Frankiesaysrelax

Hi, new to forum here. Girlfriend has an 84 GLS purchased new in '84. It's always garaged and looks beautiful but it needs a little attention. At last service Mazda told her it needed a shutter valve to the tune of $320. I would like to fix it for her. Upon inspecting the car I discovered that the accel pump was leaking gas onto some dohickey that turned out to indeed be this mysterious shutter valve. Did Haynes test on pg 262 and it sucks air at idle so it's dead, prolly from gas leaking on it. Question, what's involved in taking off the carb and what parts/tools do I need. Obviously I need the shutter valve, it's gasket, and an accelerator pump diaphragm. What about a base gasket for the carb and I read something about oil feed lines that crack when you pull the carb. Also, where do I get the special 12mm wrenches depicted in mazdatrix's how to on carb removal. They look like distributor wrenches. Anybody know who makes them or part numbers? Thanks for your help. I am new to rotaries but know lots about aircooled VW flat fours and American V8 iron.

peejay

Those ARE distributor wrenches.

The carb base gasket is the phenolic plastic spacer that has 5 or 6 vacuum nipples on it. It's designed to not need replaced. Besides, it costs well over $100 (like $140 or so) so don't worry about it.

Steve Shulz

Last time I bought a shutter valve (from Mazda) 5 years ago it was only $30, what a fu&^ing markup. Check mazdatrix.com and see if they got it cheaper. As far as tools, youll need a 12 mil wrench for the carb base nuts. You will also need some pliers and misc tools to get at other stuff, main point to watch is the oil metering pump wedged down between front of carb and behind water intake manifold. Make sure you put it back on. You wont have to totally remove the carb just lift it up 3-4 inches for some room, so you could leave the fuel lines and throttle cables hooked up, but the carb can be removed in >5 min.

have fun

Felix Wankel

If your car still has the emissions solenoid rack on it, one of the carb nuts is a pain to get to. If you have smallish hands like I do it isn't too bad. The distributor wrenches would help alot.

ladelberg

I don't know, I have pretty big hands and no special tools for the job and changed it out ages ago, don't recall it being more of a pain than anything else - and no, you don't need to pull the carb unless you just feel like you want to. Be Nike - just do it and figure it out as you go!

repuguru

MY Dads 83'GSL has this same issue. I cant get my hand down under all the smog stuff to get the valve replaced. It runs fine just a little bucking under de-cel.
I told him to hold out long enough and I'll give him my YAW carb. Since the possibility of getting tuning parts(from PY) seem to be out of the question.

jasonred3rdgen

i took off all the emission related equipment on an '85 rx-7 along time ago. it developed a vaccuum leak a i wanted to make sure it didn't happen again. i took off the carb and manifold removed the shutter valve butterfly that is in the intake manifold and tapped the hole that was left and put a bolt with some form a gasket#2 (never use silicon around gas). i also removed the copper protusion that has a hose/metal pipe that leads down to the catl. converter and tapped that hole and put a bolt in it. to remove the copper just squeez it and twist it with pliers it will fold and come out. you must also cover the hole on the catl. converter that is left open from removing the metal pipe.
i bought the nessecary blocking plate from mazdatrix to block off the air control valve holes after you remove the air control valve. remove air pump and metal vacuum spider and solinoid switches and cap/plug and open holes. only the brake booster vacuum hose is left on the car.

Pele

iTrader: (28)

My car passed emissions without the shutter valve. Just plug it up.

lindr6

My shutter valve is not working correctly either. Is their any reason to replace it if emissions are not an issue. In other words, is it hurting my engine to not have the shutter valve operating?

repuguru

Naw. I think that thing is made to work in conjuntion with other item. If they are missing then why not pull it off too. Not sure on how you'd plug the hole. That shouldn't be too hard..

Pele

iTrader: (28)

Leave shutter valve there, Plug the pipe from the air cleaner to the valve.

I'm sure we've all seen the picture of my hand with the metal beady chain around it, pointing to the pipe.

Felix Wankel

Take it out and JB weld the hole up. Damn things a restriction. When you only have 100 hp, you need all the help you can get.

Frankiesaysrelax

OK, thanks.

We got a new one from mazdatrix and I am in the middle of putting it on now. That one nut looks like it is going to be a problem. We have a full emissions rack in place as car is 100% stock, only previously worked on by dealer before me. Wish me luck.

Frankiesaysrelax

Well, I would like to know how anyone removes their carb without any special tools. I suppose it would be possible maybe if the emissions rack was removed. I ended up buying a cheap 12mm wrench with a 12pt box end, heating it up and custom bending it. That worked well. Job wasn't too bad, except now I have a fuel leak. I think I lost one of the aluminum washers from the fuel line. Ooops. Grrrr.

WackyRotary

It is tidiuos but am able to remove the carb without any special tools. Just a little patience with the rear nut on the engine side of the carb.

Frankiesaysrelax

Yeah, that's the one that gave me problems. What tool did you use? I think an offset box wrench would have gotten in there ok but I didn't have one. Instead I bent a $3.49 NAPA 12mm box wrench about 20-30 degrees half an inch up the shank from the box. Worked like a charm.

yayarx7

I actually used a 1/2-inch (13mm) dizzy wrench I found in the shop I was working at. They do not believe in metric tools. Can you believe it worked! Worked a ton better than trying to get a 12mm craftsman or snap-on in there. I will be making a custom wrench for the next time. Although now all the emission crapola is gone I do not really need it

Frankiesaysrelax

Yawn, woke up and went out to the garage all refreshed. Crush washer found near right rear tire about 60 seconds later. I was very careful too, I wonder how that one got away? Perhaps I inhaled too much gas fumes? At least it wasn't sitting in the intake waiting to lunch an apex seal. Of course I had covered the intake, but theoretically it could have fallen down there while i was moving the carb away before the rag went down over everything. Thank God I found the thing before I pulled the carb back off to double check!