I say, if you have to ask a question like this about a car you want to buy........ don't buy it. If you jump into things expecting the worst, you'll end up getting frustrated when small, insignificant but easily fixable/cheap, problems arise. Seen it happen plenty of times.

 

acquired my n/a rx7 at 195k, drove the **** out of it till 239k when engine seized... tore the motor down and confirmed those were original miles, so many noticeable ridges etched into the side housings that I cannot reuse them, and copper is exposed on every bearing

I drove the thing hard, 5+ redline pulls daily, but also did many long distance trips, between florida, tennessee, kentucky, and mississippi... it seized only due to a large vacuum leak which i never found until i took it apart, so combustion temperatures were much higher and after a hard run I shut it off immediately without letting it cool for a second, then went to crank it 15 mins later and it spun over 1 time then slowed and dug into a rotor housing. vacuum leak was in lower intake manifold, i cracked it overtightening a corner bolt 2 months earlier

was left stranded only once when alternator died, though i was meticulous in maintenance... it was my hobby, and will be again one day

 

This is very true, we beat the **** outa our RX7's and they love us for it!

I do redline pulls often... prolly.. 4, 5 times a day minimum. My car loves it when i try to redline 4th and 5th. I have 200k miles on the stock motor. its a tired motor, but it still moves.


The only major problems ive ever had with my NA's are the tranny not being as strong as id like it to be (i drift a lot) and i let my old 86 sit for a couple months, and then it had some hardcore overheating problems.

also, when i got my 86 from the previouse owner, it had 84k miles on it. i asked him when the last service was, he told me it was a rotory, and it idnt need service, 84k miles and never had a belt replace, never an oil change... NOTHEN... he said he just drove it from sacramento to san fran and back, they dont need service....

the car is still running as far as i know with over 145k miles on it.

But, i havnt blown an NA motor yet, and i beat the **** outa them. once on the freeway I saw a few bikes pass me at like 125, so i shifted to 3th, but i had my music up very loud so i couldnt hear the motor (this is a mistake...) redlined 3rd, and then had to pay attention to what i thought was a cop up ahead, next thing i know im at 8800rpm in 3rd, and behind me is MASS amounts of smoke... i prolly scared the **** out of everybody behind me. it scared the hell outa me. i let off, and it still ran fine... and stopped smoking. After that i just dont worry...


I like NA's

 

That's ******* insane. Now I know the DMV tests to get a liscence are too lenient if fucktards like him can get a liscence.

 

What a stupid comment. I ask how reliable any engine is in any car, new or old.

My n/a has over 154,000 miles, I beat the crap out of it on a regular basis. Only sign of wear on the engine is if I redline it, then just let off the gas without pushing the clutch in, I'll see some oil smoke.

 

are you hitting on me?

 

now why would you say that???

 

no way with 84k miles it never had an oil change, I could see never changing the other fluids but no oil change no way. Sure topping it off would be introducing fresh oil regularly but that filter would be so clogged it wouldn't allow anything to pass.

 

Hmm... same with mine. Any idea what it is? My guess is oil control rings...but then wouldn't it smoke all the time?

 

It's the oil control rings. When revved up, the oil pressure builds, and I'm not giving it a chance to gradually lower, so all that high pressure oil gets forced passed.

That's just a guess, I don't know for sure. But if I rev it up, then decide to just coast, I'll always put the clutch in and tap the gas a few times as the revs drop, just to save some oil.

 

Probably a combination of raised oil pressure and engine vacuum on deceleration.

 

It took me awhile to learn that these engines were meant to be run. When I bought it I knew nothing of them. When I did my test drive around the block hitting maybe 4k and said I'd buy it the guy sorta looked at me crosseyed. Now I know why!! I take it to 8 or wherever it quits gaining power... 7500 sometimes... I don't know, depends on the gear. This is on my 85 GSL-SE. I only wish the sterring was more like my 88 GXL and the rearend wasn't so unstable... understeer? Is that what it does? I take my corner and the rear end wants to take it again ... just for a second... opps off the subject. sorry

 

i dont keep maintenence. infact, ive been known to use old or used oil filters. lol. i just keep refilling my shiot. i redline it every fucken day.its been good to me.

 

Exactly. I DD my NA FC (or did, doing brakes/suspension right now) so I'm used to keeping it under 3K and just think sometimes by accident, "Gawd my car is so slow..." then when I can catch a good straight I just let er rip, smile and say, "Ah there it is!"

Granted the NA FCs are vastly slower than the TIIs but hey they're still fun and handle just as well and you will still be on the same engine when you're TII and FD friends are going through their 4th rebuild.

 

I drive the **** out of my 172rwhp N/A. The motor doesn't give me problems, just all the old electrical ****. The drivetrain didn't like repeated launches with a 4 puck clutch either.

 

Thanks for all the replies; it's actually really given me more confidence in the vehicle. I;m probably going to get one.

I was thinking about swapping in a T2 drivetrain but just keeping the 13B (to have it stronger while still reliable), but I'd probably end up not wanting to spend the money. Haha

 

yea me too, thanks guys. I wonder what Icemark has to say about this topic

 

^ "search"

 

Yeah, mine has a S4 t2 tranny, it's kinda nice knowing that the tranny is never gonna be the weak link in my drivetrain. Of course now it's the diff, but i wanted to get a LSD anyway...

 

my NA has a 91 T2 drive train from the flywheel all the way back. MMR diff mounts DTSS eliminators from MMR and energy suspension bushings although I need to change out the front end bushings with the new ones. I even have vented rear rotors with T2 calipers!!

 

I second that. Only mechanical thing I've had break in 3 years in my transmission (on the way home from buying it ).