$400 gsl-se [Archive] - Rotary Car Club

TaylorI

12-29-2009, 06:26 PM

Hi, I'm new to the forums and rotary. About a month ago I bought a GSL-SE for 400 dollars. Now I didn't expect it to be perfect, I didn't even know it was an SE till I got to the guys house, but it ran and drove. With non working brake lights, power steering, a very soft clutch, non working alternator, no battery, and an idle of about 4k. But I was excited and eager for the learning experience. What I plan to do with this car I don't exactly know yet either. Rally, autox, or a road race car, I want to do an s5 n/a swap for rally but an s4 TII for anything else, that is if I can actually find any reliable information on the swap. The engine is a mess wires unplugged, vaccum hoes cracked, a severley leaking master cylinder, and a really bad smoke. I'll post pictures when I find my camera and I'll be documenting what I do to the car from day to day

Max777

12-29-2009, 10:22 PM

first things first, it's very bad to run a car with no battery attached to the electrical system. The battery, even if it's dead acts like a voltage regulator, otherwise the alternator can produce ungodly amounts of spiking electricity, with no control to stop it... at least as far as I understand it. You can run a car off the battery w/o an alt hooked up, but dont do it the other way around.

You need to obtain a factory service manual, and do some reading, as well as familiarize yourself with the basic mechanical principles of a rotary.

The mess of wires might be unplugged emissions components... the smoke could be coolant seal o rings, oil seal o rings, or a stuck open Oil metering pump. I heard that this is a common thing with smoking FB's, but it might just be the carbed ones, so do some reading on it.

Also, I'm more of an FC guy, but if you plan to swap in an FC engine, I would recommend doing the entire FC3S front sub-frame swap, which will get you better brakes and suspension options, rack and pinion steering, which is much better, and stock mounting points for an FC 13B engine. I would also recommend to use a megasquirt (or better, ie: haltech, microtech, motec) standalone engine management system if you do a complicated swap like this. It will get rid of a LOT of unnecessary components, extra wiring, and just generally make it a much cleaner process than re wiring a bunch of stock shit.... however it does present the issue of dyno tuning.

Where are you located?

Some good sites for parts are:

mazdatrix.com

atkins rotary

pineapple racing

racing beat

RE-Speed

corksport

check those out.

FSM's are also available online as well, do a search for them on google you will find tons.

I hope this all helps, I'm bored so I decided to be helpful! :D

Max.

TaylorI

12-30-2009, 01:46 AM

oh no sorry if that's unclear. I brought a battery from my DD and used it but the car has no battery of it's own. and well the alternator doesn't work in the first place so the battery I bought just gets drained. Also I have an FSM and I am very familiar with rotary mechanics well book wise none practical. I Found today that the smoke was from synthetic oil being gunked inside the engine, which almost had no oil in it. So an oil change later and no smoke. I was so glad since I was dreading removing the engine for a rebuild so soon.

Another fun fact was my AAS (air adjustment screw) which can be used to set idle has been broken off halfway and someone tried to use sealent to keep it from rattling out. which led me to believe that this is the cause for my extremely high idle, also that someone has also tied a string around a linkage on the throttle body keeping something open.
Back to my AAS I can not just simply buy the screw. It's not a part mazda sold seperately. I can buy the screw for an 86 n/a and I'm hoping they are the same because of the similarity of the engines but I have no person to confirm this so anyone with an 86 could they maybe take a picture of the one from their throttle body.

I also figured out the wiring and plugged it all in as per the fsm and later I shall clean it up so it looks more orderly. Next order of business is to find a camera so you all can see this.....well it's a thing right now.

I'm from Vegas, NV

Carnut1420

12-30-2009, 01:59 AM

excellent forum.

dupontregistry (http://www.dupontregistry.com)

Max777

12-30-2009, 03:01 AM

Well, you're off to a great start!

Seems its in much better shape that what you first described it like. Almost sounded like it was way too far gone to even fix at first. :D

TaylorI

12-30-2009, 04:32 PM

ok so here are some pictures.
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c87/chunka4life/RX7/104_2233.jpg

engine from right side:
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c87/chunka4life/RX7/104_2234.jpg
Engine from left side:
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c87/chunka4life/RX7/104_2235.jpg
why is this string there????
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c87/chunka4life/RX7/104_2237.jpg
broken AAS:
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c87/chunka4life/RX7/104_2243.jpg
Can anyone tell me if there screw is similar
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c87/chunka4life/RX7/104_2244.jpg
wiring isn't in the greatest shape
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c87/chunka4life/RX7/104_2246.jpg
rusted out radiator:
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c87/chunka4life/RX7/104_2239.jpg

to clear some things up yes I removed the a/c componets and the afm not driving the car without afm just not on for pictures.

Max777

12-30-2009, 04:35 PM

Yeah, gut emissions, and get an intake! You can go to autozone/advanced, etc and get some pipe, couplers, and a cone filter if you want.

The wiring isnt terrible, just needs to be cleaned up a bit.

Good luck, man!

TaylorI

12-30-2009, 04:42 PM

I'd like to keep emissions for a bit so I can drive it around town for a bit no plates on it as of yet and I think I have to pass smog.

That's why the AFM is off because I'm mating it up with an intake, also why the air pump pipe has a breather filter on it.

Whizbang

12-30-2009, 05:02 PM

i love GSLSEs, best FB you can get

TaylorI

12-30-2009, 08:09 PM

so I'm planning a trip to the junkyard tomorrow I need:

1.master cylinder and brake booster.
2. throttle body if I can find one
3. AAS from 2nd gen.
4. alternator s4/TII prefered

I'll let everyone know how it goes and see what I can do.

what's all entailed in doing a TII swap? I know drive shaft is custom but also I've heard an exhaust must be custom?

TaylorI

01-03-2010, 02:16 PM

Went to the junkyard and got a working alternator so yay for not having to charge a battery every night. No luck with the throttle body, the screw for the s4 n/a is smaller. I'm trying to research if I can use a 13b throttle body and UIM then maybe I can use a s4 afm? more research to be done. I'm starting if I should just skip straight to the s4/s5 swap......

TaylorI

01-09-2010, 12:26 AM

So I got to work on the car today and to say I am dissapointed well yeah I'm dissapointed. I installed the alternator, got all my intake system hooked up, and rethreaded my idle screw. Only to have the car run a 4k idle and 3200 after some adjustments and then the battery not to charge at all. So I have a break in the wiring somewhere and I think I have bad compression :o10: the engine is making a strange sound now. sigh I think I'm going to redo all of the wiring and atleast check all of it over.

long break in updates, I'm a senior in highschool and exams are next week so I haven't had time.

for next time need to source a break booster and mastercylinder. well I did get the car for $400 bucks so I can't really complain.

djmtsu

01-09-2010, 09:43 AM

It will get there. Just do one thing at a time!!

TaylorI

01-09-2010, 01:37 PM

yeah one thing at a time. 10 things at many different times though haha. I'm hoping I'll have it done good and running and maybe painted for DGRR '10 but we shall see

TaylorI

01-10-2010, 12:33 AM

So I removed the master cylinder and brake booster. Both rusted almosted completely. So now I need to source a few parts and get those replaced. I'll post pics in a bit

TaylorI

01-10-2010, 07:29 PM

I just thought I would share this pretty awesome pic I got today.

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c87/chunka4life/RX7/mommechanic.jpg

yeah that would be my mom and she would be taking off the Y-fork for the brake pedal :001_005:

djmtsu

01-10-2010, 07:35 PM

Many more pics of mom please. Seriously.

TaylorI

01-10-2010, 07:53 PM

idk if I should take that in a creepy way or not........O.o

FC3S Murray

01-10-2010, 08:04 PM

Many more pics of mom please. Seriously.

I agree!! :001_005::001_005::icon_tup::icon_tup:

djmtsu

01-10-2010, 08:06 PM

idk if I should take that in a creepy way or not........O.o

I envoke the right of Man Law.

TaylorI

01-10-2010, 08:11 PM

I envoke the right of Son With Gun. lol my mom's like 42 or 43 I'm not entirely sure which

djmtsu

01-10-2010, 08:31 PM

Thats not nice! She is not that much older than me! No reason to bring out the guns!

TaylorI

01-10-2010, 08:38 PM

I was just informing you what council of laws I belong too. In Nevada that open gun law really comes into effect sometimes. Also My dad and willis, which is the bear that lives in my backyard.

FC3S Murray

01-10-2010, 11:12 PM

.............he has a bear djmtsu............the gun threat didn't bother me BUT a man who owns a bear..he just moved up a few pegs in my book. NO MOM pic's needed now :)

djmtsu

01-11-2010, 08:00 AM

Yeah the gun threat is a non-issue. I live in TN, the 'Patron State of Shooting Stuff'. And my stepfather is part owner of a gun club back in IL.

The bear is damn cool!

Pics of the bear!! (and Mom)

FC3S Murray

01-11-2010, 05:07 PM

Pics of the bear!! (and Mom)

:rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl:

TaylorI

01-11-2010, 08:11 PM

djmtsu

01-12-2010, 07:58 AM

I noticed you mentioned earlier that you want to try to make it to DGRRX?

That would be great to turn a $400 POS into something you can drive across the country, thrash on the Dragon, then drive home in that short amount of time.

DO IT!

BigIslandSevens

01-12-2010, 08:48 AM

lmao. Can we get back to my build or are you just going to keep asking about my mom and willis? I'm 17 it's super creepy.

so today. I did absolutely nothing. Except I did polish a piece of metal idk exactly what it WAS for but now it's a shiny piece of metal that I used a dremil on :)

Quit pretending that you don't have a friend who's mom you want to stuff!!:D

Polished blinker fluid pumps are the coolest!!

DGRR is a lofty goal. I work at home and still can't find much time to work on our cars. Good luck though. Your young and have more energy than us 30-40 year old geezers...

Dave

TaylorI

01-12-2010, 04:06 PM

oh no it's going to DGRRX. Will it survive? i have no idea.. I have a lot of free time and between that and the 65 corvair in the garage a couple will be done. I have a 4 day weekend this weekend and other than Vegas Drift I should be able to get a lot of work done and plenty of pictures, none of my mom or willis, this thread is looking a little bare.

if I make it to DGRRX it probably won't be painted =P

TaylorI

01-12-2010, 11:59 PM

So I worked a little on the car today just taking off the wheel because a couple lug nuts were stripped. But I did fix the blue suburban today to be sold so about 3k coming my way pretty soon. The main point of my day was when I was discussing the issue of engine swap with my dad. I was showing him different engines from all series of rx7's and he was like "So how many rotors can you have?" So i told him all about the stackability of rotary and that the highest i had heard was 4 rotor. He starts asking about it, I show him a bunch of research I had done some things on ITB, turbo, and such. Then I started showing him 4 rotor. immediately after seeing these beasts he goes "I WANT TO DO THAT!" I tried telling him about customization and the work involved and he just looked confused and was like 'wtf are you talking about?'. So apparently my dad is stuck on building a 4 rotor or a 3 rotor and I am not able to sway him, or is that just me not trying to sway him?

Max777

01-15-2010, 02:08 AM

I would drug him right before paying the bills for that, so he doesn't remember doing it...

haha!

Dude, just go for a 3 rotor 20B n/a with ITB setup, it will be fast, sound like a formula car, and both you and your dad will love it!
You could do a drivable street ported engine with high compression S5 N/A rotors, with good range of power and torque.

You COULD do with a 4 rotor, but that is quite high budget, with the custom eccentric shaft being one of the most expensive things on the list, then bills for the water and oil cooling systems, possible dry sump oil lubrication system, etc. shit stacks up quick, but I would let someone with more experience chime in cause I dont know everything yet... =)

WE3RX7

01-15-2010, 06:37 AM

The FB would fit a 20B better than the FD chassis, but both have a pretty small engine bay. I would say unless you've been building cars for years, have a very high budget and can fabricate yourself - steer clear of the 26B (typical 4 rotor). The 4 rotor will be at least $15k in hard parts (eshaft, rotors, housings, exhaust and intake manifolds, TBs, etc). Thats before you actually stack the engine ($2k in seals and gaskets at least), build the cooling system, fab a cradle, and nickle and dime your way into getting the engine in the car. Then you have to battle with the EMS. I could see thousands of $$ just in tuning the car alone - not to mention finding a decent rotary tuner who can understand the dynamics of a 4 rotor (its actually not as hard as it sounds, but would still take a tuner with experience). There is no point in going to a 4 rotor if you half-assed it by trying to cut corners and cost.

20B would make more sense and give you plenty of power to play with. Still though, if new to rotary... I'd look at dropping a nice 13B turbo configuration in. You can still make 400+ whp with the good 'ol two rotor and you won't run into the structural issues that so many FB guys have when running crazy amounts of power (ask any drag guy what he's had to do to prep his car for that kind of stress).

All this is of course my opinion, but I think its sometimes easy to get "carried away" and I see so many good cars go down the tubes for ill thought out projects.

TaylorI

01-16-2010, 10:23 AM

I gave him some made up number of 35k for a 4 rotor. I don't think it swayed him any. Truthfully, I only want to do an s5 13BT at most. MAYBE, that's a big maybe, go for a 13BTT. This weekend I'm going to get all the parts together and start on doing an s4 intake system still using my SE's AFM, I thought it would be harder. Now that I look at the manifolds it's quite simple. So I'll have the write up on that swap and plenty of wonderful pictures!

TaylorI

01-18-2010, 02:45 AM

so I did get some stuff done today. But not much but what I did get. PARTS MUAHAHAHAHHA. ok well. I bought an s4 engine and a whole intake/throttle body setup. Which are sitting in the back of my Element.

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c87/chunka4life/RX7/101_2551.jpg

yes. Also I have no clue what's wrong with the stud on this rotor. it's rusted and I can't take the wheel off. =(
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c87/chunka4life/RX7/101_2545.jpg

I put a new alternator on mmm shiny.
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c87/chunka4life/RX7/101_2543.jpg

On saturday I went to a local drift event but just to keep a theme.
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c87/chunka4life/RX7/101_2537.jpg
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c87/chunka4life/RX7/101_2540.jpg

just for fun.
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c87/chunka4life/RX7/101_2549.jpg

TaylorI

01-18-2010, 02:47 AM

also what you all have been waiting for!!!!!!!!!!!!!

THE BEAR!

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c87/chunka4life/RX7/101_2556.jpg

juust kidding. that's my poodle zippo. willis lives in the backyard.

TaylorI

01-18-2010, 02:52 PM

so I can't work on the car today because it's raining pretty hard here in vegas. =( more rain than we usually get in a year.

TaylorI

01-20-2010, 10:58 PM

No work on the SE so far but I did work. Me and my dad started building a little workshop for me, so my stuff is not in the way of his stuff.

stuff that was in that little tiny garage and my dad
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c87/chunka4life/101_2559.jpg

my stuff in the way :001_005:
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c87/chunka4life/101_2561.jpg

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c87/chunka4life/101_2563.jpg

In the little area I'll have enough room to work on any engines and to weld/fab etc. plus I'll have a nice clean work bench setup with a laptop muahaha. yay me.
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c87/chunka4life/101_2564.jpg

and my dad cutting work bench.
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c87/chunka4life/101_2567.jpg

Hopefully at the end of the week I'll be done wood working and continue metal working haha. Well except my SAT's are saturday. 2250?

djmtsu

01-21-2010, 07:58 AM

That is great that your dad is helping you, and behind you 100%. I wish I would have had that.

Better get that shop up quick! DGRRX is less than 90 days away!!

TaylorI

01-21-2010, 01:01 PM

I work in the pooring rain haha. Uhm 90 days there is lots of stuff I can do in 90 days. Well my dad does help a lot and my mom when they can but my dad has health issues and he goes to college too, though I don't exactly know why..... I should have the shop done today and I'm going to start the write up on s4 manifold swap on my SE.

TaylorI

01-22-2010, 09:11 PM

so apparently I had to stop working on the shop area because my brother got arrested. I really don't see how that applies to me working. What an idiot....... :banghead:

TaylorI

02-02-2010, 11:58 PM

haven't updated in a while. I'm still here though ahah and working. I got the little shop done and I've moved my extra engine into there.

I have also started the mods for the s4 intake set up pics to be up soon as I take them haha

TaylorI

02-04-2010, 06:33 PM

alright so I got the pics for the shop and my intake stuff.

shop
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c87/chunka4life/RX7/100_2585.jpg

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c87/chunka4life/RX7/100_2589.jpg

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c87/chunka4life/RX7/100_2590.jpg

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c87/chunka4life/RX7/100_2591.jpg

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c87/chunka4life/RX7/100_2592.jpg

+2 for anyone who guesses what these are.
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c87/chunka4life/RX7/100_2596.jpg

s4 engine before it was on engine stand
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c87/chunka4life/RX7/100_2593.jpg

throttle bodies SE is on bottom S4 is on top. yay me.
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c87/chunka4life/RX7/100_2594.jpg

UIM and dynamic chamber removed from SE
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c87/chunka4life/RX7/100_2600.jpg

This is seriously what I had to do to get people to quit stoping in front of my house because I had things in the driveway.
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c87/chunka4life/RX7/100_2581.jpg