Blown motor + turbo?
 

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Yesterday a buddy of mine wanted to take a video before I put my car up for the winter. I've babied this thing pretty well, so I decided to let her rip up to 8.5k rpm. I did 3 pulls (2 to 7.5k and the last to 8.5) no boost spike on the first 2 pulls (got it on video) but I didn't get the last pull. After the last hard 3rd gear pull about 20 seconds later I pulled over to turn around and my car started idling funny. Usually idles around 1000rpm and 18,19 vacuum. Was sitting around 750rpm and vacuum was like 14. I scoped everything out and noticed the hose from the charge pipe to wastegate was split open near the wastegate, aka on that last pull I must have boost spiked. I had shut the car off so I couldn't get a reading from the PFC.

I now am seeing some smoke from the turbo (somebody must've had an apex seal for lunch) and the car is running like shit. After its warmed up though the idle is consistent 18 vacuum, nearly back to normal. The tone is a bit different, sounds like it is misfiring and if I take it up the road it doesn't run well at all, acts like hella misfire and some nice unburnt fuel/smoke bellows out the back.

I think this is the end of a 3 year relationship with me and my FD's. Apparently I'm just not man enough. I'll get it towed and check the compression, but I'm pretty sure I'm screwed. Only have had the car like 5-6 months and owe $12k on it.

I'm really sorry to hear that Brandon. I hope you can manage to hang on to that one even if it did blow an apex seal. Gotta keep the New England 3rd gen population up!
-Max

i hope thats not true because when i fire mine up in the mass cold mornings it looks like smoke around my turbo a bit not to mention i get white puffs too now. so i hope my motor and turbo didn't go my idle is 720 but i set that on the pfc to be like that my vaccum is also 14-16.

sorry if it seemed like i was robbing your thread just got me thinking thats all.

you're jumping the gun. you still have decent vacuum. get a compression test.

I don't really think I am jumping the gun, sadly enough. After blowing 3 (which isn't alot compared to some people) rotaries I know how they act. This was just very sudden, which sucks. This thing was running incredible.

Thanks for the consolation Max, btw how is the black beast running?

I have money for another rebuild but my girlfriend would rip off, well you get the idea. Going to definitely miss the community too, rotarhead's for the win!

You are probably okay with that vacuum. THe reason I noted mine was because of the sudden fluctuation in vacuum/idle after a quick pull. Also the streetport will idle a little differently.

Your old black beast is running well Brandon. I have to leave it at home while I am at school, so I've only put about 350 miles on it, but it seems to be running strong and is quite eager to jump over the 0 bar line. Did you replace the line to your wastegate yet? If not, it would seem to me that that could be the cause of your low vacuum. Just trying to be optimistic that it's not dead yet!

Nope, I have only let it idle to listen to it for a bit. I did plug the line with my finger just to see if there was any change in the idle. No luck. Thanks for being optomistic though.

Also, it "may" not be your turbo. Could just be the engine with alot of blow by.

sorry to hear man

but like others said, dont assume soo much..our cars are weird as hell so dont always assume a funny acting rx7 is a blown engine..we are too paranoid of that..

PS: if it is the engine, you're gonna sell the car??

These cars are funny, very true but I have had my 7 act "funky" ...and have it be something relatively minor. I wish I could get a sound clip, its close to horrific to hear the engine. It just has the sound that for some reason registers in your brain along with sounds like Jim Carrey from Dumb and Dumber in the "want to hear the most annoying sound in the world" scene, or a very pissed of mother at their son/daughter-- it just plain hurts. The thing can hardly move, when I moved it about 10 feet into a parking space I had to bring it to 3k just so it wouldn't stall.


Appreciate the replies though guys. You know what I'm going through.

OH and yes -- I am selling her. Not sure on an exact asking price until I figure the state of the turbo and maybe even compression numbers, but I will get some pics up soon. I'm going to be taking a beating(on the sale price compared to what I owe). I know that for sure.

around my turbo area it smokes too when i fire it up in the morning.

Yeah, I wouldn't really worry about that too much. There will be condensation in your engine (that will come out the tailpipe of course) and on your turbo on cold mornings, it will just burn off causing a little smoke. Mine had been sitting in the sun all day and I started it mid-afternoon when it was warm,it should have already evaporated (on the turbo). Plus it smelled like exhaust, heh.

i would have sold my FD after the 2nd engine..... o_0

He did... to me!

Umm, stick an LS1 into it?

Ah oh, here come the flames ...

OMG LS1 YOU ...YOU....YOU.....meh, I'd probably consider it.

why would we flame you? its a more reliable, and better designed engine..