Uh oh.... apex seals going??
 

Okay, I'm starting to get concerned here... maybe you guys could help me out.

Recently my '85 RX-7 GS with 72,000 miles started getting hard to start after sitting for more than 5 minutes. I need to pump the gas and give it a ton of gas to start, and crank it for quite a while before it chokes to life and blows out a bunch of blue smoke suffocating the poor helpless people behind me, lol. It ran perfectly fine once warmed up for quite a while, but then it started getting so if kept at high revs for a bit, let off the throttle, and hit it again, it would feel like it was starving for air. Now, its gotten to the point where it is extremely difficult to get started, and when it is running normally there is a faint bit of blue smoke. Its been consuming 3-4 times as much oil as normal.

What do you guys think is wrong? Apex seals? Carburator? something else?

And how much is a rebuild kit, or how much would it be to get a rebuilt 12A? If I take it apart myself and do the rebuild I'll probobly figure out how and port it, then throw on a bigger carb, remove the last of the emissions crap, and put on a good intake and exhaust... but then again money is extremely tight right now... so that might be out of the question.

Opinions, suggestions, hints?

Thanks,
Jim

Sounds like a carb probalem? Maybe the rotor oil rings (rubber) are going bad.. But I dont get the 5 minute thing, usually if the rotor rings are bad they will do it over an all nite sitting, or an extended period of time?

Blue smoke is oil control O-rings.

I don't think your problem would be anywhewre near apex seals, as you'd have the OPPOSITE problem - flooding on warm starts.

okay, is it harmful for me to continue driving it with bad o-rings? What is your suggestion i do?


*edit*, anybody have any good explanations of exactly how the lubrication system works on a rotary, I know all the mechanics of the rotary, and i have a basic idea about the lubrication system, but www.rotaryengineillustrated.com still doesnt have the section about lubrication complete yet.

anybody have any info?

Theres one in a Haynes manual but it doesnt show the rotor oil rings.. Well anyways they are on the side of the rotors theres an inner and an outter steel rings, inside the steel rings are rubber rings the look like a D ring of sorts. The steel rings are push agaisnt the side housings with springs. The oil rings ride on the side housings surface to keep compression gas/air etc out of the oil and to keep oil out of the combustion chamber. See oil travels down the e shaft to lube the rotor bearing and the stationary bearings..

BTW: Driving it will be OK, you gonna need a motor. Take you chances if you want to rebuild now, or if you want to just keep driving it.. Only 3 downfalls I see here, 1) you will foul plugs more often 2) you are ruining the enviroment :D LOL well maybe 3) all that smoke and oil through a cat isnt gonna be pretty on it

The plus I see however, is the apexs are gonna stay well well lubed LOL

1) plugs are cheap
2) the environment can kiss my ass :D
3) if the cat gives me shit the cat goes bye bye :)

hehe, I might decide to do a rebuild when i get my MR2 running. thats if I get it running before winter and will have time for the rebuild. If I take it apart I will port it, might as well at that point, but i refuse to drive my MR2 in winter, so we'll see how it all goes. :)

Porting it sounds fun though. It will be hilarious to kick some domestic V8 ass with a ~70 cubic inch all motor "jap crap" car. lmao