2nd Gen RX-7 Engine Conversions
Full Member
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 139
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From: Los Angeles
Originally posted by RX7_ZRO
...one site that no one seems to have mentioned yet, since it's not RX exclusive, is www.torquecentral.com they're all V8 nuts over there, and they do conversion on a lot of stuff.
...one site that no one seems to have mentioned yet, since it's not RX exclusive, is www.torquecentral.com they're all V8 nuts over there, and they do conversion on a lot of stuff.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 11
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From: Rawlings, Maryland
Dear Mephis,
You are an idiot.
This other engine you speak of is 230hp less than what Im going to install and to prove that my car WILL be faster, more reliable and just better than yours I will bring it to Indiana, just for you, to blow your slow *** doors off.
You are an idiot.
This other engine you speak of is 230hp less than what Im going to install and to prove that my car WILL be faster, more reliable and just better than yours I will bring it to Indiana, just for you, to blow your slow *** doors off.
dear RX406
although the engine you are putting in it will make more power in no way is the rotary an unreliable engine. That is all i want you to know because you seen to think that they last verry little but in reality 99% of use hear have cars with over 100k miles and most of those are on the first engine.
although the engine you are putting in it will make more power in no way is the rotary an unreliable engine. That is all i want you to know because you seen to think that they last verry little but in reality 99% of use hear have cars with over 100k miles and most of those are on the first engine.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
From: Rawlings, Maryland
Im not in any way saying that they are unreliable. I am taking information that has been given to me and relaying it. Keep in mind as an automotive professional I realize the pro's and con's of both engines. If the automotive industry thought that the Wankel was so reliable wouldnt the Big 3 have put one in a camaro or a corvette?....Listen I undersatand that this is a rotary board. I didnt post to get into a pissing contest. I posted to aquire knowledge from those of you who have done conversions. That's it.
Well if you look for some RX-7 literature you will see all the companies did not like having to work with such a new design and most gave up. Might I also ad that many if not all of the rotary powered race cars are usually in the top ranks of their classes. Le Mans anyone? Not to mention that the BIG 3 as you call them would rather keep with the traditional piston engine because they have already spent too much time with them and are unwilling to change their ways now. But their is hope in the form of the RX-8 and later on the new RX-7 you will see those cars come out soon.
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 10,630
Likes: 3
From: NY, MA, MI, OR, TX, and now LA or AZ!
Oh, on a further note, chevy DID build a corvette with a rotary engine, they just passed on the idea because their designer left/died/or something like that.
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 10,630
Likes: 3
From: NY, MA, MI, OR, TX, and now LA or AZ!
There's a few old threads about figuring it out from the vin, usually we can figure it out by what options you have (sunroof/power windows/tilt steering/ABS/limited slip rear-end/power mirrors/leather/etc)
the vin does not really give you the model.
only if it is a coupe or a vert like that.
GTU, GTUs, GXL those have markings on them with those letters on the right fender. the TII also says turbo II, The base, sport and SE models don't have markings but the base and SE have four lug wheels the sport on the other hand has five lug wheels and large brakes like the GXL
only if it is a coupe or a vert like that.
GTU, GTUs, GXL those have markings on them with those letters on the right fender. the TII also says turbo II, The base, sport and SE models don't have markings but the base and SE have four lug wheels the sport on the other hand has five lug wheels and large brakes like the GXL
Refined Valley Dude
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 2,283
Likes: 2
From: Kitchener, Ontario (Hamilton's armpit)
During the 70s, each of the Big 3 had each paid a lot of money for the rights to the rotary.
From:
http://www.monito.com/wankel/corvette.html
From:
http://www.monito.com/wankel/corvette.html
In 1970, Chevrolet obtained a licence for the Wankel RCE from NSU, for a cost of $50 million, at the direction of GM President Ed Cole, whose background was engineering. They began building a two-rotor and a four-rotor Corvette [1, 2], in the highly desirable mid-engine format. Zora Arkus-Duntov met with Bill Mitchell to discuss a four rotor Corvette in 1970. Zora gave him the chassis from the XP-895 mid-engine experimental car shown at the April 1970 New York Auto show. A fibreglass model was approved in June 1971 by Cole [4].
On Jan. 14, 1972, a chassis was shipped to Pininfarina, Turin, Italy so that the body could be constructed by the famed design studio [4]. In June of the same year, a 2 rotor Corvette with a steel body was viewed by GM management [4, 5]. The same year DeLorean at GM commissioned a two-rotor version of the XP-882 and built it as the XP-987GT [2].
In January 1973, a Corvette body, also based on the XP-882 chassis, was built for an experimental four-rotor car [4]. This was designed by Charles M. Jordan and William L. Mitchell's staff. It got the project name XP-895. A second version of this body was made in aluminum alloy and got a 454 V-8 [7]. Two of the two rotor Wankels were glommed together into a four rotor 420 bhp engine and this was installed in the first XP-895 by Gib Hufstader [8]. Mitchell's staff under Henry Haga [8], at Duntov's urging, designed an all-new body for the "Four-Rotor Car" [7,8].
By April, the GALCIT wind tunnel in California was used to test the aerodynamic qualities of the 4-rotor Corvette [4]. The coefficient of drag came out very low for its time: 0.325. The car was only 44 inches high and had gull-wing doors [7]. The interior had digital instruments.
In September 13, 1973 a 266 ci two-rotor Corvette (XP-897GT) was shown in Frankfurt, Germany [1, 3] with a steel body. The four-rotor 390 ci mid-engined Corvette was shown at Paris, France on Oct. 4, 1973, as well as the two-rotor [1]. Oct. 17 they are both shown at the London Auto Show.
On September 24, 1974, GM Pres. Ed Cole postponed the introduction of the Wankel engine, ostensibly due to emissions difficulties [6]. He retired the same month. In 1976 the body was resuscitated with a V-8 400 engine and redubbed the "Aerovette" [7]. On April 12, 1977, GM announced it is stopping all R & D on rotary engines [9].
The 74 Chevy Vega was originally planned for a rotary engine. This was delayed to a later plan for 1975, but was dropped in 1974. The engine was a two rotor water cooled with oil cooling of the rotors. There was a single spark plug per rotor. The housings were all iron. It is also reported that a 206 cid 2 rotor engine was intended for the 75 Monza 2+2.
A GM rotary was going to be used for the American Motors Pacer. The compact size of the engine allowed a flattened hood and radical styling.
On Jan. 14, 1972, a chassis was shipped to Pininfarina, Turin, Italy so that the body could be constructed by the famed design studio [4]. In June of the same year, a 2 rotor Corvette with a steel body was viewed by GM management [4, 5]. The same year DeLorean at GM commissioned a two-rotor version of the XP-882 and built it as the XP-987GT [2].
In January 1973, a Corvette body, also based on the XP-882 chassis, was built for an experimental four-rotor car [4]. This was designed by Charles M. Jordan and William L. Mitchell's staff. It got the project name XP-895. A second version of this body was made in aluminum alloy and got a 454 V-8 [7]. Two of the two rotor Wankels were glommed together into a four rotor 420 bhp engine and this was installed in the first XP-895 by Gib Hufstader [8]. Mitchell's staff under Henry Haga [8], at Duntov's urging, designed an all-new body for the "Four-Rotor Car" [7,8].
By April, the GALCIT wind tunnel in California was used to test the aerodynamic qualities of the 4-rotor Corvette [4]. The coefficient of drag came out very low for its time: 0.325. The car was only 44 inches high and had gull-wing doors [7]. The interior had digital instruments.
In September 13, 1973 a 266 ci two-rotor Corvette (XP-897GT) was shown in Frankfurt, Germany [1, 3] with a steel body. The four-rotor 390 ci mid-engined Corvette was shown at Paris, France on Oct. 4, 1973, as well as the two-rotor [1]. Oct. 17 they are both shown at the London Auto Show.
On September 24, 1974, GM Pres. Ed Cole postponed the introduction of the Wankel engine, ostensibly due to emissions difficulties [6]. He retired the same month. In 1976 the body was resuscitated with a V-8 400 engine and redubbed the "Aerovette" [7]. On April 12, 1977, GM announced it is stopping all R & D on rotary engines [9].
The 74 Chevy Vega was originally planned for a rotary engine. This was delayed to a later plan for 1975, but was dropped in 1974. The engine was a two rotor water cooled with oil cooling of the rotors. There was a single spark plug per rotor. The housings were all iron. It is also reported that a 206 cid 2 rotor engine was intended for the 75 Monza 2+2.
A GM rotary was going to be used for the American Motors Pacer. The compact size of the engine allowed a flattened hood and radical styling.
Refined Valley Dude
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 2,283
Likes: 2
From: Kitchener, Ontario (Hamilton's armpit)
Originally posted by RX406
On to other things... How do I tell what model RX-7 I have. By the vin? Is there a way to decode it?
On to other things... How do I tell what model RX-7 I have. By the vin? Is there a way to decode it?
This page has some 411 on ID'ing your 7:
http://www.lemmings.com/mark/rx7hist.htm
Former Moderator. RIP Icemark.
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 25,896
Likes: 24
From: Rohnert Park CA
Originally posted by RX406
Dear Mephis,
You are an idiot.
This other engine you speak of is 230hp less than what Im going to install and to prove that my car WILL be faster, more reliable and just better than yours I will bring it to Indiana, just for you, to blow your slow *** doors off.
Dear Mephis,
You are an idiot.
This other engine you speak of is 230hp less than what Im going to install and to prove that my car WILL be faster, more reliable and just better than yours I will bring it to Indiana, just for you, to blow your slow *** doors off.
This is the only free warning you'll get!
Last edited by Icemark; Apr 27, 2003 at 09:58 PM.
Former Moderator. RIP Icemark.
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 25,896
Likes: 24
From: Rohnert Park CA
Originally posted by Amur_
This page has some 411 on ID'ing your 7:
http://www.lemmings.com/mark/rx7hist.htm
This page has some 411 on ID'ing your 7:
http://www.lemmings.com/mark/rx7hist.htm
Do whatever you like to it. Your car, your decisions. I mean if I had a blown 7 and had a spare v8 engine lying around I would swap it in too.
note*Thats only because Im poor and dont have money to get a new rotary motor.
note*Thats only because Im poor and dont have money to get a new rotary motor.
Rotary Enthusiast
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 873
Likes: 1
From: Boulder, CO
I think the "big 3" didn't go for it because american companies are into straight line power. If you want a dragster then the v8 is a good choice. For a lot less money you will jack people in a race, but go to an autoX and you will get killed.
And about the 20B suggestion, you have any idea how much that costs compared to the v8?
I believe the conversion is somewhat simple, you just need some work on mounting it, and making the driveline hook up.
Good luck, although I still hate you
And about the 20B suggestion, you have any idea how much that costs compared to the v8?
I believe the conversion is somewhat simple, you just need some work on mounting it, and making the driveline hook up.
Good luck, although I still hate you
Senior Member
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 613
Likes: 0
From: Louisiana
hey man--if you're gonna swap a sbc in, more power to ya. I would like to see how it ends up. I don't think I would do that but that is only cuz I love the rotary. Either way, its yours so do what makes you happy.
BUT--you do need to understand that the reputation the rotary has is unfounded for the most part. Take this engine to almost any shop and they won't know the first thing to do with it. This misunderstanding is why you have heard bad things about it. they do need a little more care than a piston engine, but you sound like you know about engines to have that 406 done up....look at it this way--
What if your sbc had very few moving parts in it? Do you think it would be less prone to break? Less moving parts=less friction, which can mean less wear and tear. You get the idea.
anyway, I hope it comes out good. Let me know. I have done some sbc swaps into Fieros before, so I get what you're in for....
BUT--you do need to understand that the reputation the rotary has is unfounded for the most part. Take this engine to almost any shop and they won't know the first thing to do with it. This misunderstanding is why you have heard bad things about it. they do need a little more care than a piston engine, but you sound like you know about engines to have that 406 done up....look at it this way--
What if your sbc had very few moving parts in it? Do you think it would be less prone to break? Less moving parts=less friction, which can mean less wear and tear. You get the idea.
anyway, I hope it comes out good. Let me know. I have done some sbc swaps into Fieros before, so I get what you're in for....
Refined Valley Dude
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 2,283
Likes: 2
From: Kitchener, Ontario (Hamilton's armpit)
Originally posted by Icemark
Dale's contribution to that page is rampent with errors on the FC. It would not be recommended.
Dale's contribution to that page is rampent with errors on the FC. It would not be recommended.
Thanx for the heads-up.
Try this:
http://bdc.genxracing.com/FC_PartsCa...3%20ENGINE.pdf
Scroll down to page 14...
Former Moderator. RIP Icemark.
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 25,896
Likes: 24
From: Rohnert Park CA
Originally posted by Amur_
Thanx for the heads-up.
Try this:
http://bdc.genxracing.com/FC_PartsCa...3%20ENGINE.pdf
Scroll down to page 14...
Thanx for the heads-up.
Try this:
http://bdc.genxracing.com/FC_PartsCa...3%20ENGINE.pdf
Scroll down to page 14...
Glock Lover
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 2,223
Likes: 0
From: Currently residing in St Charles, MO
Originally posted by RX406
Im not in any way saying that they are unreliable. I am taking information that has been given to me and relaying it.
Im not in any way saying that they are unreliable. I am taking information that has been given to me and relaying it.
Also, dont assume your going to blow anyones door off, the only thing your going to blow is everything behind the engine.