Except for the obvious cutting marks on the top of the scoop on the snorkel it looks fine to me. I wouldn't clutter up or obfuscate the nice open engine bay with the Lexus table.

From an aesthetics perspective I would clean up the airbox. It's all faded and dingy (and is that rust on the brackets or just a flash photography artifact?) compared to the rest of the engine bay rubber/plastic and so sticks out like a sore thumb.

One thing you might consider is removing the sticker too. And then you could emblazin' the top of it with a RX7 plastic logo. Right now you have two almost identical Mazda logos within 18" of each other. Alternatively you could put the RX7 emblem where the Mazda logo currently is on the front cover and then it would read Mazda RX7 from left to right from the airbox to the cover.

I'd get some paint on the lower framerails too. The primer is pretty obvious with that big, beautiful and spacious engine bay!

Gratz! Glad to see some projects on an RX7 aren't so miserable and frustrating that Hercules would beg for death!

 

Congrats on the car behaving well. I've been meaning to ask- what's the orange/copper thing beneath your oil filter? Is it some sort of magnetic thing sandwiched in between the filter and pedestal? But yeah, congrats!

 

That's a filter pedestal sandwich plate that has two threaded ports for sensors (oil pressure and temp) were what I ran).

 

Some meat and potatoes reportage of the first 122 miles...

I've added about a quart of coolant since the initial fill. The level changes in the overflow tank, so I know the recovery system works. Heat output from the HVAC system is excellent.

Oil level is nominal (albeit difficult to read with fresh oil). I poured in 6 quarts initially, figuring a "dry" engine and empty oil cooler would require a bit more than the 5.6qts. recommended by the FSM.
Pressure seems fine but won't know for certain until I retrofit the VDO gauges (oil pressure/water temp) into the cluster. For now it'll suffice that oil doesn't burn out the tailpipe or drip on the ground...I have rather low expectations.

Realized I hadn't tested the windshield washer...the function I'd jokingly said drove the entire bay project.
It was magnificent.
I knew the pump worked, it was the efficacy of the Nissan headlight washer nozzles that was unknown.
It's like a garden hose compared to regular nozzle sprays and coverage was excellent both at rest and at speed.
My wiper blades suck though and need replacement.

I've acclimated quickly to the clutch and brakes, both feel "normal" already.
I've locked down the adjustment at the clutch pedal, the freeplay is perfect.
I think I can tighten up the brake pedal a little more and still have a margin of play available, I'll continue tinkering.

Still cycling through steering wheels.
I thought the Miata wheel was too curvaceous for the boxey FC interior, now have a regular Momo installed.
This wheel has a nice thick rim with thumb "*****" and is pleasure to grip.
Unfortunately, it's 350mm (stock is 380mm) and the smaller diameter is weird.
It doesn't obscure the gauges (try that with a stock cluster!) and effort doesn't seem objectionable but I was acutely aware that the wheel was smaller.

That will leave three other candidates- the original base model plastic, three spoke wheel.
The same wheel but from a higher trim level, so leather wrapped.
A FD stock wheel.

If I'm honest, sitting in the car with eyes closed, the FD wheel is the best.
I like the rim diameter and profile (it's more rectangular than round) but being an airbag wheel, it's the clunkiest design.

The two stock wheels are well designed for the interior but the rims are too thin.

The rim on the Miata wheel is between the two others thickness wise but the design is off.
It also is the worst hardware design of them all. The molded center section wraps around the spokes and then (supposedly) fastens to Velcro. Yeah, maybe when new it worked like that but the molded foam has become sentient and pretty much does what it damn well pleases...which doesn't include laying nicely flat and even.

If I decide to use this wheel, I think I'll try heating the center pad in the oven (maybe 125° for 10 minutes or so), installing on the wheel and wrapping it in electrical tape to hold it in place.
Let it cool and see if it's more cooperative.

Need to arrange transpo and pick up the wipered hatch in Loveland.
Not only will this swap provide the wiper but I'm hoping the window tint (if there is any) is better than the horrible stuff on my hatch.
Seriously, I can't see **** out the rear, the distortion is unreal.

Otherwise, she's running exceptionally well, it's a pleasure and amazement that I'm able to concentrate on nit-picky crap instead of diagnosing running issues.

 

That's what you get when you do it right the first time, instead of doing what 99% of everyone else who owns an FC does and tries to half-*** it or save a little money here by doing this cheaper route instead, or take the "it'll be ok" approach. A point which I'm just now achieving. Some in part to financial capability now, some because my "I can do it myself" attitude (ego) has subsided some after numerous failures. Case in point, I learned you just can't do as good of a job as a machine shop. Period.

 

That would depend on the machine shop.

But I get your point.

More steering wheel **** (for the low budget perv):




Above is the 350mm generic style Momo.
Below is the FD wheel:




The FD wheel is just the all around best...if you can get over the bulky look.
I drove to the junkyard and after a few miles completely forgot to notice how it felt...it was so natural, it disappeared.
Until something demonstrably better (or next Tuesday, whichever comes first...) comes along, this will stay.

Because streetcar.

The junkyard was just a destination, not a real search.
In fact, I didn't even bring tools.
Which makes what happened even more of a Christmas miracle.

I had loaded a bowl and just wandered around for an hour, casually investigating anything that caught my interest and was wandering back towards the entrance.
Found myself staring at a front ended hulk, couldn't imagine why till I saw the windshield tag identifying it as a 1995 Lexus LS400.
Just like my Dad's car, with the interesting intake snorkel.
But it had been smashed in the front and the motor was gone, surely the snorkel was either smashed or taken.

But no, it wasn't.
Sitting on the back seat was the intact air snout, not even badly scratched up.
Someone unbolted it and set there, almost as if they knew I wanted it.
Cost $4.62.

Here are some shots right after it was washed:






Drilled out two rivets to remove the sound chamber (or whatever those things are called):


Now it needs some surgical trimming of the underside, not sure of the appropriate tool yet.
First test fit should be tomorrow...

 

Are bowl loading and wandering synonymous?

 

At the junkyard, yes.
Also in all the Lord of the Rings movies...

 

i get busy rebuilding a 20B and you go and get the car running... i see how it is!

 

Your OMP lines inspired me.
My mechanic friend at Precision opened the hood, stared at the work for a minute and then zeroed in on those hoses. Only thing he commented on specifically.

Funny thing (not "ha-ha" funny, more of a "WTH?" funny) happened on the drive home yesterday.
I started hearing a weird hissing sound, not loud and not constant.
Pulled over and checked under the hood for something obviously wrong but found nothing.
Noise not present (or not loud enough to be noticeable), continue on home, all systems nominal.
Noise continued all the way.

Finally realized what it had to be...the air dump from the ACV.
I had removed the OEM muffler system and just stuck a fortuitously premolded hose on that angled down and back...right at the passenger footwell, as it happens.
Now that I know what it is, I hope the sound becomes just normal background and doesn't demand attention.

If it remains an irritant, I wonder if I couldn't port it back into the airbox, let its little farts be recycled through the intake?

Coolant level remained constant and the recovery tank is being utilized fully, so I think the system is air free. Top up the tank and that'll be done.

The glass is all awful.
The window tint on the door and hatch glass is poorly installed and distorts like crazy.
My old car wasn't tinted and I appreciate the shade but the execution is terrible.

The windshield is pitted but has no chips/cracks.
It's quite psychedelic in direct sunlight or at night, very prismatic.
I appreciate the free visuals but...

Read about some cerium based polish kits that are supposed to clean this condition up but think I'll explore having it done first.
Surely this is a common enough problem that pros exist?

IIRC, a new windshield cost about $275 installed a few years ago, so if it can be saved for @ $100-150, I'd consider it.
(I'd imagine this problem is also big in Las Vegas, isn't it Ben? All that sand blowing around...)

So far I've only driven local, relatively low speed roads, with an eye to easy escape should anything big happen.
I'm about over the initial super cautious "Wonder if she'll 'splode?" phase and ready to get on the highway. Within a mile of my driveway I can be on a pretty nice 75mph road, one exit in particular will be perfect to bed in the brakes.
I don't expect any problems, confidence is growing by the mile.

We're supposed to get some moderate snow this morning- which hasn't happened yet- so I'll not be venturing on the highway if that happens.
I would like to get on a big parking lot and slide around to get a feel for the suspension and diff in bad traction situations.

In the meantime it seems like a good day to work on the intake that I'm pretty sure most of you will hate.

 

I vote for the Momo wheel. I have a 320mm one and I've grown to love it. The downside is whenever I drive an FC with a full sized wheel I feel like I'm driving a school bus. It also blocks the tops of the speedometer just enough so that I have to slightly bend my neck to see the needle above 70 mph. But with your Miata gauges you might not have such an issue

What car is your shift **** from? And why no radio might I ask?

I finally remembered where I saw the red S5 with black trim- a local car on craigslist. Here is the link: http://atlanta.craigslist.org/nat/cto/3441841952.html

 

Shift **** is a Nismo part.
No radio because the old one was broken and I haven't replaced it (or the blown speakers) yet.

I like the black trimmed S5.

 

Well, the Lexus intake snorkel didn't pan out, so y'all can continue hating on my stubby stocker for a while longer.
After about twenty trips to garage to test fit (too damn cold to actually work out there), I gave up.

I got the piece to more-or-less fit- and it looked just as I'd imagined- but the hood wouldn't close. Back in the good ole days before the engine was in place, I could have hopped in the bay and seen what was going on but not any more, so I really don't know how bad the interference was.
Suffice to say, it's bad enough that the experiment ends...another sacrifice on the alter of my curiosity.

Were I to continue, the next logical step would be exploring the concept of modifying the airbox lid to accept a different intake port, something easier to adapt to (like round, for instance) and maybe pointed another direction.
I'd need another lid to work with, prefer to have an original on hand to revert to if need be.
It's kinda silly though, the original concept seems to work well, it fit's nicely and it's DONE, which is a major advantage.
Just piddling around really, waiting for the wing to show up.

 

Really the only thing 'wrong' is the condition of the intake box lid. It's just not as good as the rest. It's the ugliest of the supermodels, if you will.

But the air feeding the snorkel is what draws my attention. You're pulling from an area that is purposely blocked from having any direct airflow. I realize the result will be 1/8th of one hp and it looks fine to those unfamiliar with the stock system. But deep in your heart, you would know. Maybe a little turndown and a vent in the blockoff panel to feed the cold air intake?

And I had a crinkled tint job on a hatch. A clothes steamer got that stuff off within 15 minutes, give or take a beer. It was really cloudy, then realized they had simply tinted over a previous, good tint job. Another 15 minutes and I was good to go.

 

I think the camera exaggerates the color/finish mismatch.
I don't find it objectionable in person.

At least I didn't till all you guys started harping on it.

Maybe I'll remove the sticker and see what that does, I'm not terribly attached to it anyway.

I'm on it, Rose.
Been thinking of just that for a while but held off doing anything till the snorkel was finalized.
Realized that I'm planning on making another panel anyway, so this one is less precious and can be experimented on.
Marked/drilled the panel for the snorkel mount screws, it's position will be consistent now. Then drilled five 1" holes across the face of the intake.
Which was a real derp move as the crossbar is right under that, not open air.
Shall add more holes (and take pics) later.

TBH though, I never really understood exactly where the air was coming from in the stock config. The original plastic panels seal that cavity just as well as my flat plate and don't allow for any direct access to fresh air for the snorkel end.

I've seen the youtube vids of that and want to try it.
Problem is finding a clothes steamer...none of my neighbors have such a thing, and I've certainly never owned one.

Anyway, the tint problem goes away when I swap to the wipered hatch.
I hope.

 

I wanted to get the car hot enough to set the TPS, so I drove over to my plastic supplier.
Found just what I wanted in the "cut-off" bin, which is nice because it's much cheaper that way.
Bought extras because it was such a bargain.
For the curious, I got four sheets of 1/8" black ABS, 48" x 18" for $10 and change...

Roughed out the basic shape and then made adjustments in stages to creep up on the final cuts.
Once done, I pondered options to bring air to the short snorkel.
The holes I'd drilled in the old panel would work (if properly repositioned) but were a bit to easy. Too "last minute".

The answer popped out of my subconscious and immediately into place.




My beloved (although ultimately, not beloved enough to risk the hood for) Nissan Z car hood vents.
But of course:






I'm rather fond of it.

To digress...the TPS was off a bit - .83v- but adjusted to 1v easily enough.
I'm secretly afraid that my thermowax needs adjusting, afraid because I really dislike removing the throttle body (mine doesn't want to clear the secondary injector rail, I have to loosen the dynamic chamber and **** it up to free the throttle from the studs).
Just have to see how she responds.
Letting her cool down completely so I can see the full cold start cycle and also to let the adhesive on the vent set up.

 

Very nice. Functional, yet aesthetically pleasing

 

F*ck yeah! Looks awesome and more functional than stock. 24 hour response time is quite impressive too. I want to nominate you for congress.

I'm imagining the first attempt at the vented rad panel looked like this?


And I want to honk your washer bottle cap!

Keep up the good work.

 

[QUOTE=clokker;11320264]
Still cycling through steering wheels... now have a regular Momo installed.
This wheel has a nice thick rim with thumb "*****" and is pleasure to grip.
Unfortunately, it's 350mm (stock is 380mm) and the smaller diameter is weird.[quote]

its the same wheel i usually run too, my friend used to have a really old one and it was 360mm, which is just about perfect. i currently have a Mazdaspeed wheel that's been on the last 3-4 cars, its also 360mm, probably came off an FC in Japan....

the FD wheel looks and feels good but +1 on the clunky part, any mountain driving and when you try to move your hand the big bottom spoke will block you, its the hockey goalie of the steering wheel world

it might be tempting to remove the hatch, and go get the other one, but you'll die all the exhaust will just get recycled into the cabin, and YOU becomes the EGR valve

 

[QUOTE=j9fd3s;11323462]As true as it gets.

 

A bit off topic, but maybe this should be moved to the build thread section?

 

That of course, is exactly what I was considering.

I have but a tenuous grip on a suitable vehicle, the owner is a family man and not given to spur of the moment jaunts.
The donor works night shifts and arranging a window where both people overlap is going to be tough.

It's frustrating that the part I need is only seventy miles away, it shouldn't be so hard to get hold of.

We're back in the mid fifties today and I have a few small things to do.
The throttle body needs to come off for thermowax adjustment.
I think there's a small leak at the oil cooler but can't see much until the bellypan is removed.

She continues to run beautifully, the idle is high (850 rpm) but dead stable...brake lights, headlights, etc. don't faze it at all.
Shifting is smoother and more precise than I recall, must be the mounts because I didn't do much else.
And finally, although I'm hesitant to provide butt dyno evidence, she seems much more lively, certainly freer revving than before.

It's possible I'm driving more con brio, but I find the tach at 6-7k way more often than I recall. She revs very freely and the full, stock throttle plate system really does mitigate jerkiness when shifting at higher rpm.

All in all, she's a very nice car, not just a nice RX7.

I'm still not used to the manual windows though.
Find myself grasping at the armrest, feeling for a switch that isn't there.
I don't mind the manuals but it'll take a while to break the muscle memory.

And I'm still conflicted about the steering wheel(s).
The FD unit, while being nearly perfect ergonomically, is butt ugly.
The regular Momo is the best looking fit for the interior but I'm going to have to force myself to love its size.
Might put it back on a see if I can adapt.

Happy holidays, everyone.

 

Put the stock steering wheel back, just to laugh.
Every time I see mine, I chuckle.

 

Among other things, this morning I made these:




Initially they were just finish trim, primarily to cover the misalignment of the drilled holes, but they turned out to be such a nice fit on the rubber standoffs that I'm now calling them "panel retainers". I was going to glue them to the panel but that doesn't seem necessary.

Pulled the bellypan and inspected the oil leak...I think it's the lower hose and it's just dripping down onto the thermostat access plug but it could be both.
I was able to get about 1/8 turn on the hose fitting, with any luck that solves the problem.
Was unable to budge the plug.

Out to run some errands.

Thermowax yet to happen, hopefully later this afternoon.

 

post 499! Happy holidays!