FB Advice.
05-09-2006, 08:32 AM
#1
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 10
I'm looking for some advice/info, and I figured I'd go straight to the source. First off, let's state that I've been a rotary enthusaist for quite some time now, but I've never so much as driven a rotary powered car.
Now for the meat. A friend just informed me that his brother who lives in Florida (I'm in Ohio) has an FB sitting at his parents house (also in Ohio) that he is tired of paying insurance on. He says he is willing to come off of it pretty cheap, since I'm a friend of his brother. It's an '85 GSL-SE. I know that these are fairly rare, and that it has the 13B in it. I also know that it is the fully optioned model (the heavy one), and that it had the most power of the NA FBs (I'd love to find a turbo 12A, but let's see that happen sad.gif ), but aside from that I'm almost clueless about FBs.
The only thing I know specifically about this car is that the sway bar mounts are broken (larger than stock bar installed). Is there any place to source these mounts, or would I have to fabricate my own?
Is there any reason I should avoid this car? Are there any common problems with these? Is the fuel injection system up to par?
TIA.
Now for the meat. A friend just informed me that his brother who lives in Florida (I'm in Ohio) has an FB sitting at his parents house (also in Ohio) that he is tired of paying insurance on. He says he is willing to come off of it pretty cheap, since I'm a friend of his brother. It's an '85 GSL-SE. I know that these are fairly rare, and that it has the 13B in it. I also know that it is the fully optioned model (the heavy one), and that it had the most power of the NA FBs (I'd love to find a turbo 12A, but let's see that happen sad.gif ), but aside from that I'm almost clueless about FBs.
The only thing I know specifically about this car is that the sway bar mounts are broken (larger than stock bar installed). Is there any place to source these mounts, or would I have to fabricate my own?
Is there any reason I should avoid this car? Are there any common problems with these? Is the fuel injection system up to par?
TIA.
05-09-2006, 08:54 AM
#2
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: teh frozen nort
Posts: 1,030
No reason at all, it's the best of the first gens. Fuel injection system is fine for a stock or near-stock car, but more modifying will mean carbs or standalone injection. Sway bar mounts should be available at the Mazda dealer; they are very good about keeping parts available for these cars, I have found.
Check for rust underneath the storage bins behind the seats, and on the inside of the rear wheelwells (you'll have to pull a bit of trim off).
They are fun cars
Check for rust underneath the storage bins behind the seats, and on the inside of the rear wheelwells (you'll have to pull a bit of trim off).
They are fun cars
05-09-2006, 09:43 AM
#4
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: PA
Posts: 354
Don't know about the headlights, but I'd like to second the "check under the rear compartments" point. I'd also take note of how the transmission shifts - grinding going into any gear could be bad...remember, this is a sportscar and the guy before you probably drove the crap out of it! I'd also look for smoke in the exhaust on startup when the car is COLD. An excess could mean seals are going bad. Another thing to look at is the condition of the oil. Signs of coolant (foaming) getting in there is bad. Also, look at the top radiator hose before you start the car and take note of it's size. Run the car hard and get it up to operating temp and check the hose size again. If it looks blown up, there could be coolant seal problems.
That's all I have!
That's all I have!
05-09-2006, 04:41 PM
#6
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 10
Originally Posted by j9fd3s' post='818257' date='May 9 2006, 05:28 PM
first the 1st gens do use the same headlights as the miata.
2, the gsl-se is the best car mazda made until the miata, it does rust a little, and it is old, but they really dont have many problems.
Any other trouble spots I should look out for that wouldn't be obvious to someone not familiar with the FB?
05-09-2006, 08:57 PM
#7
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Choctaw, OK
Posts: 178
Originally Posted by funkalicious' post='818261' date='May 9 2006, 04:41 PM
Any other trouble spots I should look out for that wouldn't be obvious to someone not familiar with the FB?
05-10-2006, 10:34 AM
#9
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2002
Location: California
Posts: 22,465
heres a short list of stuff to check for.
1. pulsation damper, its on the very front of the fuel rail, you can see it, make sure its not leaking, use your nose for this, any gas fumes after or while the car is running is bad
2. oil leaks: the oil cooler, in front of the radiator, likes to split, its a fairly large leak, but its an easy fix with an aluminum welder. theres a little adaptor bit between the oil filter and the block, 2 o rings, it leaks on the heater hose, which is bad.
3. coolant leaks: most important, is the heater hose under the oil filter. everything else is just like any other car
4. brakes/clutch/trans: just like any other car. clutch is hydraulic. bearings in the trans get noisy, and eventually need to be replaced
5. suspension: simple stuff, long lasting, tokiko makes great replacement shocks, eibach springs....
6. the body: look for rust, the power windows get slow, they need to be removed, cleaned and regreased.
7. engine: the throttle position sensors are fussy. throttle body and idle valves build up carbon
1. pulsation damper, its on the very front of the fuel rail, you can see it, make sure its not leaking, use your nose for this, any gas fumes after or while the car is running is bad
2. oil leaks: the oil cooler, in front of the radiator, likes to split, its a fairly large leak, but its an easy fix with an aluminum welder. theres a little adaptor bit between the oil filter and the block, 2 o rings, it leaks on the heater hose, which is bad.
3. coolant leaks: most important, is the heater hose under the oil filter. everything else is just like any other car
4. brakes/clutch/trans: just like any other car. clutch is hydraulic. bearings in the trans get noisy, and eventually need to be replaced
5. suspension: simple stuff, long lasting, tokiko makes great replacement shocks, eibach springs....
6. the body: look for rust, the power windows get slow, they need to be removed, cleaned and regreased.
7. engine: the throttle position sensors are fussy. throttle body and idle valves build up carbon
05-10-2006, 10:37 AM
#10
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 10
Originally Posted by j9fd3s' post='818439' date='May 10 2006, 11:34 AM
7. engine: the throttle position sensors are fussy. throttle body and idle valves build up carbon