ms.rx7

I was wondering if anyone would be able to refer me to a good rotary engine mechanic in the Naperville, Illinois, area that knows carburetors. Thank you!

Rx7carl

WHats the problem with the carb? If it just needs a rebuild what year carb is it? Maybe I can help.

ms.rx7

I just need a little adjustment made to it I think. The replies to my earlier questions have brought me to the conclusion of linkage needing adjusted. She is hard to start when she's warm (I have to apply the choke even if she has been sitting just a few minutes) and when I start her cold, I have to babysit for 3-5 minutes with my foot on the gas and the choke on before I can leave her to sit and idle and warm up.

Rx7carl

That rarely goes out of adjustment. You might want to spray something like WD-40 on the linkage as they do get sticky with age. Is the idle steady when warm? You may just need a tune-up. Plugs especially from what your saying.

ms.rx7

Thanks for the suggestion. I just put new plugs, distributor, rotor and wires on her. She runs fine once she is good and warm other than a slight hesitation between 2nd and 3rd at around 4,000rpm.

Aviator 902S

Just had the same problem fixed on my GSL (12A) at the local Mazda dealer, since most mechanics seem to have forgotten Carbs 101. Cost me $116. I didn't get a chance to talk to the mechanic since by the time I picked the car up he had left for the day, but the invoice said "replace diaphragm, adjust fast idle. Car now idles when cold, even without the choke, and at the proper (non-choke) rpm of 750.

SuperPhly

So you're saying that a mazda dealership would do a good job at fixing my carb and getting it running right?

Aviator 902S

Not necessarily. This particular Mazda dealership here in Calgary fixed the problem for me. The thing to do is go in to a Mazda service department and ask some pointed questions. You'll want to find a mechanic who's been there for at least 10 or 15 yrs. (which means someone who's over 40-ish. Someone like that would have had experience servicing the carbs on 12A-powered RX7's. But since there are far fewer of these cars on the road now than there was then, less experienced mechanics may only know how to replace a carb (if even that). They're more familiar with fuel injection.
The way I went about this was I told the guy I had an '85 gsl that wouldn't idle when cold, that I was aware that a replacement carb would cost way more than an aftermarket conversion from Rx7 Specialties (insert name of rotary performance specialist in your area), but that if someone in this Mazda service department was familiar with troubleshooting this carb and found that the problem was minor in nature I'd prefer to have it serviced here. The guy informed me that these carbs were usually pretty reliable and that problems were usually emissions-system related and didn't require carb replacement.
Also point out that it would have to be diagnosed while the engine is cold because if allowed to run for five minutes the engine would warm up and be on its best behavior, rendering further diagnosis impossible.
This statement serves 2 purposes: first, it will help the mechanic to properly diagnose the car, since he won't waste valuable shop time on it. Second and more importantly, it will take any incentive away from an unscrupulous shop manager to try to bill you for 3 or 4 hours of shop time for the diagnosis, since the car won't run cold for that long.
This is not to say that all Mazda service personnel are dishonest, some are ok. But if those little hairs on the back of your neck begin to stand on end as you quiz the guy, listen to them cuz they're almost always right. If someone seems shady and evasive it's because they are. Take your business elsewhere. Hope this helps.