I take my car to a local place called Prather Racing and I also work there part time. They specialize in rebuilding engines (including rotaries) and they work on race cars (mostly MGB) and they also have a lot of customers that bring their hondas in for maintenance.

Anyway they are really cool guys and its a great learning experience for me working at a shop like that, but anyway one of them the other day said something that I wasnt sure about.

I was talking to him about how my 1990 gxl doesnt have an airpump belt on it and that maybe I should put one on so that my 5th and 6th ports work again.

He told me that i shouldnt even bother putting the belt back on because he said that the 5th and 6th ports dont even do that much and are worthless.

is this true. my 5th and 6th ports havent been working so im not sure what its like to have them work but are they actually worth it??

is he right are they worthless??? I am thinking I do need them for more performance but im not sure.

 

The difference between working 5th and 6th ports for me for my 86 GX was the difference of getting beat by a Civic, or walking over it. You figure it out You are missing out on a lot of free extra HP.


Definately try it out, or at least zip tie them open so temporarily at least you know what you are missing.

 

Sounds like either the guy doesnt know what he's talking about, or he is to lazy to fix it... 5+6 ports make a huge difference... its something like 35 horse power at 3800 rpm... Id get those working so you dont get worked,, I guarantee you will feel the difference.

 

Chris-

My car is proof that they make a HUGE difference. I can tell when mine open and when they don't (they work sometimes). I wouldn't be spending $50 to get the Pineapple racing sleeves and pulling off my manifolds if they didn't do any good. Tell that guy to read a little more about them before making assumptions like that. Sometime when I get a chance, I'll tie open your ports and let you feel the difference. You'll be quite suprised by the top end power. If they were working correctly, then your low end would be just as impressive.

-Derek

 

They work, many on teh forum are proof of it, and Mazda knows their shiznit when it comes to rotaries, I mean c'mon its V-TEC yo!

 

What if you just removed the 5th and 6th port sleeves entirely. I was considerin doin it to the newest RX Im buyin. But I've never messed with em on a running car. Just took em out on our parts car while rippin it apart. What differance would it make in performance if they were just not there anymore?

 

Mazdaspeed7 has removed them completely. He says he picked up quite a bit. You'll lose some of the already limited bottom end power, but pick up power on the top end.
Sean Cathcart