1_dollar_83_RX7

I'm considing rebuilding my 88 TII engine because it has blown water seals, I don't have funding to send it to a shop, so i want to do it myself but im sort of hesitant to spend over $1000 on seals and gaskets that might get destroyed during my rebuild attempt.

Also, anyone who has build alot of engines know how often housings and rotors have to be replaced when you rebuild an engine?

My engine has 115k what are my chances of unrebuildable parts?


Thanks for any input, its all appreciated
Peace,
Nick

Aaron Cake

iTrader: (1)

If you'r TII lost a seal, then you can probably safely consider the rotor and housing to be bad...Most likely the rotor is good, but the housing is toast...Either way, it is probbaly cheaper to get a J-spec engine than to do the rebuild...

Rotarius

With 115K miles your changes are higher that the rotor housings are scuffed around the edges. How well was it running before the waterseals broke? Until you dissasemble the engine you cant really begin to guess the condition of the rotor housings that need to be replaced if the engine is been subjected to any neglect or abuse. Maybe you can find a low mileage engine in a junk yard for about less than $1K. good luck

1_dollar_83_RX7

can you please tell me about these jspec motors...everyone keeps talking about them...i guess im stupid or something

I have the impression that they are new motors from japan...?

Thanks

CrackHeadMel

iTrader: (2)

not new.. well not usuly, there just imported from japan, you can get a s5 T2 motor with Apoximitly 30k miles from nippon-motors.com

but thers no guarentee this motor wont breake in 2 months

T2 Tsunami

iTrader: (3)

From my understanding on this site...j spec engines are mildly used(new=big$$$)rotary engines from japan. For some reason they tend to remove engines with low mileage in order to install ????. Some of these engines come with after market parts still on them when you receive them.

1_dollar_83_RX7

I only got to drive it once, I bought it with a radator overflow that was overflowing, got it temporily fixed when I used ATF to restore compression after an unflood. I drove it around the block no higher that 2k rpm and then reved it in the driveway to 6k a couple of times (damn it sounded nasty, its missing the cat back hehehe) It cruised pretty good, but i never got to really drive it

Needless to say after a day or too it lost compression again im assuming. Won't start and pumps coolant like crazy.

Thanks for your input.

Aaron Cake

iTrader: (1)

Sounds dead to me...Assume it has been overheated and one or more housings are dead...Rebuilding could cost several thousand...Best bet is a j-spec...Most of them come with short warranties...

1_dollar_83_RX7

Any of you guys that have ordered j-spec motors...do they come with the turbo? If i upgrade from s4 to s5 i will need the turbo and manafold right? Also will these bolt in? And what are they rated at (hp)?

VetteKiller

that depends on your bravery. I was nieve enough to let this forum convince me that buying a JSPEC was a GREAT idea and I got a bad one. Used engines are a gamble, plain and simple. Your best bet is to save your money and get a stock rebuild or sell the car and find something else But if you want to try a JSPEC you're welcome to too.

Aaron Cake

iTrader: (1)

That is also true...But as mentioned, most come with a warranty...I'd buy from www.fc3s.org, so at least if the engine was bad, I could flame them publically on the forum.

1_dollar_83_RX7

good idea aaron thanks

vettekillr, what happened to your engine?

Also I could take my current one apart and assess the damage first by looking at it, correct?, then decide on what to do?

Aaron Cake

iTrader: (1)

Yes, you could do that...Just get a set of good measurement tools and you can find out how badly things are warped...

Angel Guard Racing Team

Scuffed edges do not matter that much, the center is what matters the most. I'll buy any housings with slightly scuffed edges. Anyone???

SaabGuy

If you are just going to trash that antifreeze ridden motor then you might as well go ahead and try the Paul Yaw fix on it. Basically it required 2 bottles of "copper" block weld. I hear it works fairly well and I guess Paul Yaw has a rotary truck that had really bad water seals, and it ran for 2 years after this fix, but I dont know Paul personally so who knows.

Do a search but basically its drain the engine of antifreeze, fill it with straight water, put one bottle in and start it up. let it warm up to full temp and then shut it off. Let it cool for 6 hours and then apply second bottle. Heat engine, then let it cool. If you do it right you can bypass your radiator so the copper filings dont get stuck in the radiator and then you'll have plenty of room to add your antifreeze.

This fix I hear really does a crude job on the housings, rendering them inefficient for cooling and obviously extremely difficult for rebuilding but since your motor is probably inches from death you might as well spend the 10 bux and try this fix.

SaabGuy

OK read this thread.

https://www.rx7club.com/forum/showth...light=paul+yaw

88TurboII

From my experience,

Cheapest alternative is jspec. Approx. 1k and if you get a decent motor like mine, not a bad way to go. Comes complete with upper/lower intake, injectors, turbo, alternator, intercooler, etc. etc. etc.

Next cheapest is probably a mazda rebuilt. Plain long block approx 2k. Known quality.

My most expensive alternative was attempting a rebuild myself. Major dollars spent for parts/bearings/etc. and it had insufficient compression to start by itself. I still don't know why, because I haven't taken it apart. I think the side housings had the improper finish. Probably spent over 2k for rebuild parts, cause I did it right - except it was wrong!

1_dollar_83_RX7

Thanks alot saabguy i might give that a try just for the hell of it but i think i might still go for a j-spec because my goal is to break into the 13s with this car eventually and thats not going to hold up.

BTW i looked in your profile, is your 94 saab a 900se?
I have a 95 900se it is so dreamy it will keep up with the turbo II and no one expects it

1_dollar_83_RX7

that sucks 88turboII, what did you buy? a rebuild kit and new housings? and it still won't work? what are you doing now for an engine?

SaabGuy

Yes my saab is turboed but there is no way it will keep up with my tII (OKOK maybe right off the line, but no way after that). You must have mods on your saab??? I know my tII is a lot faster than my saab. Maybe you raced a broken tII? Oh wait.. thats your tII?? sorry.

Sounds like your motor is kinda tired.

Mark S

iTrader: (1)

\
I've done this method to 2 cars over the years, and it worked great. The first one ran for 20k before it blew an apex seal, the other is still running fine.

One thing, if you try it, the blok weld destroyed the water pump a few thousand miles after I did the procedure on both cars. Still, it's well worth it in my opinion.

1_dollar_83_RX7

saab guy, I actually haven't touch my saab, i was looking at http://www.abbottracing.com/ one day and saw some cool stuff tho. I think its expensive, im not sure because its all in pounds and im too lazy to convert it.

People who have done the copper block weld:
-did you drive your engine at WOT alot?
-Did you have a turbo?
-Is the N/A water pump the same as a t2 one?
-does it mess up you radiator?

Thanks

von

Lol. U can get a stock rebuild from 23-3000 and it may also break. U can get 3 count them 3 J-Spec engines for that price.