Hi, I'm Erich and this is my '86 FC base. A little background, in early July I was preparing to move from Idaho to Missouri for graduate school. I decided to sell my 1992 Miata since due to the convertible top and heavier mid-west rains. I rode my motorcycle to grad school and began looking for a new car.

I knew I wanted another Japanese car but this time wanted something a little older and more iconic. Finally I found this white FC on CL in September. When I went and looked at it the owner told me a friend of his was the original owner. She moved from California about 4 years ago and parked it in her garage but didn't drive it. He bought it, cleaned it up, serviced it, and put it up for sell. The car was amazingly clean with only 97,000 miles on it, no rust (Cali car! ), and completely stock. The only problems were, idle was a little high, the aftermarket stereo was wining (needs replaced), and I noticed there might be an exhaust leak. I was impressed because everything on the car worked (including the clock)! We settled on $2700 and I took it home.

Since, the FC has caused some headaches. My apartment is on campus so finding somewhere to work was the first major challenge (not allowed to work in the parking lot). Luckily one of my professors let me use his shop and lift after hearing about the car. The next issue was the exhaust leak which turned out to be a leaky catalytic converter. While installing the new catalytic converter we threw on some new lowering springs. When I was going to register it the clutch master and slave also died. Went back to my professor's place and got it fixed up.

Now she runs, drives, and is registered but there are a few things left to do:

High Idling 1800-2000 rpm
Minor Oil Leak (I think it is the oil pestal)
Minor Coolant Leak
Pre-Cats are also leaking
New struts (found a blown one during spring install)
New stereo!

I understand how to fix everything except the idling. I'm on break right now but my plan for when I'm back (in four days) are:

Replace O2 sensor
Adjust/Check TPS
Adjust Idle Screw

If that doesn't work I plan to check thermowax and dashpot? I'll be using the FSM to double check things. Is this the correct process?

Here is some pics too!

 

Typical newish FC owner...
"High Idling 1800-2000 rpm
Minor Oil Leak (I think it is the oil pestal)
Minor Coolant Leak
Pre-Cats are also leaking
New struts (found a blown one during spring install)
New stereo!"

Solution to issues?
Installed new lowering springs.
That will get her running great!

 

Lol, beefhole.

Everything is 27 years old. Replace the intake manifold gaskets, the FPD, all vacuum hoses, and the rubber parts on the fuel injectors. Do plugs and wires as well. If you get it back together right it'll run like new.

Your poor idle is most likely due to a vac leak.

 

No need to be a jerk about it dude...

Nice looking SE; Look into a 5 lug swap with the 4 piston calipers.
The high idle is probably a vac leak.
there's 2 orings under the pedestal check out mazdatrix.com
autozone will rent you a coolant pressure tester
just replace the precats with a header
look into kyb agx shocks


good luck with the car!

 

Thanks for the suggestions. A friend of mine was putting a set of springs on his GTP. Since he bought spring compressors, I decided to do mine at the same time. The oil leak and coolant leaks started later. I promise I'm not a complete incompetent moron.

Molotovman, thanks for the suggestion. I am hoping to get it fixed without a complete intake rebuild. The time I have at the shop is limited to 1 day so I have to be selective on what I do. I'll check again for vacuum leaks and use a propane torch this time. If I need to I'll rebuild the entire intake.

I've been looking at the 5 lug and 4 piston swap. I graduate in a year and a half so I'm waiting. For now, my plans are to use it as a DD and work on minor mods. After I graduate, I plan to either drop a turbo motor or run a ported performance NA.

I'll check out KYB shocks. Also is there a header I should use? I need something to go to the stock main cat location. I was planning on use Racing Beats down pipe and silencer but is there a better option?

 

While u have the intake apart I highly recommend taking out the 5th &6th ports blocking off the air control valve on the lower intake and consider using premix by taking of the OMP.
U'll have to remember to add 1oz oil to every gallon of gas when u refuel. Use 2 stroke oil but u can substitute motor oil when needed.

This will make ur car faster and more reliable.
Pace setter makes an inexpensive header that will replace ur precats and I also recommend OBX 18" resonator the racing beat header is slightly better but more expensive. good luck

 

The Racing Beat header will not connect to a stock main cat, it's too short.

 

You cant beat racing beat, but for the money pacesetters a good option. I ran one for 6 years and it was used when I got it. I only removed it for a racing beat true dual set up.

 

Thanks for the advice. My plans are to go with the pacesetter header. Also I found the OBX one but it looks the same just in stainless so I don't know if it is worth it. I plan to put on a RB complete exhaust eventually.

My plans are not to rebuild the intake if I don't have too but what is the best option for the ports. Does the pacesetter header have a place for the split air pipe location? Is removal the best option or should I modify the pacesetter? Also has anyone done/seen this:

Rotary Resurrection home of the budget rebuild.

 

The 18" OBX resonator is to replace ur main cat it cost $39 eBay. The sound it makes is amazing. It's deep and quiet enough I can start my car in the middle of the night without waking my neighbors. It's the best sound I've ever heard from a rotary. U'll also need to to buy flanges and have someone weld them.

 

Thanks for the suggestion. I already put on a magnaflow main cat as a main replacement. Hopefully that won't be too loud. If it is I'll keep the obx unit in mind.

 

That's quite a find man, it's in phenomenal shape!

My fc was blown and gutted and ready for the junk yard when I bought it, so the first time I ever drove it I had already put in a winter's worth of work engine/drivetrain swapping, wiring, plumbing intercooler, fuel management etc. It would be awesome to drive a nice unmolested s4 for a bit before getting into the heavy mods.

-sean

 

Thanks for the pro/con of 5th and 6th port! I think I would like to keep them to keep it stock. However, since I am replacing the header and in turn the split air pipe I would have to find a work around. I found this one which seems simpler than the electronic one:

https://www.rx7club.com/2nd-gen-arch...vation-330310/

I'm just worried about durability with this one. Anyone know how it stands up? Also are there any other solutions? I'll consider wiring them open if I need to. Also I've seen 5th and 6th port aftermarket sleeves, any good?

Additionally, I began looking at the high idle issue. It appears the throttle isn't returning to the stop all the way and has a gap. Similar to this:



I would've taken a picture of my car but the hood is frozen shut due to snow last night.

I pressed the throttle back to the stop and amazingly enough the idle dropped to 750. I haven't been able to play with it due to a very busy work schedule since I've been back but does anyone know how to fix it?

 

Glad u found the problem. Penetrating oil should work. Spray it every day until it frees up. spray ur actuators and spray ur exhaust bolts so there're easier take off. Hopefully this will save u some trouble. If not U'll have to take everything aprt. Just give the oils a few days to do it thing.

 

Try spraying it with PB Blaster or WD 40.

 

I'll give that a shot. We will be below freezing here for a couple more days. Once it warms up I'll try it and report back.

 

P B Blaster
WD -40
Good job.
Ur lucky it was that easy
Spray both sides of ur throttle body and ur port actuators. . Do this everyday until it feels smooth.

 

Have u finished ur exhaust, If not u will want to spray ur exhaust bolts also.

 

The gap is normal. Check where the tab rests against the thermowax to make sure it's not jammed open or maybe a PO has misaligned it. An RX7 in proper tune always starts up at 1800 RPM then slowly drops to 800 RPM as the coolant heats up and extends the thermowax pellet. Play with the tiny screw that rests against it.

If you want my 2 cents on this car, don't modify it at all. I'd love to pick up a clean SE. Keep the 4 lug, keep the smaller brakes, keep and fix the 6 ports. Easiest way to test f they work is to put a tiny zip tie at the bottom of each rod. Drive the car around the block, and if the zip tie is now at the top of the rod they work. If not, use a little WD40 and massage them by hand until the free up.

 

Was that the white FC located in Liberty MO last fall by chance?

 

I don't think it was in Liberty MO last fall but I could be mistaken. I bought it in a small town south of Kansas City, Kansas.

Ghost1000, I haven't done the exhaust yet. I'll have the $$$ for all of it next week and I plan to order everything then so it is one order and I save $ on shipping.

NCross, that is my plan for the next couple years at least. I have a year and a half until I'm done with my grad program so for now, it will be as stock as possible. However, the pre-cats are leaking so I'm planning on replacing them with a pacesetter header which is causing an issue with retaining the split-air pipe to activate the ports. Any suggestions? Or is the last post the best option?

Also if the absolutely best option is to do a full RB exhaust. I would prefer not to do this because I would have to move some things around budget wise and put other things on hold. Any thoughts?

I'll play with the thermowax. After PB blastering it for a while, it starts up at 1500 rpm but once I press the gas it idles between 2200-2500 rpm depending on the day.

 

Dont get a pacesetter. Waste of money. It will last bout 2 years and rust through. I had one on my old 79. Get a 2nd hand Racing Beat. They can be found for the same as a new PS header and last a lifetime. Much thicker stainless steel.

The RB header will still operate the 6 ports as long as you keep the split air pipe installed. I ran a gutted cat with split air pipe and RB header for years on my old 86 and the ports worked.

Another cheaper option would be the Racing Beat cat delete pipe. Bolts between your stock exhaust manifold and your cat. May require modification to reach the stock cat (weld in additional pipe length).

 

Would the cat delete pipe retain the split air pipe?

 

Racing beat makes one that does but it $200
Check out pinapple racings web site. Send the owner an email he'll point u the right direction. He gets great hp out of stock 6port using apexi safc-2. He has lots of experience, real dyno numbers and nice parts.

He's one of the smartest rotary guys I've ever talked to.

 

I might send him an email but I looked through Pinapple Racing's products and I didn't see anything to fix the pre-cats. I noticed the block-off plate for the 5th and 6th ports as well as the sleeve inserts.

Also can you send me a link to the racing beat pipe? $200 to retain the SAP isn't bad. Thanks for the help.