1988 rx7 n/a
 

New guy here! well just picked up and 1988 rx7 with a fresh rebuild! What are some good mods to get me going? Looking for some better power.

Already have an lsd and are going to buy some coilovers.

Any help would be awesome!

Sell the cats, buy a header and presilencer to replace them, save for a TII swap.

I wanna keep this motor! its solid! no swap for a least 1.5 years. Do i have to get a presilencer or could i just run straight pipe to mufflers?

And yes a header is first on the list. Recommendations anyone?

Not advisable on a NA. And I would suggest having a shop weld in a cat to whatever exhaust you decide to go with.

Exhaust is your best bet, and a drop-in high-flow air filter will help a little bit. Pretty much anything other than that will require a lot of time and money, such as engine porting, turbocharging, etc.

Rather than coilovers, most people are better off with good replacement shocks/struts and springs. See Mazdatrix for popular performance parts. Note that Tokico Illuminas are better for cars with removed/gutted rear speaker grilles, while KYB AGX are better for cars retaining the stock rear speaker grilles and for convertibles. Non-adjustable dampers will work fine in either configuration.
http://www.mazdatrix.com

If you need coilovers for actual racing events (NASA, SCCA IT or EP, etc.), then I recommend a good entry-level race-quality setup with Koni or Bilstein dampers and Eibach ERS springs. You can get such kits from Mazda Motorsports Development or Ground Control. Stiffer mounts and bushings are required to keep the stiffer suspension working properly, and camber/caster plates are a common accessory.
http://www.mazdamotorsports.com/wcss...ershipinfo.htm
http://www.ground-control-store.com/...hp/II=41/CA=23

I would recommend a full Racing Beat exhaust system if you don't need a cat. Otherwise, the Racing Beat catback is a nice quiet option, or if you like louder exhaust get the Apexi N1 Dual (90mm tips, not 115mm tips) catback. The best option is a professionally-built exhaust system if you don't mind spending a lot of money. Most user-designed cheapie custom projects end in failure.
http://www.mazdatrix.com/r-ex86nt.htm
http://banzai-racing.com/store/86-91...i_exhaust.html

ok thanks.

Get a lightweight flywheel, maybe look into throttle body mod.

Why is it no advised to delete the cat and straight it into mufflers at the back? Thats what my plan was but dont want it obnoxiously loud since ive already got quiet series Trust mufflers at the back.

Note that "throttle body mod" doesn't mean "tear stuff off the throttle body without understanding the consequences".

For a TII, all you want to do is eliminate the tertiary throttle plates (vacuum operated). Note that doing to may cause a slight hesitation in going from low throttle to wide open when using the stock ECU.

I removed my cat converter and its not loud with stock exhaust. :icon_tup:

but deffinetly see a difference with straight pipe on the top end.

- patience makes wonders. :nod:

^^^^Does it stink without it? And Do you still have the air pump hooked up?

I would like to know this too. I have a few plugs unplugged on mine, and the guy has the main cat unbolted and a cut in the catback before the Y, so I'm going to need to be replacing a few parts. What are a few quiet options that will still keep my car running pretty reliably? I'm not so much looking for power at this point. It needs to run and run well first of all.

Mine does a little bit, but I don't have an air pump belt and my timing is a little whack right now.

MY 88 N/a
http://i50.tinypic.com/nv16vk.jpg

What's your suspension setup? I like how low that is. Just right.

IMO a light flywheel mod is better saved for whenever the engine/transmission needs to be cracked open, such as rebuilding the engine or replacing the clutch. I like light flywheels, but some people don't, so the OP may want to try driving one first before buying one. FYI to the OP, a light flywheel adds no extra power but it lets the engine rev up faster, but it also makes it rev down faster and it makes it more difficult to get the car moving from a stop. I'm not a big fan of the throttle body mod on unported street engines.

The car will not pass a visual or emissions test without a cat, which technically makes the car illegal to drive on the street. This reduces the resale value, and will cause problems if you move to an area that has emissions testing. Also, you could get your car impounded if you drive through an area where police tend to pull over such sports cars to check for cats. Bypassing the cat will not cause the engine to run poorly. Removing the air pump will cause afterburn, which sounds like "backfiring" when downshifting.

I work at an inspection station, so it will pass no matter what. I do plan on keeping the cat just in case and I have never heard of any police check points like that. Atleast not in ny....