Did I F**K my car up ??????
 

Okay, I think I may have done something really bad to my car. Tell me what you think.

I was finishing up my vacuum hose install, putting everything back together. I only had the airbox left and went to put in the K&N filter I bought from Jason at the freakin RX7 STORE, and it was the wrong damn size....too small. So I say, well, I just want to see if it runs. So I put everything back together without the filter in...see where this is going?

So I go to start the car...cranks a couple then fires up. I was stoked, it sounded good, idling smooth, everything was fine. So I let it sit there idling for awhile when all the sudden I hear a LOUD banging metallic bashing sound. I was like WTF? It lasted for like 1 second then stopped. So I let it go for a little longer, and 15 seconds later it does it again. Sounded like it was inside the motor or turbos. Now I'm like fuck, so I turn it off.

I immediately thought something got sucked into the turbo. So I take everything off agian to inspect. Nothing, no visible damage to the compressor wheel, nothing in the intake pipe...WTF?

I havent fired it back up yet, Im kinda scared....What do you guys think??

chech to see if you left a screw driver by the belts... if not then you might be in trouble...

You might check the intercooler. If something went through the turbos it would get stuck at the intercooler before entering the engine. Oh and next time, shut it off after the first bad sound, not the second!

Okay, lets say something DID go through my turbos, how serious could it be? Am I going to have to replace the turbos? I checked the compressor wheel pretty thouroughly, and didnt see any superficial damage. I'm scared to go home man...

are you sure nothing dropped into your intake manifold when you had the upper intake manifold off?

Ditto - you did tape off the intake and turbo manifolds to make sure nothing fell in - RIGHT?. Whatever you do, do not turn the engine over again except by hand to see if you feel any resistance. Loud metallic banging sounds are not good, and you won't be the first one to drop a nut in your engine.:(