nick1

https://www.rx7club.com/showthread.p...=1#post5510766

was posted in the wrong section

nick1

i just realised that the timing may not be the issue. when i put my exhaust back on i didn't replace the chewed up gasket between the manifold and the engine...i have one on order, but maybe its all the hot exhasut gas that's leaking past the gasket that killed the idler arm bushing. hmmmm....

so am i going to die? i've done a search and i've seen people talking about their idler arm bushing being fubar, and they've been driving around with it that way. i can grab the idler arm through the engine compartment and move it up and down a fair amount

also, what about polyurethane bushings.....would they hold up better to the exhaust heat? id rather not put some sort of header wrap or anything on my soon to be installed rb header, just cuz i wanna show it off. i see so manypeople with headers, and no head shield or anything, i wonder how long their idler arm bushings hold up?

if you're just reading this, plkease click the link to see everythying i wrote. i really need some answers here guys. thanks

MosesX605

Use a heat shield. I reused the one from my thermal reactor (exhaust manifold for you FB guys) and it's kept my idler arm intact for a couple of years now. I do believe that you can also get a replacement idler arm from MOOG with a balljoint rather than a bushing. That should be basically indestructible. Check the mazdatrix.com catalouge, I'm pretty sure it's in there.

nick1

i was just htinking about polyurethane bushings....plus hmm...what about a little heat shield made out of sheet metal or something, to cover just the idler arm? there's really nothing else that's going to get burned up by the manifold

im starting to think its the fact that because my gasket is fubar that's its the exhaust that's making it way past the gasket that caused this. i've got another one on order, but im waiting to put it on until i install my rb header

MosesX605

Do you have a heat shield on your exhaust manifold right now? I thought for some reason that you had a header already installed. Anyhoo, if you do have a heat sheild installed on the manifold already then you might be right about that bad gasket...

nick1

no i removed the heat shield. i have the factory manifold on right now, but like i said when i removed and replaced it i didn't use a new gasket and the old one is all burned up. there is quite a bit of exhaust gas leaking there, its fairly loud

i am waiting to install my header until i get the new gasket which i will get on monday

Whanrow

Crap Nick, keep this thread up to date when you get the car fixed. I just removed the heat shield on my manifold cause a couple of the bolts were broken off and the thing was rattling like crazy. If its going to screw up my idler arm I'd like to know so I can keep an eye on it. Alternatively, if it was the exhaust manifold gasket, please pm me to let me know....

As far as timing goes, get a timing light. They are like $25 at Princess Auto for a fairly good inductive one. Its strange, this is an item everybody had "in the day" and it seems since electronic ignitions, people just don't have them anymore.

MosesX605

Well if you don't have a heat shield then that's part of your problem, exhaust leak or no. Put that sucker back on, pronto! I've lost one idler arm because I didn't use the shield. Now I know better.

nick1

i don't have a timing mark on the pulley or i would use a light...the way i figured out how to install the dizzy the right way was by comparing flywheel position on a different engine. it worked, as it runs well, but stupid me i didn't mark the pulley. its a little too corroded to see the tiny mark they put there from the factory. so for now, i gotta do it by ear

so how unsafe is driving with a bummed up idler arm. i just took it for a spin, and it seems perfectly fine, but i hear it clunking wheni go over bumps

Kentetsu

The loose idler arm is a nuissance, but shouldn't be a real safety hazard. Even if the bushings are toast, its not like it can fall off or anything (like a bad tie rod, for example).

I still think that your issue is timing (too far retarded). This will heat up the exhaust system in a hurry. I ran the stock exhaust without heat shields for about a year, and the RB header for 18 months now with no issues. Get what you need to get your timing right, there is all kinds of power to be found with correct (or slightly advanced) timing.

nick1

in order to make is less reatred (to advance it more) do i need to turn the distributor clockwise, or counter clockwise? this info will help me out alot

blwfly

iTrader: (4)

haynes says for leading
advance=clockwise
retard=anti clockwise

i had my timming right the other day and now i checked it i almost have it fully retarded and still cant get it to leading mark its bout half inch off the pin i checked the dizzy couple times should i try adjusting the gear a tooth advanced when puttin the pully in?