Ok, Christmas was good in the Duncan household. The wife got me a Rotary Engineering dual Weber 36dcd manifold with carbs. I am going to try and install them over the next couple of weeks, but have a question. The new manifold does not have the channels for the coolant to pass through. If I use new orings for the ports, will that be enough with the flat edge of the manifold to stop the coolant, or do I need to find some way to plug the coolant outlets on the engine? Any help would be appreciated. Also, if you have pics or advice from a similar install in your car, please post them up.

I am fairly excited, as I should see a pretty good power improvement with this carb setup in addition to my RB exhaust system.

Thanks in advance,
James

 

Yeah, this is what everyone does with a formally 12a with the stock nikki. I take this a step further though, when I have a engine apart, I tap those holes and screw allan-wrenched plugs with thread sealer into them till they are flush so the manifold will fit on tight. I still use the rubber o-rings over this for a abuslute tight fit.

 

Congrats man, Id say if you use new O rings and some good hylomar sealnt that ought to be enough..

Where in the hell did she find Rotary Engineering stuff? Them guys been out of biz for like almost 9 years..

 

You're a very lucky man.
We will expect pictures soon.

 

Ok, this is still in testing phase so YMMV. But what I did is pop in a 20mm freeze plug into each passage on the engine so I can change manny's without draining the water.

 

You're telling me!! Last year, she got me Panasports! She bought the carb setup from a gentleman down in TN. It is used, but in good condition, and included a fuel pressure regulator, fuel pressure guage, all the fuel lines, throttle linkage, and omp linkage and ports. The glass on the fuel pressure guage got busted during shipping (thanks ups), but it read to 15psi anyway, and everything I have read said to not use one that read higher than you need because of the margin for error. I have already pulled the nikki & intake from my 80 in preparation for the install. I still need to come up with some sort of heatshield between the exhaust and the intake. Any one know of a bolt on solution already out there?

I will try to take a few pics as the work progresses. Mike, would I apply the hylomar to both sides of the intake manifold gasket or just one? I have the gasket and orings on order from Mazdatrix already. Can someone with a fsm tell me what to torque the intake bolts to when I reinstall it?

Thanks everyone,
James

 

Here, have an FSM on me . Actually its on Kevin W, you can thank him for doing this.

http://www.wankel.net/~krwright/files/1985_RX-7_FSM/

 

That's what I did.

 

Those 20mm freeze plugs are a really tight fit though... I did it to one set of housings, but haven't done it since cause they don't just pop in.

You don't torque the intake manifold bolts, they bottom out and snap their heads off real easy, that's why there's no torque setting listed. Just snug them down tight, maybe 8-10lbs if you gotta measure. I snapped a head off a bolt on my way to 14lbs of torque; that was when I couldn't find the torque rating.

 

well, i guess i am lucky, i took a 2 ft bar, and ut all of my 200 pound *** into it, and jumped on it to tighten tem down...... good thing they didnt break!!!



Thanx for the info!!!

Peace...

 

Apply hylomar to both sides of the gasket, being that you sealing both sides of the intake manifold... I think from memory the intake manifold torque is 19-22 ft lbs. But thats memory...

 

I'd like to see where that rating is, cause it's not in my FSM, and it's not in the Haynes, and its not anywhere else I've looked. And for what it's worth, I prefer a dry intake manifold gasket with just a smidge of grease to lube the o-rings - easy on, easy off, great seal, no mess.

 

The specs are in the Haynes manual. It's in the first chapter under 'Torque wrench settings' funnily enough. It's 14 to 19 ft/lb. I never worry about it though. Just gradually tighten each nut starting from the inner most ones out alternating left to right. No need to tighten them mega tight either, just snug. Some people call it the 'Armstrong method', or 'calibrated elbow'.

I agree completely on the gasket BTW. I've never used sealer on my intake manifold gaskets. No vacuum leaks and you can usually reuse the gasket if you have to take the manifold off.

 

So if I don't use sealer on the gasket, what should I do about the coolant passages? They do not exist on the manifold. Just flat solid metal. would that and the orings be enough to stop the coolant from ruining the gasket?

 

Ok I think this is close to the same concept I did to my RB intake.

The coolant passsage holes on the block I would put a little silicone sealant on there with put 2 quarters one in each hole,then put a **** load on the outside,let it sit a couple of mins to start to get dried then throw the intake on.

Mine has no leaked,or had any problems.I have used this set up for 3 yrs now.The RB /Holley intake do not have xcoolant pass through it,

 

I tried that on the advice of a friend in Tampa, didnt work for me at all. leaked like crazy. Must only work for you Tampa guys.

 

I do what Revhed does also. I prefer not to get any sealant on the gasket so there is no mess. I don't have any vacuum leaks. The first time I used plugs in my rotor housings I did it without using the rubber o-rings and it leaked tiny amounts of coolant. The next engine I put thread sealant on the freeze plugs and used the o-rings and it never had any coolant loss then.

I am really glad I did this so taking off the weber sidedraft is a 4minute job and is far easily with no coolant mess or leaks to clean the air filter then trying to get it off with the oil filler in the way or anything else.

 

Okay, I didn't feel like reading through all the posts (to damn busy at work today).

When I installed my Racing Beat intake (w/ RB Holley Carb). It didn't have the coolant passages either. All I did was get new rubber o-rings to replace to old ones, and slapped the intake and it's gasket on. I haven't had any problems. No leaks, no high temps, ect...

-Error402

 

Maybe its warmer down here and seals better