I took my '80 SA (still a newbie) in for a smog and it failed 'cause of dilution -- tech says go see an exhaust shop.

Exhaust guy says pipes, muffler & heat exchanger (he thought it was a cat all look good, but that there is a leak somewhere "up there", pointing to the thermal reactor.

Suspecting a bad TR and searching the forum, I found a ton of folks have made the switch to RB's and are loving it..but that won't help me to pass emissions in Cali.

My questions are:

How do I determine if my TR is bad?
Can a TR be repaired?
If it can't be repaired, where can I find a new/working TR (other than walking the yards at autowreckers)?
If I can't find a TR, what else can I do that will pass smog?

FYI, I have about two weeks to go.

advTHXance

 

Check all the air hoses that attach to the TR from the air (smog) pump. If all looks good, try adding 2-3 gallons of E85, take the car for a good warmup run, and have it retested while everything is still hot.
The TR system doesn't really work good, till it's fully up to temp.

 

I had a Catalytic Converter that Looked new On my Car TOO..took it in to get Tested and NOPE!..it Failed Miserably!..Turns out after Searching(and close to the point of Selling The Beotch!)..That THE CAT WAS HOLLOW..I mean throw a Baseball through it Hollow!..the Answer for you BUdz,is to get a hi-flo cat.BONEZ makes Them..find them along with some of the RB stuff On the RB site.You can always get something Fabbed Up like a good V-8 Cat..then of Course Drop it when you pass the Test and run without it..zoom,zoom!

 

combine what the previous two members said and you should pass. Here is my story...

Took 85 glse to local shop, Failed, idiot tech said that I was missfiring.
Replaced spark plugs, rotor, and cap
Took it to the same shop, Failed, idiot tech laughed at me.
Took it to a different shop, Failed, idiot tech said that I had an apex seal leak.
Sat and looked all over the forum for what to do. Then replaced one of my cats.
Took it to the referee in chico. The techs said nothing. had a bunch of shop students gawking at my car though.
Then replace the second cat, so that I had two cats in line. Then ran alc. for the test with high grade fuel.
Took it to referee. failed but only because my timing was off.
Fixed timing
Took it to referee. Passed happy as a clam and now its a to work and home beauty.

 

Ok, so the suggested replacement solution for the TR in my '80 SA is:

- pull TR (and related stuff out..eg. air pump etc., per other posts in the forum)
- add RB header ($225) (http://www.racingbeat.com/FRmazda1.htm)
- add Super-Flo Bonez dual cat system ($335) (http://rx7.com/store/rx7/FCdualcat.html)
- add RB Power Pulse muffler ($244) (unless I can salvage existing)
- add all gaskets ($50)
- clean and de-grease the engine compartment
- mix 3 parts de-natured alcohol to 8 parts gasoline (87 octane)
- run the car hard before smog test to heat up the cats
- take it to a tech that doesn't know what the visual inspection should be

Estimated cost for all new is $850 plus taxes, S&H....being able to run 1980 SA22C on the street with more power and cool new sound...Priceless!

Did I miss anything?

 

nope sounds about right.

 

Glad I dont live in Cali! Sorry couldnt be more helpful!

 

The biggest issues the TRs have is they break down internally and tend to plug up. When this happens, you will notice a big drop in performance, i.e., it takes forever to get to upper rpms, even in 1st gear. There is no repair that can be made on the reactor.

Since the CA emmisions rules will allow upgrades to later systems, your best option may be to find and FB exhaust mani, cats and the rest of the system, making sure that the airpump and it's fresh air line to main cat is installed and leak free.

I don't remember if the SAs have an acv on the intake mani. If it does, you might try removing that and cleaning it. I could be as simple as the acv is not working due to carbon buildup.

 

Hmm...well, I'm not experiencing any discernible power drop...I don't quite understand how the TR is constructed, but from what I'm reading, it has an inner chamber and an outer shell (plus the heat shield). Is that correct?

Makes for an excellent plan B (now I just have to find an FB).

The manual says that I do have an Air Control Valve (i.e. ACV right?), so I'll definitely try that in plan A.

 

I do free towing in the Southern CA area particularly clean SA's that wont pass smog.

j/k.