Hey folks, Welcome to my rebuilding thread!

I had originally started one last year on an 82 rex that was just too rusted to be saved. So instead of ressurecting that thread, I'm going to start a brand new fresh one.

A little backstory on this car. The previous owner is Red Aura, who frequents this forum. She was a daily driver and autocross car.

She's a 1984 GSL-SE, with about 200k on the body. The engine was dead when I bought it. I bought her and towed her home last fall. So, we begin work on her today:

I tried to diagnose what was ailing the engine, and after doing compression tests I have ruled out that its either an Apex seal or side seal on the front rotor that is gone. When you remove the spark plugs, no air or whooshing sound is made, at all.

So, I'm going to buy a new engine. RX7 specialities in Calgary, or RPM motorsports in Ontario. Waiting back for qoutes from both. The exhuast system I discovered, is also pretty chewed up and requires replacement. So, I'll have it ported and I've purchased the full racing beat Exhuast system for it.

After doing the prelimary checks of everything, we started ripping out the engine today. Heres pictures of the car. Tomorrow, I'll post the rest of the engine removal and what a clean engine bay looks like. POR 15 has been ordered for the chassis and the engine bay.

This picture was taken by Red Aura a year or two ago. Shows you what we start with today:



What we have now, present day:

 

Nice pictures

 

no pics i can see

 

I fixed it, I fixed it!

 

I would recommend getting a streetported 6 port from Adam. I sold a GSLSE with one of his streetports in it last year and it drove great! And don't listen to the light flywheel, light rotors stuff people always suggest. Keep the SE rotors, stock flywheel and use a racing beat street strip clutch from Adam. The heavier rotors and flywheel will aid in providing a nice torque curve and great midrange coupled with a header and exhaust. Here are some pics of the porting he did for me as well as pics of my blown rotor. You'll hear good and bad about anyone, Adam treated me very well.

 

Yay pics.

RX7 Specialties is definetly closer to you. Probably makes everything a bit cheaper.

You will definetly hear both ends of the spectrum on the shop. But I'm sure thats true of alot of shops...

Keep us updated on the build

 

Looks like a good body to start with, the rust you have is definatly fixable. Keep up updated!

 

i hung out with the RPM guys this weekend at deals gap. they are a great group of guys.

 

... um... where did that come from?

I won't argue that Joe and Dan from RPM are great guys, but they're 1/3 of the way across the country from anyone in this thread...

Google Map

Jon

 

Is where it came from Jon. But yea, they are quite a bit further away than Calgary for him.

 

Oh!

I missed that part!

Well I still give a +1 to Joe and Dan, but at the cost of crate-shipping a motor that distance, it won't be worth it unless you're building a crazy supermotor.

Jon

 

Well when I sold my old engine to a guy in Ontario near Ottawa it cost $300 to ship it, whereas you could just drive to Calgary from where you're at.

 

Hey now I know your screen name! lol, I forgot to ask you when we were at Billy's cabin.

Shipping an engine block across Canada isn't expensive at all. A full longblock shipped to B.C. was around $250.

We sent Jordan a quote last night for an engine built from scratch with alot of new internal parts. We can make the quoted price cheaper if we source GOOD used parts. It will also depend if he wants an FC 6 port block or the GSL-SE block.
SE rotor housings and rotors aren't very common anymore where-as the FC N/A engines are everywhere.

 

I suggest Jordan and see what he "has" and send pics. If all he need is one housing and a rotor and one of you have this that would dramatically impact cost.

 

Hey folks!

Small update on the build front. I found a very broken and sad RX7 here in town. Its not a se, but it should have some parts I can use later down the road, including a very nice dash and interior set Yay

Anyway, at this point im just waiting on a email back from RPM on shipping costs. Still waiting on an email from RX7 specialties about shipping and final costs. Going to do a comparison.

Anyway, I need your opinions!

I was contemplating getting the engine ported for the only real mod I planned on doing to the engine internals. However, when I ripped off the exhuast like I said, its way shot. So this gives me a reason to get some racing beat equipment.

Two exhuast systems stuck out: Exhaust System
1984-85 GSL-SE


Part Number: 16421

Which is their regular high perfomance setup for $710.

Now, they have another though that says its for street ported engines:

Street Port Exhaust System
1984-85 GSL-SE


Part Number: 16424
Retail Price: $898.00

However, one of the things I read under the street ported setup was it has no room for an o2 sensor. Is this a bad thing guys? Will I notice any problems with this?

 

Any muffler shop can weld an O2 bung in. Just make sure you get the presilencer with the 5th and 6th port actuator tube. personally, I prefer a magnaflow over the racing beat muffler.

 

The GSLSE only uses it's factory narrowband o2 sensor for highway cruising btw, so it is disposable.

 

you prefer magna flow vs racing beat eh? Is that purely off sound or are you saying it offers better perfomance? I really like the sound of the racing beat equipment

 

2 each their own, I have had both. We cut a racing beat open anthe magnaflow will definitely flow better and it has a deeper tone to it as well, really takes away the rasp. On the other hand though, nothing will outlast a racing beat muffler.

 

If you haven't heard from RPM about your engine via email, I would suggest biting the bullet and calling. He sometimes gets swamped and will either forget to reply or the reply will come multiple weeks later.

 

You know who I think should do your motor.....

 

himself?

 

Good progress on the car so far...looking good, keep up the good work

 

So who'd you pick to do the engine?

 

hey its my buddy from moose jaw u never posted this link on our local fourm and made me look for this.....shame....o well

man i miss my SE that one looks like mine when i started with it 3000$ later and i still sold it for 500$ ANYWAYS.... you should get racing beat for 2 reasons magnaflow sis meant for muscle cars and 2 racing beat is made for rotary lol .