I took my first gen to a mechanic to get checked out and the report back was this

50lb of compression in front rotor
55lbs in rear
I'm not sure what a rotorary engine should have but it sounds really low.

then he also said something about 15% blow by. Not sure what that means....

The guy was trying to get me to have him rebuild the engine for $2700.

I ended up leaving without having anything else done... He charged me $350 to tell me that it needs rebuilt, hit me with $2700 to do the rebuild or another $400 to replace the intake manifold gasket thats leaking.

So is this guy pulling my chain or is my engine really toasted? If it's shot, I don't want to waste any more $$$ on it.

Also a side question.......
I've heard of a few people using 4 lug Mustang rims on 1st gens...... Do they bolt right up or do you need to modify the lug holes to get them to fit right? If I remember right there is a 2mm difference in the bolt pattern.


thanks
Fish

 

Is this guy even a rotary mechanic? Or just broke?

The compression readings are way low, if he knows how to do it properly. 85 is concidered the minumum.

$2700 would get you one hell of a good motor, from a known, reliable, rotatry engine builder, which I suspect this guy may not be.

I wasn't aware that one could measure blow-by on a rotary, perhaps he did a leakdown test.

$400 sounds a bit high for gaskets, to the tune of $380 for labor and the rest for parts.

I don't recommend 4x108 rims for safety issues.

 

Well, good news and bad. Your intake manifold (if it really is leaking) will run you like 10-20 bucks and take all of 10-15 min to replace if you are really slow. While you are in there replace the little o-rings, they are an additional 5-10 bucks apiece (30 seconds while the intake is off).

Your compression is really low, and you probably do need a rebuild. A COMPLETE rebuild kit should cost no more than a thousand bucks for a 12a. Most likely you have a few reusable parts and you may get away with only spending 5-700 bucks (if really on a budget 2-400). As far as having someone do it...you could get away with 2g's or less.

BUT!!!!! If you have warped rotor housings or the wear is too much you will have to replace those, that will cost you an additional 3-500 apiece (you need 2 of those).

And on the 350 to tell your your engine is toast...you got raped.

Don't know much about the rims but I doubt it. If you have a 12a your bolt pattern is 4-110.

 

Oh and what the hell is blow-by?!?!? Or a leakdown test?

 

A piston compression tester would not give you a correct reading. With those number you would almost not be able to start the car and it would run very poor.

He also riped you off. I suggest you never take another car to him.

 

I purchased my 1980 from a Mazda dealership and it cost me less than $100 for a compression test.

Did the $2700 include complete install and labor? If not it sounds like the guy's prices are high. Like trochoid said for that price I would go to a rotary specialist. For example Pineapple Racing sells a 12A or 13B for $2195 with a 2 year 24K waranty or a 5 year 60K for a little more. Including shipping you should be under the $2700.

www.PineappleRacing.com

 

Damn you guys have to pay for compression tests?! Rotor shops over here do it for nothing!

 

Blow-by is combution gases that bypass the piston rings and enter the crankcase. Those gases eventually get drawn into the intake to keep the pressure from building up too high. A leak down test is done by replacing the sparkplug with a pressure gauge and bringing the piston to tdc on the compression stroke. The test is then timed and the amout of pressure drop is recorded. A leakdown test is not appropriate for a rotary. If this is how he got the 50 psi, run away, fast.

If nothing else, take it to the Mazda dealer and see if they can do a compression test with the proper equipment.

Ask what any services to be provided are going to cost, first, before they are perfomed. Most reputable shops will give you an estimate, in writing, before the work begins. The first guy hosed you.

 

Tell him that you are going to report him to the BBB unless he refunds you at least half back. Then report his *** anyway.

 

I took the car to Carswell's Rotary Conection in Pataskala, OH. I expected his price to be a bit high since all he does is rotarys, but not like he charged me. A leakdown test is exactly what he did. I couldn't think of that name here at work and the work order is at home.

I'm still feeling the pain of him sticking to me without using Vasoline.

Trochoid,
What saftey issues are there to using 4x108mm? Not trying to be a smart ***, really curious cause I'm about to try it and if it really is dangerous I need someone to convince me not to do it. lol

I hope this post helps others that are in OH and are thinking of going to this shop. DON'T DO IT! HE's WAY WAY TO EXPENSIVE!!

To add salt to a wound.... The owner of the shop (Ken Carswell) told me if I didn't get my car off his lot that day he would start sharging me $20 a day storage. Now he knew I had to get it towed out of there and AAA said since they towed it there and I didn't have it fixed that they wouldn't tow it again until after I get it fixed. So it took me all afternoon to find a tow truck that could get to his shop by 4:00pm when he closed and the tow cost me another $120.

This RX7 has really become a HUGE headache!!

If there is any rotory mechanics out there reading this that would like to give a fellow RX lover a hand and help me fix the intake manifold gasket for a reasonable price I would be forever in debt to you!!

Hmmm..... Maybe I'll give Granny's Speed Shop a call........ hahaha just kidding.......

 

BTW....

Thanks to everyone that has replied. I really appreciate all the help.

 

This guys a complete hack. If I lived closer I'd give you a hand. Theres gotta be someone close that can help.

 

That workshop sounds bad bad bad! Stay away, far away. I would help, but I am in Australia.

 

Thanks for your support. My girlfriend keeps telling me to sell the car and not put anymore money into it, but I love the car so much I hate giving up on it. I had an 83 RX7 about 10years ago that was bulletproof! I ran the **** out of that car and it keep running strong. I ended up seeling it 2 years after I bought it and got what I paid. The current car I have was a high school friend's mom's car and she bought it with 3K miles on the clock so I've been around this car since it was pretty much new.

One other thing the guy at Carswell's told me was that the housings are probably pitted around the intake manifold and if that's the case I'm out the $400 and I would have to buy new rotor housings..... Now the car sat for maybe a year, but not without it getting started at least once a month. Is it possible for pitting to happen that fast? Is antifreeze that corrosive?

I've also been told that if I just get out and drive the car that the compression will get a little better. Is this true and if it is how?

thanks everyone!
Fish

 

If the car has been off the road for a while, you might want to try treating it with MMO. Pull the plugs, dump some in, rotate motor, repeat process. Let it sit for a day or three, then try it out and see how she feels. You could also dump some Seafoam in with the gas to help dissolve any carbon buildup, but expect clouds of smoke if you do.

Anyway, that's what I would do in your shoes. Good luck man, don't give up on her yet!

 

I hate reading about people getting raped. I promise right here and now that I will NEVER do this to anybody when i own a shop!! you all have to keep me inline!! Anyway, a regular piston compression tester will do nothing here, since there is 3 compressions happening every turn of the engine per rotor. Mazda makes a special tool to do a test on the rotarys. I hope this guy had that if he is a rotary shop, but he should have given you 6 seperate numbers, not 2. which makes me think he only had a regular compression gauge. OK, dude, go buy The Chilton manual at checker or autozone or your part store of choice, its for a bunch of different mazda cars, but has all of the info you need or a haynes manual). read it. read it again. find the spot about the intake manifold gasket, read it. read it again. go out to the car and pop the hood, read it again and look at the engine. then you dive in and replace the gasket. i promise it will be easy! take your time, do exactly what the book says. after this you will feel like the f-ing man! its that easy, and id say about 9 out of 10 people on this website started exactly this way!

 

You can test compression with a normal compression tester, so long as it has a bypass valve (open). Basically pull the fuel pump fuse then have someone crank the engine and watch the needle as it blips. 3 blips per rotor. Ideally each section of the rotors max out at the same point. Compression tester should be like $10.

 

I don't recommend the Ford rims for 2 reasons. 1. You have to oblong the holes to get the wheel to fit. 2. Mazda wheels are hub centric, the Ford wheels may not be, if that is the case, more force is transferred to the bolts, which now sit in wallowed out holes. I have a rather nice set of mesh rims that I bought off of eBay, that I think were once the 4x108 bolt pattern, I haven't used them for that reason.

Next time you need a tow, find a friend with a truck and reciever hitch. A trailer costs me 50 bucks a day to rent, tow dollies are cheaper.

About the only blow-by I see here is this 'mechanic' blowing smoke up your ***. The housing pitting is bs. If they are pitted, they can be addressed without replacing them.

I'll venture a wild guess and say that your 7 was about the only 1st gen in the lot and most of the others were 3rds. That may account for the high prices.

If you are game, and the engine is in need of a rebuild, for the 2700 he wants, you could buy all the parts you need, and the tools, and an air compressor, and do it yourself. If you decide to go that route, you will find plenty of support from the forum.

 

Thanks for the info, but I got a couple questions.
What is "hub centric"?

I looked all over Columbus, OH for a trailer or dolly to rent and there wasn't anything to be had. Thats how I got the car home when I bought it. Yea $50 for all day is much better than a Tow Truck.

There was no 3rd gen 7's at the shop. All 1st and 2nd gens along with a couple OLD cars that I think was RX3's

Not sure what I want to do right now. I definitly can't afford a rebuild right now and what I had saved up to get the thing running went right into the shops pocket and still isn't running right. Now i need to replace the fuel pump so I can get it to start up for me. I looked at autozone.com and it said a fuel pump runs $140 for this car. Is there a cheaper one out there that will work?


thanks again for all the information you guys have been giving me.

 

wher is this guy? im in ohio. how far are you from cleveland? we could have peejya lay his hands on your car and see whats going on.

 

Wheels mounted on a car are either hub centric or bolt centric. Meaning the hub or the bolt pattern centers the wheel on the hub.

There are some after market pumps that are cheaper. I know there is a Carter, I don't recall the part # but it was floating around here on a recent thread in the past week.

Sorry to hear about all the trouble you're having, sounds like it's time for you to get a rotary education and start doing all your own work. It's much cheaper and more satisfying in the end.

 

Low Impedance,
I've seen your posts over at Ohiorotaries.com. I'm Northwest of Columbus just South of Dublin. I'm right about 150 miles from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Unfortunatly I have no garage t owork on the car in, but I would really appreciate any help I could get. I would even be willing to pay someone to help me work on her so I know the work gets done right.

 

Since this car is carb'd I shouldn't need a high preasure pump right? I also bought a Haynes manual specifically for the 79 thru 85 7, but it doesn't even mention the intake manifold. The fuel pump is an easy fix (much easier than a intank pump) it's just something else to go buy!! lol

If the engine in my 7 had an intake plaque on it that said "5.0 HO" I'd know exactly what to do! I've been messing with Mustangs since before I could drive.

Even with getting raped over at Carswell's I still love these cars. I remember going to the New Car Show at the Ohio Center in 85 and seeing the RX7 sitting there in all it's glory. Ever since then I wanted an 84 or 85 GSLSE. Then about 6 months after that show a high school friends mom bought a new 85 and it was the same color as the one I was drooling over at the show. Well to make a long story short, 19 years later I own that 7 making me just the 2nd owner of her. I still have the RX7 brochure from that show in a plastic baggie.

If anyone has a spare fuel pump for sale please let me know.

 

Ken carswell is a tool... I know him personally... am best friends with his son, who is a great guy, who hates his dad....

Logan (GTORX7) is really good, but he probably doesnt have the time to do an engine job. I would help but I'm currently at school in michigan. Try PMing logan (GTORX7)