Well, I thought this was the best place to come since you all are the experts in RX7's. I drive a 1995 M3 right now, and I will be selling it in 4-6 years for either the latest gen. RX7 TT or MKIV Supra TT. Now, the thing I LUST about the RX7 is the fact that it's a 2 seater. But the problem is reliability. I have spoken to a few RX7 owners, and they told me if the car is going to be a daily driver, then go for the Supra TT and save yourself the troubles and headaches because of the RX7's reliability. Now, I was thinking about this a week ago, and I posted about it on the forum I always visit, www.dtmpower.net , and I got a pretty good response from them. Now, what do you guys think of this idea: Purchasing a 93-95 RX7 (preferabbly R1), and then doing a 2JZ-GTE engine swap into it, and then either going with BPU, or this kit, http://www.suprastore.com/575rkit.html . What do you all think about this idea?? Since this would probably be a daily driver in the summer (not going to be taking my car to college with me, so it will be sitting in the driveway), I don't want to deal with the maintenance issues of the RX7. How much do you think the engine swap would cost?? ANY info. is MUCH appreciated. Thanks

 

My car is a daily driver and has been for the last 25K miles. ITs my only car. Rx7's are reliable, you just have to take care of them and they need a little more TLC, but mine has never let me stranded or failed to start. Just don't over heat it.

Most of us (I said MOST) hold the rotary engine to the heart of the RX-7. To take the 1 thing that seperates the 7 from every other production car in the world and replace with another engine is SICKENING to alot of us. Yes its your car and your money, but you are not going to get alot of support on this forum.

If you put a supra engine in it, you will have a good looking supra, not an RX-7.

Drive a 3rd gen RX7 and learn to appreciate it. Get one with a new engine and take care of it and it will never let you down.

I don't have the thread handy but some RX-7 owner said something like this below...

"mistreat the rx7 and it will do terrible things to you....Love the rx7 and it will love you back in ways only an rx7 owner can ever understand."

It may sound corny but its true.

 

I was planning on keeping the rotary anyways, because I have heard that problems arise out of doing this engine swap, and also that it costs an *** LOAD of money to do, WAY more than I am willing to spend. But thanks for your input. I am going to test drive both in the summer and decide which one I like more. I need to start learning about rotary engines. I have no clue how they work. I drive a 1995 M3, so I am a newbie with RX7's. I joined supraforums.com a couple weeks ago and learned a few things from there already. Hoping the same will happen here

 

If you are thinking of spending some extra$$$ on the car after you buy it there are a lot of things that you can do to an RX-7 to make it more reliable short of replacing the rotary with a piston engine. The extent of these mods depends on the $$$ that you are willing to spend. I don't think that the rotary is the problem, it's stuff like the complex sequential turbos, plastic ast, and tiny rad that you'd typically have a problem with. Another thing problem is that when ever anyone typically thinks of an engine they think pistons, con rods, and cam shafts. The rotary is a whole different beast and you need to learn as much as possible about them in order to know how to treat em right.

 

I'd just like to note the amount of $$$ you spend on the car will also reflect its reliablity.
For instance if you buy one for 14k, you will probably have to do 3-4k worth of compensation maintence to make it as reliable as it should be. Otherwise the ones that cost more are more reliable in most cases.

 

If I were to do a swap I'd do something that others are doing and working on so you have support from other people going thru the same thing. If you take the route of a engine swap go with a LT1 or LS1.

I personally wouldnt even consider it but hey, its your money and car. You can get a stock LS1 into your car turn key for about $15K. Thats prob about the cheapes reliable swap your going to do.

OR you could just buy a RX7, convert it over to non seq then add intake and exhaust with a Power FC and run low 12's all day long and be pretty reliable.

STEPHEN

 

I drove my 7 for 4 years as a daily driver with no abnormal problems. I put over 50K on it and it never broke down. I even raced it. It can be a bullet proof car if you know how to maintain it.

 

If you're going to spend that kind of money and want a two seater why not get a ZO6. They are damn fine cars, should be reliable, have two seats are a fairly faithfull copy of the RX7's shape, and have a large comunity and aftermarket.

 

stop planning 4-6 years in the future right now.

 

I have a 94 Touring w/ 94 thousand miles. Secondary turbo is leaking a tad, but it still runs strong over all. I drive it every day for about 20 minutes as my leisure time, come home, wash it, pop the hood check out everything make sure its okay, park it and go inside.

Everything is stock, not one thing has been added or fixed, my cd player is going but thats no biggie. I love the car and the car loves me, the more time you put into it the better it will be in the outcome, I love it becasuse I'm in highschool, have a part time job and somthing I love to do as a hobby when there is nothign to do on the weekends but smoke the doja or get drunk.

 

LOL. good call.

 

and to answer your original question Sean, yes it's been done

 

hmmm
i got a 93 rx-7 with about... 115k miles.. runs great.. no leaks.. i get PSI.. i run it.. and have fun.. i make sure it has plenty of oil.. fuilds.. and i make sure its nice n cool no problems.. yet.. only problems i had.. is.. blew the plastic elbow for the turbo... got a new silicon.. one.. fixed problem.. car runs GREEEAT :P
i wouldnt want it anyway else. car never failed to start on me.. muah to my rx-7 in the shopp....

WAIT.. b4 i get flames.. the car is in the shop cuz someone hit me i almost killed them.... minor dmg to rear fender.. above the wheel.. that metal part is what is dented a bit..

 

I would love to have a 2JZ-GTE powered FD3S. I know MANY (if not most) would love this too. There is no doubt about it the 2JZ is a superior engine in all areas other than the weight of it.

Someone said above all you would end up with is a good looking Supra. This is true, but you forgot to mention it would be a good looking Supra that weighs a couple hundred lbs less than normal. (Supra = 3400+, FD = 2800... plus the additional engine and tranny weight, so say 3200 lbs).

The price of this swap would be rediculous and require custom work. Talk to SP Engineering. They have done this custom swap. They are the only one I know of in the states, but there are probably a couple more. I know their engine is putting down 863 rwhp.

So basically, I would definitely keep the RX-7 and rotayr engine in it, due to the cost and work invovled. Then again, anyone feel like giving me an FD3S and an extra say $30,000?

 

Z06's are awesome, but I don't have $40k+ to spend on it. I was going to sell the M and get the RX7. I'll have to test drive the 7 and the Supra, and then decide which one I like more. Thanks guys for all your input