N/A fc worth it?And reliability as bad as they say?
 

I have heard people say N/A fc are one of the most reliable rotaries but I just want to know what it takes to keep one in good up and running condition. Thanks

Regular maintenance just like anything else. They take abuse better than neglect in my opinion.

If you plan to buy a rotary, you just have to assume that it will need a rebuild during your ownership and you either have to be willing to learn how to do it yourself or pay up. That being said, FC's are super easy to work on and there's nothing particularly special about maintenance. Regular oil changes, premix if you want, be gentle when it's warming up.

I have heard of 2nd gen n/a getting upwards of 250k miles but I think that is the exception not the rule. I think 140k to 200k is more realistic. I got around143k miles out of my last engine which I built myself. Those were not always easy miles. I agree with the above if you buy one just plan on a rebuild sooner than later. My original engine died at 123K. Just stay on top of maintenance. Keep your fluids changed, etc.

These cars are old. i usually get these things in boxes, and end up doing like a stock class race car, so i go over the whole car

the last few cars have gotten a cooling system (thermostat, all of the hoses, heater hose grommets etc), all the engine and trans mounts. they all need the shifter boots and while you're in there the bushings and stuff. i've cleaned and re-greased the window regulators. usually a brake master cylinder, and the clutch hydraulics. usually the fuel pump is ok, but it get a new sock, and filter. usually there is some engine harness repair needed, couple of broken connectors. usually the exhaust is some hacked up welded together thing, and needs something.

hardly have problems with the engine, or transmission. for the suspension it just gets an inspection and alignment.

and then the cleaning, these cars are DIRTY

^The cars are old. Expect wear on every part, expect wiring to have issues. Expect to replace almost everything.... bushings, wiring, suspension, exhaust, anything and everything.

I think my rebuilt t2 setup is more reliable than a 30 year old factory N/A motor & trans.

These cars are reliable.... after you replace every worn part.

A lot of money and a lot of hard work.

prices on used parts have skyrocketed in the past 2 years. Good luck.

I forget how old these cars are. The fewer the owners and the better those owners took care of them the better but that info may be hard to come by as old as these cars are. Mine was seven years old when I got it in 1996. It has been pretty solid. Even so I've run into the things mentioned that you'd run into on any car this age. All the things that wear out on any other 30+ year old car applies here as well.

As Dak and j9fd3s mention, even the youngest FC (those 1992 verts IIRC) is now 29 years old this year. Mine is now 36 years old since it was an '85 production car. Age is an important factor here.

In response to OPs initial question, the answer is that NA FCs are not by nature unreliable but poor maintenance will cause premature failure. Obviously it's hard to come by a perfectly serviced low mileage FC these days (let alone at a reasonable price) so unfortunately you're just going to have to accept the possibility of a rebuild if you want an FC. This doesn't mean the FC you buy will necessarily need one. You just have to be mentally and financially ready for that eventuality.

As to the factor that age plays, I actually feel it's far harder on the interiors and suspension than it is on the engines. Keep in mind OP that while replacing an engine is costly on its own, all of the rubber, vinyl, carpet, and plastic in the car has also been aging for just as long. Depending on storage it may have been in direct sunlight for many of those years, and the FC interiors are not known for their structural integrity (my instrument hood has the rigidity of graham crackers).

I would prioritize finding one with a good interior over a good engine if possible. Engines may be expensive but tracking down all the broken interior pieces (even good used) will nickel-and-dime you to death.

i should say, i slapped my blue car together with a bunch of crap i swept off the floor, and i haven't had any trouble with it. until recently, its forgotten how to idle, but i did say i was thinking of selling it right in front of it, so its probably mad at me

That's just a normal part of Rx7 ownership though.

I'm more worried when mine actually chooses to idle properly, since I'm just sitting around waiting for the other shoe to drop.

Warm her up before you drive and remember a redline a day keeps the carbon away :)