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Whenever I think I'm done reassembling my interior, I have to go and take it apart again  This time, it's for good reason: my A/C is not working as intended, and I'm trying to chase down the culprit. Dusty glovebox.  Through the hole is my A/C evaporator unit. I removed the blower box so I could shine a UV light into the evaporator core and expansion valve, but I couldn't find any dye leaks. I did, fortunately, notice something else while the blower was out:    Glad I caught this before it would give me a headache down the road. It's the blower motor resistor pack, which regulates the voltage going to the fan motor to provide the four different speeds. There's also a jumper attached to one of the prongs that has something to do with giving the motor a little more juice when the A/C is running, so that's why I decided to take a look. I still have all my fan speeds, and all of the solder points are sturdy (albeit rusty and corroded, but I can clean it up), so I know the resistors are still working... That ceramic junk is crumbling to pieces, though. Is there anything stopping me from coating these coils with, say, some leftover Arctic Silver that I have next to my computer, instead of spending $40 for a new pack? Keep in mind that they hang upside-down inside the blower box so they have constant air circulation to keep them cool, but I'm not sure how hot they would get without some sort of thermal compound. Now for something completely different:     This carpet seems too thick to sew through by hand, and I don't have a sewing machine. Are there any kinds of heavy-duty fabric tape that I could stick to the back of these flaps so they at least appear to be connected again?
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| # ? Jun 2, 2012 19:46 |
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| # ? May 19, 2013 03:58 |
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What's keeping you from simply punching holes for the needle and thread with an awl? Gaffa(tm) tape on the back isn't gonna hide the obvious crack.
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| # ? Jun 2, 2012 22:32 |
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Arctic Silver is a terrible idea; it's electrically conductive. And it's meant to allow thermal transfer between surfaces, not to the air. That's not far from failing; it looks like the coils are supposed to be completely embedded in ceramic.  Lucky for you, Rockauto has it for $35.89.
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| # ? Jun 3, 2012 00:01 |
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some texas redneck posted:Arctic Silver is a terrible idea; it's electrically conductive. And it's meant to allow thermal transfer between surfaces, not to the air. I am a moron  some texas redneck posted:That's not far from failing; it looks like the coils are supposed to be completely embedded in ceramic. This, however, doesn't seem like the proper replacement. There's absolutely no listing for this part in the '84-'85 directories on RockAuto, but once I click '83 and older, suddenly "Blower Motor Resistor" comes up in plain sight:  But this one's slightly different than mine, and I think it's due to the A/C system. Mine has an extra coil, and theirs has an extra jumper wire--but those are both moot points, because of this:  code:
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| # ? Jun 3, 2012 00:35 |
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Ah, whoops. I found that part number on ebay, after searching for a resister for an 85. Because ebay is never wrong  That's a loving bizarre looking resister pack. I guess they put that... stuff (you said it seemed like ceramic?) on the sections most prone to (heat) failure. I'm gonna guess the aftermarket one has the coils embedded in ceramic to help keep them cool? Personally I'd just snag a spare when you find one and keep it handy.
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| # ? Jun 3, 2012 00:42 |
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That's a sweet looking machine, you don't see many of those in that good of condition anymore. Did you get your alignment sorted yet? I say screw Tires Plus, I haven't had a great deal of luck with them in the past. The last time I had my FC aligned I took it to this guy: http://www.thealignmentguy.com/ He has no issues with custom alignments and you can sit there and BS with him while he does it. I'm not sure what he currently charges but IIRC my last alignment ran me a hair over $50 (two years ago.)
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| # ? Jun 3, 2012 06:54 |
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uRizen posted:That's a sweet looking machine, you don't see many of those in that good of condition anymore. Thanks! I like your FC as well (pretty sure I saw it the few times I was at Sonic, may have even talked to you, dunno). I haven't taken care of my alignment yet, but a few weeks ago when I autocrossed at Valleyfair it finally dawned on me that I should visit that guy, likely because of all the URL decals on everyone's cars. The only thing I'm trying to decide on before I drive to his shop is how I can manage a little bit of negative camber for the least amount of
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| # ? Jun 3, 2012 15:11 |
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Man, I see those stickers all over the guys that come from Minnesota to the Iowa region events. I wish there was a better option for alignments around here other than the big rig alignment shop.
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| # ? Jun 3, 2012 15:30 |
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So I don't know how to sew, but here's some thread for the thread:   
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| # ? Jun 7, 2012 03:10 |
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I promise you I have seen worse jobs done on old Mazda trim by dudes that charged for it. Seriously, good work. The only way you could improve on it would be to stitch around the hem on the right hand side so it looks like the left, but you'll almost never see it anyway.
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| # ? Jun 7, 2012 05:32 |
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Can you make a video of it blowing fireballs out the exhaust?
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| # ? Jun 7, 2012 22:20 |
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wipeout posted:Can you make a video of it blowing fireballs out the exhaust? Maybe this weekend. As mentioned earlier on, it's really easy to force a huge explosion by sustaining a rev around 5k, then dropping the ignition and stabbing the accelerator once or twice. I've only done that a couple of times though, because it's probably not good for the car, haha. I have, however, heard quite a few small pops after gunning it up to the speed limit, then letting the engine wind down while in gear, which is kinda neat. Man, I really need to get a GoPro.
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| # ? Jun 7, 2012 23:36 |
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MiniFoo posted:
You are sort of correct. What happens is that the Console switch will connect to each L, M, H1, H2. The motor connects to C. All the resistors are connected in series, with taps between for L-H. So if you selected L, you would go through the low, medium, high and constant resistor. M just goes through med, high and constant, and so forth. You will notice there is a resistor between C1 and C (the constant on resistor). On cars with AC, mazda provided a connector to go in line from the 2 pin plug. This moves the C terminal on the plug to connect to the C1 terminal in the resistor pack, eliminating the constant resistor and upping the fan speed. Aside from a bit of corrosion, yours is fine. The goop on the coils is only to ensure they do not touch (thus shorting and resulting in lower resistance) You don't want to cover them up, as the air rushing over them will help cool. EDIT: Looking at your pictures, it looks like you do have the jumper installed. That probably means that its C1 stock and C with AC. Sgt Fox fucked around with this message at Jun 8, 2012 around 00:53 |
| # ? Jun 8, 2012 00:49 |
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Sgt Fox posted:EDIT: Looking at your pictures, it looks like you do have the jumper installed. That probably means that its C1 stock and C with AC. Yeah, this is definitely the case. I already put it back in the car a few days ago, but thanks for all of the clarification! Now I gotta find a place that will evacuate the system so I can be on my merry way to an R-152a conversion. And uh, figure out how the pressure dropped so drastically over the course of a year in the first place.
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| # ? Jun 8, 2012 02:01 |
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 Rainy day~~ Let's get some maintenance done.  This is my rear leading spark plug. Haven't checked the rest of them, but they've all got about 6,000 miles now, including running super rich while tuning the Nikki. I could try cleaning them, or just get new ones because I'll be futzing with the distributor timing soon... Verdict?  I noticed this while screwing the plug back in. It kinda looks like there's a very slow leak or something coming from the base of the oil filler tube. I wonder if I should be worried about it.   Time to stop putting this off.    Yummy.  A familiar sight for me   Cleaned.  Holy hell this takes forever, but man, I'm glad I finally did it. One less thing tearing at the back of my mind. Next is tranny fluid.
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| # ? Jun 17, 2012 00:06 |
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Every update in this thread from you makes me happy. 
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| # ? Jun 17, 2012 00:10 |
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MiniFoo posted:
It looks like you had access to just jam the bottle in there and squeeze, or to use a much shorter section of tube. Either way will go much faster than using all that extra tube. I replaced all the driveline fluids last summer on my Wrangler. Two differentials, transmission, and transfer case. My arms were weak like noodles after that much squeezing.
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| # ? Jun 17, 2012 02:45 |
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MiniFoo posted:
Walmart.. 9 bux. Also owning a Jeep, I use this on the diffs, transfer case and my lower unit on the boat. Much better than squeezing many bottles of gear lube. 
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| # ? Jun 17, 2012 06:21 |
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Sorry for the continued derail, but I think the next time I have to do that I'm going to heat the oil up so it flows easier.
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| # ? Jun 17, 2012 06:46 |
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Y'all doing it wrong... Get yourself one of these:  Remove the gun and trigger from the end of the flexible tube and then either pour your oil into it and pump it up, or do what i did and gut the pressure relief valve and install a shraeder valve from a tubeless rim into it and use the air compressor in the shed to poke it up to 25psi, Forces 90w140 LSD oil without problems. If it overflows as your filling it, just undo the top to release the pressure and stop oil flow. I've been using one for about 6yrs now, and im sure one days its going to detonate on me as the plastic ages and goes brittle, but ill just buy another one for $20 and go again when that happens!
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| # ? Jun 17, 2012 09:41 |
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That oil filler tube leak is a) factory standard and b) a single O ring to fix. And no one bothers doing it because it barely leaks at all, even at its worst. Pull the pipe out (it's just pressed in there, and not very hard - you might need to wiggle it a bit), replace the O ring, squeeze your sealant of choice around it and cram it
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| # ? Jun 17, 2012 11:48 |
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This is what I use for fluid jobbies. http://www.harborfreight.com/multi-...pump-66418.html
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| # ? Jun 17, 2012 14:14 |
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Welp my clutch pedal has suddenly and drastically become very spongy, with the engagement "bite" now extremely short and close to the floor. Time to order some clutch cylinders from RockAuto, along with spark plugs. Also I received a fantastic package from UPS today, but I need to take pictures 
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| # ? Jun 21, 2012 23:11 |
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  Woop woop, an easy +15A bolt-in upgrade!  Always thought this was kinda ironic, though.     "Loose seal! Loose seal!"    This will eventually be my dedicated ten-pound cupholder, but I've gotta let it soak in Dawn dish detergent first.    loving radical. This entire post has been brought to you by a gentleman and a scholar, who provided me not only with an amazing deal on an alternator upgrade, but also Canadian Monopoly money and a ridiculously cool toy car. I can't thank him enough. 
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| # ? Jun 22, 2012 01:53 |
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I have that RX-7 toy myself. It completely rules. And if you thought having a Mitsubishi alt in a Mazda is weird, I have a Mitsubishi turbo in my Subaru. I hope when I go pick up my rotor from that goon that mine is just as toast. What's the exchange rate for Canadian Tire money to American money? I'll start sending my excess south of the border instead of rolling it into a thick wad in my bug-out bag. 
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| # ? Jun 22, 2012 01:56 |
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A Canadian who doesn't save every penny of his Crappy Tire bucks, a shameful Canadian.
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| # ? Jun 22, 2012 03:56 |
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Seat Safety Switch posted:
Point of the post is that Mazda engines rule.
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| # ? Jun 22, 2012 05:21 |
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Memento1979 posted:Point of the post is that Mazda engines rule. Their transmissions (and transfer cases) aren't quite as robust. Every chain gets a weak link, right? 
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| # ? Jun 22, 2012 14:55 |
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Sockington posted:Their transmissions (and transfer cases) aren't quite as robust.
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| # ? Jun 22, 2012 14:56 |
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MiniFoo posted:
The plug doesn't look too terrible. Not sure if you're running direct fire ignition - have you looked into a DLIDFIS setup? You can do it pretty cheap with a trip to an auto wrecker and the Autozone. It helps with a stronger spark and it's even fault-tolerant on the leading. I'd watch the leak around the filler but don't panic or anything. The oil doesn't really get up there when the engine is running; I used to have a little internal coolant seepage that would render some emulsion in my '83 GSL's oil until I started running it with a filter in place of the filler cap to vent the moisture - filter never got oily. Engine had 180k+ miles, what can you do? How did the diff oil smell? When I did my GSL's I almost barfed.
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| # ? Jun 22, 2012 17:13 |
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Memento1979 posted:That oil filler tube leak is a) factory standard and b) a single O ring to fix. And no one bothers doing it because it barely leaks at all, even at its worst. clutchpuck posted:I'd watch the leak around the filler but don't panic or anything. Thanks for the info, guys. I'll just keep an eye on it. clutchpuck posted:The plug doesn't look too terrible. Not sure if you're running direct fire ignition - have you looked into a DLIDFIS setup?  Eventually I think I might want to ditch the box and get some FC coils instead, but for now it's working fine. clutchpuck posted:How did the diff oil smell? When I did my GSL's I almost barfed. Very, very unpleasant.
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| # ? Jun 22, 2012 17:38 |
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Lookin good but I have to stop reading this thread or else I am going to buy some pile of series 1 for way too much money just to get my knuckles bloody.
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| # ? Jun 22, 2012 17:42 |
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 There were... some... carbon deposits on the rotor. Still scraping.
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| # ? Jun 23, 2012 03:07 |
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They add "character"...
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| # ? Jun 23, 2012 04:53 |
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 Ball hard or go home, fellas.
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| # ? Jun 24, 2012 18:34 |
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Sockington posted:Their transmissions (and transfer cases) aren't quite as robust. I blew up three gearboxes in that thing and I was very thankful that the Laser Turbo had exactly the same gearbox as mine, because it meant they were around $200 instead of the $800 a dude wanted for one out of an actual turbo Mazda.
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| # ? Jun 25, 2012 12:39 |
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thecobra posted:
I love my CT Money pimp wad. make it rain on dem hosers.
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| # ? Jun 25, 2012 19:40 |
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Sockington posted:Their transmissions (and transfer cases) aren't quite as robust. I blew my stock diff at mostly-stock power (no dyno but can't be more than 180-185 at the crank, compared to 170 stock). And on the Speed Protege at least, if you upgrade the diff, the gears start stripping at about 300 due to case flex.
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| # ? Jun 25, 2012 22:32 |
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  Some of the side seals and springs are stuck and they keep snapping when I try to use pliers to pull them out.    Time to clearcoat it and throw it in the car. Clutch cylinders should arrive tomorrow.
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| # ? Jun 26, 2012 01:19 |
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| # ? May 19, 2013 03:58 |
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Is that Bender? Rotaries and Surly is a good combination.
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| # ? Jun 26, 2012 01:49 |
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