So there I was, racing my 12a... I'm not sure if it was the missed shift @ 80mph or the coolant leak I was conned into running with, but I kinda sorta overheated my motor, and ran it several laps. So back in the pits I see it puking coolant and steam from the bottom of the block somewhere, my guess is some warped housings, seem to recall reading something about this in the past, and how overheating was bad. Well, I really overheated it. The gauge only has a 'H', but if it would've gone far enough I'm sure I would've made it to 'RDH!'
The oil still looks good (no water) and it stopped leaking when it cooled down, and was able to drive itself onto the trailer.

I was wanting to do a rebuild anyways (140k on stock motor), how serious was this mistake? Is the whole thing toast?

 

what side was it leaking from.

 

i just dont understand some peoples logic: "oh its leaking coolant, oh well, not only will i drive it, but i will race it which is alot harder on the car oh yeh I = the suck"

 

drivers side bottom.

 

Overheating a rotary is almost always death to the coolant seals. Lots of other parts can suffer damage, as well. The rubber coolant seals will likely need replaced, so a rebuild is probably due.

 

I guess you don't race then.

This is a basically free car that has been raced for 5 of the past 10 years, and has sat in the yard the rest of the time. It has 0 street miles since 1997. I've been wanting to rebuild it for the past 4 years but it just kept going. Aside from safety equipment, I have less in my car than most have into their tires. It was the last race of the day, weekend, and season (until next spring). We only have 2 weekends of racing up here a year, labor day and memorial day. We travel 350 miles each way on twisty mountain roads just to do it.

I think theres a few around here who would understand my logic...

 

I mean if you planned on rebuilding anyways, go ***** out man lol

I just think it may have been better in the long run, becuase you dont know what parts are damaged now, due to over heating.

 

Probably a ruptured heater hose or something. If so, I would replace the hose and refill. See if you have white smoke, coolant on the spark plugs, or the coolant system being pressurized. You could have gotten lucky.

If it is really coming out between housings, then I am sure they are warped or cracked. You will need coolant seals and probably new housings (if warped or cracked). There is also a coolant drain bolt and a place for a block heater on the driver side. Make sure the plug didn't come out (not real likely, though).

Good luck.

 

Oh, I do. This weekend was the last for my 12A as well. Lets just say that an o-ring oil seep has turned into a fully blown leak thanks to the thrashing it has got over this summer. Racing's hard on ****. Still though, the motor never complained and ran right up to redline like a champ. If it weren't for the leak, I'd leave it alone.

 

now you have a reason to go see nick, and have him get into that motor im back in town, and still wanna check out your car man. PM me

 

The ruptured heater hose was my first guess as well. Oh well.

 

Yeah, I've been meaning to go see nicks new shop, I'll at least pick his brain a bit.

Did I mention to you that I sold him an old brown gsl-se one day? Couple years later it was blue and you owned it... small world, eh?


As far as the coolant hose, nah... it was definatly coming from the bottom of the engine, not from any hose. It's on the car hauler now, I can easily get under and see if theres any evidence.

 

tis a small world indeed. i swung by his new shop yesterday, its pretty nice. quite busy too!

 

Dude I almost took my rx7 out last weekend, but it has a small oil leak and a coolant leak so I didn't.

Nick's gonna rebuild and port my engine when I get it in to him, gonna save up a bit more cash first though, since I'm not sure how extensive that rebuild will need to be.

 

ive raced my car a few times, and the one time my car began to overheat(went up about half way on the guage), i parked it, let it cool down, checked all my fluids, then, after finding nothign wrong, started it back up, drove it around, the temp didnt raise, so i began racing again. Even if i was about to rebuild it thou, i would not have over heated it like that, to much extra damage could be caused. To each their own i guess

 

closer inspection (ie, I actually looked) has revealed a blown radiator hose. It got so hot something has to be bad, I'm gonna tear it down anyways.

 

hey alaska guys, we need to have another get together before the weather gets to crappy! always good to hang out at barnes and noble until the cops come!