Any chance for an FD to pass smog with a blown apex seal?
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S2K
Joined: Jul 2003
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From: Irvine, CA
Any chance for an FD to pass smog with a blown apex seal?
If one of the rotors has a bad apex seal, is there any chance at all of passing smog? The car is all stock and has a cat as well.
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Thread Starter
S2K
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From: Irvine, CA
Yeah, I bought it knowing it had a blown engine or about to be blown. That's why I picked it up for 4k with only 70,000 miles. It drives OK and I put 300 miles on it so far and doesn't smoke. Other than a lumpy idle it seems to drive fine which is why I'm *thinking* about taking it to a smog station. If you drove the car and kept it over 1200 rpm you'd swear it has a good engine. I don't know, maybe I'll just wait for my Jspec to come in. Turbos boost fine, car pulls hard. Maybe just too much wishful thinking about hoping for it to pass.
If you have a blown apex seal, I wouldn't drive it. You could mess your engine up even more. You are also putting your turbos in danger. I bought my car with blown apex seals and I won't even attempt to turn it over.
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S2K
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From: Irvine, CA
Yeah, I had a compression check done and that's what my mechanic said. All sides were above 90 psi though.
Well I took it in for a pre-test and what do you know....it passed. Well kind of. The tester failed me because of lumpy idle. And no, I didn't have a "hookup". Haha, what kind of hookup fails you. Oh yeah, I forgot to warm up the car and drive it hard...didn't put denatured alcohol in the tank either.
Here's my results.
Well I took it in for a pre-test and what do you know....it passed. Well kind of. The tester failed me because of lumpy idle. And no, I didn't have a "hookup". Haha, what kind of hookup fails you. Oh yeah, I forgot to warm up the car and drive it hard...didn't put denatured alcohol in the tank either.
Here's my results.
Belligerent MoFo
Joined: Aug 2003
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From: So. Cal
Which mechanic? Be careful with driving the car hard... if you do have a bad apex seal you could ruin your turbos not to mention your motor. Maybe you can search for a way to verify a bad apex seal.
Thread Starter
S2K
Joined: Jul 2003
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From: Irvine, CA
Guitarjunkie checked it last Sunday.
I just wanted to get smog taken care of before an engine swap because DMV gave me only month with my temporary registration. The smog guy said "fix the idle and you will pass" I think all I need to do is raise the idle to get rid of the lumpiness because the emissions are within spec. I'm not using the engine or turbos anyways when it is time, I'll probably go with a reman or jspec for both. Haha, yes, my blown engine passed the emissions part of smog and I didn't even need to do any "tricks" . Tomorrow I'll take it in to get my smog certificate at another place once I raise the idle a few hundred rpms.
I just wanted to get smog taken care of before an engine swap because DMV gave me only month with my temporary registration. The smog guy said "fix the idle and you will pass" I think all I need to do is raise the idle to get rid of the lumpiness because the emissions are within spec. I'm not using the engine or turbos anyways when it is time, I'll probably go with a reman or jspec for both. Haha, yes, my blown engine passed the emissions part of smog and I didn't even need to do any "tricks" . Tomorrow I'll take it in to get my smog certificate at another place once I raise the idle a few hundred rpms.
Last edited by J_J; Nov 17, 2004 at 04:48 PM.
Thread Starter
S2K
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From: Irvine, CA
Well the best way to find out is by doing a compression check, right? Just checking the symptons isn't that conclusive so I had a compression test done. It was determined that the rear rotor had a bad apex seal. I didn't do it myself, I'm kind of a n00b when it comes to this stuff. So I had it checked out by a rotary mechanic that has done lots of work for people and it was determined that I had lost an apex seal.
Last edited by J_J; Nov 17, 2004 at 04:53 PM.
low compression is basically a blown engine in the sense that they both require a rebuild. He wont be able to drive it like that too long, if I were you I would have it rebuilt while the parts are reusable, may save you a buck or two.
Originally Posted by J_J
Yeah, I bought it knowing it had a blown engine or about to be blown. That's why I picked it up for 4k with only 70,000 miles. It drives OK and I put 300 miles on it so far and doesn't smoke. Other than a lumpy idle it seems to drive fine which is why I'm *thinking* about taking it to a smog station. If you drove the car and kept it over 1200 rpm you'd swear it has a good engine. I don't know, maybe I'll just wait for my Jspec to come in. Turbos boost fine, car pulls hard. Maybe just too much wishful thinking about hoping for it to pass.
It was for sale here on rx-7 in classified if my memory serves me correct. It's a hell of a deal, probably the best bargain rx-7 I have ever lived to see. It's a damn shame to see one for sale that low, but hey I congratulate the new owner.
Thread Starter
S2K
Joined: Jul 2003
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From: Irvine, CA
Originally Posted by RotorMotor
where, may i ask, did you get a car w/ 70K on it for $4k? even with a blown motor i cant see how someone would have sold it for that price. are there actually cars out there w/ blown motors going for that cheap? if so tell me where and ill buy another
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...&category=6763
Good deal, and it's a 94 right?Or white isn't it's stock color?I bought a 93 for $3k but it had a blown engine, a little kiss on the quarter panel, and it also had 73k miles but not running.
Originally Posted by 1revn3rdgen
Good deal, and it's a 94 right?Or white isn't it's stock color?I bought a 93 for $3k but it had a blown engine, a little kiss on the quarter panel, and it also had 73k miles but not running.