lovemyRX7

So my 5th and 6th ports on my 86 GXL are stuck, i freed them up but they still don't work when i am driving. i have a straight pipe on my car with stock mufflers and i have the little vacuum hose for the back pressure, but the still don't work. How do i open them up and keep them open? which way do i turn the rod? and do i need to keep the little round actuators on?

rx7_FREAKKK

iTrader: (1)

Just get some plastic Zip ties and wire them open... thats what i did..
I have straight pipe with stock mufflers also.. And it may have something to do with it!
Might even be more ZIppy

lovemyRX7

in what position does the little arm need to be in if straight up were 12 o clock, right 3 o clock, down 6 o clock, and left 9 o clock.

RotaryRocket88

iTrader: (7)

The plungers have the be pressed in on the actuators for the ports to be open, so the arm rotates downward. Wiring them open should only be used as a temporary solution. The car will be faster with the ports functioning properly, since leaving them open all the time kills low-end power.

The best way to do it is with an rpm switch (www.summitracing.com), an emissions solenoid (EGR or other), and an 1/8 inch NPT fitting tapped into the stock air pump. Set the switch for 3800 rpm, have it trigger the solenoid, and the air pump will pressurize the actuators and open your ports just like an S5 NA does it.

porsche4786

I wouldn't recommend wiring them open. Best to do what RotaryRocket88 said. Aside from losing low end power, it might kill your gas mileage. Which probably already is low enough as it is.

Carlz0r

Where on the air pump would you tap in for this?

scrip7

iTrader: (6)

For those of you that either don't have your air pump or dont want to try to tap into it, you can use the rpm switch that was mentioned to turn on a power seat electric lumbar pump instead of a solenoid. I bought a lumbar pump for a Grand Marquis on eGay for around $15. I built my rpm switch from a kit that I found online for about $35. The lumbar pump puts out around 3 psi and works very well for port actuation and VDI actuation on s5.

RotaryRocket88

iTrader: (7)

You can drill and tap a small hole in the back, by the outlet, and screw in an NPT nipple. I had mine facing the passenger side shock tower; so perpendicular to the outlet / hose to the ACV.

Carlz0r

Awesome, thanks. I'll hopefully be doing this within the next couple of days.

Hazard15301

iTrader: (5)

Hey anyway I could get a pic of this?

need RX7

iTrader: (4)

Any pics/write-up of your setup? And pics of the pump so I know what to look for at the junkyard?

texFCturboII

iTrader: (17)

^^^^ check the archives. This has been well documented.

Hazard15301

iTrader: (5)

My noobishness is showing, but believe it or not, this is the first time I've actually heard of that method. lol

Grappler

iTrader: (6)

Don't worry I hadn't heard of this either... then again I am a noob too :/

Blaen99

iTrader: (1)

Will any lumbar pump work for this then? Or only from specific models?

Starfox07

Do what I did:


$20 from the hardware store including a 1/8'' NPT, J sized drillbit, 90* pipe compression fitting with a section of 1/8'' copper tubing which fits into the rubber hose for the six port.

texFCturboII

iTrader: (17)

^^^^ Niiiiiiiice! How well does that work for you? I'm about to put RB headers on my 86 GXL, and was wondering what Im going to do to get my ports working again. Do you have a full RB true dual?

Starfox07

Its an RB street header (on a S3 GSL-SE mind you) and I don't know yet because I haven't put it on

Apparently though, it does work.

Edit: after looking closer at his pic compared to mine, I think he used 1/4'' or 3/16''(?) tubing. The 1/8'' is too small to fit tightly into the rubber tubing on the SE engine, as I just checked.

need RX7

iTrader: (4)

Ok, I was looking at this link: http://howto.globalvicinity.com/gv_w...i=48&co=1&vi=1 and modified the diagram to hopefully allow both 6pi and VDI to work off of one airpump. Keep in mind I'm a complete electrical noob, so don't be surprised if something (or the whole thing) is 100% wrong. That's why I'd like the gurus to look over it and maybe give me some advice



The idea is to have the air pump turn on at 3800-ish RPM, which will immediately open the aux ports, but there will also be another line teed off of that line that leads to the VDI actuator. On this line, there is a solenoid (probably off a rat's nest, since I have 2 complete ones laying around). The 2nd RPM switch will open this solenoid at ~5200 RPM, thus activating the VDI.

One of my concerns (besides my possible wiring mistakes) is the possibility that suddenly introducing another path from the air pump may cause a pressure drop that will cause the aux ports to momentarily begin to close as the VDI opens.

Please let me know what you think.

scrip7

iTrader: (6)

^^^^That is the idea that I would agree works best. I don't have pics of the port actuation mod that I did on a friend's car but it worked very well. I think it's against forum rules to post links to eGay but I just did a search there and used the terms "lumbar pump" and there are several for Fords and Lincolns that are identical to the one I used for like $10. The post made earlier about the RB header shows the tapped fitting on just the front header tube. The total pressure from the exhaust pulses from that one tube plus the backpressure from the rest of the exhaust system may not be enough to fully open the ports. The ports are supposed to be fully open at 2 PSI and this can be measured using a cheapo vacuum/ fuel pump pressure gauge at auto parts stores. I used a vacuum tee and a long piece of hose attached to the gauge, which I tucked under one of the wiper blades while I drove the car so I could watch the pressure going to the actuators. The Ford lumbar pump puts out 3 psi and works great for this task.

Here's the frequency switch I used on my friend's car. If you're solder-savvy, this might be a less expensive alternative:
http://store.autospeed.com/Items/14447

There's no relay needed. It has one on the circuit board for direct connection to the pump. The input (tach) signal came from an un-used plug near the trailing coil pack. I set the switch to turn on the pump around 4k rpms.

scrip7

iTrader: (6)

I should also mention that the lumbar pump is intended for intermittent use as would be the case when inflating a lumbar bag in a power seat. Under normal or "spirited" driving conditions the life expectancy of the pump should be reasonable I would think, and sustained driving at or over the rpm set point would obviously reduce it. At $10, no big deal.

IIRC, I believe the s5 cars use engine rpm and engine load to determine when to activate the port/ VDI solenoids via the AFM/boost sensors as well as tach input.Just a FYI.

need RX7

iTrader: (4)

this will be an S5 engine and intake setup in a S4 chassis, so I don't have any of that stuff. I'm just going by what I've read as far as activation RPMs go, I'm sure I'll have to do some tweaking to get everything just right.

Blackfc3srx7

iTrader: (1)

There is also a write up somewhere that you can run it off the airpump and use a aquarium 3 way valve to adjust for pressure to get them to open around 3800rpms. I did that and it works pretty well.

texFCturboII

iTrader: (17)

Cool, you don't happen to be rolling around in a tan first gen are ya? If so, I've seen ya around A-town a couple of times Anyways, I see that its a RB street header; but I'm wondering if there will be enough back pressure to open those ports if there is a more free flowing exhaust, such as a full RB street exhaust...

texFCturboII

iTrader: (17)

ahhhh, didnt see the link, thanks. And that pic definitely looks more like a 3/16