Hello all,

I have been talking to some friends of mine about my new 1990 RX-7, and everyone seems to tell me the "Apex seals will go", and the engine will die.

What does this mean?
When the "apex seals go", do I need to buy a new engine, or just rebuild it?
How much will a new engine cost?
How much will rebuilding it cost?
If I get the engine brideported, then the "apex seals go", will the bridgeport carry over if I can rebuild it?

And, while I am on the subject, how much does bridgeporting cost, what are the alternatives, and what do YOU recomend I do to enhance my car's performace?

Thank you!
Scotty

*Edited for typo.

 

The only way to bridgeport an engine it to take it apart. If you take it apart then you are forced to rebuild it. If the apex seals go then the engine is dead because you won't have compression. You should always rebuild or get someone rebuild your engine because new rotaries cost alot. Rotaryresurrection.com has rebuilds starting at $1000 which is godo times. I don't recommend bridgeporting, if anything you should streetport but you will need supporting mods such as larger injectors, fuel management, and a new fuel pump.

 

Thanks!

So;
- To bridgeport or streetport my engine I need to take it apart. If I take it apart, I need to rebuild it.
- If the apex seals go, I need to have the engine rebuilt and the apex seals replaced.

Correct?

 

pretty much

www.howstuffworks.com for the basics on rotaries and then lurk on the forums to start to understand the rest

 

you need to study about gebneral rotaries first. the best thing to do is make your car breath. by doing this you free up some power the car was trying to make, but it will get louder and louder and most likely shoot flames. then you would want to concentrate on fuel. an safc will do fine if your gonna keep it na. then simply start removing things that arent needed.


also, you need to either get a new pulsation dampener or get a bano bolt if you car is an 86-88 rx7. the pulsation dampener is at the end of the primary fuel rail underneeth the upper intake manifold. then replace the pesky clutch line as it breaks allot. in doing this, lines and hoses will break for you to fix, so that they wont do it on the road unexpectedly. lol.

 

how many miles are on the car?

if you're worried about your apex seals, you should do the water injection treatment to clean out the carbon build up and begin pre-mixing 2 cycle oil 128/1 ratio in the gas. there are also oil injection adapers, which are much easier to use in a DD.

prove your friends wrong by outsmarting mazda's design flaws

 

If you wana bridge then do it. its sweet as. Pay some one to do tho if you have no clue on engines etc. ( im assuming your NA ) replace all you seals and springs. Go for a big angle cut bridge port. Slap a IDA on it and you'll be away. Dont bother going down the 4 barrel route. just go IDA ( downdraught ) 48mm will be big enough for what you need. If your turbo just get a stage 2 port and a big turbo, ECU and injectors and your away. note that the turbo route is gona set you back more then double the NA route.
Dont bother stuffing around trying to run a injected NA thats bridged. Just slap a big **** carby on it and go for gold. and some gilmor gears

 

The car hit 175,000 as I drove it to the paintshop earlier today.

If you don't mind, could you link me to more information regarding the water injection treatment and .. how I can mix.. the oil.. stuff.. with gas? =\ Sounds explosive.

I'm a software engineer, but my father and my brother in law are mechanics, so I understand a little bit. I need to learn more...

-Scotty

 

premixing isnt explosive, its still cumbustable, but thats a good thing, it just ensures that the entire engine gets lubed, after 20 years a oil pump becomes less trustworthy.

 

**** carburators.

Yea you have high milage not the best sign but also a good sign that it was just drove and not beat maybe it does got some more life in it. I had someone stop in my shop yesterday with 210 on his FC. The other bad thing is being so high milaged you most likely will not have meany reusable parts in the engin.

IMO I would just be saving up to purchas a new core. If you go to turbo I would just street port it if your NA leave it alone put your money else wear.

 

You don't know what your getting into with bridgeporting. You'll need engine management if you go that route. Plus your idle will be jacked to hell as you idle at 1000-2000 rpms depending on how large of a bridge you get. So your car will be super loud. Streetport is the way you want to go. Your engine will still flow and you'll just need fuel mods to keep it running unless you go turbo. Plus your idle with a streetport will be 750-900 so your car will still be quiet.

 

It means you should stop listening to them.

If you were to lose a seal that means a rebuild or replacement. Generally you would pull apart the old engine and if things are too worn or damaged to rebuild, you would replace.

Depends....There really aren't any "new" engines available. The closest would be a Mazda reman. I don't know the price as I've never bothered...

There are low priced rebuilds starting at under $1000. I would recommend that you find a local builder that you can trust and who has experience, then deal with him/her. That way you know what you are getting, and have someone local to complain to.

Stop right there. I assume the same people who told you that the apex seals will blow suggested bridgeporting the engine?

In order to do any kind of porting, the engine must be disassembled. Bridgeports are close to the extreme end of the porting scale and generally not something for a beginner. A street port will do you fine, make decent power and be easy to drive.

That's horrible, horrible advice. Carb conversion? Carb'ed bridgeports are just evil cars to live with...The fluctuating vacuum plays havoc with the carb at low revs (so you get that annoying low RPM bucking and absolute lack of low-RPM power), the low starting vacuum makes cold starts a real pain, you'll have to jet it way rich to make it idle and without advanced timing control you are missing out on a lot of drivability and power.

What exactly is a "stage 2" port?

Right....

 

Boy, this is just downright entertainment in here. Genuine gold nuggets of info being posted here.

 

what kevin?
your not going to tell him how P-port carbed is the way to go.

i think using a carb is some of the worst "advice" someone can give.

lets not forget this guys in cali so he prob has emision checks. street port is the way to go.

 

yeah, since you're in CA a bridgeport is out unless you have smog hookups. I myself would never go with a bridgeport, smog or no smog regs. keep it simple, go with a large streetport.

 

well. we dont have emission laws over here. i know you guys do but i dont really know where, and what they require.
Mate. never mind this perfect world ****. If your going for a bridgy then your going for rough, rowdy and raw!!! who cares if you have a little buck here and there. as far as passing emissions goes thenyou guys (ice and Aaron ) are right. if you dont have to worry about it then sweet as man. get a electronic dissy from a 82-85. Lock it at 20 deg advanced. get a carb pro to jet and tune your IDA and go for gold mate. its cheap and easy and a hell of a lot less confusing. Theyr not slow buddy.

 

oh and a stage 2 is a big extend port or whatever. about as big as you wana go before you bridge.

 

Thanks for the advice, everyone. =)

I have smog to worry about - so a streetport sounds good! How much of a boost to my horsepower will it be? Would it be wise to find someone to rebuild my engine, streetport, and replace the Apex seals BEFORE they go? I don't want to damage my engine when it dies...

According to various websites, my car has (base) about 180 horsepower. According to my friends, a streetport would boost that up to 220. Is this correct?

Currently I'm looking for small, nice little ways to boost my car (before I get something like the ENGINE) done... What would you suggest?

I have heard something about a modification to my power steering to give me a slight boost, and also some sort of electrical regulator that plugs into your battery to give you something like a 12 HP boost.. does anyone know anything about that? =)

 

 

Carbs?! Locked dizzys?! What is this, 1942? Actually in 1942 variable timing advance (both vacuum and mechanical) had been in use for YEARS...

This remains as very bad advice.

Hell, for $200 you can get a Megasquirt kit which will give you a fully programmable EFI system on which you can build a fuel and ignition map to run any kind of port you want...And it will cold start, hot start, idle properly, give decent mileage, etc.

If you want to rebuild and port, then it is better to do so before you lose an apex seal (thus probably damaging a housing and/or rotor).

Your car is an NA, correct? Then stock it is 165HP. Figure 20%-30% gain from a decent streetport.

Full tuneup, cat-back, headers, intake with cold air box, piggyback fuel controller or standalone (to tune the fuel curve). Those are the big gains. But first you really should look at suspension as the "fun" factor is higher...

No. Doesn't exist.

 

This is supposed to be it; (the electrical boost thing)

http://www.intakeone.com/Denso/SunHVSGT.htm

 

I need to find someone local to streetport, soon, I guess.

My car is currently in the bodyshop, I'll get it back on Friday and put the new wheels and tires on Monday... put a sound system in that week.. then should have enough for a streetport rebuild in another three weeks or so.. =)

What do you suggest for suspension?

-Scotty

 

I was trying to think of some horrible advice to give but after reading this thread, I see that quite a few people have beat me to it.

Damn....

On another note, you could also think about doing a turbo swap. Even stock, a turbo swap should be very satisfying.

just my .02

 

How much $$ would a turbo cost me, and what kind of a boost should I expect?

Thanks,
-Scotty

 

[QUOTE=idsigloo]The only way to bridgeport an engine it to take it apart. If you take it apart then you are forced to rebuild it.QUOTE]

Now i don't claim to be a rotary expert by any stretch, but this simply makes no sense to me. If you simply dissassemble a working engine it will need a rebuild?!?!?! Please correct me if i am way off.