Introducing myself, and my RX-7....

Baz-7 · January 27, 2009, 01:56:36 PM

Steering idler now fixed....Improves the driving experience no end!

Managed to get a look at the exhaust, and the main part of the front pipe seems to be intact....It\'s another, smaller pipe, running alongside the main pipe, that\'s broken....Anybody know what this other pipe is for? :3Confused

Jimmy\'s, just down the road from me, want Â£500.00 plus fitting and V.A.T. for a stainless exhaust....I\'ll need to be finding a CONSIDERABLY cheaper solution to the problem than that!

David Nock (RIP) · January 27, 2009, 05:05:12 PM

From memory the smaller pipe is the hot air output from the thermal reactor (cooking pot thing) thats bolted up to the engine. You loose all that and the air pump itself if you go to an aftermarket system. Never tried to repair one of the original Mazda front silencer assemblies but I assume it\'s possible. I never fancied doing that because the big back box is prone to failure every 5 years or so on the original system.

daverey · January 27, 2009, 09:52:36 PM

Quote from: David Nock;578854Is your car red Daverey? I\'ve got it logged as red but with a question mark after colour. And quite low miles? Hope you don\'t mind me asking.

Hi David
The car is red and has 45000 on the clock. Would also like to mention exhaust is original, so therei s one out there.
Dave.

m1tch · January 27, 2009, 09:55:59 PM

Welcome in mate

I was on the club323f forum, can\'t beat popup lights on the BG can you lol

you got anything planned for it?

Baz-7 · January 28, 2009, 12:10:42 AM

Quote from: m1tch;579022I was on the club323f forum, can\'t beat popup lights on the BG can you lol you got anything planned for it?

Yeah, I\'m registered on the 323f forum too (as well as MX-5 Club, Renault Megane Forum, Auto....e and Retro Rides :2Confused)....The 323f was really just bought to use as a winter hack, so that I could save my MX-5 from the worst of the winter crud....Most of my money goes on the upkeep of the 5 (although I suspect that\'s gonna change with the arrival of the RX-7), but if the 323 makes it through it\'s M.O.T in September, I may treat it to some bits n bobs....Maybe a nice set of alloys and GT Spoilers....For a Â£400 car, it\'s very impressive indeed - I\'d much rather drive the 323 than my 2006 Megane! :chat

Baz-7 · January 28, 2009, 12:13:29 AM

Quote from: David Nock;578935From memory the smaller pipe is the hot air output from the thermal reactor (cooking pot thing) thats bolted up to the engine.

Is it feasible that the car could pass an M.O.T. with just the small pipe broken, do you think? It looks like it\'s been that way for quite a while! :3Confused

David Nock (RIP) · January 28, 2009, 08:54:52 PM

Quote from: daverey;579016Hi David
The car is red and has 45000 on the clock. Would also like to mention exhaust is original, so therei s one out there.
Dave.

Thanks for the info dave.

David Nock (RIP) · January 28, 2009, 08:56:38 PM

Quote from: Baz-7;579098Is it feasible that the car could pass an M.O.T. with just the small pipe broken, do you think? It looks like it\'s been that way for quite a while! :3Confused

You can try, but I\'ve had a car failed on the same thing a good few years ago.

Baz-7 · January 29, 2009, 01:29:23 AM

Quote from: David Nock;579325You can try, but I\'ve had a car failed on the same thing a good few years ago.

I was thinking more: Could it have passed an M.O.T. in that condition back in July....It\'s obviously been that way for quite some time....As had the steering idler....I\'m begining to question the integrity of the M.O.T. and the testing station that carried it out, and I\'m half tempted to talk to the ministry about it....I\'m gonna get the chap who looks after most of my other cars (actually a Gt.Yarmouth based Renault Specialist) to spend a hour looking over the car, and give me his honest opinion over whether I should persevere with the car, or chuck it....I hope he recommends the former, but if it is the latter, I\'m definitely gonna get another some day soon, because despite this one being a bit of a heap, I really love it! :yes

David Nock (RIP) · January 29, 2009, 11:44:03 AM

Hi Baz IMHO the things you\'ve found wrong so far aren\'t really that bad for an old car. Idler bushes, easy fix, exhaust.....yeh, expense starting to bite now but nearly all s/hand RX7\'s have something expensive wants doing. The prime consideration has to be the shell, then the engine, then the exhaust in that order. If you\'ve got a good shell and engine, most other things are a laid-back-life-experience. (I\'ve just invented that phrase - good eh?).
Get your man to take off the back wheels and check the triangular reinforcing plates that attach the back axle top link to the chassis. Cracked or even rusted away? Also door bottoms on series 2. Check also the chassis legs for cracks at the points where the steering idler and steering box attach. Check fuel tank for leaks.
If the shell gets a clean bill of health and the engine starts and pulls well, I think all else is sortable. The car looks the business anyway.

Baz-7 · January 30, 2009, 12:13:51 AM

I do love the car, I must admit....I\'ve been using it for the past couple of days, and it\'s growing on me all the time....I\'ve even started having perverse thoughts about selling my beloved MX-5 to finance renovations!

I\'m not really getting anywhere with the exhaust....RoTechnics don\'t seem to want to respond to my enquiries, and there\'s a car on Ebay at the moment that\'s supposedly fitted with a Janspeed exhaust, so I\'ve tried contacting them....Again without response....It\'s easy to lose heart when supposed "specialists" keep ignoring you! :3Confused

The only company that\'s bothered to respond is far too expensive (Jimmy\'s @ Â£500.00 plus fitting plus V.A.T)....Can anyone point me in the right direction here?

David Nock (RIP) · January 30, 2009, 11:52:53 AM

Rotechnics and WGT over in Cheshire are both bad at getting back on emails. You might have to push them on the phone. I would think Â£350 for a new system plus fitting is the best you\'re going to get. (And fitting is a bit of a job because removing the thermal reactor and air pump eats labour costs).
Try a guy called Tim at RX motors in Dorset. He often has a few cars breaking. Google should find him.
You may just find a reasonable secondhand Mazda front section somewhere, but I think you\'ll be lucky. I think it\'s all new or, like me, a lucky find of a complete stainless system on a scrapper.

daverey · January 31, 2009, 12:07:36 AM

Hope this helps.
//www.rxmotors.co.uk Tel 01725 516462.
Although response can be slow as with Rotechnics etc, usually because they are in the workshop.
Dave.

Baz-7 · January 31, 2009, 01:15:37 AM

Thankyou gents....That\'s RX Motors now contacted aswell....Hopefully SOMEBODY will respond eventually!

Baz-7 · February 05, 2009, 12:59:26 AM

RX Motors have quoted me Â£200 plus carriage, plus V.A.T. for a secondhand stainless system....But I think I\'ll go with a new one from WGT at Â£345 plus V.A.T. but including carriage, as that comes with fitting instructions....I need to know which bits to keep, and which to discard!

Now....Where did I leave that credit card? :2Rolleyes