how can i tell if they are working properly? is there any way to check wihout taking my car to a mechanic?

 

If you cant feel them coming on, then they prolly aren't.
Theres one way to check if there is even a remote chance they work, and that is to move the actuators. They are the little round things with rod on the lower intake. If you cant move them by hand, then they wont work.

 

S4 or S5?

First step: See if you can move them by hand. If they don't move by hand (they should take a decent amount of force to move, but not huge amounts, and they should slide freely without binding), they're not going to actuate from the pressure.

For the S4s, you can put some grease on the arm & see if it moves after a good hard drive. The actuators "suck in" and will relocate a blob of grease on the rod.

http://www.aaroncake.net/RX-7/6porttest.htm

For S5s, the actuators push out. However, they're driven off the air pump with a solenoid, instead of off the exhaust back pressure. They're easier to test. The factory service manual comes with detailed information on how to test them, but I believe the process involves venting the pressure sensor to atmosphere (to simulate full manifold pressure), disconnecting the neutral sensor from the transmission (so the ECU thinks the car is in gear), and revving the engine from the engine bay (to see if the actuators actuate). Or something like that. There's also the VDI that engages on the S5, and you should be able to test it in much the same way. Note that removing the air pump on a S5 will eliminate both the VDI & the aux ports, and will cost you a LOT of horsepower up high.

-=Russ=-

 

will they open from pressure on an s4 without the air pump? how essential is it?

how do i remove it does anyone have a link to remove the air pump?

how much of an extra boosshould i feel and where, (around 3500??)


also when i street port my engine, should i port the aux ports too?