Anderson

I think my engine decided to go on me, but I'm not realy sure.

Today my car worked just fine like all other days. Tonight I was at a friends house, till 2 AM. When I was leaving her house I got in my car and it didnt wat to start because it was flooded (an everyday thing). I unflooded it like normal by disconecting the fuel pump.

This is where the bad news comes in. When it started it had a VERY rough feeling. Its had that feelign before, but it ususaly wnet away when I reved it, so I always thoguth it was jsut exces fuel in the housing. The car did not rev fast at all, it barely evene reved. The exhaust sounds like its stuffed up, and the tone is that of a Cruiser bike. It has no power since it wont rev. I can count to 10 before it would rev all the way to 7.

If I let it idle, it would be so rough that it goes all the way down and bogs out.

Its 2:30 AM now, and its too dark for me to try anything at this point, so I'll wait till tomorrow, or later today to be correct.


Does this sound like a rotor went on me?? I can still turn on the car, but like stated above, its runs like crap.


What realy gets me is that this happned with out doing anythign to the engine like reving to 8K or anythign. it happened while the car sat.

Like I said, this has happened a few time before, but it went away after reving it, and it would clear out like there was somethign blocking the exhaust or somethign.
Is it posible that the rotor seized within 5 hours after being shut off?


Thanx in advance for any response

WilTaylor

I'm not a rotary mechanic, but I don't think your engines done for. That **** has happened to me a few times, in the winter though.... Will the car hold an idle if you set it around 1500 with the pedal for a sec?

Anderson

I havent tried holding it to see if it Idles.
it was a 12 minute ride home, and at the time, I wouldnt even stop for a $2 **** ont he street I jsut wated to get home before it got worse.

OK I'm sorry I lied. I think a $2 **** would have been a nice pick me up, at the moment

hypntyz7

Sorry to say but it sounds like it might very well be. Odd the way it happened though, but rotaries usually blow during deceleration, such as changing gears or shutting the engine down. Usually when it occurs at shutdown, the apex seal manages to jam itself in position and stop all movement since there wasnt much momentum at shutdown, and the starter cant force it out of the way. This is called carbon lock, but its just another form of blown engine.

Signature of a blown engine...Stutters on cranking over, and starts like a lawnmower. Excessive backfiring when letting off the gas pedal, and unwillingness to rev out, just as you describe. Theyre also very hard to drive...you usually have to hold hte gas wide open adn just operate the clutch when necessary

Do a compression test, adn let me know if I can help you with an engine if need be.

WilTaylor

That guy knows his ****. I wonder what was happening to me last winter? Syptoms you mentioned, but it would cure itself after I ran it for a while. Runs fine now, but I have a low idle, about 500, and bog a little past 6k sometimes.

Anderson

all this sounds too familiar, and yet, you only heard half of the driving details, and you got the rest of them in.

Except for that last one. The car will manage to go on its own, Very slowly, but it goes. Still, the details of experince that you seem to be sharing, are not joyfull to my eyes

jspecracer7

Change your sparkplugs...if that doesn't work...well good luck...

kabooski

Yea do a compression check

if not street port time
or TII swap

Anderson

Yeah I was gona go with street port. But I'll need money first.

BTW, do you know how much Kilo charges for the rebuild and port??

Anderson

ONe more things till I get final results:

Is it safe for me to drive with one good rotor??

Thsi is my only way to get arround, so I was wonderign how much damgae could I be doign by driving it.

VetteKiller

chances are the rotor and housing are toast. If you HAVE to drive it just drive it, chances are you can't really hurt it anymore.

hypntyz7

Drive that bad boy around, you wont do any more damage. Ive probably logged 150 miles driving blown engine rotaries.

That bad rotor/housing already has such damagethat every apex seal adn corner on it are pushed in about 1/8", so theres no chance its even touching anything at this point, its jus sitting there spinning in the wind doing nothing.

Anderson

Well I checked all the coils, and they all had spark.
So I took off the T2 spark plug to see if its the rear rotor wthat went on
me.

After takign it off I tried to start it, but it didnt. instead I heard the
hissing of the compressed air escaping, along with some gas.

So I put it back in, and took off the T1 spark plug, and the engine started,
only this time I could tell there was little or no compresion because it
didnt make the hissing noise like the rear rotor did.

I dotn think I'm gona save up to rebuild/port it.

The reason is because I dotn think the tranny is strong, and I honestly
expected it to go before the engine. I wont have extra money to fix or
replace the trany if it goes on me after I fix the engine. Remember I'm
paying for colege myself, so thats what limits me along with $450 in bills
monthly.

I think I might go aply for a loan, and see if I could get another car, or
put $1000 down for one at a dealer. Not sure yet if it will be another rx-7
or not.

Some other choices I have are: 94 or 95 Z28, 5.0 Mustang (doubt this one),
a 240 SX, or somethign cheaper to get me by.

rotarygod

iTrader: (1)

You said you heard no hissing from the front rotor when the plug was out? I hope you had the fuel pump disconnected! If there was a bad seal you would hear one strong hiss and 2 very quiet ones since a seal is shared between 2 chambers. Before you completely abandon the car I would take the header off and look inside the motor at the apex seals as you slowly turn the motor over (by hand). You can ususally see a problem if there is one. You might not though. You could also try pouring some atf into the spark plug holes and toe the car down the street in gear. I've had a dead motor start on me this way. It didn't sound/run good and it makes an impressive amount of smoke. I've also seen motors that I thought were dead come back to life this way. Your engine may very well be toast but I'd just try these anyways. If you are going to get rid of the car you have nothing to lose. If you are going to put $1000 down on another car why don't you just get yours fixed instead. You can get an engine for less than $1000. I got my J-spec T-II engine complete with turbo, injectors, and manifold for $650. I know where I can still get them for $850. I have a T-II tranny if you want it. Its my spare. In fact my friend has 2 engine blocks collecting dust on his garage floor. I know his wife would love to get them out of there. Whatever you do good luck.

Fred

kabooski

well Kilo charges to much
your paying extra (High Fame shop)

you can fix your motor for $700 or less
you pulling motor and puting it in
with my Mech..won't be a full rebuild but enough to get it running and maybe sell it and Buy a TII

It doesnt matter if you Get a Z28 SS or a 4.6-5.0
I will still blow your doors off at the track

BillyBob

yeah it's blown
swap in a v8
chevy makes the better ones
go for an LT1
LT'S4LIFE!
put on webber carbs too!
or holley!

HALO

Sorry to here about your luck. BillyBob has an ideal. A friend of mine has a 2nd Gen with a 400 chevy small block. It is a fun little ride when it runs.

Anderson

Your always blowing things at the track from doors on other's cars to NA trany on your car


Billy bob I was strongly considering the V8 swap before my engine went bad, but since its my only car, I dotn ahve the time to do a swap right now.


I'm lookign inot gettign a 5.0 Mustang GT for 4,500 to 5,000

I dotn wat a beater car, so I dotn mind spending a few (borrowed) bucks

I'm still thinking if I should keep my car and do some kind of swap after I get anotehr car. I'll jsut see as time goes by.

Barwick

Sell it, buy a corvette, swap in a 4-rotor rotary

Look BillyBob... a V8 belongs in a Corvette, and a rotary belongs in an RX-7.

kabooski

Don't worry Anderson I don't have a NA tranny no more(or the GXL for that matter)

Theres more to my New car then you know
It has been under construction for a while

I'll Put this way you can put a 150 Shot of N.O on your 5.0 and I will make you look as bad as the Civic that beat you in the Vid Tim posted.....LoL

BillyBob

Some people seem to do "budget" V8 swaps at a lower cost then rebuilding a 13b, and they can actually have some torque, you know, what you were missing with your N/A....

This could be YOU!

jspecracer7

Right...and this could be you

al010101

hey i think i blew my motor too! welcome to the club! fortunatly i have a spare parts car, so i hope it's engine is good....if not, in goes the 302 from my ford! or that 500 cadillac engine hmmm... i have 3 rx-7's and they all run like $hit.... so i'm not to impressed with rotary engines at the moment...wheres the best place to buy a rebuild kit?

BillyBob

Why would I want to **** on you?

BillyBob

But didn't you just come from a female freinds house....