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First, I would like to say thank you to all the people who have been posting in the forums helping others. I have been searching and reading quite a bit and it has really helped on my project.
I recently inherited a 1983 RX7 (CA) and have been working on restoring it (last registered / ran 2012). I've gone through most of the car getting it to reasonably good working order. The problem is, its missing the carburetor and I live in California. I would love to toss the rats nest and just buy an after market carb, but smog inspection halts that approach. Any advise or recommendations would really help.
Congrats on getting your Gen 1. Those cars are a hoot! Consider yourself lucky.
As far as the carburetor is concerned, it might take a while, but just try to source one from someone with parts for sale. When you gain access to the rest of the board, you can check the Classifieds and your local Regional Forums to see what you might find out there. Maybe try Craigslist in your area. For the carburetor, I would probably stay away from Ebay simply because you don't have choice to see it before purchase.
Like most 12A parts, Nikkis (the carburetor) are not common. Maybe you can try calling up the big shops (you have a few in your state) like RB, Mazdatrix, Pineapple, Atkins, etc. and see if you can get some leads. There are also a few members on this board that might be able to help you source one, but I'll let you poke around the Gen 1 section first before posting names.
Well, there was nothing really on eBay and things weren't looking good. As a last ditch effort, I searched a generic US-wide used parts site, and found one, CA model, MT, for my exact year, several states away at a junk yard. Called the guy up and he said the previous owner for rear ended pretty bad. He chopped (and I really do mean chopped) it off and mailed it to me pretty cheap given what I had expected for it. I got it in the mail, and it had some minor damage, but over all everything in pretty good shape. I wish I could tell the guy ( from Oregon?) that although he lost his car, his transplant made mine coming back to life a reality.
I am really excited to get this thing moving under its own power.
It moves under its own power! Blew war-crime level smoke when initially started, but it runs!
I tried to get it smogged, and failed horribly.
Work done to car (so far, pre-test):
New Plugs
New Oil / Filter
New Belts
New Spark Plug Wires
New Ignition Coils
In gas tank:
Small amount of injector/carb cleaner
1:128 2-stroke oil
trace amount of old gas
I have ordered new cats, even if I dont need them, I will hold on to them to make sure I can pass in the future when required.
I have also ordered a new air filter, as it appears I am very, very air starved.
I warmed the car up with high load / rpm for 15-20 minutes prior to test.
Wellllll well well. That thread did start to point me in the right direction. I wont alcohol the car. While that might get me on the road sooner, I'd rather fix a problem than mask it.
I tested the Air Pump: heaps of air.
I pulled the Air Control Valve: Heaps of carbon and all the gaskets are very, very dry. I carb-cleanered the hell out of all of it. All the diaphragms are in good shape, so I exercised them and reattached. Also cleaned and checked the ACV check-valve.
After ACV cleaning and inspection, I tested to see if the ACV was dumping air back to air cleaner or actually using it.
Cold with choke / 2-3k rpm: Air to cleaner, not being used for emissions.
Warmed up at 750rpm idle: Air to cleaner, not being used for emissions.
Warmed up at 1500rpm: Air to cleaner, not being used for emissions.
Warmed up at 2000rpm Air to cleaner, not being used for emissions.
Warmed up at 3000rpm: Air to cleaner, not being used for emissions.
Warmed up at 7000rpm: Air to cleaner, not being used for emissions.
Next logical step, as I see it, is to play the solenoid and vacuum game.
Hi, I've been restoring an 1983 since Oct 2018 my thread: https://www.rx7club.com/build-thread...83-gs-1130935/ I had the same problem (and live in N. Cal near Sacramento). It came down to 2 different problems. #1 a valve on the base of the Carb, called the Anti-Shutter Valve, that I had to have diagnosed and repaired at a local Mazda dealership that had a Tech with 40+ years on Mazdas. He told me that back in the day he had to replace a lot of these as they have a high failure rate. The valve was stuck open and pumping exhaust into the intake at the base of the carb. The car was gutless and I originally thought the secondaries were not opening, after replacement the car ran great!
#2, installing 2 Magnaflow CA CARB compliant cats. The front cat on mine had blown out which ruined the rear, so I was essentially running no cats on the car. I had a shop do the work and they used universal cats, but Magnaflow also sells "bolt-on" if you can get the bolts off the old cats they are probably a better solution. BTW-my failed smog check looked a lot like yours, after all of that (and about $1k) the car passed with flying colors.
Hi, I've been restoring an 1983 since Oct 2018 my thread: https://www.rx7club.com/build-thread...83-gs-1130935/ I had the same problem (and live in N. Cal near Sacramento). It came down to 2 different problems. #1 a valve on the base of the Carb, called the Anti-Shutter Valve, that I had to have diagnosed and repaired at a local Mazda dealership that had a Tech with 40+ years on Mazdas. He told me that back in the day he had to replace a lot of these as they have a high failure rate. The valve was stuck open and pumping exhaust into the intake at the base of the carb. The car was gutless and I originally thought the secondaries were not opening, after replacement the car ran great!
#2, installing 2 Magnaflow CA CARB compliant cats. The front cat on mine had blown out which ruined the rear, so I was essentially running no cats on the car. I had a shop do the work and they used universal cats, but Magnaflow also sells "bolt-on" if you can get the bolts off the old cats they are probably a better solution. BTW-my failed smog check looked a lot like yours, after all of that (and about $1k) the car passed with flying colors.
Any other 1983 questions (and I've learned a lot), you can message me, good luck!
I took off my ACV, and found but 2 holes were covered up completely. So I rebuilt the acv; cut new gaskets, bought new o-rings, and cleaned it all out. I checked that it functioned with a vacuum pump, all valves can now operate properly.
The problem remains though. I might end up taking it to a mechanic at this point. I am in So-Cal north of LA is anyone has any suggestions.
That 4th nut on the carb has started to degrade my morale.
UPDATE:
Tested Shutter valve:
Operates as intended when vacuum applied. Returns to normal/open when vacuum removed.
Possible vacuum leak:
Spraying starting fluid near the devils nut (carb nut just below idle screw), and RPMs increase slightly. Sprayed fluid everywhere else and no change.
Suspect either I didnt tighten it enough, causing poor vacuum, or one of the lines in that area is leaking is pulling in air, causing not enough vacuum to act upon the ACV.
ACV still blows air back to air cleaner regardless of of RPM / temperature.
___
I have 2 questions:
1) Is there anywhere I can test vacuum via a hose or connection to see if I have a leak? And if so, what vacuum should I be seeing at that line?
2) Other than cutting a 12mm wrench in half to tighen down on that last carb nut, is there a magic trick to getting it snugged down?
Found some vacuum leaks, cut out old catalyst and welded a new catalyst in. Leaned out the carb and passed smog. Special thanks to TriPoint Engineering in LA for all the help.
100% Stock, original paint.
(Note: giant speakers in back have since been removed and returned to stock. still looking for an original radio)
03-10-19, 04:45 PM
Hello everyone!
