"KIMI" - The RPM 1st Gen S2 (with bits of S3...)

[HypoThermia]

I guess I was describing the symptoms rather than the cause - the disk stops rotating without any brakes being applied :confused: It did get better as we worked the brakes, but I don\'t think it ever went away.

We did adjust the handbrake and Kimi held on the incline. It holds at around 8-10 notches on Malcolm\'s drive.

Cheers,

Ian.

[Casey]

I\'m not quite sure what the issue is with the rear n/s brakes - it could be a sticky pistion I guess. Until we can get the car up to road speed and test the brakes properly it is difficult to tell.

I\'m very pleased with the progress we made yesterday; definately a case of 3 heads (and pairs of hands) was better! It felt so good to get Kimi moving again, if only for a few yards - shame that Will had to leave just before we got to that stage.

The brakes, clutch and engine all felt fine - the engine seemed very strong and willing to pull! The electric radiator fan seems to be cutting in and out and doing it\'s job very well too in this small test.

I think we are close to me getting some day insurance sorted so we can book her for an MOT.............

[David Nock (RIP)]

I guess I was describing the symptoms rather than the cause - the disk stops rotating without any brakes being applied :confused: It did get better as we worked the brakes, but I don\'t think it ever went away.

We did adjust the handbrake and Kimi held on the incline. It holds at around 8-10 notches on Malcolm\'s drive.

Cheers,

Ian.

4 to 5 notches is the \'rule of thumb\' MOT testers requirement  - what a great pun in there....:rollin...... Did you find the adjuster in the handbrake lever?

For brakes dragging, wouldn\'t you just spin the wheel and tyre by hand? It should turn freely but with a little rubbing/rasping noise as the pad just touches the disc. Particularly noticeable if he\'s been stood awhile. There will always be a little rubbing/friction.
Then when you touch the brakes or handbrake it should lock solid against you trying to turn the wheel.

Do you think it\'s LSD? Why? That stop/starting of the hub on the vid? That\'s just the axle diff allowing the shaft to stand still on one side at low revs isn\'t it? Am I talking bunkum here? Please alert me if I am!!!

[Casey]

^^^The problem was, when we used the handbrake adjuster to set it to ~ 5 notches travel, then released the handbrake, we couldn\'t rotate the n/s rotor, but could rotate the o/s rotor. I looked under the car and could see the "T" bar pulling the two cables and it seemed to be pulling evenly. I think we have a sticking caliper or piston maybe? I think I will remove the lower caliper slider pin-bolt and give it a good clean and lube (copper grease OK, or something else?). That bolt did feel very tight; Ian and I had some difficulty getting the pin started. My feeling is it should have gone in very freely. Some brake cleaner in the bore to clean out as well maybe?

How does the rubber boot attach to the lower caliper slider pin bore? We tried to ease it out and didn\'t suceed - we thought it might tear it if we applied any more force.

Any help with the above would be great, before I disassemble/reassemble.

Another question re brake pads. In the end we had to re-use the old pads, after a good emery paper clean to remove oil contamination. We had a new set of pads but they turned out to be the wrong shape. I\'ve just gone on several websites to search for pads, using the car and model and 9/10 would have sent me the WRONG ones. It\'s only when I enter the part number (FA18-49-280, or FA67-49-280HA, which both appear to be the same) that I get the correct part. However, most suppliers don\'t let you search by the OEM part number! Pictures of the incorrect and correct parts (slightly smaller, different shape lugs) are attached. Can anyone shed any light on this issue? Even Clive managed to send me an incorrect set, having described the car and model (non-vented rotors).....

[mpk490p]

i know the S3 rubbers just slide over the top on the calliper, i got new replacements for mine from http://www.rockauto.com/
http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/moreinfo.php?pk=541641

[David Nock (RIP)]

FA 67-49-280 is the part No. for Series 3 Rear Pads.

So the mystery deepens. The hubs (with bolts not nuts/studs) seem to be Series 2, but the pads are S3.

Back to a thought from a few posts back.....Has Kimi got an S3 axle tube with the original S2 diff/half shafts/hub assembly? Is that possible?

Or does it have S3 calipers on an S2 axle?  Is that possible?......Oh dear not straightforward at all.

[Ian65]

Do you think it\'s LSD? Why? That stop/starting of the hub on the vid? That\'s just the axle diff allowing the shaft to stand still on one side at low revs isn\'t it? Am I talking bunkum here? Please alert me if I am!!!

no UK spec 1st gens came with lsd as standard.
To check, jack the back end up and spin a wheel by hand. If both wheels turn in the same direction, it\'s a limited slip diff, if they turn in opposite directions, it\'s a standard  diff.

[David Nock (RIP)]

And from memory the S3 rear pads are slightly bigger than S2.

[David Nock (RIP)]

Been to garage to measure my old pads. Those above with \'729\' on are deffo Series 3 pads (vented rotors)..... part no FB 712 628 ZA appears on the old packaging for the replacement pads (now on the car) direct from Mazda.

But a dealer gave me FA67-49-280 as another part No. for the same S3 pads. And he knew his stuff at that time.

Slider pins should be fine with a touch of copper grease or moly grease, something like that.

Hope that helps sort out the confusion???

[Casey]

^^^Thanks Dave, that input has helped me get this sorted.

If you look at THIS LINK for FA18-49-280H, then it shows the pads we need (with "notches", rather than lugs on one pad). However THIS LINK shows FA67-49-280HA to be the same shape!!!! These two websites would indicate that FA67-49-280A and FA18-49-280 are identical, but that is incorrect!!

A further search revealed THIS LINK showing FA67-49-280 pads to be a different shape, more in line with what you have stated, Dave - they wouldn\'t fit our calipers, so I must assume for S3 with vented disks..

So, it seems safe to use the part number FA18-49-280, but none of the suppliers on the internet seem to use this part number (virtually no UK hits for this item...). I can see it\'s going to be a problem ordering spare pads by part numbers, as we need to check the shape! Wherever I tried to "dummy order" pads using 1983 (or 1985) RX-7, every supplier seemed to want to supply the S3 shape! For example, I tried the EBC website (search by car reg, which = S2) I got THIS RESULT - clearly incorrect....

Ah! to confirm the above, I\'ve just found THIS LINK which appears to show the S2 ("49-280A-FA18" - correct shape for what we need) and the "other shape" for later years (therefore assume S3).

Arrrgghh, got there, but my brain hurts:Hammer;)

[Steve-A]

Well you guys are certainly putting in the hours of research for the rest of us to benefit from

Just to confirm, my s2 takes the rear brake pads with the \'notch\', and I recently bought some EBC ultimax pads that fit fine. I got them here on eBay.. http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/MAZDA-RX7-2-3-EBC-ULTIMAX-REAR-BRAKE-PADS-79-83-/200484637183?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item2eadd0c9ff#ht_2857wt_948

Interestingly the picture is of a s3 pad, but they do have a separate listing for s3 rear pads and the pads they sent me were correct!

[seanp]

Excellent work folks! Sorry I could not make it. Looking forward to seeing her on the road, and I hope the rear brake trouble turns out to be something simple to resolve. :-)

[Casey]

^^^Steve, many thanks for that.

It shows you have to be very careful when ordering the pads "unseen". The link you gave shows the wrong shape diagram, but the correct dimensions, suggesting the diagram is incorrect and the pads would be fine, as you have confirmed by ordering some.

.....and as for the photo of the pad in the ebay listing :rolleyes:

However, if they had sent you some with the shape shown, but the dimensions were wrong, they\'ve have had to go back...

Sean, you\'ve just popped up a message as I was typing this - good morning! Yep, really happy with where we are and hope to get a chance to pop the wheel and caliper off soon to check for sticking cailper or piston before booking for MOT, hopefully before the end of this month, or very early August!

[shaunwil]

My pads only cost £15 last week for the rears buying them locally !

Shaun

[Casey]

^^Shaun, that\'s a good price for local pickup. Who stocked them locally for you - is it a national chain? We did drop down to Halfords on the off chance they might stock them, but they don\'t and they could only get Ferodos to order - I didn\'t bother to ask the price!!

Not an immediate problem as, after sanding the old ones, they look good and have plenty of meat left - almost like new.