i have a late 70s 13b 4port street port i want to rebuild....

whats the best way to learn..... ive read 12a manuals and all that and my haynes for my gslse

doesnt look too tough..just a long process

ive seen on ebay the rotary rebuild videos.. are they helpfull?

anyways.. can anyone give me a idea on what im gettin into and need....

 

The rotary rebuild video by Bruce Turrentine (available through Real World Solutions Inc) is a must. The Haynes manual, useless as it is, does provide the running clearance specs that you'll need when measuring everything.
The thing to remember is DON'T let your wallet decide if a part needs to be replaced or not. Too many people do just that and regret it later. You'll need to also check the end play of the e-shaft after re-assembly as described in the video. If there's too much play, don't skimp--- Replace the thrust bearings and spacer with new ones. Many so-called professional rebuilders don't bother to do this (amoung other things), since the engine will "probably" last until the 1-year warranty expires.
Be advised though, that the cost to rebuild this engine yourself could exceed the cost of purchasing a rebuilt from a supplier if you find that the end housings, rotors, and rotor housings (or any combination of the above) needs to be replaced. Retail prices of these, combined with the several-hundred bucks needed for the basic rebuild kit, could leave you with a bill exceeding $3000. A very good rebuilt is available from RX7 Specialties in Calgary, Alberta, Canada (phone # is (403)246-6980) for a little over $2000 U.S.
Of course, if you want the experience of rebuilding your own rotary go for it. BTW, if you do the job yourself and find that you need extra components, RX7 specialties can also supply these parts NEW (not used) for far less than you'd pay from Mazda. This is because they get their parts straight from Japan, cutting out Mazda and their price-gouging tendencies.
Good luck whichever route you choose. Hope this helps,
Brett.

 

...that reads a little like advertising.






The best piece of advise I can give you for doing a rebuild is to jump in and do it. Get out in the garage today and tear that motor down, learn the names of all the stuff inside and how they work. Then tomorrow, order the parts you need; and in five days put it back together when your parts arrive. If you race, get your parts from Mazdaspeed (formerly Mazdacomp), you can't beat their prices. For your first rebuild I would suggest throwing together a motor from almost all used parts so you're not out thousands of dollars if you decide building motors isn't for you. You can always build that trick motor with the fancy parts later. Start off by replacing the soft seals, apex springs, and the apex seals if they are out of clearance. Then slap a motor together as per the video, the FSM, or even the Haynes. Then throw it in your car. The engine is quite simple and as long as you don't forget to put a seal or a rotor back in, the motor should run.

Now go get started.

 

sweet thanks for all the help

anyone else wanna throw in 2cents?

shaun

 

My 2 cents to add is to mention that I did what nimrodTT said, and it worked. My first engine rebuild runs. Got it started Saturday night.