If you have done a rebuild yourself, I want to know what you would have done differently, parts you would have used differently etc. And is there any certain thing to do one a certain step of breaking the block down or rebuilding it...

I know there are alot of "how to" but im looking for personal experiences.....

 

currently I am doing a T2 rebuild and swap...

I can already say I wish I had the coin to use BRAND NEW rotor housings... I just hope this does not bit me in the ***...

other then that currently I am happy with my build.

here is my thread I have about my build

https://www.rx7club.com/2nd-generation-specific-1986-1992-17/spooled-up-racings-turbo-swap-thread-689880/

 

I went with a complete rebuild kit from Atkins, and new Housings. I wish I had gotten my plates lapped.

 

I rebuilt my first motor a little over year ago.

I should have replaced the rotor bearings and had my side plates milled flat. I also jetted the eccentric shaft which may be the reason I'm getting like 9psi Oil pressure at Idle... but I have an oil leak at each end of the turbo line which may contribute to the low pressure. (fixing soon)

Probably should have had some better measuring tools. Mine weren't very accurate.

I should have got some hardend gears and done a port job to it...

I wouldn't have put the clutch plate in backwards so I could have drove it once it was running.

I wish I wouldn't have been 100 degrees outside when I was installing everything.
way too hot...

I probably would have bought a nicer muffler/exhaust because my ss-autochrome 3" single from the turbo back is a little loud... (fixing soon)

I think thats it... there will probably be a next time...

Good luck!

 

i would have put mazda oem oil control rings in. instead of atkins viton.
i would have *maybe* put the pineapple racing water jacket kit in.

 

i wont be able to answer that until i run the motor and break it in

maybe after i see its power and compression ill rethink certain things, but right now i dont regret any of it.

 

Those of you saying you'd have the plates lapped/milled, how deep was the wear on your plates? I have a set of plates with mostly ~.001" wear, and one or two spots where it seems to be about ~.0025"
I'm wondering if I would benefit greatly from having them lapped. I am also running out of the money we budgeted for me to do the build. As it is now I have everything I need either here, on the way, or I have money set aside for it (like my engine lift, might as well wait until I get closer to the swap date to buy it).

 

oh, and, would have DEFFINATLEY used Mazda OEM apex seals.

 

Mazda OEM seals, New Housings, Streetport

 

I WISH I HAD PORTED IT!!

also, I wish I hadn't used that stupid gasket sealer crap on my coolant seals. Its a huge mess/pain, and Pineapple racing told me to scrape it off, so I did, and I have had no problems so far.

Also wish I had bought new housings...

 

The only thing i wish i had done differently(more like, did better and took more time on) is painting the engine bay better. i slapped on a quick layer of black paint and it looks like ****. not so much in person, but it really looks like crap in pics, and it scratches easily.

I just wish i had really taken the time and cleaned the F out of it before installing the motor.

next time the engine comes out, i will make it perfect.

 

ceramics apex and corner seals. That's about it.

 

I noticed alot of people said they would go with Mazda OEM seals... any reason in particular?

 

i'm also interested in why certain individuals would have lapped their plates and used OEM apex seals.

 

i have used oem apex seals, i don't have anything else to compare to but they have worked great so far. i have about 2k miles on the rebuild, i wish i could have gotten new housings and did a slight port while i had it apart. i had already spent so much money that it was getting out of budget when you factor in little stuff like fluids and last minute **** like the bearings in the front cover that needs clearancing, paying overnight shipping for stuff cuz you need it fast...

 

I wish I had taken the time to detail my engine compartment while I was waiting for my engine.

 

+1, painting and cleaning would have been a fantastic idea on mine as well.

I also wish I had the coin for new housings and maybe a ceramic coat. But hey, its gonna come up on 40k this summer, so I guess I did all right. *knocks on wood*

 

I think what the OP whats is things that you'd do differently as a result of of your experience the first time around. Not a wish list of things you couldn't afford at the time.

 

lower mileage housings, anything else but RA seals, streetport
and replace my omp lines but thats already been recently taken care of.

also remember to time the cas.

 

Regarding the engine in my turbo NA car, there are several things I would have done differently in hindsight:

• Full bridgeport instead of the small half bridge. A bridge is a bridge is a bridge so there's no point trying to go small
• TII oil pump
• Rotor housing cooling jacket mods
• Elimination of front cover oil bypass

Aside from that I'm very happy.

 

Whoa, did you just list a TII component as something you would have liked to install in TINA?

Or am I still asleep?

As for things I wish I'd have done in previous rebuilds, stayed away from Atkins seals. Alot of people have had good experience with them, but if (like me) you're the one guy who has trouble with one seal, it costs you a ******* motor and they won't do a thing to help you.

Rather then gamble I now stick with OEM. Not worth the risk for the cost difference.

 

I would have liked to have someone else clean the parts...

 

I would have done an aggressive streetport on my engine. At the time, I wanted to get the car back on the road, but in retrospect, I shoulda put in the effort to do some porting.

 

why do you say that?

 

bc theres a considerable amount of ppl that say they scratch housings. i am getting low compression numbers but i reused my old housings and overheated a few times so i have no evidence to put the blame on the seals untill i rip it open again. but either way i dont think i would have taken that risk again if i had the chance.