wrigh003

I am about to do something monumentally stupid (ha!) and give Racing Beat some money toward my '82 GSL instead of doing something productive like remodel the bathroom with those funds. The car's a 12a of indeterminate/possibly modified origin. It idles a little goofy (lopes a bit) and is really cold-blooded, which makes me wonder if it's maybe been ported somewhere along the line, but I can't prove that without cracking it open (which I am not ready to do just yet). Compression seems fine (6 thumps). Rats nest is gone, radiator is newish, alternator is also newish, plug wires look good enough for now. Ignition system is stock.

On my list thus far:
Street-port exhaust
Racing Beat filter housing
K&N element
New plugs (BR9EQ, right? I drive lots of highway miles, living far from work and civilization. All 4 the same?)
Spark plug socket with which to change those plugs?

I'm new to rotaries, and this thing has been driven very occasionally since I got it last fall due to limited finances/time and (moreso) not having an exhaust behind the stock manifold. It's registered and insured, and I'd like to start getting more use out of it than I do, so I am going to break the piggy bank and get it running really well so I can use it as the spare/backup car that it's meant to be. I might even hit an autocross this fall if I ever get time...

Cliff's notes for the lazy:
I'm about to spend about $1100 or so at Racing Beat on parts. Am I forgetting anything or are there any other gadgets/gizmos I'd want to consider while I'm at it? I'm not talking about $500 more, or even $200, really just anything up to a few bucks more that I'd kick myself for not getting now.

Thanks in advance, all.

Roundabout

iTrader: (8)

Im not sure if the filter element comes with the cleaning (recharge) kit. if it doesn't, you can get them at auto parts stores for ~$12

wrigh003

Yup. I think. think. I still have a filter recharge kit for a K&N type filter from back in my old Honda-screwing-around-with days.

If I can't locate it easily tonight, I'll probably just go ahead and grab another one.

Rx-7Doctor

iTrader: (13)

Just a silly ? Before you go and spend all that money have you checked all the safety things like brakes,suspension,steering? Have you serviced all the fluids. Coolant,diff oil,trans oil and changed the brake fluid?
When you stated that the wires "Look Good". Have you checked the ends for corrosion or done a OHM'S test?
Oh, there is no special socket for the plugs. It just takes a 13/16 spark plug socket.

wrigh003

Yes, I'm not trying to drive around in something unsafe. Brake checking has been done, and they work like a champ. Braided steel lines may get added "while I am at it," though. Suspension all seems fine, though a little tired (that's next). Tires are have good tread, but I need to spend a little on balancing and alignment. Steering is just OK, but it doesn't wander, and only has a little wiggle room. From what I understand, that's common to these things. Most all of that money is the exhaust, and I have been looking here and there for a used one forever, just haven't come across all the pieces, so I figured I'd just go ahead and pop for what I want to get for the thing instead of piecing something together as a stopgap, then spending still more money later on the final solution.

Coolant, I need to look at, but I am 99% that it's fine. I periodically get a "low-coolant level" idiot light after I get started, but the temp always stays rock-steady at about 1/3 of the way up the gauge, the overflow bottle is right where it should be, etc. I have had loads of time to check for leaks and haven't seen any, and don't seem to be burning any either. Trans oil, I don't much care about (so long as it works) because this car has a 3-spd auto in it right now that's going to be changed for a 5-speed (sitting in my basement, waiting for me to get to it), hopefully this summer sometime. Rear end fluid is hopefully OK, but I will probably check/change that while I am under there with the new trans and the driveshaft out, etc.

Rx-7Doctor

iTrader: (13)

Coolant is supposed to be serviced every 2 years or 30k whichever comes first unless you have extended life antifreeze in there. Brake fluid is supposed to be done every 2 years or 30k. How about belts and hoses? Diff fluid should be changed every 60k.
Make sure you check your idler arm for play because the nylon bushings wear out.
Personally i would not pop for a streetport exhaust system. For the marginal gain that you might get between the standard header system and the streetport i believe you could do other upgrades. But that's just my 2 cents..

wrigh003

Those other upgrades in that case would be eaten into by my finding a center section or having some muffler guy weld me one up.

Hoses and belts look OK for now, they appear to have been changed when the new rad and new altermater were put on. Coolant, I am going to crack open when I get home tonight and look at it, I suspect that it's the same age. Brake fluid, well, maybe it does need to be done, so if I wind up getting these steel lines, then I guess I'll have an excuse to bleed them and get new fluid in there.



Thanks for the input- I have been reading up on this for a while and am pretty excited about finally getting the stuff to get my project car, well, project-ing.

Rx-7Doctor

iTrader: (13)

The non streetport exhaust system is complete with silencer and muffler. It is bolt on just like the streetport one except much cheaper.

wrigh003

1981-82 RX-7 High Performance Exhaust System*
(less factory connecting pipe)

This is how it's marked on racingbeat.com, and here's the picture that I used to determine that this wouldn't work for me due to it being incomplete. Unless I'm completely off base, this isn't a complete system. I don't have the midpipe, this car was/is somebody else's past project and that piece is gone/ was never here in the time I have owned this car.

http://www.racingbeat.com/photos/16410.jpg

What am I missing? Gimme a link if you know something I don't and can show me what's much cheaper- in my world $690 isn't that far off from $860- both are a lot of money.

Edit (again)- by the way, just got home ane popped the hood.
Coolant: new
Cap: new
plug wires: new
radiator: new
alternator: new (well, stickered 2002, but that's a manufacture sticker)
Belts: good shape
hoses: likewise

Rx-7Doctor

iTrader: (13)

Well $170.00 plus tax and extra shipping because the streetport one is much heavier adds up to alot. I did not know you did not have the connecting pipe. You can get one at your local wreckers for next to nothing. If you plan on porting your motor and running somehting like a 48or 51ida weber then the streetport system will benefit you. If not then i am just saying that your money could go to other things. Your call, your money, just my 2 cents worth.

Kentetsu

I have the RB standard system and like it. I've heard the street port version and it's a little bit louder.

Now having said that, I'll tell you this. My exhaust sounds great from inside the car, but I was very disappointed when I heard it from the outside for the first time (while someone else drove it hard). You could barely even hear it. To think of all those times I "let off" because there was a cop nearby, or took off really easy because I didn't want him to hear my "loud" exhaust. lol. I could have floored it while he was napping and he wouldn't have noticed. Anyway, good system but maybe a little too quiet.

If I had it to do again, I would have taken a much harder look at MindTrain exhaust systems. I know that they are quite a bit louder (how much I'm not sure)... And I think it only runs around $500 or so. But be warned, it may be loud enough to get you pulled over if they are tough on that sort of thing in your area (or if you drive like crazy).

Kentetsu

P.S. that pipe that is not included with the RB system, I paid like $45.00 for it through a local import specialty parts store. Should not be too hard to find.

alex_the_hipple

I just read someone's thread saying that they have an RB StreetPort exhaust system, for a 12A, for sale at a pretty decent price. You might want to shoot him a PM (rotor vs. piston).

- Alex

blwfly

iTrader: (4)

or just buy a header and go with a borla alot cheaper and loudsih

Fire85GSLSE

iTrader: (29)

I would just get a stainless steel header for now. I can't remember but was the rear muffler missing? If so then the price of a header and a RB muffler would be close to the full system so ya get the full system.


I do know the following was new:

Coolant, Cap, plug wires, radiator ,alternator, Belts ,hoses and we did remove the Rats nest.
The guy I got it from had the car in Ga and he said a Mazda person owned it before him. It might have gotten a rebuild and Strreport but not real sure. I do know that one time I started off in 1st and punched it. When I shifted into 2nd it slid the rear out, and almost got me sideways on the street.
well keep us posted.

Mazda12AGS

What part of Birmingham do you live in, I live in Alabaster. Oh and the only thing i didn't like about my racing beat exhaust parts is the studs where cheaply made and broke extremely easy, so I ended up having to weld my entire system all the way back. Other then that it seemed to be a noticeable diffrence in power when I installed it.