Can you rebuild a engine
 

So there have been some rx7s on ebay, craigslist, etc that dont have a working engine, so can you rebuild the engine for under 5k?

Welcome!
You can buy a brand new engine for under 5k. IRPerformance has em

If you need an engine, go with new. Used is a crap shoot and if the internals are bad, cost will be > than new

As stated, you can get a whole new short block for around $4500. But, that may only be part of what the car needs, it really depends on the car.

The engine itself can be rebuilt as well, but so many things depend on the eventual price - what's good and what's not inside of the engine.

Rotary Resurrection does some great budget rebuilds as well.

Dale

Okay, so you said you shoudnt buy a used engine, but i found a rx8 engine for $850, would that work as a engine swap?
https://jdmenginezone.com/products/m...smart_campaign

Many times no. The RX-8 engine isn't as capable, the mounts on the engine are totally different.....there's a whole lot of "that's not gonna work".

The FD engine is unique, you would need an FD engine.

Used engines are crapshoots, they do pop up for sale but you would need one from a reputable buyer that hopefully has a compression test.

Dale

short answer: no!

long answer: no, the 5 speed is the low power model, 192hp, would not be worth the effort.

k, so will a 20b or 26b engine work on 13b rx7?

Yeah, but you're looking at an easy $20k + to make a 20B work. That cost goes up SIGNIFICANTLY for a 4-rotor.

Yep. Doing a 3- or 4-rotor is HUGE custom fab work and expense. It's not even close to a bolt in.

Dale

So, if I have an engine, what is the average rebuild cost vs buying a new one? I'm at 88k and I'm hitting the rebuild threshold soon I'd think.

That'd depend largely on what's reusable on your current engine. When I looked at rebuilds I was going to use Pineapple Racing who lists a rebuild price of an REW engine as $4495 with a good core, prices would go up from there of course if they have to replace things. At that price I figured it was a no-brainer for me at least to grab a new one instead for roughly $2000 more (which would cover most of shipping), especially as I knew my particular engine failure would mean replacing some major items.

There's a TON of variability in rebuild costs. Are you and your friends doing it yourself? Are you just going to drop the car off at a shop for them to do everything? Taking a short block to a shop for rebuild?

Do you want an engine that will outlast the OEM engine with all new parts inside or are you going to re-use some internals (seals, hard parts). Stock or aftermarket apex seals? Ported or not?

If your car is still making good compression and running well, that should at least mean most of your hard parts can be re-used.

There's a lot of good rotary shops in SoCal, I'd ask around and maybe get some quotes from local shops.

Dale

by the time you buy 2 rotor housings, and all the seals and gaskets, its very nearly the same money as a new engine.

I have good compassion, but, living in San Diego, if I wait until I blow a seal, it's s few hundre dollard tow to L. A., the nearest rotary shop.
I am going to a shop, decided on DNA, and will likely get a vmount conversion with upgraded BNR twins at the same time.
i can do the turbos, but why, if they are pulling my engine anyways.

There is a shop called 5523 Motorsports in Escondido that can do the rebuild for you. They don't specialize in rx7's but they're very familiar with them. They also do top quality work. I towed my FD to them all the way from Virginia, started in sight of the ocean. I'm a picky sob though...