Ater removing the bottom cover, I remembered that I cut up an old sponge to use as batting (pink foam) when I last had the cover off. I used permatex to glue it to the bottom of the rad. Unfortunately, then I did this, I got permatex in the screwdriver slot of the rad drain plug.

So I drilled through the plug to get the water out.

The hoses were simple. As was the shroud - except that you need to remove the fan first and then slide the corner of the shroud out from under the inlet neck.

The bottom cover is greasy and dirty so I will use a foaming cleaner spray to clean it down before I put it back.

 

A pressure washer does wonderful things to the parts like your under-tray. The pressure is adjustable with mine so that, in combination with the different nozzles, allows me to clean lots of things. I've turned the pressure down and cleaned my tranny covering the openings with duct tape. Worked great! no water inside. Drained and refilled for safety though.

 

Thanks, I sprayed it down with some orange gunk. And then hosed it off. It look clean and touchable.

 

The radiator came out easy (4) 12 mm bolts (1) overflow hose at the top, (1) lower rad hose, (1) heater hose, (1) sensor at the top and (1) switch at the bottom.

The hard part about the radiator is deciding how to clean it - or if I should replace it. A lot of the cooling metal is bent, but that can be combed out.

Any ideas how to tell if the rad core is any good? It doesn't leak, but it probably is not as efficient as it used to be.

When I put it back in, I will have to replace all that missing foam on the sides and bottom.

 

The lower hose has a spring (I think to keep it from collapsing under suction), however, the spring was not in the hose. Instead, it was up in the lower radiator hose housing.

 

Nothing special here. The larger pulley bolt is 22mm, the smaller is 17 mm.

 

Removal of the air pump is simple. However, there is a 'U' shaped spacer that must not be lost, so I taped it to the pump upper bolt and put it aside.

The air pump was filthy, I was tempted to dip it, but not knowing what is inside, I decided instead to just spray and wipe it.

Mazda placed a sticker saying (Do not remove), I imagine this is really "Japanese English" for do not open as there are no oilable parts inside.

 

The alternator is also a simple removal. Funny that this is the first time in 18 years it has been off the car.

The one caution I would give is that the lower (long) alternator bolt has a nut on the back to hold the bolt. The nut has a bendable wire loom holder made onto it.

As I tried to undo the bolt, the rear nut started to spin. If you don't pay attention to this, it may be possible (maybe not likely) that the spining loom holder can cut into or put stress on the old and fragile loom. I strightened the u-bend in the holder to get a wrench on it.

 

is removed from the bracket.

To do so:

1. remove the 15 mm nut from the pulley shaft
2. remove the pulley
3. remove the (3) bolts behind the pulley
4. remove the one bolt on the other side of the bracket
5. disconnect the wire to the power level controller
6. disconnect the main PS wiring harness

Yes, I do know that the PS and AC compressor do not need to be removed to get the engine out. But my goals are

• to rebuild the engine
• to evaluate all the accessories to see if they need cleaning/reconditioning/repainting/replacement
• get down to the driver side frame where brake fluid leaked out a couple of years ago removing the paint and leaving the metal frame exposed.
• completely document the breakdown and reinstall of the engine and it's accessories.

Anyone know where to get annodized pulleys?

 

Can't believe it...

Such a simple operation, I can't get the throttle cable off. I have big hands and I can't get between the upper manifold (dynamic chamber) and the firewall to remove the cable.

I guess I will have to take the UIM off while in the car to make room to get at the cable. I feel a domino effect coming on.

 

OK, I was able to sneak the camera in to get a good look at wat was happening and I could see where the cable was being hung up and get it free.

 

No, I am not using baggies because I have very few (if any, small parts laying around. Everything I remove is going right back onto it's partner soon as the parts are removed. I also am taking hudreds of pictures - when my $1000 peice of crap Sony camera will cooperate and recognize it's memory stick - only some of which I am posting here.

As for the AC Compressor, because it is pinned in place by it's bracket and hoses, I will leave it hanging as it is (sitting loose on the frame rail) until I start moving the engine up and out. As it comes out, I will slide the engine forward and left to make room for either the compressor to move freely, or the accessory bracket to be removed.

Then I will decide if I have enough room to clean and paint without opening the ac system.

 

On a side note, even though I plan to put the car back complete, now I am starting to understand why so many people are removing subsystems. There are so many hard to get to/replace wires and hoses. I am sure getting it all back together will be a bite in the b*lls.

Right now, doing the hose job on the FD seems rather tame as far as accessibility is concerned.

 

The starter comes out fairly easily...

• remove one clip for negative wire
• remove one nut for the positive cable

The only tricky thing about the starter is access to the bolts. Mine were on tight. On the lower, I used a long cheater with a deep 14mm socket and short extension. It came out easy

The upeer side of the starter is held on with a nut (also very tight). I tried to use the same cheater 14mm socket combination but because I could not get a sharp right angle it started to round the nut. So, I backed off and used a ratcheting 14mm box wrench instead. Getting enough leverage was more difficult, but I was able to muscle it off.

 

This post "hangs in space" because it is a reply to a post by Jhammon01 that has since been removed.

The reason the post was removed was because JHam was offering "instruction" on how to do this job that I was not willing to listen; partly because of some old conflicts between us; but mostly because my goals in this thread were to document my experiences.

The upshot of this is that as usual, we got into it and he offered to remove his posts. After a few PM messages back and forth, I have come to the conclusion that JHam was trying to be helpful but I still think his advice did not fit with what I am trying to do.

So, to JHammon01, thanks for the attempt to help. Frank said what I feel, 'I did it my way.'

 

Regarding the Haynes Manual...

It had been suggested that the haynes manual be thrown away. I guess if you have done this job many times, the book may list steps that really are not absolutely necessary, but for a novice it does come in handy.

I do think that the Haynes book can be easily thought to have skipped a few hundred steps if you are only looking at the pictures and captions only. Reading carefully though, most of the steps can be found in other sections of the book and there are references (see section so and so) to these steps. You just have to hunt through the book to find what you need.

For example, in preparing to remove the engine, the pictures and captions go from (I am paraphasing) remove the engine accessories --> remove the exhaust --> hoist the engine out. The problem with this for me is that in their pictures they show an engine with all the accessories removed AND THE UIM/LIM removed. In the text, the say remove the engine manifold. In the engine manifold section, it says remove the UIM and LIM. In the LIM section it says remove the throttle body, etc...

 

After removing the intake air tube (2) cap nuts, removing the throttle body is easy. (4) nuts, kotter pin for the oil injector arm, (1) electrical connector, (1) vacuum hose and (2) water hoses.

It kinda concerns me that the inside of the UIM looks rusty - especially because it is made of aluminum - could it be that the rust is just on the built up carbon deposits.

I would like to soak this part in the parts cleaner, but I am concerned about the plastic vacuum connectors.

 

I called the local radiator shop. They tell me it will cost $45-$65 (nobody can give a staight price anymore) to acid bath and flow test it.

But they were not able to tell me if it could be dipped because of the plastic caps (the expert will be in tomorrow). Also, because I don't know what the flow rate for the rad should be, even after the test, I won't know if it is flowing well enough.

If I assume that the cost will be $50 for testing the rad, and I compare that to a cost of $209 (Auto Zone) to buy a new one, I am leaning toward just buying the new one.

 

Another member asked me to photograph the harness connectors while performing this job. Those photos can be found here...

https://www.rx7club.com/2nd-generation-specific-1986-1992-17/connectors-688135/

 

AND ONCE AGAIN THE PROJECT COMES SKIDDING TO A HALT.

I have taken a new client in a distant city. I will be there until early next year so I guess the car will have to stay disassembled util I return.

I hope this thread will still be here when I get back so I can continue the documentation. I am not sure if I should be happy or not that I have not yet opened the engine. The cooling system is open and the only fluid in it is in the engine itself.

 

"Is there any true NEED for a compressor?"




You will want to be able to blow through the oil passages in items such as e-shaft, front cover, turbo oil feed, etc. to make sure there is no debris left. Sure, you can use the little red tube on a can of brake cleaner, but you have to get the cleaning fluid out before assembly. Not to mention you'll want to blow-dry parts after washing them. Once you own a compressor, you'll wonder why you did without one.

Here's an idea for a useful gadget....if you should decide to get a compressor, go to an auto parts store and buy a 3 or 4 ft long piece of steel fuel line. I use 5/16" but 3/8" would work also. Buy the fittings needed to put a hose coupler on one end, and cut the flare bead off the other end of the tubing. Mash that end in a vise until it's almost flat. You can experiment with how much to mash it until you get the air flow you want out of it. This makes a great tool for blowing dust and dirt from your garage right out the door, for just a few bucks.

 

Don't get a weenie compressor like I have. Its a 3hp, 25 gallon, 6CFM @ 90PSI Craftsman special. Its just barely adequate for die grinders and cut off wheels, and you end up spending alot of time waiting for it to catch up. I'm starting to prefer electric tools again because of it and don't even think of sandblasting with it...

On that note I just got a "wet sandblasting kit" for my pressure washer; its amazing and much cheaper that a 5 hp air compressor I'd need to air sandblast.

 

Wow I wish I could just leave for a few months. Lol.

 

Why can't you?

 

Not to be a pedant but you seem to be a man who appreciates detail so I'll proceed...
Those are actually 8mm bolts that have 12mm heads.

It is common for smaller Japanese metric hardware to have a head 4mm larger than the bolt size, hence, a 6mm bolt would typically have a 10mm hex, a 10mm a 14mm hex, etc.
Naturally, this neat little progression breaks down at 12mm for some reason but that's not relevant.


The point being, if, in the future, someone were to use your excellent writeup as a reference, it would be good if the hardware sizes listed were accurate.
Going to the hardware store and returning with 12mm bolts would lead to an unmounted radiator and some head scratching....