hey ive been looking at an rx7 adn i know it needs an engine rebuild.. where and how much would an engine rebuild kit cost.. im only 17 and am pretty poor. so sometihgn cheap and efficant would be really nice.. if it is even possible to find one under 1000

 

assuming your not gonna rebuild it yourself its gonna set u back $2200-2500

 

oh and that is also assuming it doesnt need other work like fixing a broken rotor. have it compression tested

 

actually i was thinking about doing it myself.. cuz im poor lol and i want to learn.. so how much do u think that would run me?

 

im not sure how much kits go for over ther 800-900 maybe? lol all i know is a rebuild not done by yourself would be the 2200 range like i said get it compression tested you dont wanna buy the kit pull it apart and find a broken rotor or warped housings.

 

If you are poor than buying an old car with unknown history is stupid.

 

ya ik but i really want a drift car.. adn stuff.. for the compression test would i need that done by a shop or could i do that by myself.. im not use to rotarys at all..

 

Well my advice since I am relatively new to the rotary would is to read EVERYTHING you possibly can in the archives and use the search to find out any answers to questions that might have been covered....also If you're looking into buying an FC don't make the same mistake I did and get it all checked it out if you can....I got lucky though and got a babied car

 

u could get it compression tested by someone else cost u maybe 30-40$ or u could buy a compression tester and do it yourself

 

ok.. the thing is that most of the car basically from the radiator to the engine *teh space in between all that stuff* is in the trunk of hte car so the engine would have to be turned over manually... is it worth buying a 88 gxl... for 1100... if i didnt like it could i sell it for more? or would it not even be worth buying?

 

You can do it yourself if your able to do basic mechanics. Just get an Atkins rebuild video and a Haynes manuel. Rebuild kit runs anywhere from 850-1000 depending on who you buy from. take your time, dont rush it or youll screw something up

 

ok thanks.. i didnt even know they made such a thing wiht that video. im going to probably find a manual on it.. i guess i have all winter to rebuild it.. hopefully it wont take that long tho

 

A rebuild is going to cost more than 1000, considering if you don't need to replace the housings/rotors/etc. Do you have tools? ie: engine stand/sockets/wrenches/etc?

IMO I think you should consider a decent running RX-7 as your first rotary. Then when you have it, learn. Working on a questionable car with very little knowledge will take up enormous amounts of time. And even then if you drift it, something might break since these cars are so old.

 

Yeah your right, i was thinking n/a prices. N/A full rebuild will be just under $1k, a turbo rebuild will be around $1200 after shipping. Like was said, thats if everything else is good. Then youll probably want to replace other things while its apart. So after all is said and done, if you do it yourself maybe $1500 bucks if you can reuse all of your old irons and housings

 

so with a little knowledge and a haynes manual and taking your time its fairly easy to rebuild a rotory ??

 

the whole rebuild kit(gaskets, washers, apex seals, corner seal springs, side seal springs, apex seal springs, oil control ring o rings, coolant o-ring, outer o-ring) will cost about 700 - 1000. the tools will cost u like another 1000. depending on if u will rebuild ur motor after ur motor blows, u'll want to get another engine block and use it as a doner will cost about 450.

ull also need **** load of mineral solvents and carb cleaners:
mineral solvents: about 10 dollars for 1 gallon.
carb cleaner: 20 - 50 bux for a small *** paint bucket size.
wire brushes, scotch bright pad, tooth brushes, chemical resistant gloves, a big bucket, razors: total will be about 50 - 70 bux.
wd40(lots of em to prevent rust after u wash the stuff): 5 - 10 bux
car cleaner in arisol cans: 5 - 10 bux
vaccum hoses(for replacing bad ones): 20 bux

the tools required(find the nearest HARBOR FREIGHT TOOLS store near u):
impact drill(optional) : electric one is about 50 bux
inch and ft pounds tourqe wrench: i forgot how much
set of impact sockets: 10 - 20 bux
tool set: im pretty sure u have a ratchet wid several sockets and vise grips and wrenches.
wrenches: ull need a size 26mm and a 24mm METRIC. buy a set for like 14 bux. ull also need to get a size 14 wrench and grind it thin to get out the injectors
a breaker bar: 10 - 20 bux(there is a certain size u gotta get but i forgot)
engine mount: 100 bux
engine crane: 100 bux
jack and jack stands: im pretty sure u have em but they are like 50 bux for a jack and like 10 - 20 bux for a set of 2 stands.
a magnet: 5 - 10 bux
a heavy duty monkey wrench: 20 - 25 bux
a heavy duty light: 10 - 20 bux
a magnetic dial indicator: 10 - 20 bux
a vernier gauge: 10 - 20 bux
micrometers: 10 - 20 bux
telescoping gauges: 10 - 20 bux
feeler gauges: 10 bux
THATS ALL I CAN THINK OF, IF I MISSED SOMETHING SOMEONE ADD IT PLZ.

other things that are recommended:
a rotary rebuild video(rotary aviation's rotary rebuild video wid bruce tarintine): 30 bux(its ******* boring)

but yeh, to rebuild ur motor it aint as simple as unbolting and taking out the motor, u need some tools that u never even heard of.

also, its not ez LOL..... rotary engines are smaller en all but there are a **** load of tough spots to unbolt like downpipes(a very bitch job), top tranny to engine bolt, ps braket(if u have power steering), ac(if u have ac and this was a bitch), radiator fan bolts.

also, remember to get masking tape and tape the hoses, electrical harnesses, etc. so u can remember where to connect the **** once u reassemble everything, this makes it alot easier cuz if u dont, ur gonna take pics and post threads asking us "what is this?" its not that its annoying to us or anything, but its juss that UR gonna be the one thats gonna be annoyed.

also, taking out the engine is ez, putting it back on is a bitch too. be sure to have sum homeys helping u when ur doing this project.

thats all the info imma give u, the boring rotary rebuild video should cover all the details. have fun peace.

-jimmy

 

im using a freinds garage if i were to rebuild it.. he has a lot of tools.. but idk if im goign to get it anymroe. it seems like it could end up being a lot more trouble than i origianly thought..

 

certainly no harder than a piston engine

 

Don't forget you'll need to do a full tune-up. All fluids and filters. You'll probably want to replace most or all of the rubber hoses. You may need new brakes and probably have the rotors turned. As well as the suspension and exhaust, if they're the originals. I mean, if the car's engine bay was dumped in the trunk, you can't expect any of it to be that good.

Then again, it'll be the same with any $1000 sports car of that year, for the most part. If you want to put time, sweat, blood and a second job into the car, you'll have a mean machine come summer. If you're going to give up, cut your losses before you commit.

Make sure the buyer knows that a good GXL is worth about 3-5k and a lump like what you seem to be buying is worth a lot less. You're looking at over 2-3k to make it what you seem to want.

 

You can rebuild an engine for $1000 if you do all the labor, already have the tools and don't have to replace any hard parts (ie. housings or rotors).

$400 for a set of aftermarket apex seals, $300 for a Mazda engine gasket set, $50 for misc. gaskets and seals and then the rest left over for cleaning supplies, lube and fluids.

This of course assumes that everything else in the engine bay (rad and heater hoses, etc.) is in good shape.

See this topic for a good overview of the rebuild process:
https://www.rx7club.com/forum/showthread.php?t=374810

 

I bought an 87 GXL in running condition and pretty decent looking, from some guy's backyard for $700.00 .... Like most people said you could do it yourself for like $1,000.00 and a Haynes manual. But it's alot of work I am sure. I would go with Rotary Resurrection or something near by.

 

1100 is WAY too much for an NA with a taken-apart motor, or non running in any form. You can get running NA's for that. Around here, you can get taken apart/non running NA's for $100-600 all day long.

Even if you dont replace all the internal seals during the rebuild, you won't get by cheaper than about 500 bucks on seals. IF your engine had blown apex seals you will need replacement parts driving that cost up. The average person doesnt have a lot of the tools and supplies necessary for the rebuild...cleaning stuff, measuring devices, etc. SO it is difficult for anyone to do even a budget rebuild for under a grand, even if you are doing all your own rebuild and installation labor.

Also keep in mind that if you dont know what you are doing, you might very well screw something up, internally or externally. About 15% of the business I get is people that took something apart and then realized they were out of their league. Another 15% is people that did so and ignored this realization, and put it back together only to confirm the suspicion when the car wouldnt run, or wouldnt run properly. Then they had to bring it to me and wind up paying the same or more to get it running right, as if they had just brought it to me in the very beginning and let me do it all right from the getgo.

There are plenty of people who have lots of prior experience with cars in general who could undertake this project and get through it okay on their own, or with minimal help from the forum/archives/friends. Based on what you've said, you don't sound like such a person, so I'd recommend that you pass on this car in favor of one that's already been gone through, or at least one that runs decent as-is.

For instance, I have a freshly rebuild, clean 91 NA for sale for a bit over 3 grand. You can get good running NA's for 2-3 grand all day long. IF you bought this rough car for 1100 you'd have to put at least 1000-1500 in it to make it right (think of clutches, water pump, hoses, belts, etc. etc.) but possibly a lot more, and the car probably wouldnt be in as good condition as one you could just buy outright for the same money.