Help with: Koyo N-Flo + Pulley kit + air pump delete + AST delete compatibility
05-02-22, 11:53 AM
#1
triangletriangletriangle
Thread Starter
Help with: Koyo N-Flo + Pulley kit + air pump delete + AST delete compatibility
Hey all, looking for guidance on what parts to order. Cost effectiveness is important. I don't need anything fancy. I just need a setup that works.
I know "budget" and "RX7" don't often go hand-in-hand, but when you're going through basically the whole car slowly as a late 20s dude without tons of disposable income, money does matter. Simple/bolt-on install would be great too. I don't own or have access to really any fabrication equipment. Anyway:
Car is a 1992 FD RX-7 (JDM). (Any differences ordering any of these parts for a RHD car? Hope not.)
Got myself a bit of a "if you give a mouse a cookie" situation. A bunch of little things need attention and I just want to get it all over with at once.
1. Radiator. My car runs a little hot during spirited driving (canyons, 90F+ temps in summer) so I want to upgrade the radiator. Decided on Koyo N-Flo. Great, neat, easy, done.
2. Pulley kit. It also has a squeaky/chirpy pulley somewhere on the LH side of the bay. Could be idler, PS, A/C, or drive pulley. I don't know, this car is old.
Tried replacing idler with a used one that felt smoother but it persisted. I've cleaned pulleys with a wire brush, gotten a new gatorback belt, a new regular belt — it goes away for a few days or weeks, then comes back. Infuriating. I've tried listening with my ear on a wooden dowel, spinning pulleys manually to feel for junk bearings... I can't track it down. I'd like to replace the whole gamut with an aftermarket kit.
GReddy is what's been recommended by my local shop and other local enthusiasts. What pulleys does this actually all replace? Can I expect this to fix my annoying persistent chirp?
3. Air pump delete. My air pump has made noise since I bought the car. It's been simply unplugged for two years for that reason. I don't notice a difference, let's just get rid of it. I've heard the GReddy pulley kit deletes the air pump. Do I need to order any additional parts like a block off plate?
4. AST delete. I've also heard it called coolant expansion tank delete. It's basically one of these. I'd like to get rid of it and go with this simplified metal type because I heard the factory one is prone to failing as the plastic ages. A local dude has a dented black one for cheapish, but I'm not opposed to ordering new if it's not a giant cost for a little metal tank.
All that said: What brands/configurations of these parts will just simply "work" together? Does it matter?
5. I hate to even ask, but if I'm missing anything that would be easily installed at the same time and should be done too.. let me know. I'll probably do new silicone radiator hoses because why not while I'm at it. I'd really like to stop the bleeding there though, if possible.
Thank you SO much for any and all help. Still pretty new to this platform and Facebook and stuff really sucks for finding answers nowadays. And our local rotary Facebook group that was very dependable just shut down for no reason.
I know "budget" and "RX7" don't often go hand-in-hand, but when you're going through basically the whole car slowly as a late 20s dude without tons of disposable income, money does matter. Simple/bolt-on install would be great too. I don't own or have access to really any fabrication equipment. Anyway:
Car is a 1992 FD RX-7 (JDM). (Any differences ordering any of these parts for a RHD car? Hope not.)
Got myself a bit of a "if you give a mouse a cookie" situation. A bunch of little things need attention and I just want to get it all over with at once.
1. Radiator. My car runs a little hot during spirited driving (canyons, 90F+ temps in summer) so I want to upgrade the radiator. Decided on Koyo N-Flo. Great, neat, easy, done.
2. Pulley kit. It also has a squeaky/chirpy pulley somewhere on the LH side of the bay. Could be idler, PS, A/C, or drive pulley. I don't know, this car is old.
Tried replacing idler with a used one that felt smoother but it persisted. I've cleaned pulleys with a wire brush, gotten a new gatorback belt, a new regular belt — it goes away for a few days or weeks, then comes back. Infuriating. I've tried listening with my ear on a wooden dowel, spinning pulleys manually to feel for junk bearings... I can't track it down. I'd like to replace the whole gamut with an aftermarket kit.
GReddy is what's been recommended by my local shop and other local enthusiasts. What pulleys does this actually all replace? Can I expect this to fix my annoying persistent chirp?
3. Air pump delete. My air pump has made noise since I bought the car. It's been simply unplugged for two years for that reason. I don't notice a difference, let's just get rid of it. I've heard the GReddy pulley kit deletes the air pump. Do I need to order any additional parts like a block off plate?
4. AST delete. I've also heard it called coolant expansion tank delete. It's basically one of these. I'd like to get rid of it and go with this simplified metal type because I heard the factory one is prone to failing as the plastic ages. A local dude has a dented black one for cheapish, but I'm not opposed to ordering new if it's not a giant cost for a little metal tank.
All that said: What brands/configurations of these parts will just simply "work" together? Does it matter?
5. I hate to even ask, but if I'm missing anything that would be easily installed at the same time and should be done too.. let me know. I'll probably do new silicone radiator hoses because why not while I'm at it. I'd really like to stop the bleeding there though, if possible.
Thank you SO much for any and all help. Still pretty new to this platform and Facebook and stuff really sucks for finding answers nowadays. And our local rotary Facebook group that was very dependable just shut down for no reason.
05-03-22, 01:35 AM
#2
Arrogant Wankeler
Replace the PS/AC Idler pulley bearing, they do start to make noise on the way our, the bearingis very cheap. If you can't work it out I'll try to find the one I have in a box for part number.
Get a full set of factory coolant hoses. They last longer, they don't weep like silicon and a heater hose will cook your motor pretty well as easily as a rad hose.
If you have an aftermarket ecu in control of fan switching, get a billion 72 Celsius thermostat and set the fan points a few degrees about that.
If you can get a PWR radiator they seem to work a bit better than Koyo, I'm thinking of switching and keeping my koyo as a spare.
FFE and some others do air pump Idler pulley kits.
Unless you are converting a ported motor to aftermarket intake with close ratio box and revving it's **** off on track the whole time you don't want underdriven crank.
I know raceonly do an AST delete https://www.raceonly.com.au/product/raceonly-ast-delete-kit-fd3s-rx7/ there is also a Mazda thermostat/fill cover option that you may be able to get hold of, I know Marcus in Sydney has them.
Get a full set of factory coolant hoses. They last longer, they don't weep like silicon and a heater hose will cook your motor pretty well as easily as a rad hose.
If you have an aftermarket ecu in control of fan switching, get a billion 72 Celsius thermostat and set the fan points a few degrees about that.
If you can get a PWR radiator they seem to work a bit better than Koyo, I'm thinking of switching and keeping my koyo as a spare.
FFE and some others do air pump Idler pulley kits.
Unless you are converting a ported motor to aftermarket intake with close ratio box and revving it's **** off on track the whole time you don't want underdriven crank.
I know raceonly do an AST delete https://www.raceonly.com.au/product/raceonly-ast-delete-kit-fd3s-rx7/ there is also a Mazda thermostat/fill cover option that you may be able to get hold of, I know Marcus in Sydney has them.
Last edited by Slides; 05-03-22 at 01:38 AM.
05-03-22, 08:45 AM
#3
RX-7 Bad Ass
iTrader: (55)
Radiator you are good on. Any Koyo is a good way to go.
AST delete is worth while. Banzai Racing sells an aluminum neck that bolts on the thermostat housing that has the extra nipple you need. This has been documented to death. Do a little reading so you understand what you are doing, it's not complicated but people get things twisted around.
For all coolant hoses you want OEM hoses and OEM clamps. Best fit and longest lasting hands down. The silicone radiator hoses are just "bling" that you don't see when the car is put together, they aren't worth it. Mazda revised the rubber in the hoses ages ago and they last a VERY long time. Use OEM spring clamps ONLY, they won't tear up the hose and will put the proper amount of pressure on the hose.
For a thermostat, either Mazda OEM or this -
They make them for Mazda, that's a top notch thermostat. You will need to get the black rubber gasket separately. I don't like the cooler thermostats, I think it just ends up running the car too cool more often than not.
Do NOT get a parts store thermostat. PERIOD. They will fail in 2 months. I've been burned on those and have many friends with the same experience. OEM or Aisin only.
On the squeaking, some times it's the belt. Bando and Dayco make great belts that last longer and squeak less. If it's the PS/AC belt, the tensioner pulley can be on backwards. Try flipping it around and see if it shuts up.
For the air pump, you need an idler pulley. Pineapple Racing and Full Function Engineering sell really nice kits that put a small idler pulley behind the thermostat housing. The old way was the Greddy pulley kit, but that puts very little belt contact on the water pump and it can slip. You also have to over-tighten that belt to stop squeaking and that will wear the stationary gear bearings in the engine.
Pulley kits really don't make power, they just look neat. I wouldn't bother at this point.
I would also look at getting the FC fan switch, it's the fan switch from the 89-91 cars. That will lower the fan turn-on temp from 107 deg C to 97 deg. C. Search on that.
Dale
AST delete is worth while. Banzai Racing sells an aluminum neck that bolts on the thermostat housing that has the extra nipple you need. This has been documented to death. Do a little reading so you understand what you are doing, it's not complicated but people get things twisted around.
For all coolant hoses you want OEM hoses and OEM clamps. Best fit and longest lasting hands down. The silicone radiator hoses are just "bling" that you don't see when the car is put together, they aren't worth it. Mazda revised the rubber in the hoses ages ago and they last a VERY long time. Use OEM spring clamps ONLY, they won't tear up the hose and will put the proper amount of pressure on the hose.
For a thermostat, either Mazda OEM or this -
They make them for Mazda, that's a top notch thermostat. You will need to get the black rubber gasket separately. I don't like the cooler thermostats, I think it just ends up running the car too cool more often than not.
Do NOT get a parts store thermostat. PERIOD. They will fail in 2 months. I've been burned on those and have many friends with the same experience. OEM or Aisin only.
On the squeaking, some times it's the belt. Bando and Dayco make great belts that last longer and squeak less. If it's the PS/AC belt, the tensioner pulley can be on backwards. Try flipping it around and see if it shuts up.
For the air pump, you need an idler pulley. Pineapple Racing and Full Function Engineering sell really nice kits that put a small idler pulley behind the thermostat housing. The old way was the Greddy pulley kit, but that puts very little belt contact on the water pump and it can slip. You also have to over-tighten that belt to stop squeaking and that will wear the stationary gear bearings in the engine.
Pulley kits really don't make power, they just look neat. I wouldn't bother at this point.
I would also look at getting the FC fan switch, it's the fan switch from the 89-91 cars. That will lower the fan turn-on temp from 107 deg C to 97 deg. C. Search on that.
Dale
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