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This is why RX-7s, especially the '84-85 models with worse geometry, like to rip the upper mounts off of the chassis. Or as the axle housing twists back and forth, the pinion angle climbs upwards as the housing takes a permanent twist on both sides.
All I know is that the body mount for the lower links were lowered in '84, what did that do to make it worse?
....You know, you're right. I'm sorting out how the angular changes in the lower links would affect the axle, and it SHOULD reduce the amount of discrepancy.
Very, very hmm. So why are the Series 3s so much more prone to tearing the links off?
I finished the "last" project I will ever do on my RX7 yesterday, and it felt good, now I can just drive her until I sell her next year. A few years back I replaced the front rotors, bearings, rear rotors, all four calipers and all the brake soft lines. However, what I didn't do was have the new calipers powder-coated before I installed them because I was in a rush to get it done, and back on the road (it was summer.) It would **** me off every time I cleaned my wheels, and I would see the light surface rust on the caliper , especially when I had previously done it when I did the same project on daily driver a few years back. I shipped my original OEM calipers to a "repair and return" shop in Chicago and had them rebuilt, and powder-coated a few weeks ago. and got them back in about a week. My neighbor came over yesterday and gave me a hand removing and replacing my calipers, and bleeding the system. With the RX7 finished I have one more project to finish on my Acura RL, and I'll be finished with my daily driver too. My "wrenching" days are coming to an end, now I'm more interested in driving them rather than working on them. And I'm glad too because I lost my garage/lift hook-up this year and rolling around on my garage floor is not as much fun (or as easy) as it used to be.
I noticed a little bit of roughness in my front wheel bearings, so I repacked with fresh grease, but it was still there. I also noticed the control arm ball joints on both sides were really stiff turning when moving them with the tie rod ends disconnected. So I went all in on some components up front. For others' reference here are the parts and the sources:
Rockauto, $170 for :
New front rotors/hubs, CENTRIC 12145003 (121.45003), http://www.rockauto.com/?carcode=1192261&parttype=1896
Top strut mounts, MEVOTECH MP902934, https://www.rockauto.com/?carcode=1192261&parttype=7600
Front wheel grease seals, TIMKEN 1213N, http://www.rockauto.com/?carcode=1192261&parttype=1860
2x big bearings, TIMKEN SET32, http://www.rockauto.com/?carcode=1192261&parttype=1672
2x small bearings, TIMKENb SET1, http://www.rockauto.com/?carcode=1192261&parttype=1672
New splined ball joints, the old ones pressed out okay with the rented C-Clamp style ball joint press, but I munged up a control arm hole pressing in a new one. So I took that to a local auto machine shop and he trued up the hole, and pressed in both ball joints. He also tacked them for good measure. I got 2x for $54 but it looks like they are now $52 each
Beck Arnley, made in Japan, 101-3880 Ball Joint, https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000CB1JRA
New shocks, adjustable all around, per this excellent thread.
https://www.rx7club.com/1st-generation-specific-1979-1985-18/installing-adjustable-shocks-my-sa-1156704/
Rear Shocks, KYB AGX Adjustable 743020, RockAuto had the best price at $190 for the pair.
Front Inserts, Koni 8641-1072SPORT from Amazon, $380 for a pair.
Took it in for it's lifetime wheel rotation and balancing, they brought a few issues to my attention, one being a broken front sway bar end link, the lower part was missing.
I ordered some Mevotech GK447 front end links off Rockauto and installed them, seems to corner better now but I'm not sure how long ago the link broke.
Next I'm going to try to add an extra spacer to the rear end links I installed in 2021, they're from Beck/Arnley, they're listed for the rear but don't fit right as a bushing washer rubs the chassis, if I could add about 1/4 inch or so it would clear the chassis and still have enough thread left over.
Last edited by YellowFB; Nov 23, 2024 at 05:18 PM.
cracked open the motor last night... to find out why or what caused the compression loss
seems about 7-8 of the corner seals were shattered...
everything else so far seems good... order some parts, reseal.. upgrade to cdi ignition... maybe some larger secondary injectors... build a new turbo mani as mine keeps cracking (thin wall)
How do you think that happened? Too little side seal clearance?
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nah that wasnt the issue.. the motor has like 10-15k miles on it pushing 450whp.. over the last few seasons weve had some issues pop up along the way.. hut ultimately we think ignition issue.. we think possibly boost blew spark out at higher rom and full boost.. everything else so far is fine.. apex seal are all flat/straight etc.. going to replace some parts, upgrade to cdi and send it..
Parts got back from Mazdatrix, assembly was balanced and rotors were side cut.
I didn't think to take "before" pics, but looks like the rear counterweight had some drilled out. One rotor came back 34g lighter.
The front had the more modifications:
Parts look good j_tso and thanks for the sway bar link grease tip, I made sure every link was greased.
3 years ago I installed Beck/Arnley 1014277 end links on the rear sway bar, as it was listed for the rear but they don't fit correctly. The bushings and washers tightly rub the frame on both sides and creak. I missed this post from 2009 showing the size difference between the originals and the B/A links.
The spacers on the B/A links are only 1.5 inch, for a free fix I went digging through my Grandpa's old workshop and found a nut that is just under half an inch for both end links, to extend the bushings past the frame. It was a tight fit to start threading the lower nut and would have been even harder if they hadn't been installed for 3 years but now it doesn't rub the frame anymore.
while Im waiting for some things to rebuild the motor part of the plan is to build a new turbo manifold, so I designed a t4 divided flange and cut it this weekend..
next will be the engine flange.. currently printing some header building blocks for designing runner lengths..
coming back better, faster and stronger… hopefully hahah
track day! There's nothing to hit at Harris Hill Raceway but after rain any off track excursion is certain to need a tow because it gets muddy. So I drove cautiously.
It was hard to start 10 minutes after a session, needed many pumps to get going. However, it started fine after a quick stop on the way home.
Does vapor lock happen inside a carb? I've got a Lake Cities manifold with the DCOE over the headers, but the fact that it started after pumping shows that fuel is getting there.
Otherwise the 12A may be on its way out.
If you don’t have a heat shield between the intake and header or cerakote/header wrap(oh my) the headers to help prevent heat transfer, it could be the small amount of fuel is boiling off inside the bowls. Even with those, it can stop happen with today’s fuel blends.
Could try running the fuel pump before cranking before your next hot start to see if that helps.
Trimmed side seals for the next engine so I won't have to do it next year.
Got all except one just under .003" clearance. The one I didn't hold evenly enough when grinding and like trying to fix a bad haircut I kept at it and now it's about or just under .004".
Mazda specs out .002"-.006" so I'm not totally bummed, just annoyed.
It was hard to start 10 minutes after a session, needed many pumps to get going. However, it started fine after a quick stop on the way home.
Does vapor lock happen inside a carb? I've got a Lake Cities manifold with the DCOE over the headers, but the fact that it started after pumping shows that fuel is getting there.
Otherwise the 12A may be on its way out.
Yep, you need a heat shield, I ended up going with a custom shield that was longer towards the firewall. I guess now-a-days you can ceramic coat the inside/out of the header to help with heat. I had an OER on my lake cities but thats just a raced weber from what I understand.
Reminds me of that GM car that was allergic to vanilla ice cream but not any other flavors. Turns out vanilla was closer to the entrance of the store since it was so popular, which meant less time in the store, which caused the car to vapor lock. Getting chocolate or other flavors were in the back of the store requiring more time.
Redid the front engine harness and in the process of building cleaner harnesses for the TFIDFIS and replacing the fusible links with a Bussmann mini relay/fuse box. I'll post pics in my TFI thread of all the work when I get a chance.
Today I found out that the IAT gauge rolls over if temps go below 0 Celsius. Thought something was broken at first, but thank goodness checking the app confirmed it was just a display glitch. I think I'd have some serious investigating to do if my IATs were truly hotter than the surface of the sun .
Installed new master and slave clutch bits. Hopefully this one will last longer than 2-3 years!
Went with Exedy and also replaced the soft line. Cleaned the hard line and filled with Honda DOT3, only unopened bottle I had.
last big project on this car, the entire front suspension. I’ll start that next week. I anticipate 2 weeks to get that done and all new BF Goodrich tires.
I dug mine out of a garage today and got the first look under the car cover after 15 years!
My husband's grandfather had a fb in the garage when he died that his wife genuinely thought they sold in 2010. They were cleaning out his shop and found it in the back corner behind all his race boats. Got it out from back there today.
Turns out, she got taken apart for a paint job, then he got too sick to put it back together. It's in decent shape and should be running and driving soon! I'll have to sort all the trim and interior pieces that were in the car and give her a good tune up but it's a better starting point that I thought it would be when they told me they found it climbing back there last week.
I dug mine out of a garage today and got the first look under the car cover after 15 years!
My husband's grandfather had a fb in the garage when he died that his wife genuinely thought they sold in 2010. They were cleaning out his shop and found it in the back corner behind all his race boats. Got it out from back there today.
Turns out, she got taken apart for a paint job, then he got too sick to put it back together. It's in decent shape and should be running and driving soon! I'll have to sort all the trim and interior pieces that were in the car and give her a good tune up but it's a better starting point that I thought it would be when they told me they found it climbing back there last week.
