1st Generation Specific (1979-1985) 1979-1985 Discussion including performance modifications and technical support sections

Found a 1st gen need advice!!

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Old May 11, 2007 | 04:35 PM
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Found a 1st gen need advice!!

Long story short i found a first gen with a 12a engine in it all original sitting in a junk yard has nothing messed up except the windows are broke out, it has 06 tags on it, and 122k on the car... i cant get any background info on the car but they only want 300 bucks for the whole complete car.... do yall think it is worth it and do you think it will still function with all little tlc!!! i would put a battery on it and try and crank it but it is missing the carb so that is out of the question....

held me out and if something like the trans or the engine is screwed how much do they usually run you
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Old May 11, 2007 | 04:43 PM
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Originally Posted by RX7Boy06
Long story short i found a first gen with a 12a engine in it all original sitting in a junk yard has nothing messed up except the windows are broke out, it has 06 tags on it, and 122k on the car... i cant get any background info on the car but they only want 300 bucks for the whole complete car.... do yall think it is worth it and do you think it will still function with all little tlc!!! i would put a battery on it and try and crank it but it is missing the carb so that is out of the question....

held me out and if something like the trans or the engine is screwed how much do they usually run you
You can get the vin off of the car and run a carfax report to get some info on the vehicle.
No one can answer whether it will still function or not. It's sitting in a junk yard,lol.
You can put a battery in it and run a compression test on it to get some sort of a idea if the engine could still be good.
As far as the engine and trans pricing goes. Look in the classified parts section and search to get an idea for what used ones are selling for.
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Old May 11, 2007 | 04:47 PM
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my question really is are these motors pretty durable as far as sitting up goes, it hasent been sitting there long just since july of 06 so
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Old May 11, 2007 | 04:55 PM
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Chad Carson
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If it is not wrecked I would say it had an issue with running and that is why it is in the junk yard unless someone busted out the windows and the owner decided to just junk it then. As for sitting, you might get it to run and it be ok or it might start smoking soon (oil control rings). Either way if the body is great and you like it I would say offer 100-200 since you have to go get windows and a carb.

It is basically up to you if you think it is worth it. As for me I would not spend more than 100 if I could not get it to run there and with it needing all the windows.
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Old May 11, 2007 | 04:56 PM
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It's not a question you should be worrying about. What you should be worrying about is why is it in the junk yard!
Run a compression test on the engine.
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Old May 11, 2007 | 05:01 PM
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i figured ide run a compression test, but do the transmissions in the 1st gens go out often? but basicly i just want the car to put in a burnout competition at my home town and i own serveral 2nd gens and have pulled the motors and messed with them for years so im familliar with the rotary and such just wanted to kno how durable they are, =

in my opinion it looks like it got all the windows broke out and the stereo stolen and the owner said **** it but they cant seem to remember y it is out there...
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Old May 11, 2007 | 06:38 PM
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From what I've heard and experienced, the trannies are pretty much bullet-proof. The engines vary however; The 1st gen I have now just broke 126k last week and is still running strong, however a coworker of mine says that his 2nd gen only took 30k to crap out on him. There is the fabled "rotor reliability" but I guess it depends on how hard you make it work. I never take mine over 3500 rpm and my coworker redlined it daily.

I say if you have the time and money to improve it...go for it, however be prepared for many unknown expenses if you don't examine it closely.
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Old May 11, 2007 | 06:59 PM
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Originally Posted by Chiron
From what I've heard and experienced, the trannies are pretty much bullet-proof. The engines vary however; The 1st gen I have now just broke 126k last week and is still running strong, however a coworker of mine says that his 2nd gen only took 30k to crap out on him. There is the fabled "rotor reliability" but I guess it depends on how hard you make it work. I never take mine over 3500 rpm and my coworker redlined it daily.

I say if you have the time and money to improve it...go for it, however be prepared for many unknown expenses if you don't examine it closely.

Taking the engine only up to 3500RPM may promote excessive carbon build up. Our engines make peak HP around 6000-6500RPM which is under redline.
The key to longevity is proper maintenance as in any mechanical part.

As far as transmissions goes the only weak point as far as bearings goes is the front countershaft bearing which in a lot of cases seems to fail anywhere from 90k to 150k depending. After it has been rebuilt with the better bearing they may go 300k depending on fluid changes and usage.
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Old May 11, 2007 | 08:37 PM
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i just want this car for a burn out contest...lol i just want it to smoke the **** out of some tires
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Old May 11, 2007 | 08:42 PM
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Originally Posted by rx7doctor
Taking the engine only up to 3500RPM may promote excessive carbon build up. Our engines make peak HP around 6000-6500RPM which is under redline.
The key to longevity is proper maintenance as in any mechanical part.

As far as transmissions goes the only weak point as far as bearings goes is the front countershaft bearing which in a lot of cases seems to fail anywhere from 90k to 150k depending. After it has been rebuilt with the better bearing they may go 300k depending on fluid changes and usage.
+1, my 13B motor is at 237k and runs very strong. I run half a quart marvel mystery oil on every oil change, only run Castrol GTX, reguarly steam out the motor with water, change oil every 2k miles, and once every 2 - 3 months run seafoam through it. This motor runs as if it will never die and I take it up to about 6500 at least once when i drive it to help blow any carbon out.
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Old May 11, 2007 | 08:46 PM
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Originally Posted by RX7Boy06
i just want this car for a burn out contest...lol i just want it to smoke the **** out of some tires
You have picked the wrong car for this.

Stock 12a engines do not make much HP or Torque for that matter. Unless you are using extremley bald tires and alot of water you are not going to burn much rubber unless you modify the engine.
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Old May 11, 2007 | 08:51 PM
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**** from what ive seen the little fb's are burnout machines with water and stuff, which in this contest they block the front tires and spray water... hehehe but i think it will be fun, ima go run a compression test tomarrow and see whats up... is there anyway to test the transmission without cranking the car??? the gear shifter still moves in and out of gears ok and the clutch is still firm... so that a plus
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Old May 11, 2007 | 09:42 PM
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burnouts

Get an fb with a 13b not a 12a
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Old May 12, 2007 | 12:17 AM
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Chad Carson
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My 85 G would have burned the rubber off the tires and it was all stock with emissions intact. That of course was power breaking a 5 speed and running it 6-7k in first until I could not see anymore from all the smoke so then I would let off the brake a little so it would lay lines 20-30 ft down the road.
Man, those were the good old days. 20 years old and nothing to worry about but where I was gonna get my next pair or tires. Man have the year went by.
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Old May 12, 2007 | 12:22 AM
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if you gotta block the tires and sit in a water pool you dont deserve to be in a burnout contest.
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Old May 12, 2007 | 01:11 AM
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i had a 83 it did ok burnouts it would BARELY do it on dry if u reved it to 6 grand it would do it but i gave the car to a more deserving owner someone i knew was going to care for it. The 13b does insane burnouts on dry pavement. Really the 1st gens are durable my 13b has 210 km and its got 100 psi in the front and 98 in the rear. What year is the car? and model?
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Old May 12, 2007 | 01:47 AM
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ima check it out tomarrow all i kno is its a first gen, im not too familiar with them but ive owned 2nd gens all my life and im currently rebuilding my 88 TII its gonna be monster, thats y i want something to put in the burnout contest, if i had my TII ide put it in there but i wanted to stay rotary and this car is cheap so ill see what happens,, but ima make sure and do a compression test before i scoop it up too
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Old May 12, 2007 | 03:54 AM
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Oh man, Not taking youre car above 3500, The fun just starts after that.My 85 gsl has no problem smoking the tires so i wouuld assume if its a gs (non lsd) it would be able to do it even easier. my 85 is basically stock other then 2.5inch from header back no cats.
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