I've been looking for a car, and I found a 7 last week, that'd I'd like to get, but I just don't have the cash right now, and I need to get a car soon. Today in the paper, I found an ad for an '89 with a blown motor. The rest of the car is supposedly in good shape. $700 or best offer. Do you think that's a good deal. If the rest of the car is in a good shape, I was thinking of offering $500 cash, and I tow it away.

I was wondering though what the costs would be for the rebuild? do the new parts all have to come from Mazda. I can get parts usually for 10% over cost, so if I can get them somewhere else other than Mazda, say NAPA, or some place like that, it would be a lot cheaper for me. The other car I was looking at was an '86. I'd much rather have an '89. The '86 only has a 25k motor in it though, but would need to go through a 5-speed swap for me to be happy with it. What would I be looking at for cost to rebuild if I did it myself?

 

if your mechanically inclined i would say go for the 89 (series 5 89-91 Rx7's series 4 86-88) the series 5 Na's have a few differences like higher compression rotors, lighter flywheel, VDI (varible intake runner length kinda like the acura integra GSR ) series 5's also have paint matched bodytrim and a different front air damn and circle tail lights....but thats my knowledge on NA's im more of a turbo2 person since i do own one....

 

also im sure you could get the parts through napa although ive never tried.... you may or maynot but you could give it a shot .... it can cost anywhere from 500-2000 for a rebuild depending if the rotor housings chewed an apex seal(s) and you need a new rotor and housing , but if the series five needs a rebuild cuz it overheats (bad coolant oring) or burns alot of oil (oil controll ring) then i would say go for it, you will not be dissapointed and while your in there for the rebuild you could also streetport the motor good for about 20-30hp for a mild port on a NA and also gives you a nice idle too

 

The costs on these cars mount up in a hurry. As above, '89 car that needs an engine, chances are the housings are gone @ $450 a pop. That's $900 plus anything else that's needed. Plus labor, unless you know rotaries, and can do it yourself. Used engines are hit and miss as they are 14 years old. Best keep your sites on spending some money. If transportation is what you need, and don't have much money, get a beater you can hear run and be able to drive. Plenty of cars in the $1000/1500 range that would be depenable from the get go. My '89 TII-I had the engine replaced, trans rebuilt, $3600 + $600 last August.

 

Are teh S4 housings the same as the S5? I know the rotors are different, but can I use the S4 housings if I needed them to rebuild the '89? I have access to a motor from an S4, still would want to rebuild it of course, soI could use the S5 parts, but could I get away with those housings?

 

Check the following:
https://www.rx7club.com/forum/showth...threadid=33443

 

I believe the ports on the S4 housings are smaller than the S5 housings. Plus the S5 housings have better coatings on them (both the rotor and the irons).
And as far as costs, I just picked up a motor that was carbon locked for $100, took it apart and everything was in spec, I bought the $869 B kit from Atkins, It was really easy.
It only took me about 8 hours to assemlbe the block (not including tear down and cleaning). It was a lot of fun. But I will be trusting my next motor to Pineapple racing.

 

i know alot of people think that their engine is bad and all it turns up being is that the engine is flooded out. for some reason i am thinking that this is only the S4s. but if thats all it is that would be a great deal. just a thought.

 

Hey where is this car at you saw in the paper? Take me over to look at it, maybe it isnt blown after all....

 

HAHAHAHA 450 a pop... are you buying new from mazda? you can get two REALLY good s5 6port housings for that much if you look around... and people sell s5 NA rotors for cheap too

 

wouldnt that be great if it was just flooded..

 

i mean im 16.... and i pay for all the stuff myself i work min wage.... you just need to know how to look around for stuff used and offer a good price... also if your buying in town..... cash talks alot better than plastic or checks.... you just need to know how to hussle people

 

make your own housings if you need them

 

I just got an estimate for a rebuild, with 24 month guarentee, for around $3,000. I posted a question similar to your's here on the board, and most agreed that the establishment doing the work were equal to the $3,000 estimate.

Go figure, for $3,000, or less if you do it yourself, you'll have a "new car".

Good luck.

 

total cost for my rebuild was around 700 bucks

 

how did it only cost you 700 bux?

 

yeah, what did you buy?

from what i can tell, i only need coolent seals, apex seals/springs and corner seals and the front cover oil thing

 

I don't know yet, I haven't called.


I've been wondering if it's that red one we looked at last year. If he's selling it with all the mods for that much, I need to be all over it.

Of course, that motor was blown with a 150 shot of N2O.

 

Some dude in michigan has a working one for sale cheap. Saw it on e-bay the other day... Presumably still there.

 

because I'm a member of Mazdaspeed motorsports . and thats including 200 bucks of shop fees (Military Base Auto Skills Center ) and I cheaped out and bought a N/A rebuild kit all the internals are the same, just differn't engine gaskets.