manbeast

Im a noob. why do you have a small air filter on the hose that lead to the air pump? does it help with emissions? also i plan on doing the cold air intake set up and yours looks crazy. does it work properly? ive never seen one with the cone filter attached to whatever it is yours is attached to. looks like its wired to part of the tps or something?? if you want to message me with some details thatd be cool! thanks. and sweet ride man.

Rotank

iTrader: (2)

The small filter is the lead for the Air pump for the precat and to acuate the ports on a 6-port n/a. Their is no cold air intake on there, just a filter. Its actually worse than the stock air cleaner without a sealed box around it. Its sitting directly beside the radiator, the stock air cleaner gets cold air through the scoop that attaches to it.

DCRotor

iTrader: (2)

Thanks man, the small filter is for the inlet to the airpump. The set up in not really crazy at all, it’s just a cone attached to a generic filter adaptor from advanced auto.....like $30 total. It works fine.

I bought the car from some tuner kid before he would have destroyed the car. Unfortunately the box was gone when I got it. But I have some aluminum sitting around that will be made into an air box. Currently I’m focused on suspension mods till I get a nice lightweight flywheel for the 5-speed swap. Don’t really feel like pulling the counter weight ... I'm just lazy.


Small Update:

Got the banjo bolt and gasket for the PD Delete, Pinion snubber, and 12lb press for the installation of the front bushings..... Also I’ll stop by advanced auto for some new spark plugs. Don’t know the condition of the ones I have.

Rotank

iTrader: (2)

Yeah I was in the same boat but I managed to get a full oem box for 20$. So I am just waiting on a RB airfilter to get here so I can install it.

DCRotor

iTrader: (2)

Update!!!!

Well it’s been a while guys and gals. Been busy these last couple months with birthdays, holidays, and fights. One of my MMA coaches had another fight at Operation Octagon. First round KO …





It was a great event! Also changed the panels in my mom’s house so they won’t burn it down…SMDH got breakers in now.





Helped Taka with stuff with his car and …..his girl(s) car….Front wheel drive clutch swaps are a bitch!!
Parked along side my co-workers vette



Got a 12lb press from Harbor Freight to install the bushings and maybe do the hubs and studs.

DCRotor

iTrader: (2)

I also got in the Gasket for the banjo bolt install and other misc. stuff like pinion snubber..ect.



My little crap jack broke when working on someone else’s car so another trip to Harbor Fright got me this.. Ignore the flip-flops





Also picked up some ratcheting wrenches ….. Love these things



THEN IT STARTED GETTING COLLLLLDDDDDD!!!!!!!!
I hate working in the cold, I did my first engine swap on a SE 1988 rx7 and it was painful! So I slowed down on things with the car. So I started to do exterior things like painting the side molding….

DCRotor

iTrader: (2)

After it dried I did not like the color…. It was too plastic looking and not dark enough so I only did half the car before I stopped.
Temp dropped below 24* and I had my first cold start issue. Car was seriously flooded! Took out the spark plugs and they were nasty. So I went to Advanced and bought new ones. Funny story the guy behind the parts counter thought I only needed two for the car one trailing and one leading. Then he asked me if I knew how to gap my spark plugs…..LOL…. I almost died!

New vs. Old



I also found out the previous owner like to use all trailing spark plugs..

Taka smoked his tail lights so I decided to do the same……

DCRotor

iTrader: (2)

Still too cold to do any real work……..life of a street mechanic…..one day I’ll have a garage!

SNOW!!!!





Currently just driving the car and waiting on parts for my 5-speed swap to come in, also been playing around with the press…



Playing NFS: The Run

DCRotor

iTrader: (2)

And also trying to figure out if this flywheel will work…. It’s the right size but has the marking of 304… which on Mazdatrix is a 85 GSLE flywheel…..we’ll see what happens with this

DCRotor

iTrader: (2)

Talked to Karack and he told me the n304 flywheel won’t work for my engine, the 12a rotors are heavier than the 13b. So I’m going to stop by Fong’s garage to pick one up and a couple other things. Also last week while going to work I lost two of the stock screws for the headlight retainer bracket. These needed to go anyways because the new HID lights were bigger than the stock lights. So I tied them up with some paperclips till I got home and broke out the old Erector Set I had when I was a kid. This stuff is awesome for on the fly custom stuff.



Put my 6lb Press together to put together my sway bar end links.







Trying to just do small busy work with the car right now because it’s still cold out and I’m saving for a house. I might get in on a group buy with a friend for NRG bucket seats and quick release hub, but don’t feel like spending the money ….. Being a grown up sucks

sbrmechanic

wow we have extremely similar tastes, i want to run that same intake set up you have, it runs fine with the air compressor tube just out like that? and how does it sound with stock piping and after market mufflers? Plus where did you get the steering angle kit?

DCRotor

iTrader: (2)

Thanks man....Becky was hurt before I got her so I put some band aids on until, I get a nice body kit. Still haven't made up my mind if I want a wide body kit or keep a more classic understated look.

DCRotor

iTrader: (2)

Thanks you....some dont get my style but its nice to have "A brotha from anotha motha" on the other coast.
Yep it runs just fine with the small filter, I believe the hose goes to the air box normally but since I don't have one this works well. I also had to make a bracket to hold the cold air filter from hitting the frame. Right now it's made out of some erector set pieces until I can get my angle cuter back from taka21. I have a nice piece of Aluminium for that. As far as the exhaust it's pretty nice, I have the adjustable silencers to full open and Taka21 says he can hear the lawn mower from at least two blocks away ......LMAO! I would like to cut the piping and make the exhaust fit better to the underside so I can lower my car more.

The angle kit is the mazdatrix one. I've heard the super now's are better and I've heard of people going straight to drift hubs but I'm trying these. You will have to shave some of the ends off your tie rods to get the right alignment. I haven't done mine yet. And you will need either spacers or wheels with a lower number offset so you don't rub the LCA and other things in the wheel well.

sbrmechanic

very nice man, i saw a pic of coils but no description what brand are they?

DCRotor

iTrader: (2)

They are Zankoku Performance X2 coilovers. They are popular with the MKIII guys in supramania.com, I got in on a group buy with taka21. Unfortunately they are 12k/10k ....My ride is super hard! They seem to be well made GR knock offs (except the bolt problem… see my rant on that in post #21 ). I would advise getting quality Tein's around the 9k/7k or 10k/8k range and get it from a supplier. I'm trying these for now and see how this will be when I put a newer heavier engine in this summer ....hopefully......maybe 3 rotors ....YAY for taxes!!!!

Ma7daPOW3R

iTrader: (4)

I just saw your Pilot HID retrofits and went crazy! I can't seem to find any product with that number (WI-HL5A) that has projectors, they just seem to be rectangular replacements. Any ideas? I would love to have these and don't want to buy that crap off ebay that is probably worthless.

DCRotor

iTrader: (2)

https://www.rx7club.com/group-buy-product-dev-fc-rx-7-268/gb-2-fc3s-bi-xenon-hid-retrofit-960435/

^^^^^ I got them from a member in this thread TurboIIRotory... I got the E55 and they are awesome. I had to get longer screws and the spacers but none the less a great buy.





I was also adjusting my lights and found the old adjustment screw is slowly getting stripped out. So this Friday I will be stopping past home deport to match the screws so stay tuned. Also now that I’ve gotten pretty good with the press I’ll be doing my LCA Bushings and painting them.



I’ve also been getting a few questions on how to do things so I’ll try to put together a step by step for the things I’ll be doing. Also now that it seems like our winter is almost over I'll be doing alot more to the car.

Ma7daPOW3R

iTrader: (4)

I got them from a member in this thread TurboIIRotory... I got the E55 and they are awesome. I had to get longer screws and the spacers but none the less a great buy.






Am I wrong in assuming that those lights came with projectors from the manufacturer? Did TurboIIRotary modify the Pilot WI-HL5A to fit them inside?

DCRotor

iTrader: (2)

Yes these are retrofits that he makes which are PNP (Plug -N- Play).

This is what the kit included:

Oem quality 35w ballast
Oem quality 6k d2s bulb
PNP wiring harness
New headlight housing (E55)
Bi-xenon projector with clear lens
Alcohol wipes for bulbs

"This kit offers a bi-xenon (high/low) projector with a unique mounting point which saves on labor cost and the housing does not get cut up to fit the projector. The end result offers a very clean setup. " - TurboIIRotary

DCRotor

iTrader: (2)

So this weekend was a disaster! Both my lower ball joints are shot and I had to ride on them for the whole week so I could go to work. Usually I get off at noon on Friday but because I am the only person who knows how to use a FTP site in my office I had to stay late to get a project out the door. Which in turn made me miss my usual lunch of Spicy Bulgogi Sub and threw my whole schedule off, so working on the car was pushed back to where I didn’t have any light to work. I also couldn’t go get the parts from Fong cause I was working on my car the whole day. Here is how it went:

Here’s the culprit of my sorrows , the new one is in the plastic

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dont_shoot/6832077165/http://www.flickr.com/photos/dont_shoot/6832077165/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/dont_shoot/, on Flickr

Removed everything

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dont_shoot/6832077315/http://www.flickr.com/photos/dont_shoot/6832077315/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/dont_shoot/, on Flickr

Liquid wrench on everything will make it go easier

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dont_shoot/6832077247/http://www.flickr.com/photos/dont_shoot/6832077247/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/dont_shoot/, on Flickr

I broke out my 6 ton press to also do the LCA bushings. Now if you’re like me and had to buy a 6 ton instead of a 12 ton because harbor freight didn’t have any more 12 tons this is how you have to modify the jack to get the bushings out of the LCA.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dont_shoot/6832077091/http://www.flickr.com/photos/dont_shoot/6832077091/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/dont_shoot/, on Flickr

Then using a cutter I cut the bushing off of the top stock bushing (there is metal piece in here so only cut through the first layer of metal)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dont_shoot/6832076943/http://www.flickr.com/photos/dont_shoot/6832076943/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/dont_shoot/, on Flickr

NOTE: I must apologize for the lack of pictures I usually have tons of pictures but I have started taking VIDEO for the newbies! So please stay tuned for those updates!!!!!
I used a 1-1/8 socket to get this bushing out

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dont_shoot/6832077003/http://www.flickr.com/photos/dont_shoot/6832077003/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/dont_shoot/, on Flickr

DCRotor

iTrader: (2)

He is the LCA with the stock bushings removed.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dont_shoot/6832077591/http://www.flickr.com/photos/dont_shoot/6832077591/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/dont_shoot/, on Flickr

Here is a shot of how to press in the new Prothane bushings

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dont_shoot/6832077455/http://www.flickr.com/photos/dont_shoot/6832077455/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/dont_shoot/, on Flickr

Here is the LCA with the top bushing going in the correct way (thought I had put it in wrong the first time but after reviewing other threads it is correct)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dont_shoot/6832077379/http://www.flickr.com/photos/dont_shoot/6832077379/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/dont_shoot/, on Flickr

After a couple foot stomps from Taka21 the bushing was on

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dont_shoot/6832077527/http://www.flickr.com/photos/dont_shoot/6832077527/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/dont_shoot/, on Flickr

Now this job wasn’t so bad until I tried to put it all back on. The bushing for the top part of the LCA was not aligned with the holes on the car so I used my jack to position it in the right place, then DISASTER!!!!

THE BOLTS STARTED TO CROSS THREAD!!!!!!!!

My god what a pain in the ****!!!!

I was at Taka21’s place so I didn’t have my tap & die set to clean out the hole. In the end it took longer to get the last two bolts on the car than to do the whole job (I think I’m exaggerating here but it took a while just to find a tap that fits) Lesson learned: keep all fabrication tools handy even if not needed for the install. By this time it was dark so I left the passenger side for another day.

The car feels much better now! The bushings made my car more soft over bumps (remember I have 12K/10K coilovers) feels as though I am closer to the newer car feel. The ball joint is working great, it is a re-grease-able type and my car feels like its standing up now and not like it’s doing a gangsta lean on either side. I can’t wait to finish the passenger side to see how the car will handle when I finish.

Note: I will post the videos as soon as I get a Youtube account!

magus2222

iTrader: (22)

its incredible how much difference poly urethane bushings really clean up the feel of the suspension, making it feel crisp and agile, the way it probably felt straight off the show room floor. i personally am running delrin, but youre doing a good job, keep it up!

Lloyd

DCRotor

iTrader: (2)

Thanks, Im trying to get her to feel like a newer car, so up next will be the 929 brake master upgread and Ronin Speed Works "Mandeville" BIG Brake setup with mazdatrix SS lines and the 5-speed swap when I get the right flywheel.

DCRotor

iTrader: (2)

Been a busy month full of ups & downs…… First off the downs…….. my name is a common name so at the beginning of the month I get a letter from my bank (I monitor my credit because I’m buying my first house/condo) saying I had bought a $70K car in Texas!!! Needless to say a day full of calling Texas, the credit bureaus and my bank resulted in my amazingly high 700’s score to dip below into the 600’s and won’t be fixed till they fully investigate.

Next I was in sort of a slump cause of the credit thing so all I was doing was helping finishing up Taka21’s wiring so he can start this year’s drift season.

Then I got off my **** and did some work.

Changed the bushings on the other side of the car while making a video, I have to get Taka21 to film it next time and edit it cause I suck at it. I also got a promotion to Engineer 2 at my job and my tax return all in the same month. So I’ll be buying an engine pretty soon depending on what’s available in the area!

Look out for this Nice GXL S4 N/A 107K engine to be up for sale…it runs perfectly and I’ve been premixing.

Now for more pictures….. an my crappy video!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dont_shoot/6918479151/http://www.flickr.com/photos/dont_shoot/6918479151/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/dont_shoot/, on Flickr
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dont_shoot/6918479021/http://www.flickr.com/photos/dont_shoot/6918479021/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/dont_shoot/, on Flickr
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dont_shoot/6918478803/http://www.flickr.com/photos/dont_shoot/6918478803/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/dont_shoot/, on Flickr
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dont_shoot/6918478585/http://www.flickr.com/photos/dont_shoot/6918478585/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/dont_shoot/, on Flickr

DCRotor

iTrader: (2)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dont_shoot/6918478507/http://www.flickr.com/photos/dont_shoot/6918478507/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/dont_shoot/, on Flickr
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dont_shoot/6918478347/http://www.flickr.com/photos/dont_shoot/6918478347/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/dont_shoot/, on Flickr



I also signed up for my first amateur fight at the end of this month in Richmond, VA..... wish me luck!