Hiya - thanks for you guy's suggestions/advice on my 87 n/a which needed a new motor. I have a new set of problems that hopefully you guys can help me with.

Basically my brother happened to be at a pick a part and came across this second gen n/a. Upon inspecting the motor he saw that it was pratically brand new (I ran my fingers across the top of the block and it picked up no dust or anything else). So he basically convinced me that this motor was worth bringing out, and dropping into my car. So a hundred dollars later for the motor and 150 for the labour (I paid my bro for his time ) I had a (supposedly) new motor. I wanted a rotary mechanic to drop it in, but everyone was booked for the next month and I need my car to work ASAP. However before taking it to a old mechanic we knew I had everyone I know inspect the motor, and eveyrone and their moms told me I had nothing to worry about (lies all of them LOL). So the motor gets dropped in and low-and-be-hold it starts on it's first try however there is a seal bad in the front of the engine (the machanic said it was the timing cover's seal). Other then the motor dripping oil from the broken seal it revved fine, and smoked like um........ well there was a point where there was so much smoke I didn't even know where the hell I was. So 250 later to take of the timing cover and replace the seal, it is still smoking. I know the mechanic knows very little about rotaries - but he replaced my side seals last time - and the car ran great for the next 50k miles.

I have no clue how important this is - but the last time I was at his shop (to determine whether to replace the seal or to get a new engine), I noticed oil drippings from my exhaust.

In regards to compression he tested it and came to 120 and 125, but that was with oil all over the place - so I'm not sure if that's a good measure of the engine's health.

Any advice, suggestions would be welcomed.

 

there is not a timing cover on a Rotary engine...I think you need a new mechanic if he thinks there is one.

And if your doing the side seals, generally you are rebuilding the whole motor.

IMO You are being ripped off, or don't understand what the mechanic is really doing.

 

yea, what he said..
sounds to me like your oil control ring seals are gone...
you have to take the entire engine apart.. get the rotors themselves out.. and put the new seals in...
there is not timing cover .. a front cover there is.. but that would not cause burning oil.. Just leaking oil...
Sorry man Just because an engine is clean outside doesn't mean it is inside...
Good luck with that man

 

Ohh man sorry to hear about your problem. Although i have gone thru the same thing when i first bought my 87. It was leaking oil (alot) and was smoking, it was even hard to start and would die on me alot.

Oil problem... it was the cracked oil cooler line. Check yours if its just your line..
Hard start..flooding!..
Smoking.. bad seal