RayJNeal

HAHA, so I took the little Rex to the local parts shop this morning. The guy thought it was cool and asked if he could have a look. First he tells me it's missing because it is backfiring and he can distinctly hear it. So before I shut it off he puts his hand on the engine, and says yea it feels like it is knocking. LOL, then tells me it may possibly be a valve. Sorry if I seem giddy but this got me rolling. First week with a rotary and this is the **** I hear from someone. I don't see it even possible for them to knock, maybe be out of balance, but NOT knock.

-Ray

83rx7boy92

my engine will sit there and rock back and fourth too..almost shakes the whole car like it was a v8 just idling there

$150FC

when they idle right you can't feel anything.

RayJNeal

The car does rock back and forth which is pretty amuzing. But you guys are overlooking my point. He FELT it knocking, and said it could be a valve...which is rediculous even by piston engine standards.

rolfs_7

.....i never let anyone even start to look at my car for such reasons unless i know they know what they are talking about lol.

Rx-7Doctor

iTrader: (13)

Ray, that's where the fun starts. At that point I start asking for advice such as, Do you think if I adjust the valves that it will help? Then I would tell them I heard that if it is carbon on the valves that you could spray water down the carb and it would help. After that I would ask him if he could look up the valve adjustment specs

Yes, I am mean.

Kentetsu

Actually, the rotory engine can produce a sound/feel similar to knocking. If this is happening, then address it immediately. This would be a problem with the ignition system, causing either preignition or cross firing between the trailing plugs.

If you really are seeing something like this, then check the timing first. Then the cap/rotor, ignition wires, and plugs. Make sure that everything is routed correctly, and that all wiring is in good shape. Crossfiring between the trailing plugs can destroy a 2nd gen engine in a hurry (which you have if I recall correctly) but will take a little longer with a 1st gen 12a...

Nicholas P.

iTrader: (1)

Mine does that in the 800rpm range. Is that bad because the whole engine shakes......

RayJNeal

Actually the car rocking was partially due to a loose engine mount. However, the main cause was the carb was running extreemly phat; the float level was too high. The engine no longer sounds like it has a port job. I hooked up the vac. advance so it has advance at cruise and goes back to base on WOT. It seems to get a tad better gas mileage as well as being more peppy now with the adjustments I have made. Why he had vacuum advance plugged off is beyond me. Maybe someone can asnwer this.

-Ray

DRIFT~KING88

lol thats not as good as my story i had this kid come up to my 7 and ask why i had a tach when my car wasnt turbo.... i felt like slapping him

trochoid

iTrader: (6)

I usually have a 'laying of hands' on an engine for diagnostics. That's what 'gurus' do, isn't it?

Whizbang

self proclaimed jesus of the automotive world? or was he just a "car whisperer"?

misterstyx69

iTrader: (142)

..Woah.....Now-a ..it's-a Time-a ..For Da Healin-a!..Put your hands Upon da Rotary-a!...can ya Feel the Vibration-a!..I Proclaim ya Headed-a!..WOOF!(big puff of smoke from engine bay!..Clang!)....Uh..Maybe Not-a!...HAHAHAHA!

Kentetsu

Well, that's not so much in reference to the general shaking of the engine. What I meant was that if you put your hand on the engine and feel random sharp "knocks" that you know shouldn't be there, then you're probably looking at a cross firing issue.

I had a combination of old trailing plugs (didn't think to change them, since they don't do a whole lot for performance, right?) and bad engine grounding. The cap/rotor was pretty worn too. That combination was encouraging the spark to jump to the wrong trailing plug at times. This causes the spark to ignite at the worst possible time, and can really tear your motor up if not addressed properly.

If this happens on a turbo engine, it will usually be the last thing you hear before you have to seek a replacement motor. This issue has sent many 2nd/3rd gens to the wreckers...

Nicholas P.

iTrader: (1)

Ah ok man , thanks for the info.

mazdaverx713b

iTrader: (91)

i hope he burned his hand when he was "molesting" your engine for knock, lol...maybe next time he'll put his hand on the exhaust manifold and tell you "she's running a lil warm".

Rusty Shackleford

kids at my school asked me when i came rolling in with an open header what i was running...so i answered its a rotary...after a blank stare they said sooooooooooooo is that a v8 and again i said R-O-T-A-R-Y!!!! and again....blank look with a WTF is that some kind of inline 4 or somthing...so i decided to go into the 2 dorito's that are on a stick that spin inside of a peanut talk with them rather then a coke can on a hotdog that goes up and down......then i just got really confused blank WTF are you talking about stares followed by yeah well i bet my lifted truck could take that anyday....

XLR8

iTrader: (52)

This saves alot of time......

bkg

Where i am everybody's into civics and the v8 guys are everywhere and think all their mustangs are fast. I saw a old FWD turbo nissan(90's model) beat a open exhaust mustang in a 1/8 9.0 to a 9.2. yeah v8 powah

rotornoob

iTrader: (2)

lol i feel you on the civic thing...everybody and their uncle has a civic here....its funny when you see them racing their stock civics and talking **** only to get whooped on by a "slow outdated hatchback" that is "run by a lawn mower engine"

i have however found that most people who own civics and actually put good parts and stuff inside them tend to be very respectful of just about anyone that comes across their path....guess thats just kids for you though..

bkg

yeah I have a modded hyundai elantra that beat alot of Civics(3).