2nd Generation Specific (1986-1992) 1986-1992 Discussion including performance modifications and technical support sections.

What's the cheapest mod/repair you've done to your car?

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Old Feb 7, 2006 | 11:35 PM
  #51  
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Originally Posted by nickn505
My moment of glory was when I bought one of those K&N filters you install into your stock air box. But when I installed it, it sounded exactly the same and had only a modest power increase that was barely noticeable. I remembered seeing a person's car in RX tuner mag where he had a K&N intake and drilled out the top of his air box. I wanted to do the same, but didn't have anything to cut it with and didn't want to. But the next morning, I had an inspiration. So I ran out to my car in my PJ's with a handfull of rubber bands. I took of the lid on the air box and secured the filter with the rubber bands!
Now I can really tell the difference and I hear a great throaty intake sound any time I floor it!
What cheap mod or repair have you done?
I one up you, I had a stock filter, removed the lid as you did, but instead of classy rubber bands, I used duct tape ;-). It really does make the car feel faster, try it everyone :-)
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Old Feb 7, 2006 | 11:58 PM
  #52  
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From: cold
well, on my Supra I fixed all sorts of hesitation and and starting problems by JB Welding the cold start sensor plug on there. Turns out the clip had broken and it was gradually getting loose.

I also fixed the heater by unplugging a vacuum line and rerouting another.
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Old Feb 8, 2006 | 12:09 AM
  #53  
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Originally Posted by Mura
nick: What kinda rubber bands?
lol Just normal ones I got from the newspaper delivered to my place!
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Old Feb 8, 2006 | 12:15 AM
  #54  
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my cheapest thing is hmmm buying my car...LOL100bucks well actually i bought 3dollars worth of fuses to get it running..i payed more for a battery thhan the car and ive bogught a new ignition for 60 and a new sloenioid for 40
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Old Feb 8, 2006 | 12:17 AM
  #55  
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From: Las Cruces, NM
Originally Posted by drago86
I one up you, I had a stock filter, removed the lid as you did, but instead of classy rubber bands, I used duct tape ;-). It really does make the car feel faster, try it everyone :-)
Yeah, I tried that too. The problem was that the K&N filter I had was brand new so it was still a little slippery around the rubber and I couldn't form a good bond with the duct tape. Plus, I worried about the tape comming off and losing the filter.
I also forgot to mention that the way I mounted the rubber bands was just one at each corner, so four in total. Each was wrapped around the bulges where the nuts were a few times nice and tight.
NOTE: I should remind everyone, check on the rubber bands every now and then! In the first week I had them on, one came off. But since then, I havn't had any trouble with them and they still maintain thier elasticity.
Hope I solved most of your questions .
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Old Feb 8, 2006 | 12:49 AM
  #56  
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Originally Posted by drago86
I one up you, I had a stock filter, removed the lid as you did, but instead of classy rubber bands, I used duct tape ;-). It really does make the car feel faster, try it everyone :-)

This is total and complete crap, i tried it today because i was bored and it acutally felt slower. the sound was nice coming from the K&N filter but you couldnt hear it over my exhaust anyways, when i do REAL intake, im just going to do a fender well intake with a chunky *** K&N cone filter
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Old Feb 8, 2006 | 12:53 AM
  #57  
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Cheap is a word ive never been able to use with RX-7s....
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Old Feb 8, 2006 | 08:28 AM
  #58  
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i spent 80 cents on two new springs to fix my blower motor.
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Old Feb 8, 2006 | 08:36 AM
  #59  
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1. Home Depot CAI (<$100)
2. TB Mod/Porting (Free)
3. Lightening (Free)

And probably some other things I cant remember.
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Old Feb 8, 2006 | 07:54 PM
  #60  
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Originally Posted by motoman93117
my cheapest thing is hmmm buying my car...LOL100bucks well actually i bought 3dollars worth of fuses to get it running..i payed more for a battery thhan the car and ive bogught a new ignition for 60 and a new sloenioid for 40
\

and its a turbo II?

Originally Posted by MrFC3S
Cheap is a word ive never been able to use with RX-7s....
maintenance is a bitch.



but seriously just shop around
bought my FD for $6000 off of someone here in michigian, paid 400 for shipping
my t78 kit for $2059 off of orlando
trust intercooler for 300bucks
miami muffler did the piping for 50
supra fuel pump was 50
twin plate clutch for $600 bucks
CF hood for $210.
ported & balanced motor with 8k for $1500

Just shop around. on here and other websites. Use escrow, never buy the first thing that you see, and your good to go

Last edited by darkphantom; Feb 8, 2006 at 07:59 PM.
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Old Feb 8, 2006 | 08:25 PM
  #61  
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ah I got a cheap one! When my battery died and I got a new one yesterday, the mechanic lost a nut from the battery tie down so I turned around and found an old removed battery from a Jeep and it had a (excuse my technical retardation) clamp thingy on one of the little nubs where the two wires on top attatch no idea what to call it) and I took the nut off of the clamp thingy, and it was the right size. Cost, free.
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Old Feb 8, 2006 | 08:38 PM
  #62  
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Originally Posted by Alex6969
$.05 for copper wire to wire open 5th and 6th ports
someone tell me this mod
i must know
id rather not have to put on the air pump belt

:smiley_12
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Old Feb 8, 2006 | 08:50 PM
  #63  
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Ok, I did the intake mod that nick mentioned. I gotta say, I did love the sound of it. I did notice a difference using it tonight...a cold night to be exact. The true test is when the summer comes. We'll see how much of a difference this will play.
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Old Feb 9, 2006 | 01:35 AM
  #64  
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In the first week I owned the car I took off the stupid ricer pedal covers that came on the car when I bought it. I threw those pieces of crap away. Cost = free. It was a good un-mod.

Best free mod was:
https://www.rx7club.com/2nd-gen-archive-72/how-de-power-your-steering-rack-right-way-440198/
Totally free and totally worth it.

Another good cheap mod:
https://www.rx7club.com/2nd-generation-specific-1986-1992-17/how-build-lower-arm-bar-under-%2415-448638/
Cheap and effective.

I also made a brake master cylinder brace from the scrap metal from the lower arm brace. Very effective, very cheap.
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Old Feb 9, 2006 | 09:51 AM
  #65  
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I kinda like the pedal covers on my car, but they are good ones, i guess. They fit my feet much better and allow me to heel-toe with ease.
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Old Feb 9, 2006 | 05:41 PM
  #66  
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Originally Posted by Mura
Ok, I did the intake mod that nick mentioned. I gotta say, I did love the sound of it. I did notice a difference using it tonight...a cold night to be exact. The true test is when the summer comes. We'll see how much of a difference this will play.
YES! Someone is satisfied with my mod!
I knew that one guy who said his car felt slower didn't know what he was talking about. There is no way a mod like this which removes part of what restricts your airflow would decrease your performance. Although I would say that the one downside was that I hoped to see better gas mileage from my car but I didn't because I've been flooring it so often now. So I havn't seen a change, but at least I know that my mpg isn't as bad as it would be if I still had the lid and OEM filter installed.
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Old Feb 9, 2006 | 05:51 PM
  #67  
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does stripping the interior count?
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Old Feb 9, 2006 | 06:24 PM
  #68  
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Originally Posted by nickn505
YES! Someone is satisfied with my mod!
I knew that one guy who said his car felt slower didn't know what he was talking about. There is no way a mod like this which removes part of what restricts your airflow would decrease your performance. Although I would say that the one downside was that I hoped to see better gas mileage from my car but I didn't because I've been flooring it so often now. So I havn't seen a change, but at least I know that my mpg isn't as bad as it would be if I still had the lid and OEM filter installed.

yes there is.... your sucking in hot engine bay air now instead of cold outside air. Slap a cone filter on there with no box or ducts and guess what.. you LOSE power.
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Old Feb 9, 2006 | 06:46 PM
  #69  
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Speed does have a point.
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Old Feb 9, 2006 | 06:53 PM
  #70  
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Originally Posted by carzy driver
bought a 87 TII with a Mazda reman for 250. previous owner was installing a K&N air filter, somehow he unplugged the AFM and didn't know it. tried starting it for days, finally broke down and sold it to me. At his apartment just signed the car's title to me, I pop the hood look around, plugged the AFM back in, started it up and drove away from the previous onwer with a WTF kinda look on his face.
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Old Feb 9, 2006 | 06:59 PM
  #71  
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I've heard of a few people that got FC's for almost nothing because it was flooded and the people didn't know it. One of them went out, did the unflooding procedure, and drove it off.
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Old Feb 9, 2006 | 07:55 PM
  #72  
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free- I just cut the top of the air box out, no need for rubber bands and I dont have to worry about the filter flying off.

When I did my engine swap I didnt research enough and bought an 86 for my 91... Huge headach! In place of many gasgets is that liquid gasget stuff. While changing motors, i cracked the goose neck and just slathered on some instant gasget... it leaks.
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Old Feb 9, 2006 | 08:04 PM
  #73  
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Originally Posted by Sideways7
I've heard of a few people that got FC's for almost nothing because it was flooded and the people didn't know it. One of them went out, did the unflooding procedure, and drove it off.
Yeah, I've heard of people buying a TII for $200 when it just needed a new fuel pump
or something. But that one takes the cake. It's a Mazda reman and the guy didn't even
know he forgot to plug the AFM back in. He probably doesn't deserve it if he couldn't
even look around the engine bay to see what he did wrong.
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Old Feb 9, 2006 | 09:09 PM
  #74  
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Dead mouse removal mod, removing the AC, free'ing up the aux ports with carb cleaner... all of the usual stuff.

The temperature control actuator for my heater was jammed, so I removed the linkage to the actuator and replaced it with a coat hanger. I'm pleased it.
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Old Feb 9, 2006 | 09:28 PM
  #75  
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Originally Posted by speed_monkey
yes there is.... your sucking in hot engine bay air now instead of cold outside air. Slap a cone filter on there with no box or ducts and guess what.. you LOSE power.
I see your point, but look at my other post. You'll see that in my case, unlike those who remove the entire stock intake system, I keep the cold air scoop above the fan shroud. Therefore, yes you will concievably suck in hot air, but the system is still better than most people's intakes.
Yes a cold air box would be better in theory. There is always something better in theory. If I lived in a world where theory overlaped reality, I'd install a mini refigerator on the tip of my AFM. But I wouldn't because of the cost and time. Same goes for the cold air box. Considering the time and money that most would charge, or if you get the useless aluminum sleeve off ebay, it's a pointless mod. My mod takes less than 5 minutes and as long as you have the newspaper delivered to your house, it's free!
Here's something you also didn't consider, and it's actually an experiment you can do: take a normal drive around town today, pop open your hood (after you've come to a stop for god's sake!) and feel your intake manifold. The part that says 13B MAZDA, or even better, further down the manifold. It's hot. Think it through, even with a nifty cold air box your air will always encounter the hot metal manifold that any unmodded 7 will. I dare you to leave your hand on the lower intake manifold for more than 10 seconds. It's very hot and think of your "cold" air passing through there. Air intake does not stop at the filter!
Now, ask yourself- is there really any such thing as a "cold air box?" I'm waiting for someone to invent the cold air manifold!
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