djmtsu

iTrader: (3)

I actually ordered the Pedders springs for this Cosmo a few years ago. It took 4 months to get them, and I sold them as I am going a different direction now.

Pedders USA can order them for you. But you have to call.

djmtsu

iTrader: (3)

Aaron-

Have you had the steering column apart at all? I have some play in the column, not the steering box, or any of the steering/suspension components. Is there bushing in the column itself that wears? I can probably take a short vid of the play to show you if necessary.

Thanks!

now

iTrader: (1)

I had this problem with the rx2 there is a bushing made out of plastic that snaps into
the column tube that holds the shaft snug with time they just crumble away..
they are no longer available but i found the fb rx7 uses the same bushing.
someone at mazda didnt care to change up the part numbers.
matt

Buggy

iTrader: (8)

That same bushing was gone on my rx4 too. I had a friend of mine machine one for me out of plastic or nylon. Not too sure anymore what it was. He also machined new window glass guides because they did the same thing and my glass was flopping around in the tracks.

djmtsu

iTrader: (3)

How do I get to it? My FSM from 1976 isn't very helpful on this!!

now

iTrader: (1)

pull wheel and start taking stuff off. i cant remember all the details but i think the sig light arm
assembly has to come off and its under that . will be obvious once you get in there.

Buggy

iTrader: (8)

Ya basically what now said. Just take the steering wheel off and take apart the steering column untill all you have is the steering shaft and the steel outer tube. The bushing goes inside the top of the tube and supports the shaft.

djmtsu

iTrader: (3)

Gotcha. I'll get on it. Wonder if the FB part is still available from Mazda.

[/Threadjack]

djmtsu

iTrader: (3)

Ordered one from Mazda. 79-80 SA part. $10 from dealer, $16 from Mazdatrix. Nice.

Aaron Cake

iTrader: (1)

It's time for the conclusion of the Vintage Air installation on my '76 Mazda Cosmo. Yep, it's episode 31! Part 1 and part 2 covered the mechanical components and plumbing. Part 3 concentrates on wiring up the system, installing the ducting after adapting the stock Cosmo dash vents, and then powering up the system for electrical testing. I also explain a bit about how the MegaSquirt MS3-Pro handles the A/C system. It sure feels good to have it all done and I'm happy with how well I was able to integrate it into the car. Of course the final testing will have to wait until the system is charged and the car is running. Included in this episode: wiring the Vintage Air system, modifying Vintage Air harness to work with EFI/MegaSquirt, WeatherPack connectors, modifying Cosmo dash vents using Vintage Air adapters, cutting/bending/forming aluminium, electrical checks and testing.

Aaron Cake

iTrader: (1)

While I'm done with air conditioning, part 32 of my '76 Mazda Cosmo restoration still deals with moving air around, as I fabricate a cold airbox. After working so long on the Vintage Air system I wanted to do some simple fabrication, so the air box was a perfect choice. Made to accept a cone filter it is a true cold airbox that draws air from the inner fender. So not only will the box muffle the sound of the engine but it will also assure the turbo is drawing in the coolest air it can. Since I was in an aluminium fabbing mood after the airbox, I also continue on and build an aluminium coolant recovery bottle. Fitting perfectly in the little space between the radiator support and relay panel, made out of square aluminium tubing, it provides a hidden and elegant solution while not taking up any engine bay space. Included in this episode: making cardboard templates, cutting aluminium, bending/shaping aluminium, loads of TIG welding, nutserts, cutting tubing, fabbing a tank, welding bungs.

rx7racerca

iTrader: (1)

I was feeling let down by the lack of sexual innuendos when you spoke about "an inch here, an inch there..." Seemed ripe with opportunity. Although the later simile about"getting into the pants of a nun" did help achieve something approaching normal levels of impropriety.

Aaron Cake

iTrader: (1)

I have to say that the airbox went together so quickly there just wasn't a lot of time to crack jokes during the process. I think it basically took two weekends and a week of weeknights to have the airbox complete, then the coolant tank was finished in about 3 - 4 hours. It was nice that things fell into place after spending so long on the A/C.

Aaron Cake

iTrader: (1)

Part 33 of my '76 Mazda Cosmo restoration deals with what I would consider to be two important, though miscellaneous, tasks. While waiting for the intercooler parts to arrive I tackled what I thought would be a quick and easy job; building a turbine heat shield. I won't admit how long it took but suffice it to say that the intercooler supplies not only did arrive during the heat shield build, but were also packed away under the car and began to grow shop dust. Regardless of the time it took I must say I'm quite happy with the heat shield as I've seen very few like it. So many of the turbine heat shields on the market are nothing but a bit of bent sheet metal and a mounting bracket. At that point I decided I may as well deal with another small job so I took the time to remove excess OEM equipment from the throttle body and eliminate all the unnecessary vacuum nipples on the upper intake manifold. Included in this episode: turbo turbine heat shield fabrication, turbo assembly/disassembly, template making, stainless steel sheet metal cutting/drilling/grinding/bending, TIG welding stainless, OEM intake manifold extra nipple removal, TIG welding aluminium, FD throttle body simplification

Aaron Cake

iTrader: (1)

It's time for part 34 of my '76 Mazda RX-5 Cosmo restoration. This time, I'm installing the water to air intercooler. I've installed and fabricated plenty of air to air intercoolers in my time but never a water to air unit. I chose to use water to air on the Cosmo because it meant that I could keep the piping as short as possible for the best boost response and because of the limited amount of room to run charge piping out to the front of the car due to the large rad and A/C condenser. It was definitely a learning experience for me as I underestimated the amount of time needed to fabricate all of the components. Thus, I have split the episode into two parts. In part 1 of the installation, I fabricate a throttle inlet adapter to fit the FD throttle body, position and mount the intercooler, build charge piping, weld on a BOV flange and IAT bung, fabricate an aluminium water tank with inlet/outlet/fill bungs and mount the heat front heat exchanger.

Casual_John

iTrader: (8)

Forget Miami Vice; yours is 'MADE IN CANADA' from Henry. (I don't know why I notice that???)

I'm really liking your band saw; very handy.

"like a hotdog in a hallway" OMG, I never heard that one before.

Aaron Cake

iTrader: (1)

In the last episode of my '76 Mazda Cosmo restoration, the basic components of the water to air intercooler system were laid out along with the considerable amount of fabrication needed to build the throttle body inlet, intercooler piping and water tank. As well as mount the heat exchanger and BOV. In part 35, we finish up the water to air intercooler installation by taking care of mounting the pump, plumbing all the water lines and wiring up the system. Additionally support brackets are built to support the piping. Lack of space meant I had to get creative with pump position after accidentally creating a clearance issue with the water fittings. However once mounted I was very happy with pump position and the plumbing was straightforward. Included in this episode: Cutting/grinding/drilling aluminium, making aluminium brackets, assembling AN house and fittings, wiring relay to spare Megasquirt output, adding temperature sensor to Megasquirt analog input, plumbing air to water intercooler with tank and pump, TIG welding brackets.

Neo

iTrader: (3)

It's coming along nicely!
You think it'll be ready by the end of the season?

I noticed the FD style bumper in the background at the beginning.

Aaron Cake

iTrader: (1)

I'm actually surprised it's readable considering the multiple levels of compression a video goes through before it hits YouTube. Tends to have a softening effect on details like that.

The interesting thing is that vice cost me nothing. I was at the e-waste depot and noticed it sitting in the bin for scrap metal. As an aside I find it hilarious people dump hundreds of pounds of scrap metal into that bin which just goes down the street to the scrap yard. If they had driven three more blocks they would have been paid for said metal. Anyway, you're not supposed to salvage but the vice was just sitting there so I asked and was told "whatever...take it" by the kind in charge. It was missing one jaw liner so I just cut some tool steel and TIG'd it in place.

I had planned to have it in paint for the fall but with all the delays lately (the past two months have made me very unproductive) that won't happen. Which is fine, because there's little point in finishing a car just before winter anyway as it would spend the winter in the garage.

The black FD was converted back to an OEM style rear bumper to get rid of that horrific aftermarket abomination which raped the lines of the car.

Neo

iTrader: (3)

Yeah, I was going to says about the bumper.

Take your time to get it finished. Life just gets in the way.

Aaron Cake

iTrader: (1)

Currently life decided to get in the way by saying "Aaron, I see you have a 4 day weekend here, the first weekend to yourself in months and you have some very specific plans to be productive...Well, I don't like that so here's some kidney stones!".

Was under the car on Sunday afternoon and as I scooted out on the creeper I felt a little twinge of crotch pain. Though to myself "What did I just tweak?". Over the next few minutes it moved to the lower back and I knew at that point I was screwed. Off to the hospital for the rest of the day. Spent yesterday lying around doped up and trying not to vomit. Ended up severely dehydrated as I couldn't keep fluids down, so back to the hospital again where all my prescriptions were changed. Feeling better today so I might be able to sneak into the shop and get some stuff done.

Neo

iTrader: (3)

Yikes! That sucks buddy.
Here's hoping things get better later today. You can ly down an watch the game.

Casual_John

iTrader: (8)

Ouch! Been there, done that. (25 years ago)
When it hit me, I rolled on the floor in the fetal position for an hour before I managed to phone a friend to drive me to emerg. Three days in the hospital on Demerol...ahhhhh Demerol.
Pee'd through a strainer, but never found the stone.
Good times.

Aaron Cake

iTrader: (1)

After a week of basically being forced to do nothing, several visits to the hospital (the ultrasound showed a 6MM stone stuck at the bottom of my left uretor) and being high on Percocet much of the time, the stone was passed this Monday in the wee (pun intended) hours of the morning. Unfortunately nearly not eating anything for a week, combined with all the drugs, meant that this entire week I've been exhausted to the point of stupidity.

That said, I was able to finally finish something on the Cosmo which has been hanging over my head for a long time. Today I will be moving on to the last stage of finishing the fuel system: building the in-tank fuel pump brackets and converting the old carburetor tank to accept the high pressure EFI in tank pump.

Oh, the wonderful thing is though that all day Friday I was aware of a another stone. Not painful, just aware. Until of course I tried to go to bed at which point it was full on agony. Made the decision to pop the pills knowing the problems that creates. Thankfully that seems to have worked, the stone has probably passed and I seem not much more worse for wear this morning save being down a few hours of good sleep.

Kidney stones are the punishment I would smite my enemies with if I could. Screw prison. If we could give a magic injection to criminals which would cause a week of kidney stone passing, repeat offense wouldn't exist after that sentence.

Aaron Cake

iTrader: (1)

With any rotary, a robust fuel system is a critical component in reliability. This is what will be covered in part 36 of my '76 Mazda Cosmo restoration. In this episode I set up the engine bay section of the fuel system. This includes the regulator, fuel Y block, and all the fuel hoses using braided line and AN fittings. I also bend up a set of stainless fuel lines for underneath the car. The fuel tank also needed some attention so I begin the process of getting it cleand out and ready for modification to handle an in-tank EFI pump.