I'm thinking of buying another FB, and the one I'm looking at is an '85 and has a bad coolant seal. I'm having trouble finding out for sure what kit/parts I need for the coolant seal.

Racing beat has kit N231-89-100 Gasket/O-ring kit, but it's not real specific and doesn't mention coolant seals, only the term "o-ring kit"

Mazdatrix is also selling a "rotor housing to side housing" water seals and they can be bought individually. This is what I'm pretty sure I need. Can anyone confirm this?

 

You're going to need a lot more than just that. Pretty much you'll be rebuilding the motor. Plan on about 1000 in parts/gaskets alone.

 

For a 12a? No way. Just get the Atkins kit 79-85 12A Rx7 Overhaul Kit A (ARE21) and the basic apex seals. You can clean up and reuse everything else. Get out under $650 maybe?

 

You generally need to replace all the gaskets/o-rings at once, and the process involves a complete engine teardown; about the only purpose for buying an individual coolant seal is replacing one that was lost or damaged during a rebuild.

& you never know how much a rotary rebuild is going to cost you until you have the engine apart and do some careful inspecting/measuring. It is almost impossible to accurately judge hardseal condition when the engine is assembled - even a compression test only give you a rough idea. Tells you nothing about remaining wear margin.

 

the oring kits include all the orings for that particular engine. there is a list in the parts fische Foxed.ca but yes it includes all the coolant seals, dowel orings, etc.

you can buy the water seals separate, but it has been less expensive to just buy the kit.

if the engine has to come apart though, you're better off measuring stuff, and replacing as needed

 

Consider this before tearing it down...

https://www.rx7club.com/1st-gen-arch...-maybe-750774/




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This won't work if the leak is on the exhaust stroke of the engine. The exhaust gasses will just blow it out into the coolant overflow bottle. I had a vert with a blown seal on the exhaust stroke side of the engine and I tried everything to fix it. It would blow exhaust gas into the cooling system and boil out onto the ground through the overflow bottle. It would over heat with the gauge about 3/4 of the way up and after you shut it down it would flood with coolant.

 

The other thing to consider is that you wont know the condition of the rotor housing until you get it apart. It is very rare to find two good housing in one engine. Especially if it has a coolent leak.