Bought a random 12a...
 

So here is my story. I was tooling around on craigslist one day looking for a core 12a to tear down. I found one for sale in new jersey, where a couple just bought this house and this crate was in their basement. It was stamped ATKINS on the side. The couple was having their floors done the next day and needed it outta there. I put a 19mm on the crank and pretended to not be able to turn it. Told the guy it was a paperweight and probably had very few usable parts. Originally he wanted 250 for the motor, but I offered 100 and we loaded it in the trunk of my car.

http://img585.imageshack.us/img585/3162/img00267.th.jpg

Uploaded with ImageShack.us

When I got it back to the shop I found that the motor turned easy enough, but I was missing a couple of chugs while turning it. Looked like two apex seals in the rear rotor were stuck down. I took the motor home and tore it down. And to my surprise...

http://img20.imageshack.us/img20/139/img00295w.th.jpg

I discovered it was a bridgeport! The only questionable parts are the rear housing that I can see right now. I still need to clean it all up for a better inspection. Here is the rear rotor housing in question
http://img696.imageshack.us/img696/7...g00298j.th.jpg
http://img28.imageshack.us/img28/3514/img00297s.th.jpg

what do you think???:dunno::dunno:

That bridge look real questionable. Looks like it's to far into the seal.

looks like the rotor might have kissed the housing.... check the apex seal groove clearances. I agree on the bridge... looks a little questionable.

To be perfectly honest, this is the first ported motor I have ever worked on. I have put together a couple stock motors with no drama however. The water seals did not show any signs of distortion or damage. It looked to have a couple of apex seals stuck down in the rotor.it does seem to be a pretty agressive port job. There is even a notch grinded out of the rotor housings to accomodate flow I assume. The motor was run long enough to get a decent amount of carbon build up, but not that long I feel because it came apart pretty easy and all the gaskets look fresh still.

Not sure if I got a gem or piece of crap...lol but I figured 100 bucks and a trip to jersey was pretty worth it.

yep! it looks like a typical atkins 13 month motor... you could probably clean up the ports, check all the seal clearances (and fix/replace as needed, they didn't), and have a runner.

That guy in New Jersey was my cousin... he said he'd like to discuss something with you. Urgently.

Yes, I'm kidding....

I still think you got a good deal. I'd clean it up and rebuild it.

Ummm...ok. :scratch:

uuh oh haha

Yeah thats the plan anyway...I have one more motor to tear down in an effort to replace that rear housing (even though in a pinch I think it could be used)

I am disappointed to learn that Atkins has developed such a poor rep. I am getting back into the scene after being out for ten years or so. Atkins had always been very professional and quality builders as well as offering pretty good customer service.
When you specialize in one thing reputation is everything...oh well.

cool bro, you lied to get a good deal. hopefully the motor is damaged beyond repair.

Sorry that you're offended at how it all went down, but everyone walked away happy that night. I had a motor and the homeowner was able to get his floors done and take his wife out to a nice dinner with 100 bucks.

As for you hoping that the motor is damaged beyond repair...well..thats just not nice:(

:icon_tdow

I would have to agree, reading this thread the OP seems like a greasy slimeball, shame on you I hope nothing in that engine is salvageable.

the RX7 community is so small it's really too bad douches like you are interested in the same cars as the rest of the honest, helpfull, sincere 7 owners I know

now please excuse me while I step down off my high horse

I hope you got a ladder to get down off that thing because you are WAY outta line...no one in the RX community was involved in this transaction. Fact of the matter is the seller had every opportunity to do the research on what he had for sale and the condition it was in. If he didn't put any effort into it than why should I? If it hadnt been for the fact that the item had a "mazda" stamp on it he might not have even known it belonged on a car. He found it in the basement of his house when he bought it.

Please reserve your name calling and judgement for someone who is going to put the energy into this arguement cause its not gonna be me.

If there is anyone else who is TRUELY offended by this particular event, then let me take the opportunity to apologize sincerely. This was not my intention as I pride myself on being a member of this forum and helping others in it as they have helped me.

The guy had a motor in his basement that he wanted gone. Check

Needed it gone to get his floors done. Check

Gave offer of $100 and he accepted. Check

Had stuck seals anyways. I really do not see the big deal.

The seller should've done his research. The buyer saw a chance and took it. I don't agree with pretending that the engine was seized and lying to the guy about it being a paper weight but it is what it is....

Guy probably woulda took the hundred bucks using the sight unseen argument but, he used a bit more shady of a tactic oh well guy bought the house and got a free motor he didn't want and got a hundred bucks for it from some one he met online I say as long as everyone is happy
cool buyer and seller got ok deals.

Back on topic nice score.

I will not take back the comment on the greasy tactics you used for purchasing, then bragging to a forum full of enthusiast about how you lied to someone and got a good deal makes you look like an ass. I apologize for name calling you a douche seeing i don't know you personally

No one is asking you to take back what you said, but don't apologize for calling me a douche and then call me an ass in the same post You are entitled to your opinion and I get it. If it bothers you that much, you are welcome not to post in this thread. My point was not to bragg on the fact if it was a good deal, but to have the members look at the engine pics and help to determine what my next step could be. If nothing in the engine is useable, then so be it...I paid tuition at the school of hard knocks. It wouldnt be the first time.

win! :icon_tup:

A couple more pics and some questions
 

I took a little more time to look over the housings and end plates more carefully and noticed that the center plate (intermediate housing is not bridgeported as the two endplates are. The ports on the center have been extended and its obvious a grinder has been in there. Is this a 1/2 bridge??? Anyway..here are some more pics

http://img824.imageshack.us/img824/2130/img00300.th.jpg

Uploaded with ImageShack.us

http://img683.imageshack.us/img683/8...g00301h.th.jpg

I also noticed a scratch, well at least I think it is a scratch. It is really hard to photograph...from some angles it looks like a crack. How prone to cracking are the end housings? Maybe with boost I could understand. I will get a decent magnifying glass and a camera that is better than my crappy blackberry phone and report back.

http://img857.imageshack.us/img857/6...g00302l.th.jpg
http://img101.imageshack.us/img101/4268/img00304.th.jpg

I can catch my fingernail on it for sure so either way it is going to need some attention.

I dont understand why this is an issue.
The motor had stuck seals so it would have needed to be torn down anyway. If you buy a locked trunk for 100 bucks and it has gold in it is it your fault? No.
Nobody Knew what was in the motor, It could just as easily had a broken seal ruining half the motor.
Good buy dude!

(I hope you noticed when you copied my post that it also said "Yes, I'm joking" in white text)

If hte scratch/crack seems to follow the path of a seal around the face of the housing, it could be what's referred to as "stepped wear," for which there are acceptable limits in the FSM. Means the housings weren't lapped before rebuild. If less than the max limit as checked with a dial guage, not a huge issue. Notoriously hard to photograph.

If you suspect a crack (and cast iron can crack; it does that rather than bend, which is why it's used for apps like this where high rigidity is needed), the only way to be absolutely sure is to take it to a machine shop and have it magnafluxed.

Yes I saw you were joking, but it only showed on my phone and not the pc...lol

Looks to be stepped wear as it does follow the path of the seal. Will probably send to machine shop anyway as I am paranoid...lol. Lapping is another option as I already have a fresh set of side seals, corner seals and apex seals that came as part of my parts car package still in mazda packageing.

i'm still curious about the intermediate housing not being ported the same as the ends. Did some searching and some reading...but to no avail. Mid housing looks to be sreet port while the ends are bridged...best of both worlds maybe???:scratch: