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May 21, 2012 10:43:43 GMT
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I'll ask era ![;)](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/wink.png) Well be over for August. I hope some from exile might make it along to rr gathering and run some rotaries up the hillclimb! ;D
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evan
Kinda New
Posts: 9
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May 23, 2012 23:21:34 GMT
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hey alex want to bring me back an engine too, I could use one of those. ![:D](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/grin.png)
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goldnrust
West Midlands
Minimalist
Posts: 1,878
Member is Online
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Did a bit of an autopsy on my old engine the other day. I was hoping to rebuild it as a 12a bridge port in the future. The shrapnel in the sump wasn't a good omen... ![](http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa196/steve-nc30/Engine%20Rebuild/IMG_4259.jpg) End result was knackered/borderline housings with chrome beginning to fail. ![](http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa196/steve-nc30/Engine%20Rebuild/IMG_4279.jpg) Worn but salvageable plates. ![](http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa196/steve-nc30/Engine%20Rebuild/IMG_4270.jpg) ![](http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa196/steve-nc30/Engine%20Rebuild/IMG_4323.jpg) Ruined rotor bearings ![](http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa196/steve-nc30/Engine%20Rebuild/IMG_4289.jpg) ![](http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa196/steve-nc30/Engine%20Rebuild/IMG_4288.jpg) The front stationary gear bearing was even worse and had spun... ![](http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa196/steve-nc30/Engine%20Rebuild/IMG_4304.jpg) And the e-shaft had been scored in the process. ![](http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa196/steve-nc30/Engine%20Rebuild/IMG_4298.jpg) ![](http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa196/steve-nc30/Engine%20Rebuild/IMG_4301.jpg) So basically most parts aside from the plates belong in the bin ![:'(](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/cry.png) I'd still like to build a ported and faster block, and I'd like the challenge of building and porting the engine myself, but not based on this engine. With Mazda no longer supporting the 12a and good used parts becoming harder and harder to find, it makes a lot more sense to find a 13b to base my rebuild on. Still I've got that nice low mileage 12a in there for now so with luck I've got as long as I want to source, rebuild & port a 13b. ![:)](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/smiley.png)
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goldnrust
West Midlands
Minimalist
Posts: 1,878
Member is Online
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Jun 25, 2012 22:24:56 GMT
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After weeks of being distracted by my new yellow toy... ![](http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa196/steve-nc30/IMG_4331.jpg) ...I finally did some work on the car over the past few evenings. I've got a number of on going small niggles. You know the sort of things that aren't going to ruin the enjoyment of the car but make me sigh every time I get in the car and notice them. First off, a couple of months aog my fuel gauge started acting up. I know rotaries are bad but it was telling me it would cost ÂŁ20 to do 20 miles, right up to the point where I brimmed the tank while the gauge read empty :roll: I checked all the wiring out, made fresh earth, cleaned contacts etc, to no avail. I think I need to hunt down a new sender for the tank. Booo. ![:(](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/sad.png) Another wasted effort was messing about recalibrating my LC-1 lambda probe which appears to have gone nuts. I think after 3 years in a selection of engines and having done ~20,000 miles in premixed rotary engines on the limit of its oil burning specification, I think it's just had enough. Next up was to wire the oil temp send and oil pressure sender up properly, something I'd skipped ver when getting the engine swapped in a hurry to get to Japfest. ![](http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa196/steve-nc30/IMG_4335.jpg) Not especially pretty, but functional. I've got sensible oil pressure readings once again which is nice, and as ever surprisingly low oil temperature readings. Cruising on the motorway on a long trip its sitting about 60-65 degrees. This was the same sort of readings as my old engine gave, and seems a bit low to me? Especially seeing as I've got a beehive cooler which should be heating the oil to coolant temperature if nothing else! So I wondered if my ÂŁ15 eBay temp gauge was dodgy. A wasted hour and a half later I can say it's pretty damn accurate. Tonight I firstly tackled my wipers that never return to their proper place and never seem to return to quite the same place each time either. So out with the wiper motor assembly, and pop open the cover ot reveal the simple contacts that tell it when to stop, covered in 30 years of dirt and old grease. ![](http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa196/steve-nc30/IMG_4336.jpg) I got that all cleaned out, cleaned up the contacts and replaced it with fresh grease, before resetting the arm on the motor itself and now the stop exactly at the bottom of their stroke every time. ![](http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa196/steve-nc30/IMG_4338.jpg) I could set the passengers wiper a little lower I think still, but it then wouldn't overlap so well which with my simple bucket test made quite a difference to the water in the drivers eye line. A word of warning, when testing wiper motors, they don't stop for fingers. ![:(](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/sad.png) One of mine is now missing a large area of skin and has a nicely bruised nail. Anyway, back on track, finally tonight I loked at my drivers window alignment. Recently it's been winding up on the curse word and coming out of its grooves. ![](http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa196/steve-nc30/IMG_4340.jpg) So I spent half an hour fiddling with rails and lubing the runners etc. ![](http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa196/steve-nc30/IMG_4342.jpg) Much better now ![:)](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/smiley.png) So I need to buy a new lambda probe and a fuel level sender, then next on the snagging list is cosmetics. There's a few bits of paint to touch up, bits I couldn't be bothered to do last year when I was too excited to drive her to worry about!
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What happens when the lambda sensor starts playing up? What premix ratio are you running? I have always ran 100:1 but on advice of several others I'm now running 150 or 200 to 1. The reason being that when tested the Mazda omp still doesn't even get near that unless at what. And that's with many old sump oil that ain't designed to burn. Running good quality 2 stroke mix you can run much leaner mixtures.
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goldnrust
West Midlands
Minimalist
Posts: 1,878
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The lambda sensor keeps reading lean. Like pulling strongly at what it's flicking between the 12.5-13:1 I expect right up to 19-21:1. It's definitely not that lean!
Premix ratio wise, I used to run 150:1 but on the new engine i've been running closer to 100:1 for safety. The LC-1 manual says it's ok up to 100:1 but no more oil than that.
I did my best to clean it off and then do a full recalibration of the sensor but it acted exactly the same right from the start so I think it's just had it.
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Jun 26, 2012 19:33:44 GMT
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I wonder how long they usually last?
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goldnrust
West Midlands
Minimalist
Posts: 1,878
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Jun 26, 2012 19:55:29 GMT
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no idea TBH. Toda ythe controller unit started throwing 'your sensor is dead' error codes at me so I think that confirms it!
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deanchad
Part of things
![*](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/stars/star.png)
http://retrorides.proboards.com/thread/131936
Posts: 142
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Jun 26, 2012 20:36:17 GMT
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What a great built. Thats what I like about forums like this. Ive seen and admired you car in passing but never really knew how much work had gone into the car. I doth my hat to you sir. Always love a rotary, that was an option instead of the lotus lump in the esprit. Found a cosmo engine in the uk and it was on the cards but I decided against it as I know very little about them.
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Jun 26, 2012 20:46:58 GMT
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Cheers Cerbsp6 ![:)](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/smiley.png) Have you got a retro ride? I'll keep an eye out for you round Malvern. Pleasure mate credit where it's due ;D I've got a TVR Cerbera Speed 6, but live in Solihull, so it doesn't get to Malvern very often due to running up the miles on a boring journey and the fuel costs ![:-[](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/embarrassed.png)
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goldnrust
West Midlands
Minimalist
Posts: 1,878
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Jun 29, 2012 21:47:33 GMT
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Cheers Deanchad ![:)](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/smiley.png) A 20b in the esprit would have been something special indeed! Cerbsp6, ah I figured from your previous comment that you were a Malvern local! The good news is that I've got the fuel gauge working! I had a second look at the wiring and ended up re-wiring from sender right back to the dash board and now it works. ![:)](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/smiley.png) Wooo!
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goldnrust
West Midlands
Minimalist
Posts: 1,878
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Today I took advantage of a free sunny afternoon to give the poor old girl some TLC. After months of use through crappy weather and muddy roads she was looking a bit sorry for herself. ![](http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa196/steve-nc30/rexanne/IMG_4479.jpg) So I set about giving her the biggest clean she's had since I put her on the road. I soon remembered why I normally can't be bothered cleaning cars, god its dull. Still I'm pretty happy with how the paint's come up. ![](http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa196/steve-nc30/rexanne/IMG_4491.jpg) I gave the engine bay a once over with a damp cloth too as it was covered in a layer of dusty oily muck. ![](http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa196/steve-nc30/rexanne/IMG_4492.jpg) And gave the interior a good going over with the hoover and even cleaned the glass, which is one thing I should do more often! The amount of curse word coming off the inside of the windscreen was scary. ![](http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa196/steve-nc30/rexanne/IMG_4485.jpg) ![](http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa196/steve-nc30/rexanne/IMG_4488.jpg) Thoroughly bored of cleaning I pulled out my dead lambda sensor and popped in the new one. ![](http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa196/steve-nc30/rexanne/IMG_4484.jpg) This time I thought I'd give the exhaust sealant plenty of time to set to see if I can finally stop my mid section blow. So I don't know if the sensor works yet, but it calibrated itself up ok which is good. Leaving Tims at silly early heading for Goodwood on Sunday my starter solenoid decided it first didn't want to play, then when it did go after a few tries it stayed out and the starter span with the engine for 30 secs or so making a horrid noise. Since then it's stuck a few times so I thought I better have the starter out and see if I could sort it. ![](http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa196/steve-nc30/rexanne/IMG_4496.jpg) It was full of curse word, the sliding section that the solenoid moves was very stiff and gacked up and some of the wiring was badly corroded. ![](http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa196/steve-nc30/rexanne/IMG_4495.jpg) Cleaned up and re-wiried it seems to be working again ![:)](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/smiley.png) Finally for today I made a start on polishing my wheels back up to go with the pretty paint. Again I haven't really polished them properly since the week I got it on the road and they were looking pretty dull. ![](http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa196/steve-nc30/rexanne/IMG_4498.jpg) Some time later the first one was looking good.... ![](http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa196/steve-nc30/rexanne/IMG_4500.jpg) 1 down, 3 to go! I'm working my way through the current niggles with the car quite well now. The bodywork I didn't do last year is next on the list really. Might need a bit more prolonged good weather for that though....
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Clement
Europe
ambitious but rubbish
Posts: 2,095
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I really love to see updates on this. You're doing your thing on this car, bit by bit, and everything adds up to a really outstanding result! Thumbs up ![:)](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/smiley.png)
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goldnrust
West Midlands
Minimalist
Posts: 1,878
Member is Online
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Thanks again dude ![:)](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/smiley.png) The good news is the lambda sensor is working ![:)](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/smiley.png) And it's telling me I've been a bit rich at cruise, so time to lean out a fraction and gain a few MPGs hopefully! ![:P](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/tongue.png)
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At cruise what afr are you aiming for? And what afr do you have at idle?
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goldnrust
West Midlands
Minimalist
Posts: 1,878
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Whilst I had no lambda sensor I added a couple of percent of fuel across the whole map to add a little safety, and it looks like I had been cruising at 13.5:1. I've read various theories about cruise AFRs, some saying just tune to 14.7:1 the gains you get for being leaner aren't worth the extra heat and slightly rougher running, right up to people suggesting 16:5-17:1 for cruise. I played about a bit and found for me and the rotary 15:5:1 at cruise is a nice compromise. I can get it to idle at 14:7-15.5:1 but its a bit lumpy and sometimes will drop out if the revs have dropped to idle especially sharply, so I've got it idling at 13.5-14.0:1. The extra fuel is fractional at idle and its just that much smoother. At what I'm aiming for 13.0:1. Seems to pull harder than either 12.5 or 13.5
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Jul 11, 2012 16:36:44 GMT
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Love the early RX7's. I remember being taken for a ride in one as a kid!
IIRC for full power you need 12:1 afr, although that's for those funny upanddowny type engines.
If you come near Staunton, drop in and I'll show you the wheel polishing stuff from Ratta - it works really well and does a whole wheel in minutes!!
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Koos
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yeah mine cruises at about 14 to 15. Its more over the place being a carby turbo. At idle its too rich- climbs to 11.5 to 12 after a bit due to fuel pooling. But tonight i'm gonna add a lean off valve to carb with a solenoid activated valve i can switch open at idle from inside. This brings it back to about 13 to 13.5:-)
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qwerty
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 2,410
Club RR Member Number: 52
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Even though I understand little of this technical speak I still really enjoy this thread.
I actually saw it in the Flesh coming from Malvern heading towards Worcester. I then had to fully explain to the other half how cool it is and everything......................she wasn't really interested haha.
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goldnrust
West Midlands
Minimalist
Posts: 1,878
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Jul 12, 2012 21:40:59 GMT
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mdh, I've just found Ratta's wheels polishing thread, sure does look easier than the hours I spent with Autosol doing mine by hand. Hopefully I'm going to keep them clean and waxed enough that they shan't need a heavy polish for quite a few months to come now ![:)](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/smiley.png) As for AFRs I'd read that 12.5-13.3 was the ratio for max power for n/a, regardless of engine type? Either way the 12a feels a bit flat at 11.5/12:1, maybe more reading is needed! A lean off solenoid would work good Alex, am I right in thinking the stock nikki carb made use of a solenoid controlled air valve for leaning out the mix in certain circumstances anyway? Slowly but surely my AFRs are getting more and more stable with tuning./ I'd say now they stay within 0.5 AFR of my targets at all times and are pretty spot on for full throttle, so I'm pretty happy with that. Cheers Qwerty ![:)](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/smiley.png) I think just like you and your other half, people either see the car and like it or they se it in all it's golden 80s glory with loud exhaust and squealy clutch and turn their nose up. Either way it provokes a reaction, haha. ![:P](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/tongue.png)
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