Advice: Finish build, LS3 or sell :\
 

OK, so after trading in my GT500 and 2nd gen shorty manifold for GT35 rebuild and long pipe 3rd gen manifold, paying $1k and years later being told to my kit was sold to someone else, that was the last straw. Got sick of being fracked over.

Moving and wont have a garage. I cant store it without it running and registered. I even tried the military storage rack place. I can have it legally registered if I move a few hours in nowhere land.

RIght now i'm looking st selling. I sold the injectors and never bought the new ECU but still have Apexi. I have absolutey not turbo kit. Would have to buy HKS. WOnt get ripped off again from rip off turbo shop and don't trust any rotary shop in CA. I have anew in box HKS v-mount.

I also have the LS3 radiator kit. Was going to do a swap with a CA legal LS3 and maybe a supercharger. After renting a Stingray in Texas it literally makes me sick thinking I could have bought one in cash for less than what I spent on the RX7.

I have about a week to decide. I've had the car for 15 years and its never been running more than 15 months. I've only put 7-8k miles on it.

ouch. I get your pain and don't blame you one bit for wanting to get rid of it.

Gotta see your options:

1) Finish building it up: Cons: By going single you are prone to having gremlins and given that this car hasn't been very good to you, you may already be a your wit's end. Pros: you can have your car runing sooner than later.

2) Put an LS3: Cons: Definitely a longer down time, + more money than going single. Pros: Very prone to having gremlins from the conversion. However, once you sort them out you'll be golden. Given that you've ditched the rotary your patience will very likely be revived.

3) Get rid of it; Cons: No more sports car, obviously losing money to sell as a non runing car. Pros: No more dealing with this shit, and can use the money to buy an already sorted out car (whatever that may be, RX-7, Vette, ect...). No storage fees ;)


So the real questions that you have to ask yourself is: How bad do you want this car and do you care if it's a rotary? If you really love the FD3S platform but don't care if it's a rotary, then go LS3. If you don't care for it that much, then its time to kiss it good bye.

I remember when you bought your FD from (forgot his name). I have a new ported motor built by (forgot his name to). Stress is giving me memory loss. I was going to buy the HKS turbo kit to match the HKS v-mount (still in box). I sold the injectors to go larger. I have the complete water injection kit with the summer unit. I was going to sell the Apexi and buy (can't remember) newer ECU. I can move one county over and never have to smog the car but it needs to be already registered. I had also planned on moving to Texas.

Samberg doesn't do the swaps anymore but has a shop close to him that will do it. Hansen does do all the work but there's the cost of shipping and the backlog wait.

WTF? HKS T04Z is discontinued and leftovers are $7k? SO another $10k to finish it all HKS. Migraine! :/

I say sell it all and spend the money on an all inclusive vacation.

Why would you have to buy an HKS kit? Can you pick up a used turbo kit on the forum? While it may not be ideal at least it gets the car moving instead of taking on an LS swap.


I'm at a similar point in my build where it looks like I'm out $7k total from two different rotary specialists...

You could have saved yourself a lot of time and headache and just bought a manifold/kit from Eliott at Turblown/TurboSource. They're one of, if not the best manifolds on the market, several options between cast/welded and shorty/long runner, and always have something in stock.

LS is not only ruining the heart and soul of the car, but it's the easy way out. I'd rather see you sell it and let a rotary enthusiast complete and enjoy the car with the proper motor in it.

Well besides the cost of the complete turbo kit (manifold and turbo), the down pipe is worthless. I could probably sell the BOV and waste gate I guess. I lost my train of thought, I think I'm breaking out in hives reliving this.

I wanted the T04Z because I bought the V-Mount that's made to match up to it with the elbow and not the generic version. I also still have fabrication nightmares and its a bolt on kit I can install myself from a company I can trust. I have some turblown parts in boxes, so i'll check it out but ...

I also have the Samberg or Hinson (brain damage) radiator kit for the LS3 conversion but its about $9k for the LS3 E-Rod + $2 or $3k for the trans and clutch kit. Another $2k for the cradle kit. Another $2 of $3k for labor. I have the cash but i'm getting itchy thinking about spending it on the 7. If I move to Texas than it would make more sense to finish Rotary but in CA you can fail smog for not having a K&N sticker under your hood for your legal filter. I may also to to WA state but have no idea on the smog laws there. I'm not sure I would enjoy it any more than my Z Roadster.

I only have a few weeks to decide as i'm moving at the end of the month or sooner. Since houses rent for the same as apartments that may be a choice and then ill have a garage to put the car back on jack stands.

I was wondering what happened to you man. i'm not against a LS powered fd, I just dont understand why people do it to extremely low mileage R1's for example.

If I was in your situation I'd probably sell and move on to something else. But if I were set on keeping the FD i'd probably get an EFR turbo setup.

Good luck bro

what part of ca are you in

So ~$17K for a LS3 installed? Hmmm

Silver - I have a lifted 4x4 which I went muddin' in and towed my Repsol to the track while the RX7 stood on jacks in the garage. I also bought a 350Z Roadster so just lost interest in the RX7. Well, I bought the HKS v-mount, the water injection, etc aand was going to buy larger injectors, new rails and the HKS T04Z but the a-spec thing was killing me inside. straw that broke the camels back.

tbk - I'm in San Diego County (Southern CA).

Bizzarro - No as is without turbo and new rotary which cost me $9k, so would cost what now $11 or $12k? Widefoot sway bar kit, M2 toe and camber kits, Amemiya Shift kit, Volk wheels, Buddy Club coilovers, stainless clutch and brake lines. The more I remember the more the price goes up.

To be honest, I think that you should just finish the car. You've put too much money and work into it. That way even if you are tired of it, you'll get the most for your money.

You may be confusing me with someone else because I bought this FD in 98 from a wescott mazda down at the mile. And I didn't get on the forum until 2000, maybe late 1999.

Oh, I thought you bought Teddy's car back in the day. I may be moving out of state. Which state, not sure yet. If I was moving to Texas, i'd throw a big single in her but doesn't look like it. Since I can't work on it myself, I wouldn't know where to take it. Lucky 7 maybe. Maybe tow it to Turblown in AZ? I dunno.

^^ ah yeah no it was Meiogirl (Fisa) that bought TTT's old car. I have always been a fan of that car.

Unfotunately, if you aren't living in the vicinity of LA, finding a rotary shop can be a real challenge. I really hope you get your car sorted out, hopefully sooner than later.

Let me tell you that there are more people that had it worse than you, like my self. I feel your pain. Finished my car after losing about 6k-8k on a dishonest thief shop. I should had known? Not, I didnt.
I can tell you that I love my car even and it has been running fine.
Advise to you if you like the car, finish the dam thing.
Good look.

So the car has been registered as PNO since 2007. I never reconnected the trickle charger so can't see the dash but was told mileage shows approximately 120k. The is s dent under the passenger rocker from lifting the car.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...1754376939.jpg

D'oh! That last update was for the for sale section.

So I got quotes from Tri-Point and Lucky7 to finish the rotary. Tri-point would involve swapping the Apexi for the Adaprtrix (or whatever its called).

I was recommended a shop in norcal to do the LS3 swap and got quoted 2500 (labor only) if I have all the parts. The owner has a LS7 FD. To do the LS3 swap I have to sell the CPR engine and parts to pay for the E-Rod engine. Since I gave away my engine lift, its not something I can do easily.

Does anyone have a link to a water injected and ported FD running a T04Z (or other large turbo)? If so, can you please post the link. I may finish what I started, unless I get a good offer for the motor.

$2500 labor actually seems like a very reasonable quote for the swap. Good luck with whatever direction you go.

What do you want to know? That's a 66mm compressor wheel, if done correctly the car will reliably make 400+ rwhp at 15 psi and 500+ rwhp at 20 psi all day long on pump gas with windshield wiper fluid injected. Only issue I had was destroying third gear on my OEM trans due to a lot of high boost pulls :lol:

My old VR R1 did that for many years with the 500R turbo, not too far off from a T04Z. more reading here:

1993 Mazda RX-7 - Fantastic FD - Modified Magazine

Goodfella, you're still around! Thanks, bro. I thought all the old skool guys were gone. Lost touch with Inukai and the other Japan guys.

Well original intentions were like the (I can't remember his forum name). He had the same white touring as me but HKS V-Mount and HKS T04Z, a roll bar and he tracked it. So i'd have to decide HKS vs Turblown.

I have the SF6 (with summer unit) water injection kit. I never heard of windshield fluid. I thought it was a methanol / water mix. So if I did go large turbo the goal would be 20lbs and 500hp.

Hmm, not much reading there and pictures are gone. So the water injection kept it reliable or rather the temps in a reliable range tolerable for a sensitive rotary? Were you also using 2 stroke in the gas?

Narrowed down choices, but no decision yet. The way Tripoint explained it, Turblown is newer technology over T04Z and would be a better choice. They can install and tune Adaptronics. I think Lucky7 said they can tune Apexi but it wont control my SF6 water injection (if I install it).

Also, I'm still debating LS3 or LSA which most likely requires cutting a hole in the hood for the supercharger but it's intended for 1975 and older and LS3 is intended for (ODB-I) 1995 and older.