ncmn

greetings group -i asked in the canadian forum, seeking further advice here.

i need to replace the cat on my 84 gs and after looking/researching the bonez cat-power pulse muffler combo vs.the entire racing beat exhaust set up im lookin gto buy the latter within the next month ($540 u.s.)

my questions:

1. racing beat quotes "fits exactly to all stock mounting points". what does this mean to me with typical access to wrenches/rachets/hammer...and no welding experience? how easy is it for the home mechanic to install?

2. "exhaust noise is only slightly higher than stock, with a very low, pleasant character." translation? people in cars will turn their heads or police in cars will turn their heads?

3. this car is my daily driver during late spring-early, EARLY winter. will such a system damage the car/engine?

4. any insight into cross border shopping as i live in canada? duties/taxes/exchange rate/red tape -REAL cost of purchase?

thanks for any replies,
norman ng

riffraff

the rb exhaust is completely bolt on.
you just need to remove the air pump, acv, and exhaust manifold. that can be done with wrenches.

the sound is not at all a problem. i actually think that it is quiter than stock at idle, and under pressure, it sounds good (but willnot get any dirty looks)..

just remeber to get a new fuel pump when you get the exhaust. the stock ones willnot provide enough fuel pressure to handle the new exhaust. a carter (with holew regualtor) is the usual way to go.

Sterling

1. It bolts in. Very easy.
2. Means what it says. No.
3. No.
4. Nope.

You do not need a fuel pump upgrade to enjoy the benifits of a header exhaust on the rotary.

Do not, under any circumstances, purchase a Monza header, found in the back of British Victoria's catalogue for Rx-7s They are crappily made, and the tubes at the "Y" junction are not shaved off well inside, creating a serious flow impedement.

rotorhead

<=====wholeheartedly agrees with sterling about the Monza/Pacesetter exhaust. i got the header and muffler from them, trying to save a buck. yes, it's better than stock. no, it's not nearly as nice as racing beat or mindtrain exhausts. and yes, i'm going to have to replace the stupid thing(less than 2 years old). and YES, it's obnoxiously loud. do it once, do it right, get racing beat. it'll probably outlast the car.

riffraff

i disagree with sterling on the fuel pump. i saw that it was rather crutial to upgrade when you do the exhaust.

when i just put my exhaust on (before the new fuel pump) i definatly noticed the power increase, problem was once i hit third gear i could not use it. in the mid to upper range of third, fourth, and fifth gears i would get no power. it was asthough the gas completely cut out..
so i swapped my fuel pump out for a new carter, and just like that i started kicking some ricer *** on the streets again.

i definatly would not do any exhaust modifications without getting a new fuel pump.

Sterling

Rotorhead was probably where I heard (read) the "heads-up" about the Monza.

Riffraff, I grant you that the stock pumps are marginal at best, but please keep in mind that you're giving advice out to someone who has made it clear he is weighing costs.
I don't recall reading in either Racing Beat, or MazdaTrix's catalogues that a fuel pump up-grade goes hand in hand with an exhaust upgrade. It would behoove them to say so if it were even the slightest bit true, as they are sales companies, and would obviously gain additional revenue by stating such.
I certainly do not discount your opinion; however for the person modding his car on limited funds, advice should be given without scaring them too awful bad!
...Something else- Often I read about modding the air filter housing on the stock carb to allow it to breathe easier, gaining 5HP or such. Also is the ever popular "cold air intake" box. These things have been done many times with success without upgrading the pump. It is apparent from those people at least, that there was in fact adequate fuel flow for them to have gained power from added air.
Yes?

riffraff

all that i am going off of is my experience. and with that, it was well worth the hundred bucks to get more fuel volume. but then again, my engine is also streetported, so that may have something to do with it.

i guess the pump is more of one of those "if you can do it, then do it" type of things.

as far as scaring goes, that was not my intent.. but let me tell you, i was damn scared the first time i tried to pass someone (on a two lane road) once i put my exhaust in. i down shifted and got on it, then once i got next to the car the fuel suddenly cut out and i had no power. so for me, that is one of those things that i would definatly recomend to anyone doing this sort of upgrade.

Felix Wankel

My car starved for fuel as well with the street port exhaust. Most everything else was stock.

ncmn

thanks for replies received.

yes i do care about costs -it weighs heavily on the checkbook that i automatically need to add 60% to all u.s. prices. but i appreciate the heads up on the possibility of needing a new fuel pump. it was one of the questions i forgot to ask: what upgrades will the racing beat exhaust lead to? if such is really not necessary i've got to leave it out at this point. i'll check with racing beat.

hanman

I put on the RB header and had no fuel pump problems. I wonder if the guys who had problems had old fuel pumps that were weak already? Just a thought. It can't hurt to upgrade anyway, it's not that much more money.
Norm, if you do upgrade the pump, come back and ask for more advice, you can't just throw a new pump in and call it good. It's a little more complicated, but no big deal.
hanman

riffraff

hamman, i think part of the reason that felix and i needed the new pumps right away is that our engines are ported.

it is quite possible that a stock engine will not have the trouble.. but i would still keep it as a heads up warning. unfortunitally there is no way to tell, before hand, if you need it or not.

hanman

riff,
Good point, my porting is stock, even with the carb and header.
hanman

V8kilr

what do you mean you cant just throw it in?im getting my new fuel pump in a couple of weeks,"mines finally not able to keep up,after modding the stock carb and rb exhaust"lmk id like to hear more on this subject.

riffraff

i had no problem putting the new pump in. just welded the mount to the back (near the rear axel, drivers side) hooked it up to my new fuel filter, and to the stock lines. wired the power in to the stock power location.

mounted the regulator on the firewall, and hooked that up... and whamo.. done