FS: 1993 RX-7, touring model, 5spd, 100k, rebuilt, needs TLC

[Ranger]

Yep, I'm Dillon haha. To sum up chickenwafer's post: this car will never pass emissions as is At least not if what he said is true. I disagree about high flow cats though, I think it's made a HUGE difference, now when I start it, it doesn't smell like rotary so bad But yeah...this car has had literally every emissions component removed. Putting the air pump back on is easy enough...but the AWS system has been removed and blocked off. Even the EGR is blocked off. I will say, it's not permanent...you COULD put all that back on there...I imagine there are lots of people who ditch all that stuff (like the previous owner did with mine) and have it laying around. But I couldn't help you with that unfortunately I'd have done it myself if I had the knowledge and the time.

Anyway, if you guys in the springs could spread the word, that'd be awesome!

[D Walker]

last year we had an FD in for emmissions and it was a PITA. Car was bone stock, with slightly higher miles. Eventually we got it through by:

Swapping in a known good 30K mile OEM cat
Swapping in a known good 02 sensor
Running the car on approx 4-1 ratio E-85 to 85pump
NEW plugs
Driving the car for a minimum of 30 minutes and NOT waiting in line- this is really important because the cat cools down fairly quick
Fixing ALL of the vacumn leaks. This is a PITA in and of itself, but there is no way a stock FD will pass with any sort of vac leak.


On the other hand, we got a modded FD- complete emissions removal, PFC, single turbo, etc. through emissions by-
running it on 4-1 e85 to 85pump (we call this emissions fluid)
advancing timing slightly- you have to be careful with this, if you go too far the NOx will go off the charts
using the OEM cat- we did this because the car had a stock-ish dp and midpipe, so it was easy to bolt it back in.
re-installed the air pump
Driving the car as above, and not waiting in line for more than a few minutes.

We were a little nervous because the egr, rats nest,etc were all gone but those guys had literally didnt even care. After it passed they asked us how much we had to screw with it to get it to pass.

I think it matters a lot who drives the car on the dyno, as the first couple of tests where it should have passed we KNOW they got it into boost and it went way rich as it was supposed to. For one test we basically locked the WG open so that it just could not make more than a couple of pounds of boost.

Anyway- good luck with the sale Dillon. If you decide to keep it and want it emissioned let me know, we have been through it before

EDIT- also I have a fair amount of FD emissions stuff laying around as well as a couple of stock ecu's, good OEM cat, and maybe even a catback (although I doubt it) in case you or the buyer need it.

[RichB]

How has RX-8 set-up solved this emissions issue?

[Ranger]

It's not really solved, they still have a lot of emissions equipment. But they made changes to the engine, for one...the renesis engine in the RX-8 is cleaner by nature. Also, it's not turbo, which is the real killer for the FD.

Good to know you got a modded FD to pass, Don. I think it's worth a shot to reinstall an air pump and plumb it directly to the high flow cat that's on my car now. It'd be cool if you could help me do that, but I have no way of getting it to your shop haha. There's also no way to drive it around for very long without getting pulled over (no tags). I'm definitely not keeping it, but it's obviously going to be harder to sell in CO if it doesn't pass. But for any potential buyers, it's good to know there are people out there willing to help

[Ranger]

Alright, so I've been thinking about this all day, looking at other FDs for sale, and apparently I'm smoking crack if I think I can sell it for $12k. I'd take $8500 cash for it with the stock rims, or $9500 if you want it with the Blitz rims.

[Learjet45]

I wish it didn't have to go for so low! Hopefully someone from the club will buy it to keep it in the family GLWS!

[D Walker]

Dillon, i have a truck and an enclosed trailer..... not hard to move cars around...


just sayin is all.

[chickenwafer]

How has RX-8 set-up solved this emissions issue?

The RX-8 is whole different animal. Without getting too technical, the rotary in the RX-8 is a new design with side located exhaust ports, so unburned hydrocarbons get trapped in the combustion and carried over to the next cycle, whereas on previous rotaries, they were just pushed out the exhaust port.

The RX-8 also isn't turbocharged, which means less rich AFRs and more timing. This helps produce a cleaner combustion cycle. The RX-8 also benefits GREATLY from a modern ECU, much more advanced fuel injection system with high impedance top feed Bosch injectors, an electronic air pump system, and a much better modern catalytic converter.

In short, there are many benefits the RX-8 has over any previous rotary-equipped car Mazda sold in the US, many of them just being from newer technology.

[speedjunkie]

Now taking bets on how many times Dillon will decide to sell his car LOL!!!

I have a real easy way to "pass" the emissions test lol. Dillon already knows, but apparently he hasn't done it haha.

[chickenwafer]

I will also be using Eric's stellar advice on a REAL easy way to pass emissions when I'm finished with my build haha!

[Ranger]

Haha I'm selling it for real this time. I was selling it for real before too, but not willing to come down to a price where it would actually sell. Things are different now...

[speedjunkie]

I'll give you $5 for it. LOL

[Ranger]

Haha, I think that's the general consent. *sigh* This is getting frustrating. IMO $8500 is an insane price for an FD with a fresh engine and turbos, regardless of whatever other problems it has. But nobody is biting. I'm starting to be more inclined to part it out...I'm sure I could get $3k for the longblock, and I could definitely use that money...plus the wiring harnesses, tranny, new clutch, exhaust, Power FC, and all the other little things...I'd be more likely to get money for that stuff quicker than I could sell this car

[D Walker]

Trade you a nice Stealth AWD for it

[Ranger]

Thanks, but I'm pretty sure you couldn't pay me to own a Stealth They're even more complex and more problematic that RX-7s, or so I've been told...plus I definitely don't need another sports car, haha.

My gut says...strip this thing and make it a race car! My head says...too much money, and you've already got one too many race cars.