maxst420

how long will an engine with a bridgeport last not driven hard all the time but N/A nad if it was turboed and not like a monster J port or anything just a bridgeport from pinapple racing


thanx

PaulFitzwarryne

Most wear comes from high revs, some from cold starts.

The rate of wear is geometrically related to revs, and as bridgeports high reving configuration expect rapid wear leading to loss of compression and efficiency.

I suggest you should expect a bridgeport to last from 5,000 miles as a full competitive engine to 25,000 miles for a street/competion engine. Some serious people rebuild after 100 miles.

Most people using bridgeports are good mechanics, and rebuild the engines themselves to keep costs down. Going turbo increases stress/power thus the rate of wear is even greater.

Its the old story, if you have to know the cost you can't afford it!

WackyRotary

Hey, I have a bridgeport! I put 25,000+miles so far on all the plates and rotor housings. 3 orginal carbon apex seals, the other 3 broke in the other chamber for unknown reasons(My best explaination to myself was I was loading up on carbon on the tips from driving too slow and not enough full throttling and the seal stuck and caused it to break). My attempt to get good milage may of backfired.

I think bridgeports can last a long while when pre-mixing and using carbon seals and driving it moderately hard ALL of the time. People all too often want to use stock steel seals on this furum and its just plain stupid. With all the overlap, you going to have bad milage whether you drive it light or hard, so I alway would drive hard and it seems to run better then.

UNLESS your going to apply boost through your bridgeport, get carbon seals, so you can make a full bridgeport AND always drive it hard, and keep the rev's above 3500rpm whenever you drive, the seals demand that. This is to assure the overlap isn't causing excessive blow-by, a issue with carbon seals also because they are designed seal better at higher then stock seals at 7000rpm+ and not do long term chatter marks and when they do break, they don't cause damage to the housings the way steel seals do.

When I did break the 3 seals, NO DAMAGE was there AT ALL(Just don't drive it for more then a couple minutes after you break one and you'll be fine). Just required 3new seals and springs for those seals(since they were damaged also).

maxst420

so do i just get a different seal or do they have to be 2mm or 3mm and where do i get these seals at and for a person that got a video from atkins rotary on how to rebuild a rotary, and it was their first time would you sugesst it? i also have a some piston motor work behind me also so? is it pretty easy?

WackyRotary

Carbon seals are sold at Racing Beat. YOu have a 1st gen engine correct? They ARE ALL 3mm seals+special carbon apex springs.

well I wouldn't build a bridgeport rotary on my first try if I was porting it myself, and since you didn't know about the difference between 2mm and 3mm seals, you should have a friend who has built a mildport at least before handy.

I did a mildport and then a bridgeport later on. Bridgeports take A LOT, A LOOOT more time to do and do correctly. I guessitmate each new bridgeport on each plate took 2hrs each of intense coridnation and VERY VERY Steady hand and two VERY narrow carbid bits(I broke one). IT IS IMPARATIVE to do it very carefully not to go past the water seal and not too far in so the corner seal has enough material to support itself and keep it strong enough to not break 2000miles later.

Not to mention the porting of the main port, but those are easy in comparision and take a common carbid bit. The exhuast is Cake because its aluminum and cuts like butter. Matching the rotor housing to the bridge is also pretty easy.

If you have never did one before, make sure you get the racing beat templates and follow the instructions closely to understand whats going on.

AND I CAN'T stress this enough, the size of the ports are only half the battle, its smooth transitions that make the ports flow the most IMO.

maxst420

no i wasn't tlaking about porting it myself i was talking about jsut rebuilding it hte engine, if i get it ported i will have a professional do it i was just wondering how easy it was to do a rebuild?

WackyRotary

Not very, its pretty easy to do once everything is clean and you have everything you need. Its good to have a FSM handy and follow it VERY closely.

maxst420

what is a FSM?

1984special

FSM = Factory Service Manual

It's a big fat book given to the mazda shops so they know how to check up and repair your car. I think you can find a couple around... but they might be pricey.


I have a question on bridgeports. Can you half-bridge a 6port? Or a 4-port? I mean half-bridge by primaries streetported and then the secondaries and aux bridge? Wow that sounds way too complicated...

How bout running any bridgeport with stock EFI. Can it handle it? I don't really wanna do carb....

Cool thanks

PaulFitzwarryne

maxst420- you are going down an economical route=strip the engine down have it bridgeported by an expert and rebuild it yourself. Porting is about the cheapest part of the process.

The real question is what you are going to do for the fuel and exhaust sides as they are costly upgrades both in part costs and dyno time to get the set-up tuned. Are you thinking of something like a 48IDA for a 12A? Doing everything yourself except the porting still requires a $3,000 indicative budget.

WackyRotary

I would not attempt any porting other then mild streetport on a 6port engine-they ARE NOT good bases for big power increases. And the stock EFI is only good for mild or stock. This is were I can't stress enough, 6ports are not the greatest base for big hp gains. They are good street engines because of the 6port design which is best in "near" stock form. The most I could recomend for them is pineapple sleeves, mildporting, headers, and a highflow air filter.

Only attempt bridgeporting on a 4port engines and you have a aftermarket Injection system and a different intake. Holley racing beat or a large Weber sidedraft or IDA is best.