I bought my car about a month ago and it wasnt in the greatest shape then.. i've tried to take the best care of it i could but it's just giving out.. I dont know too much about rotary, but I think my head gasket (whatever it's called on a rotary) is shot, i changed the plugs when i got it and they were so black and rusted so i have a feeling it's getting water in there.. It starts half the time, i have a feeling the coilpacks are going out because it doesnt seem to maintain a constant spark... it overheats really easily so i'm even scared to drive it.. anyway the whole reason of this post is i just wanted to see if any of you guys have suggestions, like the coilpacks going out.. does it happen often or could it be something else... and i'm pretty good with working on cars, just new to rotary, so do you guys think i should just take it to a shop, do it myself, or by a new motor...

EDIT!::: The engine does have 160k miles on it..

 

No head gaskets (no heads on a rotary at all, actually). Chances are it's your coolant seals. The coils are pretty good and usually don't die very easily. You can test the coolant seals by renting a coolant pressure tester, pump it to about 15lbs and check for leaks, if you can't find any leaks and it appears to lose pressure, chances are it's leaking into the chambers and you need a rebuild.

 

is it more worth it to buy a new motor, or rebuild a dead one...

 

Rebuild a dead one, usually the motors are pretty strong and a good rebuild will do the same job as buying a reman that is 8x the cost.

 

that all depends on how long you expect it to last, rebuilds are good for a long while if using decent used parts but brand new will get you the most out of it but most people to not have $3000+ to drop on a near new engine so they opt for a rebuild with existing or good used parts.

 

is it a common problem with rx7's to have the thermostat stuck wide open?

 

bump.

 

Not that I know of.

 

No. If you replace it make sure you get the OEM thermostat from a Mazda dealer.

 

seen an autozone thermostat freeze shut on a rotary, put it in boiling water, never opened... spend the extra money if u wanna have that peace of mine