When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
A friend has a stock '84 GSL that failed CA smog test and was told it was due to the carb and it needs to be rebuilt. He got an estimate for the rebuild of about $400 plus the cost of the kit. He does not have the confidence to do the rebuild, but wonders if that's a fair cost? He kind of committed to this before we spoke, but not to the point that he couldn't back out if it's not a fair estimate. Your thoughts on the estimate? If it's high, what would be a reasonable estimate?
It may not be the carb at all. The emissions guy I'm sure is no expert on rx7s. He needs to dig in and
see what the failure was. Its not mentioned what it failed on or we might be able to help out with
suggestions.
He could get it rebuilt and still fail for some other reason. If its idling well and running ok, I'd wouldn't touch
the carby yet. I'd get the FSM and go through the rats nest and make sure all is well and make sure there
are no vacuum leaks.
Sorry it took me some time to get the data from my friend, who I am encouraging to join this FORUM. His 1984 GSL failed both HC and CO @25mph. All good otherwise. Here's the data (@25mph): HC: max=86,ave=36,meas=124 (NOTE: His HC @15mph was max=104,ave=45,meas 104, so it passed on-the-number). CO: @25mph: max=.69,ave=.10,meas=.81 I thought I would post a photo of the car. Everybody loves photos!
I would NOT rebuild/or have carb rebuilt until the basics are covered. Those fail#s are not that far off from passing. Change oil & filter,replace spark plugs,plug wires if age unknown(NGK plug wireset $15) & air filter. Check and set ignition timing, leading/trailing,make sure both vacuum advance units on distributor are functional. Check centrifugal advance on distributor for proper operation. Last adjust carburetor mixture and idle speed. If car exhibits no driveability problems,the above should get it thru emissions testing,run a little better & maybe little more mpg. Leave carb rebuild last,likely not necessary. Need to take car to right kind of shop that knows what they're doing and is familiar with rotaries.
just out of curiosity I think your friend went to my shop, and if you are that persons friend did you get the monster wrenches I recommended!! had some issues with the rebuilder but in the end he passed smog. oh and because I was a big fan of the rotary I threw in a free oil change because it was flooded with fuel that turned green (I still have the oil filter to prove it its a trophy of mine lol) and some new spark plugs. I know not anybody works on rotaries as I am a huge fan but when it comes to emissions I have been bitten more than once for not checking the basics. any who if you are not the guy this will be an strange post lol, also when you get your car up and running by the month of feb 2018 I will do a free pretest on your car to make sure it passes.
just out of curiosity I think your friend went to my shop, and if you are that persons friend did you get the monster wrenches I recommended!! had some issues with the rebuilder but in the end he passed smog. oh and because I was a big fan of the rotary I threw in a free oil change because it was flooded with fuel that turned green (I still have the oil filter to prove it its a trophy of mine lol) and some new spark plugs. I know not anybody works on rotaries as I am a huge fan but when it comes to emissions I have been bitten more than once for not checking the basics. any who if you are not the guy this will be an strange post lol, also when you get your car up and running by the month of feb 2018 I will do a free pretest on your car to make sure it passes.
"I think your friend went to my shop"....What is the name & location of your shop?
"did you get the monster wrenches I recommended!!"....I bought the metric Mountain 5 pc double box universal spline reversible ratcheting wrench set and the SAE 10 pc Gearwrench version of these wrenches. They certainly work better in certain places, including the difficult carb hold-down nuts on the driver's side of the carb. However, I removed a carb at a salvage yard recently and the carb hold-down nuts were extremely tight (over torqued, seized...or, both). In that instance, I had to remove the rat's nest and use a 6 point box end wrench to break them and prevent rounding the nuts. I did not have these wrenches then, so I can't say if they would have handled the situation... maybe...
"had some issues with the rebuilder" ....I am aware of the situation, but I won't go into the details here. I will confirm that it was bad, and left him without the use of the car from something like Jun - Dec 2017? Unacceptable.
"I threw in a free oil change because it was flooded with fuel that turned green (I still have the oil filter to prove it its a trophy of mine lol) and some new spark plugs." I am confused by this statement, and I didn't know any of that. There was green gas in the oil? Could it have been green anti-freeze? If it was gas, why was the gas green; and, how did it get there? Was this before or after the failed emissions testing? I know this is a very low mile (about 40,000 miles total, or like 1,200 mi/year; or 100 mi/month) '84 Rx7, so it is rarely driven and stale Ethanol gas is a probability. I would guess it has not been hardly driven at all in the last couple of years. It can develop a smell on the order of Turpentine (or something like it) and that can leave some nasty very gummy deposits. If the carb was rebuilt because of this, it is very likely to happen again if the fuel system still has the "bad gas" in it.
"also when you get your car up and running by the month of feb 2018".... Not sure I understand... Did I say that... or, are you saying that? I don't know when it will be up and running. I am not doing a complete restoration, but I am trying to go through the main systems to ensure sound operation, and to clean/repaint parts, etc. as I do. Seriously, with other things that are going on... I doubt it will happen in February (unless it's a different year ). When I tore my Goldwing down to the frame, it was just over two years before it was up and running. During that process, I cleaned, polished, and/or repainted every part before it went back on the bike. That included removing the fuel tank (which is inside the frame and requires removing the rear wheel and a bunch of other stuff), cleaning it, repainting it, rebuilding all 4 carbs, and then the reassembly. It is clean and polished from the frame inside to the parts you see on the outside. I did it for me, because no one else probably cares. BUT, ....it is better looking and runs better now than when I bought it. I'm happy with the results, so on to the next project (the Rx7), and then the 'ol p/u truck.
Cost for Carb Rebuild in NorCal
). When I tore my Goldwing down to the frame, it was just over two years before it was up and running. During that process, I cleaned, polished, and/or repainted every part before it went back on the bike. That included removing the fuel tank (which is inside the frame and requires removing the rear wheel and a bunch of other stuff), cleaning it, repainting it, rebuilding all 4 carbs, and then the reassembly. It is clean and polished from the frame inside to the parts you see on the outside. I did it for me, because no one else probably cares. BUT, ....it is better looking and runs better now than when I bought it. I'm happy with the results, so on to the next project (the Rx7), and then the 'ol p/u truck.
