Last night, I finished fabbing the EGR block-off plate for the S4 intake manifold and this evening I installed the lower intake manifold on the SE engine. The block-off angle was a little off so I had to remove it after the LIM was mounted and then bend it open a bit. Did this a couple of times until I got the fit I was expecting. Then I went around the perimeter of the blockoff plate to block surface with some black silicone to hedge my bets on exhaust leaks.

I was going to mount the upper IM this evening, but I can't find the gasket that i know I have lying around here somewhere. I guess if I can't find it I'll order another and install the new OMP lines while I'm waiting.

fm

 

Sold it lol

 

Glad it worked out for you! Doubters may scoff, but I'm over 40k miles on my repair, and still killing Miatas with ease. lol.



.

 

85 GSL-EV:

On Saturday I replaced the left rear brake pad. Of course there is more to this story but lets just say that I spent a lot of time not breaking anything and cleaning up rusty stuff. Is there some trick to removing the E brake cable? I have not yet put that back on the left rear and I am not looking forward to doing so.

Next is doing the right rear and then the fronts. Those should be easier because I've had the calipers off.

Still fixing rust in the rear wheel wells.

85 GSL-SE:

Bought a metal sun roof with the correct colors. Should be here on Friday. Filled the tank with 85 octane no ethanol and it idles better. That last tank of 87 with ethanol was not good. Doesn't seem like it should matter but it does.

 

I replaced my coils (thanks RxTex for parting out a pair for me). This helped a bit (encouraging). I used a new timing light... Made some improvement again. I need to rework the timing marks...

Still, I run into the same problem... When it comes to adjusting the carb. Enough fuel means I need to let the air out too far (like falling out). If only I could open it more I feel certain the idle would come up. Seems there must be a vacuum somewhere in need of altering since new exhaust install...

She runs smoother. I feel like I've made progress but still NOT RIGHT!

 

I flushed my brake system and filled it with new fluid. Now I get a popping feeling when I depress the brake system 3/4's of the way I have a huge feeling I got an air bubble somewhere

 

Ordered some more parts.

On the week I already have:
E-Fan installation fasteners
GReddy throttle body elbow adapter for FMIC
A/C drier
A/C o-rings
Thermostat gasket
Coolant to turbo gasket

Is it just a rotary thing to always be waiting on parts, or is that everything ?

Also wired my gauges wrong. So instead of the oil pressure sensor going to the oil pressure gauge it goes to the low oil light. Gotta see which wire is the right one and pull the whole gauge cluster back out. Yay for that, since Mazda didn't make it barely possible to take the cluster out without the dash being removed as well.

 

I think it's a rotary thing. Nobody stocks parts for rotary cars locally, so you get halfway into a job and realize you're missing some little greeblie which has to ship from across the country. Or it's NLA so you have to hunt. Story of my rotary life.

fm

 

This evening I removed the old exhaust manifold from the 12a in the car and put on the brand-spanking new RB road race header. Easier than I thought...in fact, I didn't expect to get the header on at all this evening. I thought I'd be fighting stuck bolts. The only one that stuck was one on the heat shield, which snapped (of course).

I left the air pump and ACV on as they weren't in the way. Now I see that there are two pipes that are open on those devices. I'm wondering if I can loop these, block them off, or if I should just remove the ACV and air pump. It's not that I don't *want* to...it's just more nickle-and-diming as I'll have to get a double-belt pulley and a block-off-plate.

Oh, and I found that d@mn upper intake manifold gasket after I ordered a new one.

It took a lot of self control not to fire the car up this evening with an open header. But my wife would have come down with a golf club and beat my silly.

Gratuitous header pic follows:

 

i fired up my REW powered FC yesterday, with an open manifold, and it shook the ground....

the ACV lines can just hang out there, air pump air will come out occasionally, so you can't cap or loop em

 

Got the 31.5" belt in.





Going to try this again.

 

Got the correct end rods and spacers for my custom lower control arms so I put those together and test fit them. I'm hoping to have the rear axle swap buttoned up next weekend.

fm

 

I use a vacuum guage (old school tool for debugging engines). You should see about
20 inches of vacuum at idle. If not and it swings or jumps around you have a vacuum
leak somewhere. Keep at it until the needle gets steady and is up around 19 or 20
inches.

 

Ordered a new GRANT Signature steering wheel with RX-7 Adapter last Friday -

Delivered yesterday - Came home last night @ 8:15 PM - ate dinner then went to work.

Steering wheel installed by 9:40 PM - Waiting for Grant to start making the 2001 Removable Wheel with locking security cover plate again. Will install that when it becomes available again in September 2013.

Also finished the rear center taillight updated "RX-7" light-up project I have been working on SWEEEEET!!! I took documentary pics - For about $ 200.00 you can do it to your FB. Will post them when I find some free time.

 

You must have really understanding neighbors.
That's good to know...thanks. I got a new exhaust hanger yesterday but I need to press the metal sleeves in. I'll be picking up a long machine screw and bolt to assist in that endeavor. Who knows...I might even get the exhaust hung tonight.

fm

 

lolz, my idle vac is a solid 12 in @1000rpm... but im also a ported 6 port with open aux ports :P




aaaaaand....

Ive once again become the king or changing goals and ideas mid-project. So now im putting "Project Ghetto ITB" on hold. This AutoX season I feel that the thing im definitely lacking is torque. the car handles alright, but still need more tweaks (and i need more seat time ) but My S4 13B 6 port makes great power, but the torque doesnt come on til over 5k RPM and peak HP is around 7-8k and unfortunately most autoX's ive attended im always i 2nd gear and the engine spends almost all its time in the 3-6k range, i need boost's! So yesterday and today, ive been scrambling for radom bits for the new project dubbed "Operation S1/S2/S3/S4/S5/S6" , named as i will have parts from all USDM series Rx7 when im done

yesterday I purschased a set of Denso 1000cc injectors to join my EVO9 560cc's, have local line of a set of S4 TII fuel rails, just picked up a S6 (FD) UIM/TB w/ TPS/ and inlet elbow from a local forum member... still searchig for a good priced S5 TII LIM and a good condition & stock S5 turbo and manifold. Im not goi for anything drastic, just 6-8lbs of boost and some iota of lower end torque

 

^ Sarge, what final drive are you running?

 

I've been pretty slammed with work lately, but have been finding tidbits of time to accomplish a few things on my red car..

Got the car up on stands, and pulled her apart to get crackin on figuring the cause of my clutch issues. Pilot bearing was toast. Rest of the assembly is decent, but might as well upgrade the whole unit while im here..

In the meanwhile, I had also been working hard on restoring a set of SSR EXC that I picked up a month or so ago. With the car already up in the air, I got motivated. I finished the wheels, got my tires purchased, and banged out my -se coilover suspension swap.




Loving the look and the offset so far, but cant wait to get everything down on the ground and make some adjustments. Rear fenders are gonna need a little massaging, I think im gonna like it!

Just gotta knock out this clutch job first!!

Rxtex

 

83 GSL rear, so should be 3.933, and ill be replacing my worn 12A trans soon with 10k mile rebuilt unit from a S5 too, which will make the total ratios even taller, which may exaccerbate the situaation

 

^ have you thought about 4.78 gearset? I'm collecting parts to make such a rear with an LSD. Oughta put you closer to where you wanna be for autoX.

 

^ ive considered it. I also have a S3 GSL rear at my garage half tor apart as well, but the local scrap yard around here has rediculous prices, plus a 4.78 would hurt me in the fuel department as I usually travel 75 , 140 and 200 miles (each way) to my "local" autoX's. I couldnt imagine how much fuel ide burn buzzing along at 4-5k for several hours :P the way I see it, the slight extra cost of running premium gas, the tiny dent in highway fuel economy and minimal risk of engine explosio on low boost seems to be the best route





*edit* and it just occured to me, when i last corner weighted my car, i found that i could use some more weight on the passenger front

 

Sarge,
Don't overestimate the role that power plays in auto-x. I had an EG Civic with 220whp/150lb tq on tap and I got my @ss handed to me by stock Miatas pushing maybe 110whp. Part of it was the suspension setup and part of it was the nut behind the wheel. It certainly wasn't the power.

This evening, I installed my RB streetport exhaust. I am in need of 3 hangers (the ones with the steel inserts) as 2 of mine are missing and 1 of them is shot. The car is still up on jackstands awaiting it's rear end sometime next week, so it's fine for the time being. I guess I'll be making my own with the steel inserts as they are NLA with them. I believe the 86-88 models had steel inserts and am wondering if they will work...hmmm....

fm

 

that is the problem with the 6 port design, if they are open, you really loose in the sub 6000rpm range, and don't gain anything over 7k...

how hard would it be to get the 6 ports working, or even closed?

 

Yah man if u have a 6 port you're shotgun yourself in the foot for not using them.

I recently built a digital rpm switch CO2 system that you can dial in at 100rpm increments. Custom tune where your 6 ports open!

In my opinion proper running 6 port = teh win. Mo bettah than turbo

 

Dam - so i come home from work yesterday and the garage smells of raw gasoline (again). I take a peek at the new fuel line i've run, and sure enough drip drip drop, right out the bottom of the fuel filter.

At closer inspection - its not the fuel line, but the hard line attaching to the bottom of the filter itself! I open the tank and it vents, the dripping stop. I tightened down the bolt on the fuel filter line, but its solid.

Sounds like it's time to replace the fuel filter! Dam i was really hoping to be done with the fuel line back there.