WARNING: I have just driven an FC (my project car) for the first time and I am stoked! this is an excited rant after coming from years of obcessive VW modding!

So I got a 90 GTU with 83k miles on it with a dead NA engine a year ago on April 8th and I picked up the car for $900. Body is perfect, interior perfect. So I decided to do a TII swap to make it all worth while after unsuccessfully rebuilding the NA (which is now parted and for sale, some parts left).

I got lucky, I ordered a JDM engine for $900 shipped from Canada that came with a tranmission. Engine came, zero compression on front rotor and 80 on back. I was pissed, and got them to refund me $400 toward a rebuild. I tore it down thinking it was toast for zero compression but got it apart and realized that it was just carboned up with stuck seals. I bought some new gaskets, water seals, and apex seals from RX7WORLD.com (big thanks to his $180 complete 2-piece apex seal kit with springs, I definitely recommend!) and measured all the seals in it to make sure they were all in spec, they were. Put it back together and carefully assembled the longblock getting rid of all emmissions and unessessary stuff except BAC valve.

Here's the kicker: The engine came with an HKS blow-ff valve, and had FD corner seals in it when I tore it down, first I thought that is was rebuilt already before and rather disappointed but it didn't appear to have hardly any miles (mostly due to turbo having ZERO play) and after a call to Atkins, we found out that it is a Infini engine from the later (1992?) FC that came factory with the FD corner seals. At this point I am excited!

Fast forward: First try it fires up on BOTH rotors and but won't idle for **** but thanks to help on RX7CLUB.com and TEAMFC3S.org I was able to figure out I am an idiot and forgot to install one of the injector O-rings. Fix that, and it purrs like perfect. I was nervous to start it since I am in Colorado Springs at 6500 feet so there is FAR less atmospere to create compression. TODAY: Home-made TID, NA drivetrain with stock clutch (race clutch on the way), K&N Ebay special, SSAutochrome Ebay exhaust (damn good exhaust,) removed AC, and an NA wiring harness that is REAL easy to adapt to turbo which I would be MORE than happy to help anybody out with because it works GREAT. Today I drove it for the first time and I have had a 1992 Talon Turbo, 1992 VW VR6 Corrado with chip, exhaust, intake, and a 1990 VW Corrado with a rebuilt charger and top end, 260 degree cam, chip, 68mm charger pulley, FPR, full exhaust, ran at 17psi and THIS RX7 WIPES THEM UP WITH EVERYTHING STOCK EXCEPT EXHAUST AT STOCK BOOST, 1/2 THROTTLE AND 2 MILES ON THE REBUILD! I am floored, in second at 3500rpm and boost guage showing 3-4psi (I know, too much for rebuild) it was loosing traction. I LOVE MY FC!!!

I would like to note once again that the NA wiring harness is REAL easy to adapt for turbo! Thanks for reading! I will post pics soon!
This is just a vent, I also

 

haha congrads man, i bearly finished my swap like 3 days ago and i couldnt belive how fast it was, i felt the same way you did, great feeling

 

you're gonna blow the motor if you don't keep your foot off the gas.

 

2 miles isn't much of a break in period...

 

It's not going to 'blow' it or anything, abusing a rebuild just generally means you'll end up with excess blow-by and and generally lower compression.

 

Ease up man. You want everything to break in nicely. You've waited this long, and its driveable now. Wait a little longer, and REALLY drive it!

 

Curious, how are you planning on passing emissions in Colorado Springs? If you got a trick to do that, let me know so I can rip the emissions crap out of my car.

I'd love to see your car, where do you live?

Andy

 

For the Coloradoan: give me a shout: 719-331-8317. I would love to see some other FCs in the area....emmissions...I have a "friend" for that.

Thanks for the warning but I did say 3-4psi...not exactly earth-shattering. But I do plan on logging at least 1500 loving miles before I beat on it anymore since I do want it to last. I will keep everyone updated...also NO LEAKS ANYWHERE!!