Hello to all.....
I'm new to the forum, and had a main question right off the bat about what a mechanic told me awhile back about my 1985 RX-7.
For along time my engine had been leaking oil, and when I finally had it checked out I was told that "the main internal gasket) in the engine was worn out and that it could be replaced but would cost about as much as just purchasing a new engine. I'm wondering if this is fact, or better yet, if there is a way for me to find out what the actual problem is (without completely tearing the engine apart, of course).
Any ideas or comments?
Thanks,
Sky

 

where is it leaking on the engine?

 

Run from that shop like the wind!

It's probably the typical O ring leak where it says MAZDA 12A in raised letters on the rotor housings where they meet the side plates, often refered to affectionately as the leak of death. All it means is oil will continue to leak from there because the O rings are old and hard/cracked. Hey, it's better than dropping a valve in a piston engine!

What is required to fix it is a gasket set (a little over $100 for '84-'85 12As, if I remember right) and some time spent tearing down (it's really not as bad as you think it is), cleaning, measuring, rebuilding and reinstalling the engine. Of course while you're at it, you might need to replace the oil O rings and any hard seals in the rotors that are worn beyond spec. You could also do a mild port while it's apart.

The grand total could be as little as the cost of a gasket set (kind of unlikely as your rotor seals may need to be replaced), or as much as you're willing to pay someone else to do it for you (1k-2k or more).

 

the porting he is talking about is a performance thing, helps it breath.