(OTHER) How many miles on your engine?
 

This poll is to see how how many miles 1st Gen engines are lasting...

I'm gonna say it's original cause the engine mounts are crumbly and I can move the engine around with my hand. 175K miles baby!!! Still got compression. :) Couldn't start it over the winter due to bad ignitor though. :(

Which car? :D

'80 had 119,216 on the original engine before I pulled it because stock port suck.

'85 has 149,600 on it... I can't tell if the engine's been replaced or not. For one thing, the hood has obviously been off at one point because some of the hardware is incorrect and it was misaligned. Also, the top of the engine is VERY clean... I'd think that after 150k with the crappy water/oil cooler the dowel O-rings would be HOSING. (I bought a similar engine with 60k on it and the whole top of the engine, the transmission, flywheel, and clutch were caked with oil from the leaky dowel O-rings) But on the other hand, all of the original vacuum hoses and coolant hoses are in place and it looks/feels like they've never been off. Well, 95% of all the coolant hoses, had to replace part of the long heater hose after part of it burst (oil soaked from the leaky O-rings under the cooler) Also it smokes a little blue on cold start, not a nuisance or anything yet. HMMM.

- PJ (12As are the Energizer Bunnies of rotary - they just keep going, and going, and going...)

The 85 died at 224k... Not sure about its life, but according to the body, interior etc when I got it, id say an oil change about every 2 years was just about average...:(

I forget the exact mileage on the 80 when I stripped it apart, I took it apart cuz 3 of the 4 o rings that go between the dowells were leaking. I put it back together with total junk and it has over 300,000 on it.

My 88 vert has 126k on it, looks like orginal motor but cant tell for sure...

I contribute my rotary success to a FULLY working OMP and about 2 oz per gallon oil to gas ratio. Id rather it smoke a little than pull the motor out :)

1st engine died around 176k.
2nd engine had 118k I think when I put it in. that one lasted another 400 miles
current engine has unknown mileage but I think its around 150k.

I've only had a 12a engine I purchased from a junkyard ever break on me. I kind of figured it wouldn't last long. But it ran perfect for two weeks then a apex seal broke and ran for a few days then when backing up into my driveway, the engine went from 2000-0rpm instantly! ..at least it was in my driveway! LOL! All my other engines come out because I'm bored with them or something else failed...like a damn thermostat in my last time overheated it before I could stop it, so it wasn't something internal!

when i got mine it showed 158000, but im the third ower, car fax showed 158000 when the first owner sold it, i got it from the second owner three years later and the speedo cable was broken, still showed 158000, so not sure what the real miles are, but no big problem with the engine that i can tell , runs strong....

148,000 on original engine. Was track raced for a couple of years instead of a daily driver but it still runs strong. I'd say better than ever since it recently had a nice tune up.

82 with 258,000 miles. approx. 175,000 on motor

84 GSL-SE marathon runner original engine
 

I was wondering when someone would bring up this subject.:bigthumb: Some may disagree, but IMO, the 84-85 13b 6port is the most reliable rotory engine Mazda ever developed, as close to bullet proof as an old Chev straight six 235cu in. :ar: (and I'm old enough to know!);)

196,6xxx miles daily driver (about half of them hiway miles)
Castrol 10-40, and MMO every 3k mi.
Coolant flush every 2yrs.
NGK plugs every third or fourth oil change
K&N intake cone cleaned yearly
lightweight flywheel
RB header, custom cat (smog legal), RB power pulse catback
2nd gen 70amp alt
illuminas, prokit springs
BFG siped all season tires
all A/C components removed
always allowed to reach normal operating temp before driven!

85 GSL-SE - 167K and counting - original motor.
85 GSL-SE - 20K on Ported Motor (Parts car) car has 135K.

My old ones had over 175K when I sold them.

188,962 and still haulin like the bunny :)

on my 81 gsl i had 206 k when i pulled the motor... to put in a streetport :) my 83 l.e. had 124 when i pulled it to put in the ported motor. Both ran fine when i pulled them

Both cars
 

My 85 GSL-SE - 170K+ Stock motor

My 85 S - 131k+ Stock motor

My 83 GS - I think is dead now - 150k don't know history on this one

Miles
 

85 GSL-SE/13B (original motor) 110,000 and still humming!

Original 12a, 141,900 miles. That includes running leaded fuel in germany when we lived there. Dont remember much about it, car was new and i was like 2, lol. Anyways, orignal everything almost, oil change every 3,000 miles.

170k, and still livin large!

On my engine I only have 5000 miles... On my whole car, I've got over 200,000.

`,=o/

I only have 91,000 on my SE. I guess I have a lot of miles to go before I can justify a rebuild and a streetport! :p:

my gslse have right now 88,301 originals miles. but my first rx7 clocked 122,000 miles when i junk it.:D

got an '80 with 39k on it... it sat around for a while, put in a new battery and she fired right up. it has less miles than my 3rd gen lol. its still in the process of becoming road worthy again, but the engine runs smoothly.

well, seeing as how I didnt own the car for its entire life, I guess it could be 139k, but it runs so well, I seriously doubt it has than many miles.

1980 with RP streetport 12A...has 26,000 miles as of this posting...:cool:

an '80 with just 39K? Thats means it was driven only 1,775miles per year!!

I've been seeing many lo mile RX-7s for sale (mostly 1985, last year of 1st gen). Seen them in the last month: 60K, 58K, 40K, 25K, and 6K! Amazing! Who could resist the temptation to drive 'em!

That's just WRONG.... That's like keeping a falcon in a parakeet cage! RX-7s are meant to be driven, and often. 6k on an '85... what a waste!

maybe the gas prices were so high in 84-85 and no one could afford to drive them?

85-SE... As far as I can tell it looks to be the original engine. Certainly is dirty enough.

158,680 and counting.. Driven just about every day, and never very nicely :)

I got it with 138,000 a year and a half ago, and put 18,000 on it in the first 9 months I owned it, and I never had to do more than gas and oil. I let it sit for about a month in DECember and it needed a battery. That's all the stuff that has been "required" to keep it running.... I can say that they seem to be bulletproof..

SCREW THOSE ROTARY NAYSAYERS!

My engine has around 70K miles on it. 111XXX kilometres. I'm pulling it very soon to put on e-bay as a complete motor and 5 speed tanny, I planned to earlier but got behind schedule and have been waiting on some parts.

1985 S 12A has 229,8xxx runs very strong, but engine oil leak is present. Needs a rebuild soon, thank the gods for Pineapple.

1985 GSLSE 125,6xxx had to replace the rear wheel bearings and alternator. So far, no serious problems, runs and drives perfectly.

I bought the 85 S 12A from a private seller. I knew what needed to be done once I drove it, but his entire sales pitch and formulated comments, about the 85 S, were all comments pulled from this forum! I almost laughed in his face. But I bought it anyway. I couldnt leave it in the hands of a scoundrel.

The 85 GSL SE is my pride and joy, I've been looking for this car for years. I'll post some pics when I have the time. I'm afraid to mention how well she runs because everytime I do, I have to repair her.

I'l replace both engines sometime by the end of the year, rebuilt and ported at pineapple racing.

M.

Just stay on your game regarding the cooling system. I lost one engine as a newbie when I let it run hot and figured it'd be OK like all the boingers I've ever let run in the red zone. She never started again after I shut it down. I also lost one to a backfire. The lesson here was don't let the neighborhood kids gun your motor to see the flames. I let a 'lil tyke juice 'er a couple of times and then came the fatal blow. That's when I gave up on rebuilt engines by shops that do civics also and went to the demi-gods at Rotary Performance. I thank Ari and Chris every day for this gem of a 12A.:D


As an asides, I find very interesting that so many high mileage rotaries are present in this forum. How is it that all the rotary experience that appears to be here can exist if no one still has a running example of their work? Surely, there must be more "replacements" or original but rebuilt 12A's in the 15,000 to 30,000 range that would show the members are actually putting their experience into their rides....or are they building them for coffee tables or garage entertainment pieces? Anyone? Anyone?

The silence is deafening...night all!;)

well I lost my first 2 engines before I learned about this forum.
I think 172k on the original engine is a pretty respectable number.
I've read your post twice and its still confusing

84 GSL-SE.....89,000 miles..my other 84 GSL-SE 80,000 miles...my parts car (84GSL..).167,000 mile and dead....

85 12A 286K miles

Dellorto and header now installed

286k miles is impressive, wonder how many miles a 7 would get with the proper maintenance, wish i had been the original owner of mine.

well i tried to get a pic of my super low miles but didnt work so good,ah well you can see my custom gauges i made.oh my miles are 68,??? miles,you can see the 0 in the first line if you look closely.

there actually really bright at night although it doesnt really look like it,im currently redoing and tesint 10 other sets,i just bought a whole gauge setup from a 84 rx7 so i can do this in the comfort of my home.

1983 with 11,000. Thats right 11K, not a typo. Runs great, looks awsome! I have kept the last inspection sticker on the window for effect. Pa. inspection that expired in 1987.

went and looked at a 2nd gen the other day. It was a 1990 red gxl. had 478 654 on the original engine!!!! the engine just popped!@

holy crap that was alot

Action

98,000 mile 1979 Rx7 - a real find!

200,000 on mine and she still smokes them. All original from the ground up, except for the tires. She is a 1983 Limited with the 12A. Damn this is a sweet car.

186,000 plus, orginal 12A. But she's down right now, soaking in some ATF;) .

I felt extremely lucky to find a 50K 85GS, because at the time, I thought these cars had an average life expectancy of about 175K!
Seems I am happily wrong, however at 69K I am noticing a redeveloping grease spot under the front 12A logo. Very dried up oil, and very little, but it shows itself after a month or so of not cleaning it.
Unfortanately a sign of what's to come; as well as what my engine my have been subjected to.

I gotta do a double take at some of these numbers to make sure they're not in km! Very impressive, folks!

82 GS, original motor with 73k and runs better than she ever did!

*knock on wood* lol

298K on the ODO.
don't know the history, I assume it's not original.

my speedo reads close to 175k. and the engine is neither clean or full of caked gime. So i dunno. but im hoping its original. The previous owner said he didnt rebuild it and he owned for 3 years.