Hi,I am going to be buying a RX7 really soon.But the thing is,I want to buy a broken down RX7.I am going to be entering into a Automotive class soon an would like a car to work on besides my daily driver.I have been reading some threads for a few days now and am worried that if I buy a broken down 7,that when I rebuild the engine,the housings/rotors are going to be unsalvadgeable(spelling??).What should I look/ask for when calling people?BTW,I am in So Cal.

 

just get one that runs. You can't really tell if the housings are bad unless you tear down the motor. you can sometimes tell by taking off the oil pan and looking at the rotors for discoloration (over heat damage), or for metal shavings tho.

 

Get one that has a running engine, is drivable, and that has a decent body. I think your main focus should be finding one with a decent body and can roll. Piecing an engine together is pretty easy, especially if its already running somewhat. Like with any car, before you buy it, take it out for a spin, look under the hood, check under the car, kick the tires etc.

 

how about u just buy one at a junkyard. take the engine from there and rebuild it. lol.

 

If you end up buying a 7 with a blown engine, typically one rotor/housing may be unuseable. But, you can buy a good used rotor and housing.

If you get one that's in good running order, do a compression check to get an idea of what condition the engine is in. Low-compression numbers (below 90 psi on either rotor) would indicate a worn engine that's going to fail.

http://www.rotaryresurrection.com has good information on compression checks (with PSI numbers) and typical engine damage. That'll give you an idea on what to look for.