbor freight press and promptly returned the turd pile. This c clamp pressed out ALL the bushings we did.
New pillow ***** pushed in, packed with grease, then dust seals installed.
Pressed out the toe link bushings too!
Cleaned up the arms and got new boots as well. Ball joints were in great condition. Gave them some fresh grease and they'll continue to last.
The worst part of the whole experience were the inner toe links. Cutting off the flange for the bushings to press them out was a pain in the neck. We worked at it for hours with a hacksaw before we finally went to lowes and bought a Dremel and some cut off wheels. I never want to do inner toe link bushings ever again.
My handles work! The paint is chipping off on them a bit, but I can live with that...for now. Hahah.
Toe link bushings........the outer ones pressed out with the C clamp no issues. The inner ones require you to cut the flange off of them in order to have a spot to push against. This flange isn't very thick; like maybe a 1/16" but I swear it's made of some sort of unobtanium. We had this cute little hacksaw we got from harbor freight and it would cut it, but in order to get the pieces off you would need to bend the flange upward slightly once you perforate it, then cut underneath it. If you are going to undertake this, I HIGHLY recommend a Dremel with a cutoff wheel. That way you can chop the whole flange off in about 20 min instead of wasting over two hours with a hack saw :P. Once you get the flange off it pressed out with a normal 1/2" drive 30mm socket. To get the new one in, we greased it up slightly and I pounded it in with a rubber mallet to start it. When we tried to start it with the press it would ****. You can literally pound it in about halfway with a rubber mallet. I'm sure you can figure the rest :p
09-05-15, 10:04 PM
to get the old rivets out I just squeezed the heads into a square shape with some channel locks and pulled them out. The heads are very malleable so this was easy.
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