At this site http://www.aaroncake.net/RX-7/buy1.htm the author advises the following procedure to check the engine oil seals. FC3SPro recommends a similar test.

"Once the engine has warmed up, hold it at about 6K for 30 seconds then let off the throttle quickly. If you (or someone else) can see smoke coming from the exhaust, the oil seals are probably on their way out."

Is this test potentially harmful to the engine? What about brining a car to WOT on a test drive?

 

Once it's warmed up (5-10 mins of driving, or a few minutes after the temperature gauge shows normal - the oil takes longer to warm up), you really can't hurt a rotary engine by revving it up high UNLESS it's in *really* bad shape to begin with (as in carbon chunks being broken free by the high RPM and doing damage on the way out).

Also, WOT on a test drive is reasonable (at least in my book). If it stumbles or hesitates at WOT, you have a valid reason to drop what you're willing to pay for it (and it's usually not that expensive to fix... but the seller doesn't need to know that).

-=Russ=-

 

I would always do a WOT on a test drive. When I test drove my 7 I was pretty mean to it after warm up. I wanted to make sure the car was almost perfect.

 

I was on mine as well, I won't buy anything unless i can "see what it can do" first.

 

Yep