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Sweet updates! I'm running a speeduino on my 94 mazda truck, but I went with the speedyefi. Super easy to setup and tune, no real complaints. The wiring wasn't even too bad to get it running.
Okay so I know I have not posted anything in an insanely long time on this. Don't worry, I didn't abandon the project, I mainly just kept forgetting to take pictures. After that last post I finished getting the wiring done and stuffed the new ECM into its spot under the dashboard. After fixing some small bugs and doing a quick and dirty street tune, it actually ran pretty well. I drove it around town a little bit last summer and took it to cars and coffee where people seemed to enjoy it.
Here is a pic of it hanging out with a 1988 Toyota mr2.
There were still some issues though. My temporary solution to the exhaust manifold thing was to patch the crack with some jb weld exhaust manifold repair stuff. To the surprise of nobody, this fix lasted exactly one drive before the epoxy also cracked. That issue was actually relatively small compared to what was going on with the suspension.
The suspension was making horrible clunking noises going over any bumps, it handled terribly, and felt completely unsafe. I spent the last year collecting up parts and information, and this spring I am finally ready to bite the bullet and fix those issues. I am going to try to remember to take pictures this time.
Oh also, before we jump into the suspension stuff, here is a pic of the interior going back together from last spring that I never posted.
I love the way the FC rx7 steering wheel looks. The new skin on the dash honestly turned out pretty bad, and only got worse from how it looks in this picture. I will probably try to find a replacement dash pad since they are the same on the more common base model BF 323.
Anyways, onto the suspension stuff. This is where it gets fun.
These are the struts it has on all four corners. They are some cool 1980's KYB struts that were modified a long time ago with a ground control coilover sleeve and spring kit. Unfortunately something was very clearly wrong with the strut tops, and in person the springs looked like they were crooked. I didn't really understand what was going on, so I took them apart to investigate.
Yeah, that's really bad. As best as I can tell the top nut got loose, then the threaded part of the shock shaft got into a fight with the top spring seat. Neither made it out alive. Both front struts were like this, and all four struts had absolutely no damping ability left in them. The left rear in particular leaked a mix of shock fluid and water out of the top when I turned it upside down.
Luckily, I found some information from someone else who had these exact same shocks and even the same coilover sleeve kit on their 323 gtx. They found modern kyb shock inserts made for an mr2 and some sort of volkswagen that worked, so I ordered a set and started tearing the struts the rest of the way apart.
Getting these apart was no easy task. Those sleeves were incredibly stuck on, to the point where I had to use a map gas torch to heat them up and then press them off with the hydraulic press. I also thought those huge spring seats looked silly since it had the ground control kit on there that didn't need them, so I cut them off. I am going to clean up the remaining part of the spring seats a bit, then take them in to be blasted and powder coated.
That is all for today. Next time will be pressing apart some wheel bearings, taking out a really annoying bolt, and making fun of the way Mazda designed the brakes on this car.
Oh and one more fun picture. This is my other ongoing project, a 1984 RX-7 that is getting the supercharged 3800 v6 from a Buick Riviera.
Sdryluth, I notice that you have those $70 Amazon headlamps in your car. Are they any better than say, worn out chrome reflector OEM headlamps with decent bulbs? Thinking about a pair, other than they look funny...but I have a "roach" GTX that doesn't care about it's looks.
Cool stuff, thanks for the updates! I'm interested to see what you come up with for the suspension. I have a 2nd GTX that I'm going to be getting back on the road and I'm looking at adapting some Megan subaru coilovers for it.
06-08-2022, 11:55 AM
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