Mimimalist carb.
 

Hi.

I was reading Skidrain's post about the backfiring problem. I have a problem very similar to that. For the first ten minutes, it backfires badly every time I shift. I know some of you say it is just fact of owning a rotary, but this isn't normal. The occassional backfire I can handle; there is nothing occassional about this. My car was inspected by an exaust shop, and they said the problem is not with the exaust system.

So I'm looking at my carboretor. The previous owner removed the emissions from the car, but unfortunately, the goon appeared to use a brick or a small peice of farming machinery to block off the pipes on my carb. There are bits missing: it's munted.

I've bought a new (secondhand) carb. It's a Nikki, and looks very similar to the one that is pulled apart in the Haynes manual. But here's the thing: It's more simple. It doesn't seem to have any emissions stuff on it at all.

For instance, it doesn't have any power couplings on it at all. I guess most of a carb is mechanical, not electrical, so this isn't a disaster. I think this carb may be off an earlier 12A. Felix: if you're reading this, does this sound like it might be off an RX-2 or RX-3?

Will I be able to use this? I don't care about the choke not retracting automatically any more, or little things like that, and it looks in much better condition than my current one.

By the way, my car passed its Warrant of Fitness about 2 weeks ago. It took me nearly 6 months to get it roadworthy from the time I bought it. Thank you all for your help, which has been invaluable.

Thanks for any help.
ScruffyChimp.

one reason that it would be backfiring a lot , durring the first ten minutes, is because it is cold. rotaries do that. try not shifting above 3k until you are at normal operating temps.

The carb could also possibly be off of a 79-80. My 80 had very few electrical connections on it. The function of the electrical choke is more in the dash than the carb. On the carb it is just a mechanical linkage. So, that should still work. I don't have a choke at all on my Nikki, I have the old choke cable hooked up to the fast idle, but the electrics still work and kick it off when the engine hits operating temp, just like it was a choke.

Anyway, you should be able to use it.
hanman

the old 79-80s have two screws. One for idle by changing the air, and an idle mixture screw. They are located one on top of the other one. If you see a big screw right on top of the mixture screw then it's an old carb. these carbs don't have the throttle linkage detent screw to adjust idle.

I got one myself in my '85