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Thread: New Engine/Old Repu
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Uncle-Jim
Revvin Up
Posts: 64
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posted February 26, 2002 12:57 PM |
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New Engine/Old Repu
Greetings All,
Well the old '77 has a new lease on life. I've spent the last ten days installing a Hayes 13B in the old girl! She definitely likes the attention!
Like any rig that is almost 25, there were a lot of little things that made my work time consuming.
I had Hayes "cermachrome" the housings, and I painted the steel blue. (The truck is blue). So once I had this nice clean engine in, I just had to clean everything else up.
Here is what I found. (This list might give you an idea of what to look forward to, if you plan to do this).
1. I had to resurface the flywheel,pressure plate and install a new clutch disk.
2. I pulled the 5 sp, drained the oil and refilled with Redline Mt-90; had to install new pilot bearing and seal, and new rear seal on tranny. (Bearings are all nice and quiet, so I didn't open the case.)
3. Pulled the driveline, found all u-joints to be good.
4. Cleaned out the starter and relubed the bearings. (lot of crud inside)
5. Had the radiator and heater core "rodded out", and cleaned oil cooler
6. Removed all the air control valves, and plugged the fittings on the carb. The air pump and thermal reactor is also gone.
7. I put RB headers on, and adapted the "dual road race" exhaust to fit the chassis. Sounds bad and runs great! (I had to drive the truck 30 mi to the muffler shop - ever heard a rotary with open headers? - I had to wear ear plugs to drive it!!! No, I was lucky, the local constables didn't catch me!)
8. Since the big cooling fan makes lots of noise, I designed a 16" electric fan and thermostat system, and mounted this on the Radiator/oil cooler.
Here are some problems to watch for:
1. Vacuum leaks. I used all new gaskets on the intake/carb, and rubber plugs for the unused fittings. However, I got the vacuum advance tube on the wrong fitting, and found the advance on full at idle, and decreased under load. The proper place is above the throttle plates, and the fitting (on Hitachi carbs) is right next to the idle mixture adj. screw. I left the egr fittings on, and the fuel vent to the charcoal canister.
2. Dirty electrical connx. I ended up taking all the fittings off of every spot in the engine bay, and found some corrosion. I sprayed them all with PB blaster, and cleaned with a Qtip. Some odd little intermittents I've had with the truck, have disappeared. Radio noise is almost gone too!
3. Ignition! I'm using the electronic dizzy from a first gen. Rx-7, and it's definitly better than the old point system. Anyway, when I first tried to drive the truck, it was very low on power. I stopped with it idling, and looked under the hood. It acted like the leading ign wasn't running so I stuck my hand down to pull the 12v off the coil, and a spark jumped from the coil tower. (My arm is still tingling!). I had not pushed the coil wires into the towers, so the engine was running on what spark it could get by jumping a 1/2" gap.
My next project is to try out the Direct Fire Ign.
Sorry for the long post, I hope someone finds my experience helpful.
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Uncle Jim
72 Rx-2 Show Car; '77 REPU (250K & goin' strong) 2 - '76 Cosmo's
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Klaus43
Rotorhead
Posts: 1259
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posted February 27, 2002 10:20 AM |
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No need to apologize!
Your post is right on! So nice to hear the positive results. Sounds like you're building a winner of a REPU...open headers sound beautiful, kinda like formula one crossed with jet takeoff, but 30 MILES???? I sure wouldn't have risked that ticket! Whatcha got for muffler? You must know most exhaust shops are clueless as to what'll quiet a rotary and actually Live... Sounds like you're happy w./ your Hayes built motor... do keep us posted!
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Uncle-Jim
Revvin Up
Posts: 64
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posted March 01, 2002 09:27 AM |
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My exhaust is a combination of stuff. I have RB "road race" Headers and their dual presilencer system they sell for Rx-7's. They assured me it would all fit in the Repu chassis. Of course, it didn't. There is a cross frame member about 4 or 5" back of where the headers end, and the dual pipes need about 1/2" clearance.
My muffler guy likes to do custom stuff, and I've given him the scoop on the unique rotary exhaust. He's been able to use 14 ga. tubing, welded additional length, and bent it to clear the frame part.
The dual pipes come together in front of the axle, and then (you'll love this) to a "Hondasport" SS muffler. This thing is stuffed with ss wool and ends in a 4" tip. I had this angled down a bit, and ends just at the rear of truck. You can see it, but it's not too "rice boy".
Yes, it is a bit loud, but nice and low and mellow. The new 13B likes the duals! Just last night I pulled a long hill in 4th that I used to have to shift back and forth to 3rd before.
Now, my wife and daughter want me to fix the body and paint it, so I guess I've just made more work for myself. (yeah!)
Jim
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Uncle Jim
72 Rx-2 Show Car; '77 REPU (250K & goin' strong) 2 - '76 Cosmo's
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