Possibly blown coolant seal?
04-07-13, 03:10 PM
#1
Possibly blown coolant seal?
Every time I start up my car, whether it be a cold start, or started at operating temp, it hesitates up to 3k rpms during the warmup process and hesitates when started up to the set idle. White smoke comes out from my exhaust for a few seconds then stops. I can smell the strong sweet scent of the coolant in the smoke. And also my overflow tank fills up.
This is the effect of my friend driving my car. The first day it was insured and put on the road after 3 years, he insisted to drive it, and after the inspection, he races it, shifts at high rpms at normal driving speeds and does that all day until night time. After that, my overheat warning light turns on, I add more coolant since it became low and drop him off at his house while gently driving my car. He somehow made my water pump malfunction, so thats when I took a lot of things apart and fixed them. Then yesterday, I was adjusting my tps and he starts redlining my car in the driveway for about 7 seconds until I could get him to stop. The same day, I drove us to get food and when I start it up again, thats when the white smoke started pouring out and hesitated to get up to idle speed. He doesnt know how to treat a rotary. Thats what you get for letting a Honda owner have access to your RX-7. I dont let him drive my car anymore except once every so often only to short distances, then I take over. (Not to mention hes broken the interior in multiple places by accident, some including the electronic mirror switch by leaning on it with his elbow and snapped the A pillar in half when helping me wire lights into my car).
This is the effect of my friend driving my car. The first day it was insured and put on the road after 3 years, he insisted to drive it, and after the inspection, he races it, shifts at high rpms at normal driving speeds and does that all day until night time. After that, my overheat warning light turns on, I add more coolant since it became low and drop him off at his house while gently driving my car. He somehow made my water pump malfunction, so thats when I took a lot of things apart and fixed them. Then yesterday, I was adjusting my tps and he starts redlining my car in the driveway for about 7 seconds until I could get him to stop. The same day, I drove us to get food and when I start it up again, thats when the white smoke started pouring out and hesitated to get up to idle speed. He doesnt know how to treat a rotary. Thats what you get for letting a Honda owner have access to your RX-7. I dont let him drive my car anymore except once every so often only to short distances, then I take over. (Not to mention hes broken the interior in multiple places by accident, some including the electronic mirror switch by leaning on it with his elbow and snapped the A pillar in half when helping me wire lights into my car).
04-09-13, 03:49 AM
#4
It takes several overheating and temp pegged for several minutes to do any damage.
It doesn't take just a single over heat to blow a motor. They're a lot more reliable than that.
If you want to check if a seal blew, remove the rad. cap when cold and run the engine. If it is bad break it'll shoot coolant on crank. See if coant over flows. If not , they're ok. If there is a break, coolant will get pushed out.
And you have idiot friends.No respect for other peoples property.
It doesn't take just a single over heat to blow a motor. They're a lot more reliable than that.
If you want to check if a seal blew, remove the rad. cap when cold and run the engine. If it is bad break it'll shoot coolant on crank. See if coant over flows. If not , they're ok. If there is a break, coolant will get pushed out.
And you have idiot friends.No respect for other peoples property.
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04-09-13, 11:21 AM
#9
Never let anyone drive your 25 year old, un-restored sports car, or in your case: your 25-year-old-un-restored-barely-held-together-one-bump-away-from-exploding-and-killing-everyone-involved sports car.
Do a champagne test on the thing: get a funnel, open your radiator (when cool, right?), place the funnel in the opening, put a little more coolant into it so there is some in the funnel, start the car. If you see a constant stream of bubbles (i.e. champagne-like) That's a good indication that the coolant seals are shot.
Good luck man, I hope you learn a lot on this car so the next one you get survives.
Be sure not to over-torque the radiator cap back on
04-09-13, 05:30 PM
#10
MECP Certified Installer
could also be a cracked front iron, pretty common when the engine is overheated.
I had three tiny cracks on my front iron that let exhaust gas in. I mean TINY, so tiny, that it would take 1-2 months before I had enough air in the system to set the warning gauge off. Champagne test in my case barely failed, meaning it'd get little bubbles here and there, but that was it. I chocked it up to being just air in the system.
During rebuild, seals where in place and undamaged, but the front iron had the tiny cracks in it.
I had three tiny cracks on my front iron that let exhaust gas in. I mean TINY, so tiny, that it would take 1-2 months before I had enough air in the system to set the warning gauge off. Champagne test in my case barely failed, meaning it'd get little bubbles here and there, but that was it. I chocked it up to being just air in the system.
During rebuild, seals where in place and undamaged, but the front iron had the tiny cracks in it.
04-09-13, 07:05 PM
#12
Ive tested to see if there were any bubbles but there was only 1-3 occasionally, not too often. No coolant shoots out at cold start up, I just have the coolant smell and hesitation until the coolant is burned off on startup. And also Ive had to add coolant quite a few times after it being full, so it has to be slipping into the the iron since my overflow tank is full already.
As for me driving my car and taking care of it, I know its limits but my friends dont. He used to drive it a bit, now he doesnt. Im guessing the time he was trying to do a donut in my car and failed was when it started to really heat up because he had it around 7k-7.4k rpms for roughly 10 seconds (I was looking at him like what the f**k are you doing?) and couldnt do it. Those damn fwd drivers cant do ****. If it turns out to get bad after my 1000 mile drive one way down south and back, Ill just do a rebuild and replace what needs replacing and clean everything nicely.
As for me driving my car and taking care of it, I know its limits but my friends dont. He used to drive it a bit, now he doesnt. Im guessing the time he was trying to do a donut in my car and failed was when it started to really heat up because he had it around 7k-7.4k rpms for roughly 10 seconds (I was looking at him like what the f**k are you doing?) and couldnt do it. Those damn fwd drivers cant do ****. If it turns out to get bad after my 1000 mile drive one way down south and back, Ill just do a rebuild and replace what needs replacing and clean everything nicely.
Last edited by Kenshin XI; 04-09-13 at 07:16 PM.
04-09-13, 07:31 PM
#13
And also Ive had to add coolant quite a few times after it being full, so it has to be slipping into the the iron since my overflow tank is full already.
... If it turns out to get bad after my 1000 mile drive one way down south and back, Ill just do a rebuild and replace what needs replacing and clean everything nicely.
... If it turns out to get bad after my 1000 mile drive one way down south and back, Ill just do a rebuild and replace what needs replacing and clean everything nicely.
What is your contingency plan when it dies on the shoulder in the middle of nowhere?
04-09-13, 07:34 PM
#14
Revving and holding it there isn't a very good idea for any car, especially a high mileage motor.
I use to rev my old s4 NA to 8000rpm in 1st , 2nd, and probably 3rd gear too, not 4th though, would've taken too long.
After 6 years and 25k miles on my rebuild the seals went or something had to of.
My car got towed for being 'abandoned' because the registration was expired, and when I got it back from the impound it was starting up and sputtering and smoking like a banshee. I thought the motor was blown running one rotor, and later figured out it was burning coolant on startup.
What was very odd is the fact that I didn't ever drive it and out of the blue it was all f'ed up, the impound had no key but I still question if they got it running somehow and revved the **** out of it. The car had a full exhaust, street port etc.
I use to rev my old s4 NA to 8000rpm in 1st , 2nd, and probably 3rd gear too, not 4th though, would've taken too long.
After 6 years and 25k miles on my rebuild the seals went or something had to of.
My car got towed for being 'abandoned' because the registration was expired, and when I got it back from the impound it was starting up and sputtering and smoking like a banshee. I thought the motor was blown running one rotor, and later figured out it was burning coolant on startup.
What was very odd is the fact that I didn't ever drive it and out of the blue it was all f'ed up, the impound had no key but I still question if they got it running somehow and revved the **** out of it. The car had a full exhaust, street port etc.
04-10-13, 08:20 AM
#15
Sounds like your "friend" blew up your car. Hopefully it's not but if it is maybe the silver lining is that you'll learn not let people mistreat your property.
Sounds like you don't know how to treat your car if your friends have any sense that doing those things are ok. It's your car you are responsible for seeing to it's care.
Sounds like you don't know how to treat your car if your friends have any sense that doing those things are ok. It's your car you are responsible for seeing to it's care.
04-11-13, 12:36 AM
#16
Well my current FC is all I have. This and my future RX-7s arent going to be driven by anyone besides me. I make my friends mostly pay to ride in my car (for gas). But as for the trip, its my only car to get there. After I come back Ill be able to save enough money for a rebuild. Ill also be buying a TII towards the end of this year with the money I save. I could drive that around while rebuilding my na, and definitely wont let anyone drive that.
I am really pissed that all these symptoms started right after my friend drove it the first day it was insured. He killed it. But those days of anyone else driving my car are over. He talks all the time about a new car he wants to get and how he would "destroy that car". I hope he doesnt end up getting an RX-7 that he'll end up blowing up.
I am really pissed that all these symptoms started right after my friend drove it the first day it was insured. He killed it. But those days of anyone else driving my car are over. He talks all the time about a new car he wants to get and how he would "destroy that car". I hope he doesnt end up getting an RX-7 that he'll end up blowing up.
04-13-13, 12:01 AM
#18
A few bottles of coolant for the trip, and a sure rebuild once Im back + half the money that I make my friend pay for the rebuild. I know its going to be very hard on the engine and Ill be concerned and cautious every bit of the way during the trip, but I do what Im determined to do.
04-13-13, 12:33 AM
#20
A few bottles of coolant for the trip, and a sure rebuild once Im back + half the money that I make my friend pay for the rebuild. I know its going to be very hard on the engine and Ill be concerned and cautious every bit of the way during the trip, but I do what Im determined to do.
I don't know how far you plan on driving but if its several hundred miles, you're going to need more than a few gallons. Have you seen how much coolant seeps out of a pin hole when it's pressurized??
Your determination is going to cost you a couple housings at the very least.
04-13-13, 07:25 AM
#21
I can't say enough that you SHOULD NOT drive that car long distance or for an extended period of time. Why are you intent on beating the **** out of that car, do you not respect your property? If you don't buy a damn Hyundai or Saturn. Wherever it is you need to go that is 1k miles away, take the bus if you have to.
If you don't have the time or money to have it rebuilt, or rebuild it yourself, then the only thing you should be doing with an engine that has a coolant seal leak is starting it up every so often to burn off the coolant pooled in your engine.
If you drive that thing long distance you are a fool who has no ability to correlate cause and effect. What happens when your car has had enough of your shenanigans at the 700 mile mark of your trip? How will you get it home? How will you get yourself home? If you don't respect your time or money at least respect your car by selling it to someone who will treat it properly.
If you don't have the time or money to have it rebuilt, or rebuild it yourself, then the only thing you should be doing with an engine that has a coolant seal leak is starting it up every so often to burn off the coolant pooled in your engine.
If you drive that thing long distance you are a fool who has no ability to correlate cause and effect. What happens when your car has had enough of your shenanigans at the 700 mile mark of your trip? How will you get it home? How will you get yourself home? If you don't respect your time or money at least respect your car by selling it to someone who will treat it properly.
04-13-13, 09:19 AM
#22
MECP Certified Installer
I can't say enough that you SHOULD NOT drive that car long distance or for an extended period of time. Why are you intent on beating the **** out of that car, do you not respect your property? If you don't buy a damn Hyundai or Saturn. Wherever it is you need to go that is 1k miles away, take the bus if you have to.
If you don't have the time or money to have it rebuilt, or rebuild it yourself, then the only thing you should be doing with an engine that has a coolant seal leak is starting it up every so often to burn off the coolant pooled in your engine.
If you drive that thing long distance you are a fool who has no ability to correlate cause and effect. What happens when your car has had enough of your shenanigans at the 700 mile mark of your trip? How will you get it home? How will you get yourself home? If you don't respect your time or money at least respect your car by selling it to someone who will treat it properly.
If you don't have the time or money to have it rebuilt, or rebuild it yourself, then the only thing you should be doing with an engine that has a coolant seal leak is starting it up every so often to burn off the coolant pooled in your engine.
If you drive that thing long distance you are a fool who has no ability to correlate cause and effect. What happens when your car has had enough of your shenanigans at the 700 mile mark of your trip? How will you get it home? How will you get yourself home? If you don't respect your time or money at least respect your car by selling it to someone who will treat it properly.
04-13-13, 01:01 PM
#23
If you drive that thing long distance you are a fool who has no ability to correlate cause and effect. What happens when your car has had enough of your shenanigans at the 700 mile mark of your trip? How will you get it home? How will you get yourself home? If you don't respect your time or money at least respect your car by selling it to someone who will treat it properly.
You shouldnt worry about how I treat things because I know the limits, I know how to take care of a rotary, and I dont beat on my car besides redline it once in a while to help remove any carbon buildup. But the circumstance right now is a tough situation that came up in the worst time. Youre going to see future videos and posts of the rebuild and how well its going to be treated. So youll just have to wait and see if youre so concerned.
04-13-13, 01:04 PM
#24
That is a very bad idea. You will end up with a total engine loss. When you over heat the engine like that on long trips , you will warp the housing. When the housing warps, you have a great chance of even more coolant loss and you will be stuck in the middle of nowhere (usually that happens when the car breaks down).
I don't know how far you plan on driving but if its several hundred miles, you're going to need more than a few gallons. Have you seen how much coolant seeps out of a pin hole when it's pressurized??
Your determination is going to cost you a couple housings at the very least.
I don't know how far you plan on driving but if its several hundred miles, you're going to need more than a few gallons. Have you seen how much coolant seeps out of a pin hole when it's pressurized??
Your determination is going to cost you a couple housings at the very least.
04-13-13, 09:43 PM
#25
You've gotten plenty of advice from multiple people telling you not to drive the car and you seem deadset on it. Good luck with that. I don't wish hardship on anyone, but you are pointing yourself dead on with it. I predict that at some point you are going to have one of those threads that goes something like this:
"OMG!! OMG!! I don't know what to do, I was just driving my car and all the sudden ________ (insert symptom of critical engine failure) happened. I don't have money to fix it and I need a car to get to ________(insert responsibility)."
Then a week or so later there will be another post:
"I'm so sad, I don't know what to do. I've been listening to _________(insert emo band here) all day because I had to sell my RX-7 for $300 cause I blew the engine. I couldn't afford to fix it and I needed a car. I already miss being out of the "rotary scene", but I'm going to save my money...maybe get ______ (insert job or second job) so that I can put away enough money to get another rotary."
Don't be this person. Get your car fixed before putting 2k miles on it.
"OMG!! OMG!! I don't know what to do, I was just driving my car and all the sudden ________ (insert symptom of critical engine failure) happened. I don't have money to fix it and I need a car to get to ________(insert responsibility)."
Then a week or so later there will be another post:
"I'm so sad, I don't know what to do. I've been listening to _________(insert emo band here) all day because I had to sell my RX-7 for $300 cause I blew the engine. I couldn't afford to fix it and I needed a car. I already miss being out of the "rotary scene", but I'm going to save my money...maybe get ______ (insert job or second job) so that I can put away enough money to get another rotary."
Don't be this person. Get your car fixed before putting 2k miles on it.