Xanius

I just bought an '85 and I have no idea what model it is.

The engine has been swapped out with a different RX-7 because the one that was in my cars body had fubared. The guy I bought it from runs an auto shop and has 3 or 4 RX's varying in year, so I asked him if he knows which model engine is in it after the swap, but as of yet I haven't heard back from him.

Is there any way to tell which engine type I have and model so I know what I actually have in my car? Other than the VIN since in this case I would assume it's useless.

I'm not very adept at cars but I'm trying to learn so that I can do the modifications and repairs myself or with the help of friends that do all of it themselves.

Thanks in advance for any help.


Also, how normal is it for an '85 with ~160k miles on it to be a PITA to get started from a cold start(8+ hours of sitting, overnight)? Earlier today I started it, then put it in reverse and it died, restarted, started going forward and it died again, then it was fine. It might just be me since this is the first time I've had to manually choke a car.

cdrad51

yes, if the engine says "12A" it's probably a 12A, and if it says "13B", it's probably a 13B. Look in the FAQ for what those mean.

Man_in_black49464

iTrader: (1)

Yes, proper warm up time is a must with all cars, the carp models need extra care dont get in and go just let her warm up for a wile.

Here is a good starter for you, 84-85 model years had two choices in engine the 13b FI or the 12a Carb'ed. There is the GS and the GSL-SE the easy way to tell is the rear brakes, if there drum its a GS, and if they are disc it could be a GSL-SE assumeing someone didnt swap it out.


Welcome to the Forum, And Congrats on buying a 7....!!!!!

Xanius

Ok, thanks. I saw that after I posted this. Guess I should look first, ask later.(Which I normally do, but it's late and yeah.)

Thanks for the info on how to tell with the brakes.

Also, the guy said he removed some emissions things from the engine. I'm not sure what, but what would you guys guess it would have been?

Oklahoma doesn't have any emissions checks, so I'm not sure if I even need to worry about it.


Another thing...(Don't want to make a new post since I don't have any replies under this one.)

I'm not sure if this is normal for any car,much less a non injected, but when I let go of the gas and don't have the clutch in, the car stutters a some. It's hard to describe how it stutters, but it's noticeable and starts almost immediately. I didn't notice anything like this in my '91 240. If I have the clutch in it just coasts with no complaints, which I expect since it's not engaged.

Man_in_black49464

iTrader: (1)

Its called "The Rats Nest" its a bunch of vacume reroutes on the top of the engine if he didnt do it right that could cause an issue with idle and power.
These things love Vacume and if your loseing it it can run bad.

Rx-7Doctor

iTrader: (13)

Xanius, Welcome to the forum.
There is alot of good reading in the FAQ section at the top of the page. It will help you get familar with some of the teminology that we use and the overall specifics of your car.

As far as the emission equipment being removed. If you take detailed pictures of the passenger side of the motor with the air cleaner off and the top of the motor and we will be able to tell what has been removed.

Xanius

Ok, thanks. How would I tell if it wasn't done correctly. Like where does an '85 12a usually idle, and what kind of acceleration is normal for mostly stock, he said that the shocks and exhaust are aftermarket, I can't remember what he said. Though from looking at it, I didn't really notice anything aftermarket about the exhaust. The muffler looks standard and it looks like the exhaust pipe is starting to rust, guessing the piping is about an inch or maybe a little less in diameter. Still has the catalytic converter as far as I know.

The shocks on the other hand, might be, I'd have to look at it to get the name off them.

Also, Thanks RX7Doctor, I have read the FAQ, and taken in as much of it as I can understand. I saw the post about the Rats nest but I had no idea what it was of.

Pictures of the car can be found Here I'll have to update it with engine pictures in the morning.

steve84GS TII

Its pretty common for rotaries to exibit a fluttering "stutter" when you are coasting,off the gas, in-gear.Its from a device called a shutter valve in the intake.It basically cuts off fuel and air to the rear rotor,to prevent bucking.There is another valve that allows air to enter the rear rotor,but without fuel,there is no fire......hence the odd stutter,which is the sound of only half of the engine running.
My carbed 12A's did it,both my injected 13BT's did/do it, and Ive heard 3rd gen 13B-REW's do it.....its a rotary thing.

Xanius

Ah, ok. Thanks much for explaining that. It being a rotary thing certainly explains why I didn't notice it on my 240.,rest it's poor car soul, one day it decided that it was madly in love with a curved rock neighborhood sign and had to kiss it :'(. The drivers side front shock busted through the strut tower and caused me to lose steering while going around a corner at ~20 MPH, the place I bought it from painted over rust :/.

Bent the frame, cracked the radiator in half,destroyed everything non metal on the passenger side of the engine bay.

trochoid

iTrader: (6)

The link you posted requires a user name and pass word, try linking to a different page.

Welcome to the forum and the Darkside. In my sig line is a link to the online FSMs, carb manual etc. Download and read whatever you need, then read some more.
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Xanius

Sorry fixed it. For some reason photobucket made my albums private again.

clbsinvaders

Probably the rat's nest was removed, possibly the air pump. Pictures will confirm that (was there a link in this thread?) IIRC, 12A idle is 750RPM.

Xanius

ok, I updated it with pictures of the engine in every angle I could think of.

Image 719 and 721 show the connectors and there's a few overview shots of both sides of the engine.

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v631/Xanius/Car/

twinkletoes

iTrader: (17)

Welcome to the forum Xanius. Yes, thats a 12a engine. Yes, he must've removed the rats nest, cause its gone. It wouldve been on top of the engine with vacuum hoses everywhere. If the shutter valve is bad, take off the carb lid and if you hear a really loud honking noise while running, thats a sign the shutter valve is bad. If bad, then plug the hole closest to the drivers seat with something. If no more stuttering, then it was the shutter valve. Glad to hear you looking through the faq page. The search button and archives will help you out also. Car looks pretty good. God bless

Xanius

The carb was rebuilt recently as far as I know, and it only stutters when I'm not giving it any gas. I know it could probably use a good going over from a mechanic but at the prices they charge for labor I can't get it.
I have an '89 cavalier with a bad head gasket and everyone tells me $1500 to fix it but I can buy another engine for $500 and have it put in for $400...I'd think removing and putting in another engine would take more time than replacing a head gasket.

twinkletoes

iTrader: (17)

Well, try what I suggested and maybe get a new fuel filter.

Xanius

I have no idea how to do that, or where it is. I'm reading through the FSM right now but on the carburetor section it only tells what you need to remove to take the carburetor out.

I'm a complete motor newbie. The only thing I have ever done is change brakes and oil and fuel filter on my moms cavalier before the head blew.

twinkletoes

iTrader: (17)

Ok, here we go. You dont need to take the carb off. Open the hood, lol. Then go over to the carb with the stock air filter box that says"mazda rotary engine" on it and take the lid off. The lid is held down by like three or four clamps. Start the car with it off, and if there is a real annoying honking sound its probably the shutter valve. After that, try plugging the shutter valve, with something. The shutter valve hose hole in the air filter box would be the closest hole to the drivers seat.

clbsinvaders

Vacuum prob's from nest removal?

Xanius

I wasn't talking about taking the carb out lol. I was just saying I had no idea what you were talking about since the fsm didn't say anything about the cap.

I'll take it off and check.

Xanius

One other thing, assuming the engine is an '85 12a and not an older year(because from what I've read, and correct me if I'm wrong,only 85's+ could have it) how much trouble would it be, if it's possible, to add power steering?

twinkletoes

iTrader: (17)

There's been a lot of threads lately about power steering. Taking it out and installing it. Tyoe power steering in the search button at the top right of the forum. Should get some info. I personally love no power steering. I'm 15 years old, only got my permit and enjoy it. I think its just different and oldschool. Its just me, i like it. Power steering seems to easy to me, plus i think you get abetter feel for the road. I'll c if I can find something for you on the power steering.

Xanius

So I took off the cover and there's no odd noises coming from the engine.

But, after looking I noticed a few things that I'm not sure about. Like some places where it looks like there should be bolts but there isn't.

The back of the radiator on both sides doesn't have any bolts but there's holes and little tabs sticking out for bolting it to the frame, I'd assume.

As well as the area the battery is sitting on looks like it should be bolted to the frame as well.

I'm going to look it up as I saw a thing in the faq about leaks, but along the bottom of the engine bay, undernearth and a little back from the fan there's a pool, small but still a pool, of oil on the passenger side, it looks like it's coming from the side of the engine,there's a spot with two tubes coming out, that's got wet oil on it. (But again, knowing where the leaks occur and understanding where that actually is on the engine is a whole different ball game.)

As well as on top of the radiator, I'm guessing it's a sensor of some sort but there's a little plug/bolt thing that has a wire coming out that attaches to some more wires near the battery, that has coolant kind of coming up out of it. It's not much and it's only sitting on the top of the plug not dripping or anything.


Man, where's the overhaulin' people to steal my car when I need em :P.

twinkletoes

iTrader: (17)

Haha, overhaulin is for muscle cars. Don't worry, you'll figure it out. I'll take a pic of the battery hold down for you. The bolts in the back of the radiator are probably for the fan shroud, do you have one? The spot were there is wet oil on the passenger side is most likely a leaking Oil metering pump (OMP). Theres a rebuild thing for it if you need it. I'll have to find it somewhere. Yes, the sensor on top of the radiator in the middle is a coolant/water temp sensor. If its leaking there probably isnt a small rubber gasket beneath it or it's not tight enough. Don't tighten real hard though.

Xanius

I don't think there's a fan shroud, I'm guessing it would be around the portion of the fan that's exposed and pointing towards the back of the car? Not that part that's on the front side of the fan.

There's a link to a guy with an OMP rebuild kit, name is lower or something in the common leaks part of the FAQ. But it appears to be out of date, since the page isn't there anymore.

I've seen them do non muscle cars on overhaulin', though I'd just kill for a set of custom designed foose rims for my car.

Also, sorry about all of the extreme newbie questions, while everyone else was busy learning about car engines I was learning about computers.