Is it possible that I could keep the actuators while eliminating all other emission/smog stuff? I understand that they work off of vacuum, but everything was unhooked when I got the engine and I don't know if there's a vacuum switch for them or what. I want to get rid of the rest of the emissions stuff, but I don't really want to sacrifice low end power unless I have to.

Edit: the motor is a N/A s4 if it makes any difference. Forgot to add that to start with

 

S4 aux ports are actuated off exhaust pressure from the split air pipe running to the cat.

S5 requires the smog pump and ACV, the S4 does not.

 

Well this motor is actually going in an s2. And I have no smog, so there is no cat lol. I didnt see any tube going to them before, but there was a header on the motor too. I got this motor from a friend and he had already removed it from his car when I got it.

 

Pull the intake manifold, chances are the sleeves have already been removed.

 

the sleeves are still there, is there any adverse effect if i just pull them?

 

Lower low end torque, thats all

I'vebeen running mine without the sleeves for about a year, and i drive in the city alot, doesn't really bother me. In your case, it would be more of a challenge to get them opening correctly (RPM wise) than to just run without them

 

If you are not going to make them operational, the side effect of having them closed all the time is drastically reduced top end power. You would be better off pulling the sleeves or wiring them open

 

so if i pull them out, is there anything else i need to do? just get a new gasket and put the intake back on?

 

You can keep them without all the emissions nonsense, but you can't run them off exhaust back-pressure if the cat's gone.
I've got mine on my S4 hooked up to an air pump from a ford truck like this: http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-92-96-Ford-F-150-F-250-F-350-Truck-Bronco-OEM-Power-Lumbar-Seat-Pump-/380688077865?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item58a2c71429&vxp=mtr
It turns on at ~3800RPM by an RPM switch.

Some people have used tire pumps, and there's a few writeups on how to do it out there.

 

Isn't that what the stock air pump does tho?

 

Not on the S4

 

fair enough. so just yank em out and get a new intake gasket and take the actuators off?

 

Index of /rx7manual/manuals/Training Manual

you might want to read the training manual, it does a good job of explainerating how all the systems on the engine work.

 

Just to throw a little kerosene here, I'm running Atkins sleeves with them locked open. Pulling them out leaves a nice wall for the air to run into instead of a curved path.

 

This actually makes sense.....may have to do that to mine

 

I'm running a fleabay lightened flywheel and have none of the low end "missing torque" issues as it spends so little time at low rpm.