ultima 1

hi, I just got a cool 1983 rx7 gsl and the motor is no good after sitting for many years, though the car has extremely low miles and is in superb shape.
I want to research the best 12a motor possible. It should be smoggable for california or if I need to get a smoggable motor first and alter it later I will consider it. I want a smooth street motor with power and reliabilty. Thanks, I will read prior posts. Cliff

Rx-7Doctor

iTrader: (13)

Have your engine rebuilt. There are plenty of places in So Ca that do this. If you are wanting to pass Ca emissions then you only have 1 choice. A stock rebuild.

Peacedog94

Have your motor rebuilt with a SMALL streetport. Lots of people in your area can do this. Keep all of your emissions equipment and the stock carb. Swapping the stock exhaust for a performance one along with a performance carb is easy to do and only takes a couple of hours in your garage. Put on the factory equipment for smog testing and then replace it with the performance equipment for the rest of the year. A small streetport setup with a good carb and dual Racing Beat exhaust should get about 160 to 170 hp at the flywheel and still pass smog when the smog gear is hooked up. Some of the better known companies, like Mazdatrix, will even give you a multi-year warranty on the engine.

Rx-7Doctor

iTrader: (13)

Peacedog94,

The emission testing done in his area is all on the Dyno roller. All of the reports back from the guys in So Ca report that no ported engines(small included) will pass the test.

Jeff20B

iTrader: (13)

Doc, do you think a simple casting flash removal in the ports will pass? The port timing would not change, but all the sharp 90° edges and funny lumps would be replaced by a roughened but smooth surface. I've done this on an engine I'm going to test fire within a few weeks. I'll see how it goes. Fortunately it's in a vehicle which no longer needs to pass.

steve84GS TII

I pass CA smog every time with a streetport on my S5 TII engine.
Mazdatrix knows what kind of porting will squeek by, and they can tailor the build according to your needs.The cat can munch up a lot of wasted fuel so long as the air injection system is working and the cat is healthy.

Being carbed,youll have a bit more of a challenge,but it can be done.Idle mix can be leaned,better-than-stock cats can be fitted,ignition system can be maximized.......a Sterling carb might even be adpatable to all the stock smog gear.
The dyno roller test is done at very low power levels,you definately wont be into the secondaries.Im sure Id fail big time if they ever boosted my car or hit the secondary injectors while smog testing.I'd say that bolt-on mods and a very mild streetport could get you to about a 140-150HP peak, and still get by the relatively low rpm dyno smog.
You could also just open up the secondary intake ports and keep the exhaust porting light.......call it a "half-street" port job.

ultima 1

Thanks guys. I agree with the exhaust swap....seems like a nice extra 15ish horse power. now the motor...

I will check with mazdatrix as well.

DMV here says any smog correct motor out of a same year or newer model car with full original style smog equipment is OK.

How about a 12a turbo 1 motor? what is the history on that motor?....will search as well...any current info not discussed?

Thank you for the time and effort. I will be saving the $$$$ as the search continues.

cliff

Rx-7Doctor

iTrader: (13)

Nope, thanks for playing. No US Turbo 12a engines.
You can see 150HP without porting on your 12a with bolt ons. However when you go in for testing it all has to be stock.
I can't see wasting money on a 1/2 street port type build. What are you going to gain HP wise? 5%? 8%? Just not worth the money for that.

You are better off doing either a N/A S5 or the TII S4 or S5 and using stock ECU and such.

Jeff, like your idea. Curious to see what benefit you would see. Don't think it would really affect emission characteristics though.

ultima 1

Thanks Doc. To preserve the originality of the car I have been discussing with Zack in NoCal about keeping our cars 12A

I will research the setups you listed, cliff

Rotary-MG

iTrader: (1)

My mechanic smogged my stock 85GS for me, although he said he couldn't get a new ACV for me. I also noticed that the smog check place was way across town, but no miles were added to the ODO when I picked up the car.

It's good to know someone that knows someone, sometimes.

steve84GS TII

If I had the time and money,I would drop a 12AT into a GSL-SE 1st gen and just stroll into a smog shop and see if they EVEN NOTICE.
Most places are test only shops now,they dont poke or prod or anything.So long as the car has the same setup as its supposed to have......EFI/carb....EGR,AIR,MIL,O2,EVAP.....ect,ect,.......the y just slap it on the dyno and test.The 12AT has (I think) the same smog control gear as the GSL-SE and it has the same basic EFI.The turbo is not a smog control device,nor is it even mentioned on my California BAR approved engine swap sticker.It could be an N/A or TII engine in my car,they dont discern between the two.

Jeff20B

iTrader: (13)

The car just needs a header and an auto to manual swap.

j9fd3s

iTrader: (3)

style points for having the boost controller right next to the smog sticker!

steve84GS TII

Shows how much they pay attention.
It passed through the STATE run refferee test twice like that and they said nothing.First for the S4,then the S5 swap.The ref here is so hung up on doing things by the book,to the letter...that he doesnt always catch stuff.That has been both a hassel and an advantage for me.
Since the boost controller isnt a smog control device,he completely ignored it as if it were just another relay or solenoid.He was too busy hunting down the devices listed in his book.But,I got flunked the first time I took my V-6 Samurai in for inspection because I didnt have the words,"check engine" next to my MIL......also,the MIL bulb has to be orange........thats how pickey they are.
Another time,I took a buddies TBI converted, 84 Blazer in for inspection and he flunked me for having the Evap canister lines facing to 12 o'clock rather than 9 o'clock like in the vacuum diagram......seriously!!

j9fd3s

iTrader: (3)

thats like our tech inspector at the race track, he's got no idea what he's looking at, but if he hears about something (ie illegal cams in the spec miata) he's the most **** person ever.

ultima 1

well, several hours of phone calls to engine importers looking for 12a T motors and NOTHING.

It does seem that a 13b T complete setup appears easier to find - a s5 setup- I think and appears to be legal....wheeeeeee.

Now let's find some one who can do the whole thing, quickly and competently.
I will start with Jim at Mariah....he is always helpful and will take phone calls...he did the mods on my car so I hope he will tell me he did all the right suspension stuff first as HP can kill
Sorry, guys I tried the 12a gig but it is a wierd haul.
cliff

ultima 1

well, a guy just contacted me @ he says he just put a 1995 fd motor complete in a 1985 gsl and passed smog here in california. Looks like more reading for me.

steve84GS TII

Way more work for an engine that can be matched by a mildly built S5.

Yes,the FD engine is awesome,and it delivers a great punch,but its not even remotely designed for the FB chassis,wheras the S4 and S5 engines are basically evolved versions of the GSL-SE engine.Pretty easy to adapt into the 1st gen.Plus youll have a lot more assistance from here, if you go S4/S5......wink,wink!

ultima 1

thank you Mr. Steve.....I just talked to the Nick from Rotary....yes the famous Nick...who re-installed my 12a and he says that he will get it to pass smog before i convert it as he says the motor is OK even after sitting 5 years and even though it is sucking down water and oil like a drunk at a bar

he says that an exhaust, headers and carb will Kick butt on this car, after smog....but first I will change the oil/water mix it is trying to run on now and see if we can get the old 12a to run