Hi, I'm Jory.
I've been contemplating getting into a rotary for awhile, and a friend of mine (spacemanmort on here) has been slowly trying to convert me.

A friend had a '88 SE sitting in the driveway that blew a heater hose, overheated, and was then given to him. He hasn't done a thing with it in the 3 years he's owned it, so when I asked if he was interested in getting rid of it, he handed me the keys and title

It's obviously not a very desirable model (S4, 4 lug, na), but I can't complain for the price.
The body is actually really clean as far as dents and rust go, and the interior is pretty clean as well.
I'm guessing that the o-rings blew when it overheated. I'm planning to pour some atf in the spark plug holes, spin it over, and check for compression. I'll probably be looking for an S4 engine in the near future.

Here's a few pics of the car:






Just wanted to introduce myself to the community.

 

If it overheated, most likely your looking at a rebuild. Especially since most motors that overheat tend to warp or at the very least blow a water jacket seal (like big o-rings inside the motor). Antone correct me if I am wrong. Also since you have it apart you will want to replace the o-rings for the air bleed sockets for injectors and get the injectors cleaned and balanced to ensure that there is no flooding issues.

 

I'm hoping it's just the water jacket seal(s), but I guess I'll just have to find out. Thanks for the info

 

go ahead a pop that motor open but be prepared to install a used shortblock. If it has been sitting for three years with a water jacket break you will probably find rust inside the engine.

 

Actually, I think that's a very desirable model.
No spoiler, manual belts, body looks nice and straight (does it have a sunroof...even better if not).
It's easy to convert to 5-lug/4 piston brakes (not that you really need to) and the NA makes for a very reliable daily driver.
If the paint buffs out OK, you got yourself a very good deal.

 

Good point, haden't even though of that.
If the motor was worth rebuilding, would a port job be a reasonable option for a little more power?
I don't plan to build this car because of the 4 lug suspension, but I wouldn't mind giving it a little more power while I was in there.

 

Hmm, it's interesting to get another opinion. I've been told it's not worth messing with the 4 lug cars, but I love the simplicity of base models. It does have a sunroof though :/
If I build an RX7, I will probably eventually wanna go turbo, but I wouldn't mind an NA with a mild port job

 

I love SE's...I don't understand the issues with 4-lug models. Brakes are a little smaller but how much brakes do you need to stop a 2900lb car in an impressive distance? LSD is the only other thing I can think of but that's a $250 solution....and only a few of the 5-lug cars got that.

I also don't get how people think just because the car overheated means it blew a seal. Overheating does not automatically lead to blown seals any more than it does blown headgaskets. It's like saying a flat tire automatically means your wheel is ruined.

Fire that bad girl up and see how she runs!

 

it is not as bad as i expected.
we will see what she will do on Sunday.
before you know it you will be selling all those vw's to get more rotapowa

 

congrats, start it up and see how she does.Might be in better shape than you think.
Also I am jealous of your lack of sunroof and manual windows.
Do a 5 lug and track it, also, the 4 lug suspension is the same as 5 lug other than the brakes, at least major components are, nothing you cant interchange.

 

Dave and I finally got around to doing a little wrenching on this car yesterday.
To make a long story short, we were eventually able to fire it up and drive it on one rotor

It was pressurizing the coolant system like crazy and there was rust/antifreeze on the spark plugs, so my engine is pretty much toast. However, I'm really pleased with the overall condition of the car otherwise, and I've decided to save it.

I'm looking into S5 N/A options for a replacement block. I'll continue to update as I make decisions/progress.

If anyone has input on good powertrain options, please feel free to share!

 

why not stick with tehoriginal S4 13B? not that anemic on power when compared to the S5 and it will be an eaiser install and repair in the future. plus if you are restoring the car the S4 engine will be the best engine to use as it is the correct egine for the car. any interior or engine bay pics?