Mazda 20 B engine in SL-C

[Garry 20 B]

Re: Mazda 3 rotor apart after 2000 miles

Here is what mine looked like after almost 2000 miles of driving, 180's in the street, a trip to the drag strip, a little drifting on freeway ramps etc. It aint no baby carriage! Notice the oil radiator kinda getting plugged up, other then that, everything looks good other then my splitter scrapes and sides scraped up, all driver error. Taking it apart for interior finish, new wiring, dash, eliminate 1 PLC, removed touch screen just after a few hundred miles, change some wiring since had to change ECU from Micro tech to Haltech, clean up that. Nothing rubbing, wearing thru, cables all in good shape, will take photos as interior comes in. New additions are air shifting, paddles on steering wheel, electric doors and electric emergency brake, new center console, but by far, the most fun car I have ever built great job Fran! Even the wife don't mind riding in this one once in a while.

 

[Garry 20 B]

All cleaned up and ready to reassemble. Waiting for the new interior. Rewiring the car with only 1 PLC, Haltech 2000 with ICQ3 dash. Air shifting, and fuel kill,power doors, electric E brake, 8 channel remote all thanks to Allan's suggestions, new console with flush mounted membrane buttons to control the car.

 

[Jack]

Sweet!

 

[P Roth]

Wow Garry, I am really impressed on how hard you drove this car. How did the Mendeola hold up so far? any issues? are you going to be using a blip shift paddle shifter system?

 

[Garry 20 B]

Everything works great, the Mendeola, when I shift, it sounds like a motorcycle, its unbelievable and the harder you run it the better it shifts without the clutch. At slow speeds, around town, I just relieve the pressure on the gears with a little clutch pedal and its smooth, tho it took a few miles to get it right, learning curve.

I have a air cylinder on the tranny, I can use both the cable or the air shifter, I bought some paddles universal for the steering wheel with a curly cord. I bought a air compresser, 100% duty cycle for the air supply, and I have a pulse valve going to a air power switch for the signal to the Haltech to kill either ignition or fuel when I upshift. I can program how long to kill either one.

Replumbing my fuel pump, making 2 extra motor mounts for the front of the engine, the middle ones, which are stock mounting for the rotary keep coming loose to the frame of the SLC even with lock nuts.

Shifted the tank back and moved my intercooler radiator back to change the radiator hose to the front, just little stuff. Start putting it back together this weekend, here is a picture of the new board with my electrics on it.

I also have a 8 channel remote on the board wired into the PLC for the doors, lights, etc. Since I use a PLC to control the car, I have a mode in there that when its at a car show, ill turn my park mode on, and every 3 minutes it will flash the lights in a pattern for 3 times around the car clockwise, the 4 times counterclock wise and turn the fuel pump(you can hear it) on for a couple seconds and the dash lights flash. People will stare at it wondering what is going on, then when they are ready to walk away cause it stopped, it does it again, people will point at it, and by the time they get someones attention, it stops. Just my way of having fun at car shows or really anywhere I park it.

 

[Keith]

How about the motor Gary? I know there was some talk about highly stressed rotaries wearing out quickly, but have you done any diagnostics on it? How has it coped thus far?

 

[Garry 20 B]

The motor only has 2000 miles on it, its just broke in, the compression is with in 15 psi of each rotor, still turns smooth, no big chunks in the oil pan, next year I plan on driving it more once the interior is done and plus a few track days.

Im going to up the boost to 15, go to the Dyno one more time and set it there. The only change im doing is 2 more motor mounts in the front, and I am going to tie the frame rails together in the center of the car. The mounts off the bottom sets of bolts keep coming loose, so going to stiffen it up.

Also getting rid of the hydraulic cylinders in the front end and put regular springs in.

 

[Garry 20 B]

Here are some new pictures of putting the body back on with the tub installed. Was worried about the windshield breaking, but it went on pretty easy, took the front wheels off putting it on made it easy.

 

[Garry 20 B]

Installed my electric doors, they work great and lock down tight.

 

[Jack]

Looking good Garry!

 

[Garry 20 B]

Front end back on and buffed.

 

[Jack]

I like it!

 

[Jim]

Hey Gary. Why are you ditching the hydraulics?? Is there enough clearance in your opinion for spirited drives and track days?

 

[Garry 20 B]

I never used them, I dont like the sag of the shocks in the front end loosing travel to have the hydraulics lift up the car, I just rather keep it a little higher for the crappy roads around here.

THere for sale if you want them. They never had oil in them and the ports have always been plugged.

 

[Troy]

Looks great Garry, I feel your pain about the crappy roads! Just have to love our states that require a front plate. Nothing like that eye sore out front to block air flow and mess up aerodynamics :furious:

 

[Garry 20 B]

Thanks Troy, and driving around without it will get you a ticket here on Ohio. I havent been stopped yet in the car, but havent done anything stupid for them to see either. Cant even have 1 beer while driving it for the fear of being stopped.

Thats Ohio.

 

[Bill B]

Garry, I have a quick question.

Can you give me any information, or source, for your pneumatic shifter set up? I am using a Graziano trans. with an LS3 motor.

I can't say enough about how much I enjoy your blog and the information you've been passing on after your driving experience in the SLC.

BBares

 

[Garry 20 B]

The shifting I made up with a air cylinder, center exhaust 5 way valve, my push button for upshift runs thru the Haltech ECU I kill the ignition and fuel for 15 milliseconds, I might have to adjust that when I get to the track for full throttle shifts. You need a sequential gear box to do this the way I did. It cost around 150.00 bucks plus your air source. I bought a 100% duty cycle air compresser, it was around 190 bucks also. It goes on every other shift, I just have a tiny 1 1.5 bore x 6" accumalator 2 of them, had laying around from my machinery building days. Finished the car today, it will go to the upolstry shop in Jan.

 

[David]

Congrats! Cant wait to see the interior...

 

[Garry 20 B]

Here is my doors opening by remote, I also have a remote battery shut off, or if the battery ever gets to 11.8 it shuts off automatically.

I can open the doors manually in the car also, they wont open if the car is moving sensed by neutral light. Also have a pull pin that if something happens you cant open the door, I have a pull pin with a lanyard on it you can pull on the inside and it will release the hyiem joint in the bracket.

Here is another fire breathing 2 rotor-rotary I built for my sons RX 7 which we will be going to Grattan and Mid-Ohio this year with both cars. 400 HP out of 1300 CC's or 1.3 litre. 145 lbs.