My exhaust smells so much like gas that it makes my eyes water... I get the feeling I could light it with a match. :-)

The car starts OK, and after a little help running (choke) for a few minutes it idles, albiet roughly. Once I get it down the road about 1/4 mile, it starts running better. After a mile, much better!

NO smoke from exhaust, GREAT oil pressure. Got new plugs, wires, cap, rotor...

Also, plenty of power!

Only getting about 14mpg...

WHAT is wrong?

 

that power has to come from somewhere... I'm only getting about 16 miles.. and that's on the highway..

 

Yea, but I think that I might get more power if the car were running more smoothly, and if it wasn't choking me with raw gas out of the exhaust... Wouldn't it?

 

Time to tune up the carb?
Are the float levels the correct height? Look at the height on the carb fuel bowl windows - need to use a mirror to see the rear. Is the fuel level in the middle of the window?
Needle valve and set leaking?

Is it puffing black smoke at idle?
If not perhaps its an air leak.

Good luck

 

my fb does similar things and has gassy exhaust but not too bad. I figure i need some carb work, but once its warmed up it had good throttle response and performs fine so I'm gonna leave it alone for now. Thats the gas mileage I'm getting, might not get a whole lot better really

 

these things got 20mpg from the factory. also, you should learn to enjoy the hydrocarbon high

real answer: you carb is probably just slightly out of whack. tune it to factory spec and you should be good to go.

 

Interesting... got under her to make sure that there weren't any exhaust leaks and found that I have no cat... There's a custom pipe running from the manifold straight back to a non-stock muffler. Could this be the reason for the exhaust fumes that could choke a horse?

Also, I noticed that I get backfires (very slight) even when warmed up... If I downshift to slow down it happens, and if I goose the accelerator and let off, it does it... Sounds like small popping noises. When downshifting, they are constant until I let off the clutch... In either case they slow down as the engine RPM's do...

Also, to answer Bruceman's questions... Dont' know about carb, but have been planning to look at it... Kinda scared of Mazda's carbs as a whole so I've been putting it off... No smoke from the exhaust, ever... Not at startup, idle, or when I romp on it... I've been quite surprised by that, actually!


That's about it for now. Hopefully it's enough for more input.

Thanks for everything!

 

1: Exhaust Leaks?
2: Too high float level?
3: Leaks in intake or carb?
4: Leaky fuel lines (my problem)
5: clogged filters?

Running with no CAT makes all the gassy smells u can imagine also.

 

Yeah, I'm catless & have the eye-watering gas fumes.... great, isn't it?

 

Wanna put headers on her when I am transplanting the engine into my 83 LE... If I go with straight-pipe to a muffler I guess I better get used to the smell? Hmmm... Maybe I should find a cheap cat and hooker-up. Can I use a less expensive cat from another vehicle?

 

That straight pipe is the source of your backfiring and gassy fumes. Thats just the way rotaries are. One thing that might make a little difference is adjusting the carb idle mixture. Lean it out a little and the gassy smell MIGHT go away a little. Not much though. You had better get used to it.

 

That's what I was looking for. Kinda cool, to have a car that sounds and idles like a Harley. Why even turn the radio on? The car's so much fun to listen to!

 

You got it man.

 

Beh... go catless... or go high flow. Yeah, get used to the smell & sound (which I like, btw). I have header to straight pipe to RB muffler, and like it very much - great response!

 

my exhaust is the same. it hurts your eyes. im running nocats.my brother couldnt seem to light it with a torch. i dont know why

 

My exhaust is the same, header to pipe to muffler, it is too loud so i'm looking for a racing beat presilincer for an 85 GSL manual *cough cough*

 

I have an RB presilencer sitting in my bedroom. Brand new, never used. Wanna buy it?

(Got it for my 84 GS, never installed - and for some reason, mine's NOT loud).

 

hmmm, what year?

 

Mine's an 84 GS

 

Lean out the fuel mixture a tad

 

mines an 84 gs its not that loud either.

Racerx7fb was that leaning out the fuel mixture to make it louder or for less gassy exhaust?

 

I'm betting it's for less gassy exhaust...

 

yeah thats what i thought

 

Yes... plus it may also improve the gas mileage

 

New plug wires, cap, and rotor (the plugs were new when I got her) put in before last fill-up. Still gassy smelling... Still spitting and sputtering when cold, and still idles rough... HOWEVER, Gas Mileage is up to 18.2!!!

Will be checking the Carb next.