1st Generation Specific (1979-1985) 1979-1985 Discussion including performance modifications and technical support sections

RX7 engine swap

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Old 10-16-04, 10:46 PM
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RX7 engine swap

i am looking at buying a 80 rx7 with a bum front rotor. I am thinking of buying an new/used engine from a salvage yard and i am wondering if I can drop an 82 or newer 12A in without any problems. Or is it more worth while to fix the front section of the engine.
Old 10-16-04, 11:16 PM
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Yea, I'm working on it...

 
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whew....rebuild. I wouldn't put an engine in my car that came from a junkyard without rebuilding first anyway. Why not save money and put in a TII...seach on that you'll come up with a whoooole lotta stuff. that's what i should have done oh well, welcome anyways!
Old 10-16-04, 11:24 PM
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forgive my ignorance, what is TII?
Old 10-16-04, 11:32 PM
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Mmmm Cheeze....

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turbo 2 motor from a second gen rx
Old 10-16-04, 11:32 PM
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Mmmm Cheeze....

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make sure if you do that to go ahead and get the tranny for it as well
Old 10-17-04, 12:06 AM
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and about how much does one cost? including tranny?
Old 10-20-04, 03:14 AM
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Heads up T-65! If you swap the 80's TX for a later TX you'll have to carve a new shifter hole into the tranny hump, never mind the angst of chopping up your existing center dash shift area or having to swap (if you can) to a later (81-83) dash assembly. The 80 gearbox shift position is further forward - 4" I think - than later cars. Stick to the original gearbox if the newer engines will mount to it...a question I can't answer. But congrats on getting what I would humbly submit is the slickest looking model year of the first gen series
What! Me biased??
Stu Aull
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Old 10-20-04, 03:27 AM
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I'd skip the TII idea. Seems to be a bandwagon everyone has fallen off of lately.

Chances of finding a good 12a in a salvage yard are slim. If you find one that has been recently wrecked and it will start and run decently, then do a compression check on it. Also try to locate the previous owner if you can and find out about the history.

Any 79-85 12a will drop in. There are some changes in the dizzy and carbs for the later ones. Use those parts if you can.
Old 10-20-04, 07:02 AM
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0000-09-0233

 
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Originally Posted by trochoid
I'd skip the TII idea. Seems to be a bandwagon everyone has fallen off of lately.

Chances of finding a good 12a in a salvage yard are slim. If you find one that has been recently wrecked and it will start and run decently, then do a compression check on it. Also try to locate the previous owner if you can and find out about the history.

Any 79-85 12a will drop in. There are some changes in the dizzy and carbs for the later ones. Use those parts if you can.
Damn, I completely agree with you.. what is this forum coming to.. it wasn't like this before.

I bet when the 3 is Dyno'd next week with its N/A you'll all be regretting the extra expence/work/weight of keeping the turbo.

the fucked up thing is this engine is coming out this winter so i can replace it with a 12A... Bridgey.

(if anyone has a side-inlet (non-wrap around) side draft manifold for 12A they would like to sell.. please let me know!)
Old 10-20-04, 09:36 AM
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I can has a Hemi? Yes...

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Originally Posted by waapst
Damn, I completely agree with you.. what is this forum coming to.. it wasn't like this before.

I bet when the 3 is Dyno'd next week with its N/A you'll all be regretting the extra expence/work/weight of keeping the turbo.

the fucked up thing is this engine is coming out this winter so i can replace it with a 12A... Bridgey.

(if anyone has a side-inlet (non-wrap around) side draft manifold for 12A they would like to sell.. please let me know!)
You've got to be kidding. A Turbo engine will make more HP and Torque than a bridge-port or even peripheral port. My engine, on only the wastegate spring (9lbs of boost) made 271 to the wheels. 370 at 17 psi.

See for yourself: http://www.bcrx7.com/movies/Directfreak.avi
Right click and save.
Old 10-20-04, 10:07 AM
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you are correct, but how many people did a stock TII swap? It is no problem to edge-out those dyno numbers.
Old 10-20-04, 11:07 AM
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I can has a Hemi? Yes...

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Originally Posted by waapst
you are correct, but how many people did a stock TII swap? It is no problem to edge-out those dyno numbers.


You lost me. What are you trying to say?
Old 10-20-04, 11:19 AM
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i have more HP than a STOCK TII

But then again, you build a car for a certain reason. mine is basically a dedicated AutoX car.

BTW, your video sounds cool, although my PC is too gay to play the video.
Old 10-20-04, 11:35 AM
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to answer your question, Type 65, yes you can swap a later 12A into your 1980.
and no, no mods have to be done, aslong as you use the 1980 ignition/charging system. If you simply swap the bare blocks and keep everything around it stock 1980, there's no difference at all (well, of course the S2/3 engines do differ from S1 internally, but you don't need to mess with that). The only thing you'll notice is a sensor for oil-pressure, which you can leave as is if you just want to use the engine without further modding your car. If you'll use a 84-85 12A there'll be a different heater exit, because of the oil-to-water cooler. Either use as is (with this oil-to-water cooler) or plug/cut the T-piece and use a common oil-to-air cooler (which is better)
Don't bother swapping the gearbox. A S1 (79-80) has a different shifter location, and I wouldn't mess around unless you go for big hp.
Old 10-20-04, 11:40 AM
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Originally Posted by 7aull
Stick to the original gearbox if the newer engines will mount to it...a question I can't answer.
80GS
Alaska
All Mazda rotaries (including 20B or the newest Renesis will bolt all gearboxes: bolt patterns never changed on rearhousings. Of course flywheels will need to be correct aswell, as there's some difference there. But the basic bolt patterns are the same.
All 79-85 12's are able to be used with the gearboxes from the other 79-85 RX-7 models. (so 84 12A to 79 box is no problem.
13B's can be used aswell, but if you use a TII you'll need a smaller flywheel. But a TII would break the 79 box anyway.
Old 10-20-04, 12:25 PM
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waapst download divx video pluging to be able to play some videos that are coded differently if not try also xvid video plugin.
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