SF@Rx7

it just happened to me today
my gsl-se overheated real bad on me

here is the story
i was driving my car
get on the highway
feel the car losing power
and i looked at the idle and it dropped a little to about 600rmp
and i took another look at the water temperature gauge it is all the way to the top
so i exited highway right away and parked
opened the raditor cap there is no water inside
so i hurry up and put some water in there
and all the water drain out right away
but while the car is overheating and engine running the car doesn't smoke
anyone got some advice???
anything would help

JIMMY54

iTrader: (2)

new water seal 20 bucks each from mazdatrix. rip motor apart and put new seals.... Engine may still be good, you just need to get in there.

Or buy a seal/gasket kit $150 your better off.

bkm_rx7

you probably blew a coolant line...look for leaks...i blew a line not too long ago...it was right near the block...which is where you most likely blew yours...it comes off the intermediate housing underneath the oil filter...hard to reach...best to get at it from underneath...id say that is where you should start...

bkm_rx7

If the water is draining out without the engine on and the engine is not smoking...he didnt blow a water seal...if he did...there would be lots of white smoke...

JIMMY54

iTrader: (2)

Okay better for him, shitty situation anyhow

SF@Rx7

but when i look at the motor i see the coolant
it looks like it came out from the engine crack

2mazdas

Different topic, but, what did the engine setup run you? Also what kind of times does it run? Directed to "BKM"

bkm_rx7

where do you see the coolant coming from? is there an actual crack in the block itself?? (may the rotary gods have mercy on your soul if this is the case...)

SF@Rx7

i seen it on the top of the block
hope that i was wrong
crossing my fingers now
please just be a line

bkm_rx7

aaaaah...dont be worried...im sure that was just still coolant that was spit onto the block when the line broke...

put a bunch of water in the radiator and listen for the leak...shouldnt be hard to find if it is a busted line...check the ones right down by the block first off like i said before...they are most cesseptible to breaking due to the heat...

SF@Rx7

oh thx loard and bkm_rx7
will do that first thing in the morning

bliffle

Not a good idea to pour cold water into a hot engine: can cause bad warpage. Engine should be idling and water dribbled in.

Sometimes you get lucky and it's just a leaky radiator ($105 from radiators.com, next day delivery for the one I ordered). Could be a cracked big hose (usually the top hose because it gets hottest, $15 from Kragens, soap the joints slightly to ease the hose on), or it could be the heater hose (get the pre-bent one from Mazdatrix because it's too hard to fit the 5/8 genereal purpose hose into the tight space, except for the SE) because the heater hose gets attacked by the oil leaking from the beehive.

Could be water pump too, not expensive but a chore to replace.

My experience is that if one item fails I end up replacing them all over the next few weeks.

Old cars have a lot of potential cooling system failure modes so it pays to carry a quart of water in the bin for an emergency

B

SF@Rx7

bkm_rx7
you were right
i found one heater hose is damaged
it's the one under on the top of the engine and behind the mainfold
still didn't get a hold with that yet
but will surely get that done tomorrow
thx a lot

Aviator 902S

The problem with rotary engines that have been overheated to the extent you've described is that the housings do warp--- but the resulting water jacket seal failure often doesn't occur for weeks or even months.

Now might be a very good time to start saving for that replacement engine so that when the inevitable does happen your downtime will be minimal. Cost range from $600 for a junkyard engine in questionable condition to over $4000 for a rebuilt from Mazda. Best to go with a $2500 rebuild from Atkins Rotary near Seattle or from RX7 Specialties in Calgary, Canada. Both do decent work.

Rotor13B

$600 for a junkyard motor? Where are you shopping at Nemen Marcus? lol.

Aviator 902S

Actually, $600 is typical for one that was running when the wrecking yard acquired it. At least on this side of the 49th parallel.

mcnannay

save the $600 for a "junkyard motor" and rebuild yourself, its not much harder than putting together a good size lego set, nut up and do it right.

on the serious side, your engine is probably in decent shape, don't sweat a minor overheating, even if you're engine did "warp" its not significant enough to cause worry if it still runs fine. Since it did overheat, there is obviously going to be some damage to internals, but not enough to require immediate attention (i.e. rebuild).

PS aviator is from canadia (yeah i call it canadia) so his junk yard prices aren't too far off...

Aviator 902S

You're way too polite. With our current government and corrupt socialist parliamentary system I call this place Soviet Kanuckistan.