Can you decipher this???
 

Can you decipher this??? I just bought this car from an older lady by me. It is a '94 R-2 with a 100k miles. It runs perfect except it smokes for the first 5 minutes of drving. It smells like oil. If I drive the car within a couple of hours, it does not smoke. But if it sits longer (3 hours or more) then it smokes for 5 min. again. So I had a guy do a compression test and this (see picture) was the result. Can you decipher if I have a bad engine?

I think it is the turbos. Possibly dumping oil on prolonged sitting. Anyone agree? Maybe oil seals? What about Lucas oil treatment, will it stop the smoking???

Thanks, Rob:)

An older lady with an rx-7? Thats a new one.

Anyway, it sounds like it could be an oil leak onto/into/around the turbos, but there is really only one way to know, and thats to start looking for the leak.

I know my secondary turbo was spitting oil out of it when it's seals were gone, so it could be something along those lines. Mine never smoked though. Maybe one of the oil lines going to the turbos is leaking, and after the car sits for a while there is enough oil on the turbos to smoke?

Smoke comes out of the exhaust. Not off turbo.
Thanks, Robert

Well it's burning oil and one of the probable cause is the turbos are leaking oil into the exahust system and burning. When your oil viscosity becomes thicker when the turbo is warmer, it leaks less. Metal seats better when warm also. What weight of oil are u using? Synthetic or not?

Yes, if the turbos are leaking oil, they can burn out through the exhaust causing quite a bit of smoke. However, usually when turbos are leaking oil, they don't stop after the car has warmed up. Usually the smoke continues.

The only time I've seen something like what you are describing is when my coolant seals were gone. Once the car sat, coolant leaked into the combustion chamber. Once all of it was burned out (usually 5-10 minutes) the smoke was gone.

Your picture didn't make it to the forum. Can you just type the results of the compression test?

This sounds more like a bad oil control ring in the motor. Will it start smoking if you let the car idle for a long period of time?

What is your oil consumption rate (ie. how many miles do before having to add a quart of oil)?

If you bought the car very recently, your state may have a lemon type law for used cars that could help you.

Jack

Jack

If you're close to Virginia Beach, there's a guy on the forum (Chris, believe its Mrrx7tt or similar screen name) that rebuilds engines and he could probably take a look at it for you.

Jack

Mine was owned by an older woman (originally) :p:

I don't know what viscosity oil but she had service records from the dealer in Northern Va. If I changed the oil to a thicker one would that help?
I do live in Va. Beach and I would like to contact this person Chris. Any additional info would be appreciated.

Now I don't know why the picture is not loading up. It is like a graph that looks like it averages 105 all the way across on both graphs .
Hope this helps, Rob.

pic
 

pic

Do you have a pic from the other rotor, that is only from one. That one looks so-so but acceptable.

Yes it is the same or slightly more. It looks almost the same.
Rob

What oil is best?

oil doesn't become thicker when heated... it becomes thinner, so it should leak more when warm.

Which makes sense but how do you explain the white smoke for the first 5 min of driving???
thanks, Rob

You are correct in saying that. What I was trying to get across is a thicker viscosity(with standing breakdown) will be a thicker oil at certian temps(high). At normal operating temp of a rotary a 20w-50 oil will be thicker than a 10w-30 oil. If a piston car is buring oil through piston rings a well known partial solution to keep from burning as much oil is to use a thicker weight. I was using this process with the turbo seals. Sorry I was vauge before. Am I correct in this?

Uh-oh.. white smoke = coolant seals = trouble. Or HUGE amounts of fuel. How is the coolant level? Does it remain constant, or do you need to fill it AT THE FILLER NECK once the engine has cooled off?

Uh-oh is a definite possibility. I hope you got it for a great deal - because if the engine needs a rebuild you'll be using that extra cash quick. You definitely will need to take diagnose this before you consider any mods. I hope for your sake you aren't in for a harsh intro to the RX-7.

Search this forum for 'seal' and 'rebuild', and 'symptom'. One of the common ones is coolant burning in the exhaust (white, maple syrupy-smelling smoke) and oil/exhaust gas in the coolant system (champagne bubbles / odor in coolant neck.

Dave

Practically any good oil works well. I personally have been using Havoline or Castrol, deeper pocketed drivers will use Amsoil, Royal Purple, or Mobil 1 synthetics.

You should look for the sticky thread at the top of this forum. Read it the whole way through, and read through all the information in the links.

Dave

The compresion is reasonable for an 104k mile engine - all the peaks are even which indicates no broken apex or corner seals - oil smoking on cold startup and/or prolonged idle is a symptom of worn oil control rings - the oil drains down past the rings and pools in the bottom of the motor as it sits, then it gets pushed into the exaust and burns off as the motor warms up. (just like a radial aircraft engine), this is not unusual - just live with it untill the compresson gets bad or an coolant seal blows (your due soon) and check your oul often - oil consumption can get to 1qt/400mi before noticable smoking occurs I know b/k thats where mine is now.

rx7r3,

Check your PM.

I could be wrong but it didn't smoke today??? Strange???

Hey. I had a simular problem. My Rex would smoke a little on start up and at high RPM. This problem just got worse over a few months. So I decided time for its first rebuild. (78K) Come to find the outter oil control rings o-ring on the rear rotor was deteriorated and broken. It was held in place by the ring but not functional.

So for some insight. If it does not smoke at full boost at low RPMs but it does at High RPMs and a little at start up then I would say its the oil control o-rings


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Could this happen if the car sat up for a few months and then clear up?

What about Lucas additive???