Would you like some tacky GM or Ford parts to go with that strut cover sammich Ray?

 

Sure would Tim. Any chance you've got a GM or Ford piston and rod I could hang from my rear bumper?

 

I'd like one of those pistons and rods to hang off the back of my car too.

Of course, it would not compare to what hangs off the back of Donnie's car occassionally. Anyone have a picture of that?

 

A google search for "SA *******" returned this:

 

My parts shed would gladly donate a pair of rubber strut top covers to the White One II build, as long as I get a ride in it once it's road worthy

 

Who is available on Saturday evening to meet up for dinner with a rotorhead from TN that is visiting Atlanta this weekend?

 

I can meet up, and serve you, if you come to the Ted's in West Cobb Unfortunately, I have to work.

 

Good news, everyone.

Moscow motor show: Mazda commits to rotary | Autocar

 

Did anybody ever have any doubts? The History of the Rotary is only just beginning.

Hey all you 12A rebuild Gurus. Where is the best place (read best quality for lowest price on complete kits) to purchase 12A rebuild parts?

Should I get them locally and if so, from who? Atkins Rotary seems to have all the stuff, including their own custom made apex seals, but their kits run around $1000.

Is it really that expensive? Is it a good idea to reuse parts?

 

Because of the idle issue, I've become intimate with the rats nest - almost completely rebuilding it and rehosing everything with 3.5 mm silicon hose since whenever I sprayed carb cleaner anywhere, idle smoothed out. (And yes, I made sure the intake was blocked off so it wasn't inhaling the fumes).

That seemed to help but wasn't enough.

More carb cleaner. Nothing really.

So I started simplifying. The AC vacuum routing is blocked off, removing that from the equation. The Air pump got pulled off and I semi-blocked off the anti-afterburner valves. That didn't work. I pulled off the anti-afterburner valves and blocked them off with too flimsy of aluminium. The sound of that air leak was fun so I took the anti-afterburner valve and used it to block off the bent block off plate. That fixed that and the idle still was at around 1200. Yes, I blocked off the exhaust manifold and the exchanger as well with aluminium, large amounts of high temp silicon, hose clamps and rather than using the bolt, I took a short piece of Silicon hose (8 mm), shoved high temp sealant in it, then lubed it up with more sealant and shoved it into the exhaust hose. (No leak and looks better).

The shutter valve is now disconnected (forced open).

Still at 1200.

Replaced the ignition coils since they were testing low. Still at 1200.

Meanwhile, the clutch on the fan froze. Looking for an electric fan with thermostat. Meanwhile the damned thing sounds like an airplane but that's a simple fix.

So there I was, scratching my head... and I decided to go around with the carb cleaner again. No leaks on the AAV side. Rats nest is clear of leaks.

Spraying at the base of the carb - idle smooths out.

Then I remember the PO told me that the carb was rebuilt.

Tell me if I'm off, but... it seems that through the process of elimination I have found the problem - either the Nikki carb isn't seated properly OR the shutter valve gasket is leaking.

Peering into the carb at idle, the firewall side is dropping gas at idle and the radiator side is not. I'll check the rear float tomorrow (got too dark) but the front float is good. If it really is a tilt issue, I should be able to tighten the rad side bolts and even it out. If not, carb off, carb on - which means I have to find the right socket and a smaller guided magnet so I can fish out the nuts. :P

(Insert thoughts as necessary)

I'm laughing about this because had it all been working right, I wouldn't have gone over everything as I have - the engine is clean, looks good and the process of elimination seems to have me pointed the right way, finally.

 

Check with Paul at Mazmart for OEM parts and best price Ray. MAZMART - The Largest Mazda Parts Store

 

Hey Donnie, that could be a viable option. I'll text you once we know a place. Paul Brosius (has a nice Vert with RX-8 seats, had a 1st gen before that) from Tennessee is visiting the Emory area this weekend and wanted to get together with some rotorheads.

 

spam!

 

This the place? I'll give Paul a call, thanks Holly.



Also I found this really nice rebuild video, I'm inspired:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...&v=ijJeUk_GqiI

Taran, it looks like you're on to something. That carb cleaner can tell you a lot.

Yeah check out those four nuts that bolt down the carb and make sure they are tight (pain to get to, but that's probably why they're loose).

When I first bought the silver one, it had a high idle and that was the cause, the nuts were only finger tight (I think he swapped out the rebuilt carb he said was in there on my way over to pick it up, but hey, I got a great deal).

Also while you're down there make sure all those nipples and connections at the base of the carb are in good shape, another spot that can cause those problems.

One final point, I'd keep the fan clutch and housing that goes with it, much more efficient cooling than you will get with any electric fan set up (right Tim?). Simple effective design, easy to maintain, cheap to buy (I have five or six in the shed, if you can't find one locally). Plus they just look cool.

 

That's it Ray

 

As far as the fan - I've been looking at fan clutches and with shipping they are coming up to $72.90 (Rockauto). Then I started looking at electric fan prices and... I think it's hitting the tipping point where the price of replacement is fairly close to using an electric fan.

...and there's no way I'm spending $30+ plus shipping on eBay for a used fan clutch.

If I can find 2 12" fans with a temp sensor that fits the engine block, I'd probably pay twice as much for it than I would a new fan clutch at RockAuto. Cooling both sides of the engine, particularly with the AC and Air Pump gone, seems more efficient while cooling a greater surface area than the 14" fan that so many people seem to think is enough based on CFM alone. It ain't the CFM, it's the CFM & Surface area with a factor for spot cooling. (Sorry, once upon a time I was taught Heat Transfer/Fluid Flow in the Navy...)

as far as the carb - I'm kicking myself a bit because it was a freshly rebuilt carb. I've seen it happen before on a hemi and my old man said, "don't forget this." Therefore I promptly did.

Anyway - thanks for the tips and encouragement.

 

Taran, you want to get the dual fan setup off of a MR2 MKI (first gen MR2). Pull apart is your
friend. I got mine for $20.00 and it mounts up well to the stock radiator with zero clearance
issues on the eshaft pulleys.

 

Brett, it looks like you better put a set of those strut tower covers aside for Tim. I hope the mods don't pull your risque picture of a half neked SA, Tim.

 

Tim angers the Rotary Gods with those GM coils and Toyota efans. Keep that in mind Taran before you start to tear out those beautiful stock parts of yours.

I can help you with a fan clutch for the price of shipping (about $5.00).

 

Sure thing! Will PM you.

 

Even with the fan clutch, I will look into that MR2 setup. It looks like it does fit nice and, despite what Ray's saying, I think that I'll see if I pick one up anyway simply because it would be good to have around. It really does look like a nice fit.

After I cranked down on the rad side carb nuts (getting a full turn and a half on each!) and checking the firewall side (the hard ones were actually tight) I think I see what happened. When the PO put the rebuilt carb back on, he probably did the front nuts first and caught 'em, then focused on the back nuts (the one at the throttle body is annoying as hell when you have the rats nest on and a short 12mm)... then probably got called away and never tightened the front nuts.

Idle is better, down to about 1100. I do need to reset the mixture again, but I won't be driving it much until I get that blockoff plate.

Carb spray again. No leaks at base of carb (1.5 turns will do it) but there's still a leak somewhere. Spray spray spray. Top of ACV blockoff plate, despite my attempts to seal my bendy aluminium with high temp silicon, is leaking at the top. I gave in and sent off to Mazdatrix to get the block off plate. I'm hoping when I drop that in that it'll all be fine and I can get the idle down. Pulling that stud will be so much fun. :P

So, that's about the size of that.

 

i got the condenser fan from a 93 mitz galant. running an rx4 rad i needed a fan with a motor short enough to clear the wp pulley. with my way of mounting it, it worked out great. probably would work just fine on the stock rad too.

 

Nice hack. :-)

 

Us FC guys have good luck with early 90's Ford Taurus e-fans.

I just wanted to throw in a fan contribution, 1st gen or not...

 

Brett, is the fan clutch on the right an FC unit?