Mazda Rotary Club

General => General Technical => Topic started by: Jim_rx7 on October 23, 2008, 01:17:44 AM

Title: to AST or not AST?
Post by: Jim_rx7 on October 23, 2008, 01:17:44 AM
What are peoples thoughts on this?
Title: to AST or not AST?
Post by: AshRX on October 23, 2008, 08:23:28 AM
i run no AST and never had a problem. I just used a FC filler neck piece and works fine
Title: to AST or not AST?
Post by: Jim_rx7 on October 23, 2008, 01:04:16 PM
That\'s what I\'m thinking of doing. Just not sure about the plumbing side of it once it\'s removed. I did read a guide, but didn\'t think it was that clear.
Title: to AST or not AST?
Post by: Bobbit on October 23, 2008, 03:52:48 PM
I\'ve ditched the AST too, same as Ash. You need to plumb two pipes once you fit the Fc cap, one to the rad and the 2nd near the water temp thingie. i used 2 off cuts of metal and 2 jubilee clips on each. Bish bash bosh!
Title: to AST or not AST?
Post by: Hot_RX on October 23, 2008, 05:19:36 PM
Waiting on my fc filler neck from mrp.I bought cheap rad from ebay with no ast nipple.
 
Jim what type of inlet temps do you see with your smic?
Title: to AST or not AST?
Post by: Jim_rx7 on October 23, 2008, 06:32:34 PM
I would love to be able to tell you mate, but my engine looks like it\'s just suffered water seal failure. :(
Title: to AST or not AST?
Post by: jackaleks on October 28, 2008, 01:26:38 PM
how about the good old ali AST that WGT sell?
 
i\'m in two minds whether to just remove it, or put an ali one on.
Title: to AST or not AST?
Post by: nikp on October 28, 2008, 02:19:07 PM
I\'m not running an AST either. I don\'t even run the small diameter line from thermostat housing to centre bottom rad either. Just used a bung on them. Never had any problems on mine either, and been running it for over 2 years like this.
Title: to AST or not AST?
Post by: Jim_rx7 on October 28, 2008, 07:06:53 PM
Quote from: nikp;548818I\'m not running an AST either. I don\'t even run the small diameter line from thermostat housing to centre bottom rad either. Just used a bung on them. Never had any problems on mine either, and been running it for over 2 years like this.

So am I right in thinking all you have is the top and lower rad hose connected? Everything else blocked off?
Title: to AST or not AST?
Post by: interloper393 on October 28, 2008, 08:06:35 PM
yup just like a normal car, 1 hose in 1 hose out lol, u need to make sure theres deffo no air in the system tho.
Title: to AST or not AST?
Post by: DR SCHNITZEL on October 28, 2008, 08:07:19 PM
Quote from: Jim_rx7;548961So am I right in thinking all you have is the top and lower rad hose connected? Everything else blocked off?

sounds like it. i might do this to save a kg or 2 but surelky its there for a reason
Title: to AST or not AST?
Post by: jackaleks on October 28, 2008, 08:14:19 PM
Quote from: nikp;548818I\'m not running an AST either. I don\'t even run the small diameter line from thermostat housing to centre bottom rad either. Just used a bung on them. Never had any problems on mine either, and been running it for over 2 years like this.

saw a guide for doing this on fd3s.net

a couple of guys on that board brought up the issue of heat transfer, the theory being that because the gas bubbles aren\'t collecting in the now absent AST they\'re being circulated. gas isn\'t as good a conductor as liquid so the engine isn\'t cooled as efficiently.

would be good to see some real-life data on this. i\'m guessing if you fill the coolant system properly and eliminate as much air as possible you\'re looking at negligible differences?
Title: to AST or not AST?
Post by: chrisJDM on October 28, 2008, 08:21:26 PM
just wondering guys what are the benefits of getting rid of the ast?? i have a metal ast and doesnt weigh very much and its not like it takes up much space in the engine way so what are the main benefits??
Title: to AST or not AST?
Post by: jackaleks on November 03, 2008, 05:52:54 PM
thinking of giving an ast mod a go this month, either remove it or stick an ali one on.
 
did any of you guys running no ast notice any change in your water temps?
Title: to AST or not AST?
Post by: Jim_rx7 on November 03, 2008, 06:48:08 PM
I might get rid once I have the engine sorted and back in the car.
Title: to AST or not AST?
Post by: hairyhoover on February 23, 2009, 09:01:04 AM
The issue is that the water pump creates little bubbles at high rpm with the standard pulley (theres a word for it but cant recall at the moment).
 
The larger pulley should help reduce this making it safer to run without a AST
Title: to AST or not AST?
Post by: Paul-Tll on February 23, 2009, 09:31:42 AM
I think the word is \'Cavitation\' sp?, I think Mazda fit it as a belt and braces mod to \'help\' with cooling. Removing it all together would benefit only as removing some more \'weak\' links as you would save on hoses and a few more joints in the system, and possible AST and cap failure, not what you want on a track car ?
P.
Title: to AST or not AST?
Post by: hairyhoover on February 23, 2009, 10:10:06 AM
thats the word!
Title: to AST or not AST?
Post by: Aceman on February 26, 2009, 05:26:05 PM
Mine\'s eliminated - posed me no issues now for around 1000 miles so far..

I guess I followed the way it\'s done using the FC filler neck, but tapped into the standard filler neck as so:

(http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u259/rjpartri/Mazda%20RX7/P1012976.jpg)