Ottoman

2 quick questions,

I just bought my 3rd Rx7 in the span of less then a 6 months, (love at first sight i guess), own an S4 TII an S5 NA and just bought a 93 Red FD.

ironically my S4 and the FD both have a coolant leak from the heater hose

the S4 is the pipe that goes from the block to the firewall on the drivers side of the car...

the S6s leak it's under the snorkels/hoses that lead to the airbox.. i can hear the water dripping on to the hot turbo/manifold/shield.. have yet to take it apart inorder to find the exact hose...


1.) my first question is whether i can cancel the heater all together, and just plug the hole at the base of the radiator... and plug the hose that goes to the block... will water still circulate through the rest of the system? unaffected.. or do i have to leave the heater core in the loop?

2.) second Question.. the FD has had the engine replaced with what I believe is a JDM engine (has marker writings on the intake manifold) is there any way i can easily identify weather it's an REW from S6-S7 or S8?


thanks in advance...

trochoid

iTrader: (6)

On the S4, if it is leaking at the heater core tube that protrudes through the firewall, actually rather common, there is a good chance that the core tube itself is out of round. I've had this problem on a couple. If it is out of round, find something that is tapered, drift punch or the like, and gently tap it into the tube to get it nearly round. When you clamp the hose back on, use 2 hose clamps, reversing one. That will tend to pull the tube back to being round.

If it just the hose leaking, replace it. You can bypass the heater if you wish, with out any ill effects.

Can't help on the 3rd gen.

Ottoman

thanks trochoid...

but the S4 leak is at the block side.. not the core side... right where the "crimped" metal part stops.. and the rubber starts....


Don't worry about the S5.. i found it was the heater core after all, it was the water inlet to the turbo's...

Boy do I miss the nice roomy engine bay of my FC compared to my FD...