Video Log Of The Restomodding Of My '76 RX-5 Cosmo (New Vid Jan 5/2023)
03-12-11, 10:54 AM
#201
Engine, Not Motor
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-clean, de-rust, blast and paint the engine bay
-install engine
-install manifolds
-fabrication
-fabricate turbo system
-wire EMS
Plus before I can paint the engine bay I have to be done drilling holes through it, so I may have to wait after the new A/C and heater is installed.
03-14-11, 11:51 PM
#203
Nice video. One suggestion for clearancing the side seals is to use on old rotor and put a small round sanding stone chucked into a drill press and put the old rotor under the drill press and lower so the sanding stone is inside the corner seal hole and then you just push the side seal into the stone to sand down the needed material. This will ensure a perfect angle to the corner seal. Your method is ok, but you can mess up the angle pretty easily. Here's a link for reference, post#9- https://www.rx7club.com/rotary-drag-racing-167/got-bored-work-today-839432/
Also, are you using two piece or one piece apex seals?
Also, are you using two piece or one piece apex seals?
03-15-11, 09:31 AM
#204
Engine, Not Motor
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Yeah, I've seen that done and a rig like that has been on my list of stuff to make for years. An old rotor, a cheap Dremel and about an hour to assemble it all. Dremel kits come with router stands in many cases so assembly could be VERY easy. Just have not bothered yet. A little care and attention will keep the angle correct when clearancing by hand. 
Still a pain in the ***. Oddly, I don't really build that many engines so it really isn't a big deal to do once or twice a year. This is only the 2nd engine I have ever built for myself! Felt nice to make one for me instead of someone else.
The apex seals used were 2 piece 3MM Atkins seals.
Still a pain in the ***. Oddly, I don't really build that many engines so it really isn't a big deal to do once or twice a year. This is only the 2nd engine I have ever built for myself! Felt nice to make one for me instead of someone else.The apex seals used were 2 piece 3MM Atkins seals.
03-15-11, 08:41 PM
#205
Yeah, I've seen that done and a rig like that has been on my list of stuff to make for years. An old rotor, a cheap Dremel and about an hour to assemble it all. Dremel kits come with router stands in many cases so assembly could be VERY easy. Just have not bothered yet. A little care and attention will keep the angle correct when clearancing by hand. Still a pain in the ***. Oddly, I don't really build that many engines so it really isn't a big deal to do once or twice a year. This is only the 2nd engine I have ever built for myself! Felt nice to make one for me instead of someone else.
The apex seals used were 2 piece 3MM Atkins seals.
Still a pain in the ***. Oddly, I don't really build that many engines so it really isn't a big deal to do once or twice a year. This is only the 2nd engine I have ever built for myself! Felt nice to make one for me instead of someone else.The apex seals used were 2 piece 3MM Atkins seals.
03-16-11, 09:04 AM
#206
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The corner piece is held in place by the tension of the spring and located by the corner seal. As the tension bolts are tightened down, all the springs and seals compress, bringing everything into their final position. During assembly the level of the rotor housing mating surface is a little higher than the height of the corner piece so the corner piece basically sits where it would while the engine is operating. It's just the way I've always done it.
03-22-11, 07:22 PM
#207
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How far behind the actual build are the videos? Are you editing and posting videos as the footage gets done, or is the car nearly finished and the videos haven't been finished yet? Just curious.
03-24-11, 08:42 AM
#208
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In general the videos are about a month or two behind the actual work. I'll usually work until I think I have enough footage for editing, or until a task is finished. Then when I get time, I edit. Sometimes I'm editing footage only a day or so after I take it, sometimes it sits on the hard drive for a few weeks. Every 15 minutes starts out at about 4 hours of raw footage. I tend to only turn the camera on when I'm doing something significant. For example, I just patched a bunch of floor holes but have not really had the camera on since the weekend. No one needs to see 5 small holes being patched. But when I patch the shifter area, and the big hole under the pedals, I'll run the camera.
04-04-11, 06:56 PM
#209
Engine, Not Motor
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Part 13: Clearing The Engine Bay - My 76 Mazda RX-5 Cosmo Restoration
With the engine built, it seemed logical to focus a bit on where that engine is to live: under the hood. Episode 13 has me stripping all the remaining mechanical components out of the engine bay in preparation for it to be blasted, repaired and painted. This is dirty grunt work, not particularly stimulating but at least it isn't sheet metal. It's been a while since my last update and rest assured, what you see here is only a small fraction of what has been done. I have plenty more footage ready to edit. Included in this episode: removing all engine bay mechanical components, removing brake lines and cylinders, labelling and removing wiring harnesses, removal of the steering gear, orderly disassembly of an engine bay.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AJwP0RMLyis
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AJwP0RMLyis
04-04-11, 08:58 PM
#211
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That's what I'm thinking as well. It gives the car a far more finished look than a black engine bay. The only annoying part is that I now need to head to a body shop to find out what paint system I will end up with, and then buy the appropriate products. Regardless of top coat though, the engine bay will be painted first with POR-15 and then their "Tie Coat" primer.
04-06-11, 08:58 AM
#214
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If the solenoid fails I should be able get creative with a piece of wire through the cowl area. One could say the same thing if the stock cable fails as well, which actually has happened to me on two cars. Since the battery will be in the trunk I'm not to worried about emergency access to the engine bay. Still, I'm not sure yet if I will eliminate the manual release.
04-07-11, 11:08 PM
#215
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Ahhh part 13 was relaxing I just sat back and thought of nothing for 20 minutes 
..Aaron if you P.M. me your mailing address and I will send you a nice pair of finger mits to protect your hands . They really do work and you still have your fingers exposed to work with .. I buy them slightly used from a retired doctor 
no not really I think he is still practicing ..
..Aaron if you P.M. me your mailing address and I will send you a nice pair of finger mits to protect your hands . They really do work and you still have your fingers exposed to work with .. I buy them slightly used from a retired doctor no not really I think he is still practicing ..
04-11-11, 09:19 AM
#216
Nice work!!! Have to say I did the same thing when pulling a steering rack out of my FC... nuts were welded, and I didn't find out until about 10 minutes later =P
Keep it up man, I'm so glad (and sure you are too) that you're video logging this!
Keep it up man, I'm so glad (and sure you are too) that you're video logging this!
04-12-11, 12:09 AM
#217
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**** I realized it when I broke the damn ratchet! but never again Lol!!!!
04-18-11, 07:21 PM
#218
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Part 14: Oil Pan! Engine Bay! Floor! - My 76 Mazda RX-5 Cosmo Restoration
Part 14 of my '76 RX-5 Cosmo restoration is a collection of three random tasks. First, I add a -10 AN fitting to the oil pan to serve as a turbo oil drain. Next, I continue stripping down the engine bay by scraping off the undercoating and then cleaning off the residue with kerosene. Finally, I begin some of the work on the floor by patching a small area on the drivers side of the transmission tunnel. Included in this episode: drilling a turbo oil drain hole in the oil pan, TIG welding a -10 AN flare to the pan, scraping engine bay undercoating, trying to clean it with Castrol Super Clean, cleaning the residue with kerosene, finding a few rust holes, cutting out a rusted area of the transmission tunnel, fabricating a patch panel, welding it in place, grinding the welds.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ZO5EK9IKfY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ZO5EK9IKfY
04-20-11, 10:38 AM
#224
I was watching this show "wrecks to riches" and they redid a muscle car and made it "eco green" and for their media blasting of the frame they used baking soda instead of sand. They claimed it was cleaner and was water soluble when finished -- may be something to look into!