I'm looking at getting an 87 NA /5 speed for $300. I have little experience with rotorays.... but looking for something to practice and learn on.

Body is in great shape with no dents, with a little rusting under the door. However, the engine has problems yet to be determined. It doesn't always want to start, when it does you need to keep the idle up pretty high or it'll die out. But it still sounds rather rough. Once it's moving it has a tendency to try to die out as well unless the RPMs are up pretty good. Perhaps the AFM? I haven't done a compression check on it yet, will do so today if it stops raining. I was told "Once you find the right spot, it goes just fine" as RPMs.

The oil pressure gauge reads 0. Will ground to check to see if the gauge is functional. I read on the site to check the Front O Ring. Is that the front oil seal?
No oil in water, no water in oil.

I searched thru the site and found lots of posts with similiar problems. Perhaps some people can suggest a better search phrase for me to do a search, or perhaps help me to determine what areas to look at first. Thanks

 

welcome to the site man, and yes 300 is not a bad deal for a project car. I would do a compression check the first thing to find out exactly what is going on with the engine go to www.rotaryresurrection.com/ to find out how to do a poor mans compression check and also a compression check with a piston compression checker if you don't know how already. After you have done this, note I say after because this maybe causing your problem and if you don't check and change all the vac lines on your car etc... just to find out it has bad compression then all that work was done for nothing, check for vac leaks everywhere because these engines espcially the engines that have all the emmisions stuff have a crap load of vac lines. Spray some carb cleaner around to find any leaks. Of course do your normal tune up on it like new spark plugs, wires, oil, filters etc... How long has the car been sitting? Before I even tried to turn it on or anything I would at least change sparkplugs, oil and, oil filter. Also remember when you take a compression test make sure the engine is warmed up because these engines lose a bit of compression when they get warm, so it will be more accurate if you let the engine warm up first. Good luck!

 

Wow....for a 7 with next to no body problems and an engine that still runs, though poorly, you cant beat $300 with a stick!

Good luck man and welcome to the world of rotaries.

 

Well this guy just started working with me. It's been his wifes care for 4 years.... i believe it was driven regulary, but recently it started having trouble with the idle, wouldn't stay running at idle. But it was still being driven. Then he took it to a local import repair shop. He says since then.. it's having trouble starting and running. I believe that he was told something about a "Seal was bad" and that it needed an overhaul... just cause it wasn't keeping idle. I was thinking an apex seal.. but the rough running problems didn't start until after he took it to them, or at least that's what i was told.

 

well a compression check will tell you if there is something going on with an apex seal. Also most people report when they have bad compression a lack of power and the inability to keep an idle.

 

Yeah, but it's also got that 0 oil pressure indicated, maybe it's got a blow oil seal somewhere.... is it possible it's not getting oil and therefore it why it won't run properly? I should look for leaks too. I was going to go down to the shop where it was taken to and ask the mech who diagnosed it for some answers. But in a worse case situation, $300 sounds not too shabby even if i gotta shell out $600 for some rebuild parts.

 

Not bad even if you have to shell out 1500 for a rebuilt motor either.

 

Well as far as the oil pressure check and make sure the oil sender wire is on the sender, it's a little clip on connector that usually comes off because of this reason. If it is connected yes check for the grounding of it. Also you may want to check the oil pressure from a mechanical oil pressure gauge just real quick to see if it is that however I can almost guarantee you that if it just sits on the bottom either

a) wire has come loose from the sender
b) grounding issues
c) sender is bad.

 

i say its fubared injectors. get the injectors cleaned and she will run fine.

 

went and spoke with the mechanic that looked at this car earlier this week. He said that "It smokes a little, so it's an oil seal on the triangles." yes... triangles... anyhow. Isn't it normal for a little puff of smoke when you start? since it does burn oil anyhow? Clean the injectors? I should search the forum to see the best method. i doubt the Injector Cleaner in a bottle would do the trick.

 

grab it, 300 is a teal

 

A little smoke does happen considering that the engine injects oil into the combustion chamber.

Of course, a lot of smoke is BAD, and it's usually the side seals on the rotors.

What you need to do is do a compression check (follow the instructions on www.rotaryressurection.com ) under the tech link. Once you have a compression we can better diagnose the problem.

So far I'm guessing the oil sending unit is bad/not connected and possibly has grounds and or TPS issues. None of this is indication of a rebuild, which is why you're being asked for a compression number.

 

Yep, will do today if it stops raining. Going to sign the title here in like 30 minutes. I'll reply back when i get a compression number. or 6....

 

The one I just bought was in the same shape. All it took was new vac lines, TPS adjustment, and Timing adjustment. My primaries were lined up with the secondary mark. It sounds like the mechanic dosn't know rotaries from lawnmowers, so he may have done the same thing. Definately check compression and look for major leaks before you buy. Even if you have to buy a reman, 300 is still a great deal.

One warning about getting an '87 you WILL need to change out all of the suspension bushings if it hasn't been done yet. That 18 year old rubber is going to be hard, cracking, and falling apart. You'll also need new struts, shocks, and springs if they aren't new.

Good luck, and post some pictures of the exterior and interior, os we can pass judgement. $300 is still a great find.

 

you can always throw a 3 rotor in there
I am actually thinking of buying a strait frame for a steal just to build up.
cant really go wrong with a $ 300 frame, hell I sold my 240sx frame for $800. drifting getting trendy can really kick *** sometimes.

 

I would check the vacuum lines as well. It will look like spaghetti to you at first but once you start removing the intake hoses so you can see everthing then the vac lines aren't so overwhelming. Just take a 8' piece of vac line from any auto parts and start pulling them off one at a time and cutting your new hose to length and replacing. IF, eventually you need a new motor, this is one step that you have already completed. Saved you some time down the road.

I'll be there in three weeks, let me know if you need some help.

 

where are you at in oklahoma? i just finished my rebuild...runs beautiful. let me know if ya need any help. a little difficult to find any rotor mechanics in oklahoma

 

UPDATE ok, i still haven't found a friend to help me with the compression test, however i believe the spark plugs were hooked up improperly. I put the Leadings on the top, and trailing on the bottom. with 1 being the front, and 2 being the rear. Is this correct? After i did this... i started perfect sounded great... zoomed up to 3k RPM, then it dies. i was able to drive it around the block. Had trouble getting it up a hill, as it would die out on me when i was using the clutch.

I'm in Oklahoma City, North Side.

 

no plugs are wrong. think Leading like Lower, Trailing like Top. if it ran with the plugs wrong i bet the timing is off. just do a quick tunup and it should run a lot better

 

ok, i'll try fixing that. it was crisscrossed. had both trailing on one sid.e.. both leading on the other side.

 

nah... seemed to start even worse. It was warmed up, but after fixing the wires it didn't want to stay running. Ran better when wires we all messed up. Suppose i should adjust timing now.

 

Make shure you have the correct plugs in the correct holes too. The ones with the "L" mark go on the bottom, and the "T" goes on the top of course.

 

i'm in shawnee, just east of you if you ever need any help. i'm not a great mechanic by any means, but i'm always willing to put my two cents in. i had a simliar problem with mine not too long ago, and it was the igniter the whole time.

 

Great thanks. I'll let you know if i'm desparate enough to make someone drive all that way to help. hehe