Ok, I think I'm narrowing in on getting my new carb tuned up. However, a new problem has arisen. She has started smoking a decent bit at start up. Once she is warm it completely disappears. I am trying to figure out what could be causing this. Could it be the carb set up or could something have happened throughout all of this and I somehow blew a seal or something. The engine runs smooth and much stronger than with my old carb (the new one supposedly has the venturis bored out). The smoke has been getting less lately (first time it looked like the ATF treatment). The smoke is bluish in color (although I think it was white when this first started).

Is is possible the carb is like super rich when cold? Or there is just junk getting worked out of it? Or maybe I have the butterflies open too much at idle/rest and stuff is getting in the engine (gas/oil)? I did remove the emissions stuff when changing the carb, could that have something to do with it? Or have I done gone blowed it up real good?

Thanks for your patience with me guys.

 

I'm not sure if this is relevant, but here is what Felix Miata's FAQ says about smoking on start up:

http://mrmazda.members.atlantic.net/...xt.html#SSTART

From that it doesn't sound like the smoke necessarily implies the impending death of your engine, or anything terrible like that.

If it has just started since you changed the carb over, however, I would expect that to somehow be the cause. But my thoughts are pretty worthless. I've put my carb changeover on hold because I'm scared of it!

Bye,
ScruffyChimp

 

All rotaries smoke a little bit on startup because when the engine gets shut off, the oil that is used to lubricate the apex seals drains to the lowest point in the rotor and sits. In a piston engine, the oil drains back down into the crank case, so they shouldn't smoke on startup - unless something is worn, like piston rings. Anyway, the rotary normally smokes a tad bit on startup and then the smoke diminishes after a few seconds.

 

A few seconds? Mine smokes for a few minutes ...

~T.J.

 

Well, nobody's perfect.

 

That was quite helpful. Thanks. I think that the reason it seems to have appeared now is the carb is probably set up quite rich currently, and, as the faq says, cold engines run rich making the smoke appear darker.

 

Mine smokes a little on start up too (an always has since the day I bought it)! I'm always getting comments from the boinger's like " Looks like you're burn'n a little oil there buddy". I'm sooo sick of that comment and even more sick of trying to expain it - it's easier to just say - "Yes, I'm burning a little oil, I think it's the rings!"

 

Just tell them that they are a biased piece of scum. Anyway, I just wanted to comment on adjusting the carb - you might want to check your oil metering pump instead, it's located at the front of the engine way down at the bottom. Mine was seized up and probably caused my engine to kill an apex seal. I guess because of where it's located that it is susceptible to dirt, leaking oil, salt and other contaminants.