Will REDEX do any damage ....

[grinder]

Right then peeps

i have a 1988 N/A RX7 2nd with about 114K on the clock with no sign of a rebuild

i have been thinking of running some REDEX thru it ( its a carb cleaner , injector cleaner , carbon cleaner ) etc...

will it do anything - or will it blow the engine ?

Any idea's on this

thanks

stu

[bnaellis]

Hi stu,
I tried something like that on my 2nd gen 1988 n/a engine with approx 68,000 on the clock and I had problems starting it and it ran like a bucking bronco when it did start. I spoke to an rx7 garage at the time o fthis problem an dthey advised I might need an engine rebuild and should never do this again. Reason being these cleaners breakdown built up carbon and once dislodged where do they go ?? I can't remember as it was approx 7 yeras ago I think they mentioned stuff like it can jam in between apex seal and housing, block injectors and cause you to run lean etc etc which all ends up in needing an engine rebuild. Well you say did I need an engine rebuild ?? don't know I had booked it in to get looked at, and some muppet wrote it off a few days later.

regards

Brian Ellis

[grinder]

right then , thats redex out of the window !

is there anything i can use to clean my injectors with then ???

i dont think they need doing but with the milage - i would think they might ???

[djguru]

I don't know about the 2nd Gen and how it would be different to the 1st Gen, but there is heaps and heaps of mentions on the US rx7club 1st Gen forum regarding running ATF (auto trans fluid) thru the engine to de-carbonise it.
In essence, squirt it in, let it sit for a day or so, fire her up and watch the smoke! Change plugs (keep the old ones for the next treatment) and away you go.
Now this is me just passing on the info; I haven't done it yet myself but will soon. There may be some truth in the dislodging carbon bits and pieces statement, but reading about the amount of people who have done the treatment, I'm not too sure...

[grinder]

if the doubt is there - then i rather not !

[djguru]

Maybe the key is in allowing the time for the treatment to soften the carbon deposits before you start her up?
It probably comes down to how much you trust your rx7 mechanic to be giving you the right info!

[grinder]

hummmm i take these forums as my mechanic !

but as it stands i think i will leave it

the car runs A1 - but i wanted to be sure thats all

[bnaellis]

I don't believe injectors cost that much you could get new ones, If you are set on cleaning them, then maybe removing them and taking it to a local garage, they will probably soak them in something and use a pressure air blower to clean them out.

rgds

Brian

[djguru]

Check out this link if you want to try the treatment...

http://www.mazspeed.com/atf.htm

rgds

dave

[grinder]

has any one tried this on an engine that seems to run fine anyway ???

it doesnt seem that hard to do and reads like it works fine

should this be included as a routine maintenance step ?

thanks peeps for all your help so far

Stu.

[Glenn Butcher]

Hi Stu, over the last week or so I have put some STP Injector cleaner in my brothers Cosmo which doesn't get a lot of use. I also added some STP octane booster and two stroke mineral oil (1:100 ratio). Along with running RON 97 or 98.

It is mainly because the engine is around 10 years old now, and as you may know a blocked injector can kill the engine over a short period of time.

Cleaning the injectors and having them flowed isn't a bad idea, it is the first thing we use to do when putting Turbo II engines into older model RX's.

I know Brian had a bad experience with doing this - and I'm sure the potential is there for it to happen, but cleaner injectors are better than dirty.

Best way to combat carbon lock is to take it to the redline each time you drive it, I did a thread on Carbon Lock a while ago here: http://www.mazdarotaryclub.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=125&referrerid=1 will give you an idea of the problem.


Don't know if it answers the question or just confuses you :)

[grinder]

err thanks glen - you have confused me now !

but the redline bit - is no probs - i red line it every time i go out - thats why i bought an RX7 !

[Ultraman_Cosmo]

I've been chucking redex into Ro80 engines for years, but cant comment on fuel injected engines though.

[t2rew]

i have a turbo 2 and when i bought it, it ran quite lumpy. i put a bottle of injection cleaner in and it was much better. on a recent track day i used optimax fuel with octane booster and a very stronge mix of fully synthetic two stroke oil. my car still runs.

[grinder]

where does the injector cleaner go then ???

thanks

stu

[Glenn Butcher]

Just before you fill up the fuel - in the fuel tank. Can be done afterwards. Should tell you on the bottle.

[catboy]

any recommendations?!... My turbo II is a little lumpy at tickover and hunts a little from time to time (doesnt seem to be dependant on heat, how you've been driving it, etc.) but a blip on the throttle stops it... ...I am guessing it could be injectors, as I had similar symptoms on my mini a while ago and injector cleaner sorted it straight away...

b :)

[Grizzly]

When i bought my T2 a while ago it (not very up on Rotarys) it did'nt run very well, could'nt make it idle below 1000rpm and felt very unresponcive, so i found 2 of the 6 Apex seals to be damaged (blown corners, 2pc Hurleys) so me being me thought it runs! its having a new engine! so lets see if i can kill this one.

So i dumped 500ml of redex in 1/2 a tank of fuel, put the Cheapest Unleaded fuel i could find in it and genraly abused it (Jus had first hand experiance of a T2 doing 100yard burn outs from cold). 6 months later after driving it like a stole it for the full time it still ran! and felt no diffrent from when i first bought it, people tell me the Rotarys are very easly blown MMM i think an amount of Luck is to do with it.

I have to admit now i would not think about doing that sort of stuff in the car (it was a shed and i could not care less if i damaged it) but after spending lots of cash on it i could not bring myself to open it up whilst cold.

So what i would say is if you cant take the Injectors out and have them cleaned properly read the Instructions and put the proper amount of Redex in, wont do any damage.

I have tryed ATF trick and belive me it does not work! i put the 1/3 tea spoon of oil in each of the rotor Baths and left it over night when i came to get it running becouse the Compresion was down anyway it would not clear the oil and just fould the Plugs, it took me three days and 2 sets of Plugs to get it going again.
You could not pay me to put ATF fluid in my car now! Knightmare.

Chris

[Grizzly]

Catboy, Check your Mixture and Plugs.

There is lots of things that cause hunting on T2's the Main one is Mixture. it runs fine until the unburnt fuel builds up and causes it to over fuel, does it do it after a few minutes of Idle then clear when driven and then exactly the same when left to Idle again? I had a simalar problem when i forgot ot conect the O2 sencer back up and it went to "get me home mode".

Also do you have the Air pump still on? and what Type plugs are you using?

Could be your Injectors but i would'nt think so myself.

I dont want to scare you but have you ever done a Compresion test?

Chris

[catboy]

Ive not had the car for a while (it was my car in japan about 2 years ago, and now I have finally got the cash uptogether to bring it over here)

Its not hunting wildly, just by about 150rpm, but it seems to be after a short blast mostly... If I blast up the road for about 1/2 mile, then come to a stop at traffic lights, it hunts about 3 or 4 times between 800 and 1000rpm, and then settles to tickover at about 900-950 rpm... ...if you give the throttle a blip when its hunted a couple of times, the rpm goes up, then stops solidly at 900-950rpm...

The engine is pretty good (it was rebuilt about 30,000 miles ago by Hurleys) and the plugs and oil/filters were replaced about 4-weeks ago. Unfortunately I didnt replace the plugs, so I dont know what they are... ...they will be the right plugs though, as the guy who did them is a rotor nut and a good mate... ...unfortunately he is in Japan!

I dont think its anything major, as it only does it occasionally, and it doesnt seem to have had any effect on performance

Any ideas for quick checks would be appreciated

b :)

[Ultraman_Cosmo]

Chris, you asked if the air pump was still fitted. I noticed the other day that our Turbo2 still has the air pump fitted even though it is fitted with a cat replacement pipe. Is it recommended to remove the air pump on these and is there much benefit? When I fitted the stainless steel system on our series one I removed it all. But I dont want to remove it if there are any adverse effects.

Phil.

[catboy]

I have a s/s exhaust system too with cat repl. pipe, so this may not be the issue?!...
as I said, I dont think its anything serious, but might be something to investigate a little further just incase...

b :)

[Ultraman_Cosmo]

Sure, I just wondered in there was any power to be gained by removing it :)

[Grizzly]

I would sugest you keep the Air pump on as its main perposes in life is to add more air on Idle to stop the car over fueling, this is why i asked.

It has been known for the removal of the Air pump to cause Hunting and over fueling on Idle. There is no real gain for this mod (on Fd's its done for saftey as the Bearings have a habit of jaming up causing the belt to snap and the water pump to stop, this in turn causes over heating if not spotted in time)

I am Intrested in what Plugs you have fitted as well as this is also asomthing that causes this sort of problem (coming to a colder climate with cold running plugs etc)

Worth a look.

Do you have a Aftermarket EMS fitted?

Chris

[grinder]

i have been informed that someone has taken my air pump out of my 2nd gen ! - still runs fine - just thought i would add my £0.02 worth !!

[catboy]

the whole car is bog-std except for the exhaust system... ...it even has the standard induction set-up at the moment, but I am considering binning that once I have saved some more money after the expensive ' travel ticket'!...

I might consider changing the plugs anyway, just incase; that way I will know exactly whats in there, and have no doubts... ...I am also considering changing the oil again in the next couple of weeks, as I wondered if the oil might be more suited to the Jap climate (although it does get bloody cold around there in the evenings)

I will get under the car and have a look at the plugs and report back what I find

b :)

[Grizzly]

catboy, Your oil should'nt make much diffrence but its worth giving it a bit of a Service just to be on the safe side (then you know where you stand) it may be as simple as the Octain level droping and it needs seting up for our fuel? (Jap 105 to our 97)


grinder, Yeh i know i was there, what Rpm does it idle at? if its still at like 750-800 ish and smooth its a sign you have good comp engine.


Chris

[grinder]

"grinder, Yeh i know i was there, what Rpm does it idle at? if its still at like 750-800 ish and smooth its a sign you have good comp engine. "

ha ha ha i keep forgetting that !!

it idles fine at something around that ! - i like the idea of having a good comp. engine !!

:)


G.

[Grizzly]

Well yeh if its good Comp you'll see beter bhp.

have you done yours?

Chris

[grinder]

i havent had mine done - but then im worried incase it shows something bad up !

you know anyone who can do it ????

or what does it usually cost ?

[Grizzly]

Do you know anyone with a Comp tester?

To keep it simple just take the Valve out of the End of the tester so it does'nt hold the presure, next take the top plugs out ft and back rotors (after warming up), fit the Comp tester to the removed plug hole. Now you need a second person to turn it over on the starter while you watch the needle, the needle should show three even bounces to 80 or above. The more Psi the better.

If you have any problems you can ither Go see Pip at WGT or PM me ( i should be going to Warington this Meet)

Chris

[sim_rx3]

well over here in australia i did have a 12a turbo engine in my rx3.
every month without fail i would put a 250ml bottle of redex and a 1litre bottle of metho in the tank and filled the tank full with premium unleaded (always ran car on premium unleaded).

she ran like a dream and idled quite smooth. the motor ran that well my mechanic later wanted to swaped the 12a turbo for a series 5 13b turbo, who am i to argue, which ive just fitted to my car.

sim