🔧 BUILD 1986 RX7 Touge/Autocross Build: In Memoriam

Dr. Rotorstein

2broke4rotary
Dec 8, 2020
11
56
Central WI
Real Name
Isaac
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I inherited this car when my dad passed away when I was 14, and almost four years later finally got it running. It's sat in my grandparents field for about 15 years before I picked it up, so it's honestly a miracle I got it running at all. Skipping the boring stuff, I've replaced every single component of the car's cooling system, and had to convert to a different style radiator setup so it would stop overpressurizing and grenading gaskets. I've also had to replace the ignition coils and the ECU to get it to spark, and other miscellaneous things to get it running semi-properly. I say semi because the throw out bearing just went out tonight, and the timing has been off since I've started driving, but need new timing marks.

So let's get into the sloppy. The first mod that I did to the car, even before I got it running, was fixing up the brakes. Brakes on the car were so f'ed from rust I had to cut them off with a sawzall, and don't even get me started on all the snapped bolts. After all the old stuff was removed, every brake line was replaced with fresh copper lines, and I even opted for stainless brake hoses. So far pretty clean. But, I wanted brakes off a turbo onto my little NA. The easiest way to do this is to convert to a 5 lug setup, but that involves buying new wheels and blah blah. So instead I redrilled the larger, vented rotors to the 4 lug PCD, and fit a 3 mm spacer behind the rotor so they'd be spaced correctly on the 4 lug hubs. Got some 4 piston T2 calipers off ebay and painted them blue. Which turned out quite nicely.
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After my brake conversion was done and I got the car running, I finally decided to replace some of that old suspension. I got some used ISC coilovers off of a drift car and threw them on the car, which resulted in a 2-3" drop in ride height. Being track coilovers (10k/8k) they're pretty rough on the street, but the car corners like a beast. I've got a set of energy suspension bushings sitting in my garage as well, just too lazy to tear into that project.
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After this came some more sloppiness that I must say I'm quite proud of. My water temp gauge's operation is questionable (and i'm a ricer when it comes to gauges), so I dropped some cash on a Corksport gauge. Spent a day to solder some wires together and drill some holes, and than ran the wires through a crack in my dash. Got the job done though.
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A bucket seat out of my buds' Integra was next on my sloppy mods. It's not in the best shape but it works for keeping me held in place. Didn't feel like spending money on expensive brackets/sliders for the cheap seat so I made the stock setup work by welding an extension plate onto the brackets, and redrilling the bracket itself to fit onto the seat.
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No, that's not a sweat mark, just had to put out some sparks that hit the seat while welding the bracket. This brings us up to speed with current day. Over the weekend I picked up a Corksport 3" catback and Borla 2.5" resonator to replace the bitched out old exhaust. Next up is to replace another bitched out section of the exhaust before the resonator with a downpipe.
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The old exhaust wasn't even entirely there. But the new setup both looks and sounds great.
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Exhaust clips:



But just earlier today my throw out bearing went bye bye, so when I get the time and motivation I'm gonna have to start dropping the trans. I'll probably do a new clutch and a lightened flywheel while I'm down there to wake the car up some. I want an LSD for the car as well, and might just get a short shifter too.
 

Intel

TCG Elite Member
Oct 28, 2009
5,889
3,357
Palatine
Sorry if I missed this, NA 13b? Should be fun at the track for sure once you work out all the gremlins. Make sure that your oil cooling strategy is in order as they cool like 40 percent through cooling of the oil. We added a second oem oil cooler with Y's and that kept our temps under 230 while tracking a street port 13b in lemons. Ducting is also huge but that is where the FC has advantages over the FB we were running.
 

Dr. Rotorstein

2broke4rotary
Dec 8, 2020
11
56
Central WI
Real Name
Isaac
Sorry if I missed this, NA 13b? Should be fun at the track for sure once you work out all the gremlins. Make sure that your oil cooling strategy is in order as they cool like 40 percent through cooling of the oil. We added a second oem oil cooler with Y's and that kept our temps under 230 while tracking a street port 13b in lemons. Ducting is also huge but that is where the FC has advantages over the FB we were running.

Yup, just an NA. I don't think I could afford fixing a turbo tbh. Thanks for the advice though. Was the 230 oil temp or water temp?
 

Intel

TCG Elite Member
Oct 28, 2009
5,889
3,357
Palatine
Yup, just an NA. I don't think I could afford fixing a turbo tbh. Thanks for the advice though. Was the 230 oil temp or water temp?
That was oil temp. Start with the existing one you should have and duct it really well so air has to go through that and the radiator. If you have oil temp/coolant temp issues look to improve the oil cooling first.


Extreme ducting but kind of gives you the idea. I have made all of this with old "plastic" campaign signs and HVAC tape. Goal is to make sure the Air has no path but to go through your radiator/oil coolers etc.

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Dr. Rotorstein

2broke4rotary
Dec 8, 2020
11
56
Central WI
Real Name
Isaac
That was oil temp. Start with the existing one you should have and duct it really well so air has to go through that and the radiator. If you have oil temp/coolant temp issues look to improve the oil cooling first.


Extreme ducting but kind of gives you the idea. I have made all of this with old "plastic" campaign signs and HVAC tape. Goal is to make sure the Air has no path but to go through your radiator/oil coolers etc.

View attachment 75963

Yeah that's a pretty nuts setup
 

Dr. Rotorstein

2broke4rotary
Dec 8, 2020
11
56
Central WI
Real Name
Isaac
Been spending the last couple of months gathering parts for the car, so I haven't had anything interesting to post about the car. Working part-time really sucks. Got my hands on a racing beat lightweight steel flywheel and a set of front pulleys to lock in timing. Not pictured is a PSM adjustable rear camber bar (alignment on FCs gets thrown off hugely after being lowered). I also have a turbo 2 LSD to swap into the car.

Still need to get the clutch (going with Exedy stage 1) and a counterweight for the flywheel. Also plan on getting PSM adjustable toe links for the rear so I can get rear alignment really dialed in.
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Dr. Rotorstein

2broke4rotary
Dec 8, 2020
11
56
Central WI
Real Name
Isaac
After long last I finally have an update again. Rear end assemble is back in the car, and has been aligned.

Swapping the differentials wasn't too much work, mainly consisted of redrilling the PCD and machining a small lip off the back of the flange so the bolt heads could fit. All the bushings in the back have been refreshed while I was in there.
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The next step was dropping my transmission out to replace the clutch, flywheel, and bearings. Not much to talk about there except that it was a royal pain in the dick. But of course, that just revealed the fact that my entire transmission is failing. Don't care, sending it until it pops. I also got a cat delete pipe from Racing Beat to finish up my exhaust, which essentially wraps up what's going on besides a failing alternator.
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