Hey guys! I'm a newbie here (as well as with rotaries and repair). I've perused this (bad-***) forum and it's one of the reasons I bought my 82 rex. Got it for cheap because the previous owner and mechanic didn't want to mess/invest in passing CA emissions. They pretty much replaced the air shutter valve and diaphragm and gave up. They said the CO levels were running 5% rich.
Soooo I plan on giving it a full tune up (change the oil, plugs, wires, air filter, cap and rotor, and spray it with some carb cleaner). I was also thinking of getting a bonez cat but I read that I should change the acv first? Does anybody want to sell (or rent) me their acv? They seem rather elusive and expensive.
As far as the other quirks with the car; it makes a clinking noise sometimes (I think from around the engine area) when I shift in the lower gears and it also drives pretty rough between 40-70 mph. Could it be the driveshaft? The choke also doesn't pop in automatically when the car is at operating temp. Otherwise, everything is peachy and the car runs just fine. I've adjusted the idle speed and it idles just above 750 rpm. Oh, which fuse is for the dome lights? None of them seem to work lol.
I think I'm going to register the car in another county so I only have to smog it once hehe.

 

Welcome to the forum!

If the car still has the original cats, the bonez cat should make a big difference.

The choke not popping in could be caused by a faulty temperature switch. The temp switch/sensor is located on the back side of the water pump.

Good luck!