Help, thinking about buying an 82 rx7
 

There's an 82 rx7 12a with 123k miles someone posted up for 2k. Has an oil leak, otherwise he says nothing wrong, idles good and shifts smooth. What does this car need to be reliable? Please educate me, I'm very mechanically inclined, I'd like to do a full restore on this car but I also need a daily driver. How do the apex seals hold up over time, and are they easy to replace

A full restore and daily driver are orthogonal concepts. The apex seals require a full engine out rebuild. To be reliable it will need every major system repaired or serviced.

Well I have to say while Tim and Richard may have a valid point about a 37 year old car not being up to the job of the daily commute, it doesn't mean it can't happen. I'm driving my 83 FB to work every day, 110 mile round trip mostly on the interstate.

True, I did go through the whole car mechanically before putting it on the road, as Tim suggests. But if you're mechanically inclined you will find the 1st gen RX-7's just about the most rewarding project you can take on and parts are generally still available new (rockauto is best) or used through this forum, ebay and when you get lucky, craigslist.

And there's a big difference between a "total restoration" (like Richard is doing, see his thread, nice!) and "road worthy" (which is what I do, 15 years of daily driving FB's, the most reliable car on the road IMO).

You should show us some pictures of the car and whatever details you might have, we will give it a good look over for you.

DON'T DO IT!! lol.......Post the link to the ad so we can see the condition of the car.

It's doable. I daily drove my 7 for two seasons or about 16 months at high boost. I've also been stuck fixing it on the side of the road a half dozen times repaired intercooler and rad hoses. If it is clean and you are dedicated and willing to plug away at it a good amount of time weekly just maintaining it, it can be done. Take any modern 2018 maintenance plan from 2018 models and do it.. 5 times sooner. Inspect it daily, like your life depends it and repair as required. Rotary engines are unique but it is still mechanics. What's perfect today can be shot tomorrow. With no explainable reason. If its 40 years old or 4 hours old, it can fail minimally or catastrophically.

Triangle motors are an exclusive club of crazy and smart.

you forgot the magic required.

I'm also in the Daily Driver camp for my 84-SE. It has become one of the most reliable cars I own, because once you fix all the stuff that typically goes out, it just goes and goes. Pushing 239k miles and I'm well past the point that I ever concern myself with mileage. It's not original, not a restoration, and not a show-car. My dad bought it to drive it, and I'd be doing it a disservice if I didn't keep it in excellent mechanical condition by driving it often.

That leaky bung on the FMOC is just Mazda's way of ensuring the bottom of the car won't rust.

I think it's fine. I have oil leaking from several different points (I know, rebuild time :rolleyes:), oil cooler lines, the filter tower, rear main, pan, but she still runs like a champ, and I'm coming up on 170k. Original motor and carb. Only things that are truly bad is my suspension, alignment, and radiator. Still turns over in this east coast winter. Makes the drive between hometown and base of 230mi each way, once a month.

If it's running fine and idling smooth and only one oil leak somewhere, I think you'll be fine as long as the OMP works. If not, it would be best to fix it and run premix just in case. Otherwise, I think a tuneup and a look at the alignment and suspension would suffice. Post a link for everyone to see, so that everyone can gauge it okay.
Just keep an eye on your oil. Don't count on my word, but take it into consideration.. I'm not as knowledgeable as some of the gurus here! :D

As a fellow newb to the rotary community, (1year of ownership) I say buy it! If you have another car for a DD, and as has been said above go through the car and make it roadworthy, you will get your moneys worth of enjoyment in driving the car. I bought my car with the Dowel Pin Leak, this is an oil leak only repairable by rebuilding the engine. But it runs so well, and it barely leaks anything from there. The idea of rebuilding the motor scared me at first, so i bought a spare 12a, that way i can build a motor without having to take apart the running motor. If you are mechanically inclined and enjoy fun cars, i highly recommend a 7, just make sure you really inspect it well while you are looking at it. If they can take you for a ride in it, thats a good sign. If it runs well enough they can give you a test drive, itll be worth it.

Oil leaks are a gift from the Rotary Gods.

Learn how to find, understand and tolerate your oil leaks.

Most of the time no rebuild is necessary.

+1 for what Ray just said.

I just did a 300 mile round trip from Charlotte to Raleigh and back on Friday. Didn't even take any tools with me. Ran like a top and made a work trip fun. I never hesitate to jump in and take a drive. I do open the hood after every drive to make sure nothing is leaking, falling off or out of place. Its just common sense is all.

if you want to learn how to build and engine, the 12A is the best place to start. piston engines are WAY more complex (and stupid), plus the 12A has big pieces, and the car it comes in is pretty easy to work on

I was only scared to build a motor at first. That subsided very quickly once I learned how simple rotary engines are. I have a spare 12A in parts I get to build, the running motor out of the car to rebuild, and a 13B on a pallet in my shed for a future FI upgrade. Oil leaks are very common to rotary engines, definitely not something to be worried about. (Depending on leak severity).Plus the "chassis anti-corrosion option" keeps your car from rusting, a big + in colder climates.

Leaks are unacceptable IMPO.... But rotaries do run high oil pressure and have the WORST oil pan layout ever.

Aged oil control rings, or the high pressure oil rings on the dowel pins will lead to leaks; both issues can be solved with a rebuild. Other aged related oil leaks can be the massive oil cooler hoses (which are made from rubber [rubber ages regardless of mileage]). The oil pan can be resealed but its almost just as easy to take the engine out and rebuild it while you are fixing the other for mentioned things.

All that is done for under $400... so no complaints about money. All of it can be done by someone who can barely rebuild a carb.... No experience required. No excuses for oil leaks. :lol:

basically the thought to building the engine is that it;

a, fixes the oil leaks
b, removes concerns about old water seals, oil oil seals, etc

plus its inexpensive, easy and its really neat

I use mine a a daily driver/beater. Before buying an rx-7, check behind the storage bins for rust. RX-7's are sensibly layed out and simple so you can do things like starter, alternator, water pump, belts , hydraulics, fuel filter, and oil filter changes yourself. I check the undercarriage and under coat every summer. And check the oil and coolant levels , and belts and hoses every weekend. And do brakes and bearings , transmission, differential oil, and fuel filter every other year.

I had a porsche 914 before, Fuel injection relays would corrode, and with the mid engine lay out, you really had to love the car to do maintenance. The rx-7 is a better compromise between performance and maintenance.