slblay

Well, I have posted an introduction, and started to search and read useful forum entries, especially a very good post of 'Things to Do' before I start the motor, since it has not been run for the last two years. I am cautiously ​​​​​​optimistic.
There are no liquids under the car, belts and levels look good, tire pressures good and battery charged.
i do have the shop manual - bought it same time as car, June 1983.
Yesterday I took off the airfilter housing and done a visual inspection of the carburettor.
Took out a plug, which is not dirty, but looks a bit corroded. Will go buy 4 new today, along with some antiseize for the threads I forgot they are fancy, are they pre-gapped? Also some octane booster. The oil and filter were clean when it was stored, so should be OK to start.
I learned I should make sure sure the engine turns first (by hand, all 4 plugs out). I don't think I will need the ATF or MMO treatment if it does, will just put a spoonful of oil in each rotor, all 4 plug holes and turn manually a few times. (am I correct, ATF - Automatic Transmission Fluid, MMO - Miracle Motor Oil?). Will also try to put a few drops of oil in back of water pump bearing , a friend suggested in case it is seized.
I think the tank is pretty full of 2-year old premium gas. Should I do anything about it, even drain and refill, any additives? (I can always put it in the wife's car or lawnmower :-) !). I prefer not to mess with draining it if I could avoid it, 15 gal is a lot to deal with. Question - where is the gas filter, should I change it?
Well, if any has something to add, that I need to know before hitting the 'Go Button', please speak up! I plan to start it on Sunday AM, two days hence.

My other challenge is learning how to be competent using the forums. I think I have made as many introductory posts and replies as Is permitted, so will migrate to another forum area, seems like the 'New Member - Technical' area is the logical
place to go, so I'll see you there. Have used forums long ago, but feeling like a duck out of water!

Keep your fingers crossed!
Thank you for all your help, Steve

diabolical1

iTrader: (3)

Welcome to the board, Steve.

I really enjoyed your post. I think the important points to hit before the starting the engine are:

1. moves freely - as long as it turns by hand, like you implied/said you did. Definitely put some in the chambers and disperse it by turning a few times completely.
2. oil - making sure you have adequate pressure and that it is fresh with fresh filter. Crank with the plugs out (which can be messy) or with the old plugs in, but not connected to ignition.
3. gas - the truth as I see it (and some may disagree), as long as the gas has not gone bad, then you should be fine with what you have in the tank. One of the cool things about a Gen 1 car is it will run on damn near anything! You can usually smell when gas has gone bad, so proceed accordingly. Your fuel filter is located under the car, just ahead of the left (driver's) rear wheel. Had you posted before you bought it, I would probably have told you to skip the octane booster and buy another filter to add one just before the carburetor.

Good luck

slblay

Thanks db1! (Did Aston Martin ever make a '1')
Had to order the parts from our local NAPA store. They were very helpful, will be here Wednesday, so delay in the countdown. I will have time to clear up the garage, make it easier to work in comfort.
​​​​​Ordered plugs, air filter, gas filter. Bought STP Octane Booster (to add to tank of old gas) and Startron Fuel Treatment to add to the gas after it gets running. They told me most fuel treatments (water removers) don't work with ethanol in the gas. They can get rear drum brake cylinders, shoes, pads and other bits at reasonable prices.
​​​​I like your advice to crank the engine with the old plugs and no ignition first. I can leave the plug caps off, or find the fuse for the ignition system and pull it. Either way I don't get the new plugs oily, or crank with plugs out. Will still first turn by hand and put a small amount of engine oil in each plug hole and turn some more!
What filter would you recommend to add just before the carburettor? I may still do that.
I found the gas filter location, but plan to wait till the tank is empty-ish before I replace it. I had a bad experience many years ago replacing a fuel pump on an Austin Mini under the rear subframe, and ended up in hospital ... but that's another funny story!
Cheers! - Steve

diabolical1

iTrader: (3)

Apparently they did. I never thought to check until you asked the question, so thanks for that. I actually really dig Aston Martins, but admittedly, I only really like their modern day cars.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aston_...2-Litre_Sports

Just pull the plug wires off. Since you're going to change them, no big deal because you'd have to pull them anyway. Besides, there's no fuse (that I remember).

As for the filter, you can try another stock one, or just find one that fits. I think the one I used to use was for a VW Beetle or something.

Oh, I see ... you're a tease.

slblay

IT RUNS !!! As of about 2 pm Tuesday Afternoon, for about 12 min, no leaks but does smell a bit funny!
The oil pressure is as good as ever, 60 psi @ 2000 rpm.
I am all hot and sweaty, as much from nerves as the temp & humidity. Started right up on the automatic (manual set, auto release) choke.
But as in the past (after being stored for the winter) once the choke shuts off it has trouble running unless you hold it over 2000 rpm. Must be the low idle carb jets get varnished easily from sitting?. Only stalled out once after 2 min. You need a light foot on the throttle to keep it running.
So, do I:
1. Keep working it and hope it gets better.
2. Add the STP Octane Booster or the StarTron Enzyme Fuel Treatment to the 3/4 full tank
3. Drain the gas tank.
4. Rebuild the carburettor.
3. and 4. are non-starters (for now).
I also have some 2-year old 104+ Octane Booster, Snap Carb & Choke Cleaner (spray) and SuperTech Engine Starting Fluid.
New plugs, air & gas filters should arrive tomorrow.
Going slow and cautious - will run it some more, maybe go down the driveway and back?
Any suggestions how best to proceed short of a full rebuild will be most welcome.
(Was going to have a small whiskey to celebrate - settled for cold water instead)

slblay

(Not to tease, wanted to stay on topic ...)
Had an Austin Mini in the '60s with a diaphragm fuel pump located under the back near the petrol tank which kept sticking. So I carried a rubber mallet to wollop it with, quite entertaining at traffic lights!
I was underneath, pulling it to service, but there was still some petrol in the tank, turned my head so it wouldn't go in my eyes, it went in my ear instead. Boy did it burn! Ended up going to the hospital, and when I got there, another fellow was checking in - he had swallowed some gunpowder, so I didn't feel like such a dummy after all!
Life is full of teachable moments and hard lessons.

slblay

DAY 2 - Sep 5 2018 - A good run day!
So backed it out of the garage, still wouldn't idle, stalled out if it fell below 2000 RPM.
Elected to do the carb & choke cleaner, but hard to do single handed! That didn't do much.
Drove it down the driveway and back to check brakes - Yes I got brakes!
Decided to put the old octane booster in the tank (1/2 bottle), let it sit for an hour or two ...
Joy! - starts and runs much better almost instantly, so drove up then down the road (maybe 1/2 mile).
Idles fine about 400-600 RPM, oil pressure and engine temp all good, no leaks.
Only two things I am noticing. First, before I cranked the starter this morning, but after I turned on the ignition, seems like I could hear a low hum from somewhere in the car, but could not locate it - it has since gone away. Second, the warning indicator lights did not light up before starting, all dark. Once when the engine stalled they all came on except #2-coolant level & #8-headlamp retactor. I since confirm #1-brake system goes on & off with the handbrake, & #8 works with the headlamps. I do recall #7-heat hazard was not working some years ago, but all the others used to come on to confirm ok.
My next steps are to get the car registered, inspected, and checked over by someone with Mazda Rotary RX-7 experience, come up with and prioritize a list of roadworthy/safety/maintenance items to get the car in great shape and keep it that way.
But first - it gets the 'Spa Treatment', pampering and I get some fun driving it!

diabolical1

iTrader: (3)

Congratulations on getting it started. No matter how many times you go through it, nothing beats that feeling.

The carbie probably just needs a thorough cleaning, then it's pretty much all about driving the car. The hum you hear might be the fuel pump. As for the dash lights, I think they are on a fuse (maybe the "engine" fuse, which I think was 15 amps, if memory serves). Do you have wiring diagram?

Classic! I love the technical talk and problem-solving. I love the ingenuity and build threads. However, I really love the sharing of real-life experiences ... the good, the bad, and the sometimes hilariously ugly ... to me, this is what makes these forums great. Thank you.

slblay

Yes, I have the Mazda 1983 Workshop Manual. It is in English (!), and havestudied the wiring diagrams before,
but I have yet to properly understand them.
I'm driving it up the hill, down the hill, up the hill, back to the garage daily now. Think I may start setting lap times!
Next Tuesday it goes for NYS Inspection with me in close to observe.
Then, I will review what things need attention, what oils/fluids to change etc.
For fun, this afternoon I cleaned the rear window - I forgot how hard that one is to get smear-free. The inside is pretty clean, since it was all closed up for a couple of years, it is beginning to smell normal again.

Well, thank you back for all your encouragement! Where in the country are you? Think I said, I am in upstate New York.

slblay

QUOTE=slblay83;12297837]Well, I have posted an introduction, and started to search and read useful forum entries.
My other challenge is learning how to be competent using the forums.
Thank you for all your help, Steve[/QUOTE

(Forum Question:. How do I reply without picking up a long quote every time?)

Well, Tuesday is a milestone day! The car passed its NYS inspection, so I was able to register it - Street Legal!
The only thing they found was the bushings on the steering idler arm are shot, so will be replaced next week. Bit of a surprise after less than 15,000 miles?. I had a look underneath while it was up on the lift - looks pretty good (I had it "Rusty Jones'd" as soon as I bought it in 1983).
* The oil pan has significant surface rust, used to be black & shiny. Should I clean it down and rustproof it? - What with?
* There is some oil seepage from the transmission (nothing on the garage floor).
* I will check oil levels for transmission and differential - maybe I should drain & refill?
* Also will check condition of coolant and hydraulic fluid (was drained and refilled in 2006).
* The warning lights do not come on with the ignition (except seatbelt), will have to look into that. Handbrake and Headlamp lights seem to work fine. But most if not all can be monitored with gauges; the lights may be working OK as alerts, will check individually.
* The AC is not working, probably lost fluid over the years. Anyone know how many lb to refill it? Would it be better to wait to next Spring to do that job?

diabolical1

iTrader: (3)

It depends on exactly what you're trying to do.

If you're quoting a fairly short post, then it's probably fine to just quote the whole thing and be done with it, because people can pick up on what you're responding to fairly quickly. If you're quoting a lengthy post, then you just quote the whole thing and edit (select and cut) what you need to while you're in the "reply to thread" screen. If you want to respond to a long post point by point, then you just use the "quote and /quote" tags as needed while you edit. You can also cut and paste directly from the screen, then add quote-tags, but the slight drawback that is if it's a long thread, then the reader might not be able to easily find the context of the quote because there's no poster/author identification.

If you're simply asking how to reply, then scroll all the way down and start typing in the box, then submit when you're done. I threw this in not because I question your intelligence, but because I sometimes overthink simple questions. Hopefully, I covered all bases.

Are you in the city or lower Westchester? If so, I'm very impressed.

I had to look this one up. I honestly never heard of them before. Nice piece or random trivia.
Rusty Jones

That's entirely up to you. I've never seen one rust through if that's what your concern is. If you simply want to jazz it up, I would think paint made for engine blocks or exhausts would be what you'd want to use. I can't think of a way to get the pan adequately prepped without removing it though, and for that amount of trouble maybe consider powdercoating.

You could probably open the inspection plate and get one of those mirrors to determine if it's the engine rear main, or the transmission front. I suppose an even simpler idea would be to smell the oil to see if it's engine oil or gear oil.

Yes, and yes. Change them all. If yours is a GSL, then make sure to get some LSD additive as well.

Does this mean the fuse was intact?

I have no idea how much to fill it, but I would imagine it should say in the FSM. Was it converted already? If not, maybe it is best to wait since you probably won't need it much over the winter and thus will be less likely to find out if it's leaking before you really need it.

slblay

[QUOTE=diabolical1;12300675]It depends on exactly what you're trying to do.

If you're quoting a fairly short post, then it's probably fine to just quote the whole thing and be done with it, because people can pick up on what you're responding to fairly quickly. If you're quoting a lengthy post, then you just quote the whole thing and edit (select and cut) what you need to while you're in the "reply to thread" screen. If you want to respond to a long post point by point, then you just use the "quote and /quote" tags as needed while you edit. You can also cut and paste directly from the screen, then add quote-tags, but the slight drawback that is if it's a long thread, then the reader might not be able to easily find the context of the quote because there's no poster/author identification.

If you're simply asking how to reply, then scroll all the way down and start typing in the box, then submit when you're done. I threw this in not because I question your intelligence, but because I sometimes overthink simple questions. Hopefully, I covered all bases.


Are you in the city or lower Westchester? If so, I'm very impressed./QUOTE]

Well, that was quite a reply, "db1'! - And a good opportunity for me to practice my groaning forum skills! - Thanks!
So I will absorb and try out the great suggestion you gave me one by one.
* Inspection /Location - Nope, I am way north, Upstate, 30 mi S of Syracuse. So I guess you are not so impressed.
It took three visits to the DMV and the repair shop because the registration and inspection had expired. The car passed just fine. Like I said, I am having the ''loose' steering idler link replaced next week. Managed to keep the original plates.

(more to follow)

diabolical1

iTrader: (3)

I only asked because of the emissions. I don't know if it's still like this, but those of us from the City had a different inspection sticker from most of the rest of the state (lower Westchester became sort of a gray area) because we did emissions in addition to the road safety. I used to have to go through all sorts of things to get my car passed. That was when they used to do it at idle, but I had to do the "dyno"-type test once or twice before I moved. Very interesting times, particularly in retrospect now that I'm in Florida and have no inspection whatsoever - not even safety.

slblay

Progress is being made! - The car spent last Wednesday at the local repair shop (the owner is a classic car enthusiast). I had kittens all day till I got it back the next morning! (Yes, it was inside!)
He replaced the steering idler arm and added grease to the front wheel bearings.
Also checked cooland and hydraulic fluid - both good.
Oil levels on tranny and diff were fine, so any leakage is ''seepage' from sitting we think.
A/C and warning lights will wait till next spring. With fall coming on, it will only be a month or so before it is stored for the winter. Gotta get a atank of gas through it before then.
Two questions:
1. Would you recommend putting it on a stands for the winter - I will make a point of starting and moving it every month or so Nov-Apr?
2. Should I add gas stabilizer to a full tank of fresh gas before I put it away?
It lives in its own clean garage with a concrete floor and of course has a car cover.
I will change engine oil and filter next spring, new plugs and air filter same time.

diabolical1

iTrader: (3)

1. If you're going to be moving it every month, then it seems like a drag to be having to take it off stands every few weeks. I know flat-spotting is a thing, but it usually doesn't happen that quickly in my experience. Rodents would be my next concern. but lifting the car might deter them. but it won't STOP them.

2. Gas stabilizer can't hurt.

My overall advice would be to prep the engine by putting oil in it (maybe 10-20 mL down each of the 4 throttles), rotate the engine by hand to coat the chambers. Remove the battery. Fill the tank. Wash and wax it. Maybe stick a box of baking soda or two in the cabin. Call it a day.