M3Run

So I havent really worked on the my RX7 too much after starting it and driving it around the lot. Figured, its good. My car essentially got kicked out and had to move it. Had some money saved up, got it decently ready for a 15-20 min drive to the shop. So heres when the fun begins. While running, the car smoked a decent amount. My thought was that, Its a car that has never really been on the road in about a decade, so maybe the exhaust was just burning off dirt. When I got to the shop, I popped the hood to let the smoke out, then the exhaust manifold caught fire. Luckily the shop had a extinguisher handy lol. Had the shop do like a "Used car inspection." got called the next day from the shop. Said everything was solid except for the exhaust system was shot and my brake master was too(Pedal went all the way to the floor, except last inch or two). Even after bleeding it. Had the car towed back to my place.

So my small questions are.

Question 1:Any tips on the easiest way to remove the exhaust manifold from the engine? I got the bottom heat shield off but I cant seem to remove the top part of it nor find any bolts for it. With this I was planning on installing Pacesetter Headers then Having the rest of the exhaust built.

Question 2: After hours of fighting with the Heat Shield for the Manifold, I realized that I never did an oil change on the car ever since I got it. I must figured the oil is probably at least 8 years old. Does that old burn WAY hotter than new oil? Could that be the cause of the manifold fire? I haven't gotten around to changing it, But my plan is to change the oil, and take it for a test drive with the stock manifold(w/ tons of water and a extinguisher lol)

Question 3:Last but not least is the brakes. I replaced the master cylinder, Bled it A LOT. Furthest wheel to closest to the master. Got rid a lot of air until everything was solid, but the pedal still feels low and squishy. Could it be the brake booster? I heard that If the brake booster went out, the pedal would feel rock hard. Also note that I replaced the front calipers due to them being seized. Back brakes seem to lock and let go. Also the pedal feels squishier when I start and pump the pedal. Also noticed that rod sticking out of the brake booster to the master cylinder seemed adjustable? Not sure. but just wondering if there is any adjustment that needs to be done after a master cylinder install.

Sorry may seem like dumb questions but any help is greatly appreciated!

diabolical1

iTrader: (3)

What year car is it?

1. If memory serves, the top part of the shielding bolts directly to the manifold itself. I have never really been a great fan of PaceSetter headers, but if that's what you want, then go for it. My official advice would be to look around and see if you can find a used RB header and build a system off that. As long as the OEM manifold is intact, you can always build the rear sections and wait for a better header to build the front. That said, the PaceSetter unit will work if that's what you choose to go with. I've had a few friends who have used them.

2. Change the oil! It's not likely to be the cause of your fire though. For that, I would suggest looking to the intake manifold. If it is leaking anywhere (from loose or missing bolts, or a crack), then it's a recipe for a fire, being just above the exhaust. One thing I will stress is to find the cause of the fire and FIX IT! It sounds like the car was sitting for a while and maybe some rodents moved in, making a nest near or on the exhaust? Just throwing something out there ....

3. Did you bench bleed the MC before install. The very first master I ever installed did the same thing, and it was because I didn't know to bench bleed it first. At this point, I would say double check all the lock bolts at the wheels, then go ahead and just do a thorough bleed of all 4 wheels until you get all the air out. That was what I had to do to remedy my mistake.

M3Run

Its an 87. I checked all the intake and everything is tight with no leaks. So yea thats my guess was the rodents. Also when i took the heatshield off the mesh type material in between the shield and manifold was essentially powder rust. Ahh whats the main issue with the pace setter headers? I did not bench bleed it but i did bleed it a lot. I will probably do at a fair bit more or use a vacuum to really get everything and I will double check the lock bolts! Appreciate the advice!

diabolical1

iTrader: (3)

Okay, so your '87 has a few other possible areas to check because it's injected,

1. the pulsation damper
a. https://www.mazdatrix.com/c-pulsation.htm
b. https://www.rx7club.com/2nd-generati...delete-994235/
c. FC3S Pro v2.0:Â FAQ - Pulsation Damper

2. any other loose/leaking joint on the rails
3. injector seals

Do yourself a favor and dedicate some time (and funds) to going through your fuel system. You were lucky with the first fire you might not be with a second.

My vacuum bleed setup is easily one of the best tools I have ever bought.

Torque Restorations

duckraisin

My project FB has been sitting a long time and I want to do as good a job as I can getting all the air out of the system. Any recommendations for a good vacuum bleeder? And if I have a vacuum bleeder, should I still bench bleed the master or is that unnecessary?

diabolical1

iTrader: (3)

I don't know how good it is compared to others out there, but I got mine from Harbor Freight (there's one local to me). I bought it somewhere around 2004 and it still worked when I last used it about year ago.

Are you installing a new master or are you asking if you should bench bleed the one on the car? A new master needs to (or at least it should) be filled and bled before installing it on the car. That's the gist of bench bleeding.

Torque Restorations

starpowerx7

Definitely go ahead and delete the FPR, If you get rid of your vacuum manifold down the line you'll be replacing old fuel lines as well and a fuel filter.

diabolical1

iTrader: (3)

Sorry, I guess this question fell through the cracks ....

The main issue was that they were not the best design or execution. In all fairness, I later came to find that the RB headers are less than perfect as well, but they are of much better quality - far more robust. A younger me made fun of PaceSetter headers. The me of today sees them for what they are, a cheaper header. As I said, I had a friend that had PaceSetter on his car ... and it actually sounded pretty good with rest of the system he had. However holding it in one hand and holding my RB in the other, there was a stark difference.