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Basically jumper a wire in the test connector, turn the key on, watch the check engine light blink and count the blinks.
There isn't a code reader or scanner for the FD. At least not one that's readily available.
The picture of the underside of the car where you asked "is this an exhaust mount"? - there are a few cross braces on the trans tunnel to stiffen the chassis. That one has a hole for a 10mm bolt, there is an aluminum under tray that goes under the transmission for aerodynamics. You may be missing that tray, it's uncommon to see it.
Do you have the turbos off at this point?
Soak all those exhaust fasteners in PB Blaster, any thing helps to get them off without seizing up.
Basically jumper a wire in the test connector, turn the key on, watch the check engine light blink and count the blinks.
There isn't a code reader or scanner for the FD. At least not one that's readily available.
The picture of the underside of the car where you asked "is this an exhaust mount"? - there are a few cross braces on the trans tunnel to stiffen the chassis. That one has a hole for a 10mm bolt, there is an aluminum under tray that goes under the transmission for aerodynamics. You may be missing that tray, it's uncommon to see it.
Do you have the turbos off at this point?
Soak all those exhaust fasteners in PB Blaster, any thing helps to get them off without seizing up.
Dale
I only have the downpipe off at this point but I’m going to start taking the turbos off today. I have a haircut appointment then I’m going to get started. I assume I’m pulling all the intake off the top then pulling the whole brick out. Can I get it out in one piece? I’d like to as little in the car as I can. I’d rather take it apart out of the car. Any advice?
Started taking the intake out to get to the turbo and there’s oil in the intake. Assuming pcv or vacuum leak. I went to Pettit Racing and they said my gasket was good but they did a quick sand of my downpipe because it was warped. It’s a cheap downpipe I’ll have to change it out later. I got new studs for the downpipe and they said my gasket was fine. They also gave me a ground upgrade kit. All customers get them free. Have to get my hair cut but I’ll be back on the car as soon as I’m finished. Also I found what looks like a filled bung on the intake? Will attach photo.
That was part of the USDM emmissions requirements. The manual will explain. Obviously has been deleted.
It seems that you are close to Petit Racing. They have a good write up about basic maintenance of a rotary.
In the stock set-up there was a drain tube from the top of the oil filler neck to the front intake of the front turbo. If it is still there, oil can travel down that tube to your turbos. Its purpose was to recirculate fumes. If you overfill the oil, then you may get oil into the front of your turbos. Many people have been surprised by this (smoking turbos). Often that tube is rerouted to a catch can or vented to air. That would be the happy explanation for oil in the turbos.
Last edited by Redbul; Dec 15, 2020 at 05:28 PM.
Reason: added info.
So I found an intake leak and a random something. Photos below. Now with arrows! The leak is just a two nipples on the intake manifold. There’s the one I showed in the photo and one parallel to it facing the firewall. Also random missing bolt.
Last edited by LegoMontego; Dec 15, 2020 at 07:35 PM.
Reason: Forgot to add photos
That was part of the USDM emmissions requirements. The manual will explain. Obviously has been deleted.
It seems that you are close to Petit Racing. They have a good write up about basic maintenance of a rotary.
In the stock set-up there was a drain tube from the top of the oil filler neck to the front intake of the front turbo. If it is still there, oil can travel down that tube to your turbos. Its purpose was to recirculate fumes. If you overfill the oil, then you may get oil into the front of your turbos. Many people have been surprised by this (smoking turbos). Often that tube is rerouted to a catch can or vented to air. That would be the happy explanation for oil in the turbos.
The current plan is to get the car running enough to take it to them without risking damage. Then we’re going to lower the turbo psi to around 6 and get the car running proper before making any sorts of modifications.
How far to tow? Can you use your AAA membership to tow?
I am not certain but your two open nipples may well be related to each other. One length of hose missing. The manual will show you the routing.
I believe it’s too far. I’ll check the FSM. In order to continue smoke testing I connected the nipples with one hose. Tomorrow I’m going to see if I can pick up the hose Pettit recommended me. They swear by thick walled rubber over silicone and looking at my silicone hoses all torn, I agree. I will also look into braided hose as you suggested. Do you have a brand you recommend?
From what I recall, my shop had smoke sources hooked up to each of the big pipes, plus a number of the 1" air hoses (to the acv valve, air pump, etc.
I had four smoke leaks. Top of Y-pipe (found gasket on the floor); ;throttle axles (cant be fixed); vacuum line to the FPR (the one silicone line we did not replace was split) and a fourth location.
We also forgot to tighten the clamps on the coolant hoses to the throttle body, with predictable drippy results.
This is what we found when we took off front intake pipe to my turbo.
This is what the front turbo looked like on my parts car,, This turbo is in my car now.
Friend helps with early stages of project to reconstitute stock set up for sequential turbos and emissions systems. Code reader showed 9 faults, mainly because almost all the solenoids had been removed. Luckily prior owner had left the engine harness intact so we were able to plug it in straight away once we had replaced the "rat box" and other solenoids. We went from parralleled turbos back to full sequential. Prior owner had done the deletes, but kept the stock ecu (or that is what he sold me). I had spent a year gathering the parts for the build. Project cost C$5000 because we discovered the damaged turbo and that prior owner had welded the big turbo open and cut off the actuator arm (dont do that). Cost did not include the cost of the spare turbo. Replacing all the gaskets and studs cost C$1800 using factory parts. Brand new "rat box" was (and is) C$600. Can of liquid wrench spray in picture is for removing vacumm hoses.
Friend helps with early stages of project to reconstitute stock set up for sequential turbos and emissions systems. Code reader showed 9 faults, mainly because almost all the solenoids had been removed. Luckily prior owner had left the engine harness intact so we were able to plug it in straight away once we had replaced the "rat box" and other solenoids. We went from parralleled turbos back to full sequential. Prior owner had done the deletes, but kept the stock ecu (or that is what he sold me). I had spent a year gathering the parts for the build. Project cost C$5000 because we discovered the damaged turbo and that prior owner had welded the big turbo open and cut off the actuator arm (dont do that). Cost did not include the cost of the spare turbo. Replacing all the gaskets and studs cost C$1800 using factory parts. Brand new "rat box" was (and is) C$600. Can of liquid wrench spray in picture is for removing vacumm hoses.
what is the rat box? Is that all the solenoids on the bottom? Where is he standing I want to get in my engine bay like that, would have made finding my leaks way easier.
Found some kind of hose under my brake booster. Does anyone know what this is or goes to? I can’t find it in any diagrams.
The black tank is called the Catch Tank, it hangs from the bottom two studs of the throttle body, sharing the same studs used to fasten the bottom of the intake elbow. The side with the fuel hose should run back to the charcoal canister. In a stock configuration, it would run from the catch tank to hard-lines mounted on the engine, then a soft line between the engine and hard lines mounted to the engine bay for the fuel system.
The other side should go to the Purge Control solenoid.
The black tank is called the Catch Tank, it hangs from the bottom two studs of the throttle body, sharing the same studs used to fasten the bottom of the intake elbow. The side with the fuel hose should run back to the charcoal canister. In a stock configuration, it would run from the catch tank to hard-lines mounted on the engine, then a soft line between the engine and hard lines mounted to the engine bay for the fuel system.
The other side should go to the Purge Control solenoid.
Yeah someone definitely did a hack job on the vacuum lines.
That black plastic can normally bolts to the 2 bottom studs of the throttle body. There's a metal pipe coming from the gas tank that carries fuel vapors, it comes up into that can, then goes from there to a PCV solenoid at the front of the rat's nest, then to the UIM. There's also an aluminum check valve in line with it.
Someone swapped in a stock plastic check valve and got creative with hooking it up. If it was open to atmosphere it would give off some fuel fumes and you may get some fuel stink. I don't think it's enough to be a fire hazard but I'd rather have it go the way it should.
Pro tip - save a copy of that picture on a thumb drive. Take it to a Kinko's and have them print it in color on 11x17 paper and laminate it. Should run like $6 and is the handiest tool to have for working on the vacuum lines.
Starting with Version 4 (1996) (I believe), Mazda replaced the "rats nest" with the "rat box". This consolidated six or seven solenoids, and some check valves, into a single unit. As far as I know, it bolts onto the same studs as the rats nest frame. The ecu was changed to 16 bit (not 8 bit). Not sure if a rat box can be retrofitted in Versions 1-3. But it would clean things up a lot.
[Note: deleted solenoids by windscreen. These were attached to the harness, but no vacuum lines attached. Having the solenoids plugged in fooled the stock ecu from going into "limp mode"]
[Yes, I did manage to drop a nut down the LIM. One of those little ones from the ACV. Fished out with a magnet.)
Last edited by Redbul; Dec 16, 2020 at 03:16 PM.
Reason: added info.
Got some cracks in the exhaust brick and I’m having a hard time getting the coolant lines off. I’m assuming they’re coolant lines and not oil they’re big 19 bolts
Not sure where these came from. I think these copper washers came from the oil line but I don’t know what this other thing is, maybe a spacer for the heat
shield?
The secondary turbo is BLACK, I'm assuming it was barfing oil? That's crazy dark.
Cracks aren't great but they aren't bad enough to blow out a gasket.
That spacer thing is probably for the Y-pipe where it bolts to the top of the engine near the radiator cap neck. Probably fell down in there at some point. Not needed.
The secondary turbo is BLACK, I'm assuming it was barfing oil? That's crazy dark.
Cracks aren't great but they aren't bad enough to blow out a gasket.
That spacer thing is probably for the Y-pipe where it bolts to the top of the engine near the radiator cap neck. Probably fell down in there at some point. Not needed.
Any reason you're removing the water hard lines?
Dale
are you referring to the photo of Redbul’s turbo? Or mine? My turbo propellers themselves are pretty clean. I figured that was from somewhere else but I wanted to make sure. I was going to remove the hard lines to take the turbos off and then have the gash filled with weld and resurfaced. However I don’t think I’m going to take it apart because those lines are on there good and I don’t want to break anything. I’ll attach a better photo of the gash. I’m taking the whole turbo brick to Pettit. Since I plan to have them tune it (when I get there) I’d like them to see what I have.
Grab the nut on the front of the turbo fan and try to wiggle the shaft. Is there noticeable play? Imagine that thing spinning at 100,000 rpm and what happens if it wobbles even fractionally of centre (see my turbo above)
I believe my turbo was a 99. Seems the fan chewed away the lining that the newer turbos had. I believe the fan was designed to rub ever so slightly on the lining to start with *.
Grab the nut on the front of the turbo fan and try to wiggle the shaft. Is there noticeable play? Imagine that thing spinning at 100,000 rpm and what happens if it wobbles even fractionally of centre (see my turbo above)
I believe my turbo was a 99. Seems the fan chewed away the lining that the newer turbos had. I believe the fan was designed to rub ever so slightly on the lining to start with *.
* maybe contributed to the extra 10hp?
there is some play but I don’t know how bad it is, im new to forced induction other than the generalization of how they work
So it looks like my charge relief solenoid is deleted I’m trying to redo the rats nest but I’m lost because how mine is set up is different from both the stock and simplified diagrams. I don’t see any of them delete the charge relief solenoid. I don’t even see the solenoid I don’t know where it would be
