I just got the tranny swap going and EVERYTHING was perfect with the car... I was being careless though and decided to do a hard run that popped a rear seal. My only guesses for cause are:

>Fuel Filter (Was about to be replaced next week)
>Old Fuel(2.5 months old)
>Midpipe

Compression test with a non-rotary specific tester got me:
Front peak: 120
Rear peak: 110

Front dynamic: 60, fast jumps
Rear dynamic: 30ish, slower jumps

The Midpipe would be my guess except I was running an ECU TUNED for the midpipe at the time, not the M2:Stage3 in my sig, I was testing with a differant ECU.

Anyways, not sure wher I am going from here but the motor must be replaced.

~Kris

 

Damn Kris, sorry to hear that. I hope you don't give up on it just yet. After all that hard work, I feel for you. Seems like you have the time to do this kind of stuff, I know you can get it back up and running as good as new. How much boost? Did it spike or something?

 

OUCH man...I was just gonna reply to your auto trans thread and see if you got the car running. I've been tempted to push mine but so far no more than occasional 7 psi spurts below 5K. I'll wait to install the Haltech before I fully open her up.

 

That is the thing, the ECU was tuned fro 14.7psi and it was never creeping or spiking, I saw 13-14 PSI the whole time... I never exceeded 7200rpm either...

either way, I'm gonna either remove the pipe and go back to my M2 or sell the ECU's and TRY to get a used PowerFC and base tune to 10-12psi. I'm also gonna port the wastegate while it is out just to be safe.

~Kris

 

Smart man. I think what Kris did it has happened to many of us on this board, including myself. After I went single I was only running a purble box PMS tuned for stock twins at 10 psi. I pushed my car a lil too much and at the top of third gear it poped That was a year ago and I learned the hard way.

 

Sorry to hear that...

Were you running the RX7.com ecu at the time? How many miles were on the motor?

 

afterburn, I was running the RX7.com ECU yes. The car has 68k on it but I'm not sure if the motor was replaced or not. I guess I'll find out with a tear down.

I blame the fuel filter most as I'm almost certian it is the stock filter -- I spoke with someone at RX7.com and they assured me a Midpipe was safe but suggested an upgraded fuel pump if mine was more than 100k old.


I'm gonna go out and try to get my mmind off of it for a bit... gotta go motor shopping later
~Kris

 

Yeah, the stock fuel filter at 68k could definitely be the culprit!

Good luck with the new motor... think streetport, power fc, goodies

 

Kris, give me a call man, I lost your number. You may not need an entire new motor, depending on how bad it is. Most likely a housing and perhaps a rotor. Call me up if you still have my #.

 

I had originally planned to leave it mostly stock and run a Power FC, until I managed to pop the engine by fixing a boost leak and running stock boost & 4 WOT runs...this was only 5 days after I got the car. I wanted to stay away from a hardcore standalone mainly to keep the car as close to stock as possible. But then after that, I figured all or nothing. My last car was somewhat reliable (only issue I had was continually pushing the boost higher and breaking an engine until I got it stable) so I'm applying the same formula to my FD.

Before this one I had a 400-hp half-bridge'd FC with Haltech & 60-1, and popping engines in that one wasn't so bad...I could yank the engine, rebuild it and drop it back in the car in three nights while working 8-5 during the day. But the FD was a little more painful to remove so I want to make sure the engine lasts as long as possible between rebuilds.

 

Like FD Rey said your engine is rebuildable. When mine popped, I was able to reuse everything except the bad rotor & housing, and rebuild the engine for a total cost of around $500. This was using a TII S5 rotor housing, S5 turbo rotors, apex seals and the necessary gaskets. The engine has over 2K on it at this point and runs excellent.

 

welcome to my club

 

fuel filter probably. every engine builder I've talked to says they've rebuilt countless engines due to bad fuel filters. most cars with 100,000+ miles stil have originals since it's hidden all the way back in the dif so you don't think about it.

 

Yea, I was schedualing a visit to the dealer to replace mine this week too I'm almost certain it was the filter too.

Anyone ever heard of rx7world.com? They have rebuilds for $1500 -- but I'm wondering if they are just crap and thats why they are cheap.

Thanks,
~Kris

 

any body whants to buy an apex power fc and controller let me know www.sfranco@kdhcd.org

 

Have you try japanmotorimport.com they sell jdm engines for 3rd gen for only $1600 thats engine and trany plus he gives 30 day warranty

 

try japanmotorimport.com

 

Call Don over at Marvel Speed. Very good builder and willing to work with you on price. 972-475-6448.

 

I can build you an engine with a warranty and possibly other options, prices starting at $1500. let me know if I can help you.

 

I think you need to be SURE what caused your engine to pop, NOT just guess. I am in the same predicament, I THINK I know why, but....without being 100% sure, we risk having the new engine blow too.

 

Kris you got pm regarding rebuilds.

 

should port your wastegate if you run mid pipe, only way i know of to eliminate boost creep

 

Was it cold out when you were pushin it? Cuz I'd suspect the MP, and who knows, maybe in conjuction w/ a crappy fuel filter. MPs are notorious for allowing spike and creep, not to mention running stock pump and injectors, they're already stressed as it is at 14 psi. Sorry about the engine

 

I think this had a lot to do with it especially with higher boost levels. Fuel stabilizer doesn't cost much at all, might want to think about investing in some next time your car is down for a while.

Sorry to hear that you blew your engine after all that work as I've been tracking your progress with your auto to manual swap.

 

Yea? What happens to fuel after a while? And what exactly is "a while?" Two weeks? A month? 6 months?