Didn't think I'd ever post this....she blew
09-19-05, 10:51 PM
#1
Didn't think I'd ever post this....she blew
I made it through about a half day of my driver education event before the engine let go. I don't know exactly what happend, but I do know that I only have one chamber in each rotor with compression.
I rebuilt my engine about 15k miles ago, not because I had to, but because it was down for the winter anyway and it could use a little refreshing. I used RA 2mm seals. I bought them about the time people were having trouble with them warping. I wonder if that's what happened? What are the symptoms of that?
I was just driving down the main straight, of course accelerating, but far from abusing it and all the sudden I couldn't make boost, the boost gauge was shaking violently and when I pushed in the clutch, it died. I let the clutch back out and it ran well enough to get to the paddock where it once again died when I pushed in the clutch. It hasn't run since.
I didn't hear a thing, no smoke, no gauges out of whack. The only thing is earlier in the lap, it had a slight hesitation. Like fuel starvation, but I had about 16-17 gallons in the tank and turning right, so that's unlikely. I checked the gauges and everything appeared fine and it reved fine, so I continued. Another 3/4 lap and it was done.
As I'm typing this I'm starting to wonder if it was the fuel filter. It was about 15k miles old and if under hard right turns, sediment in the tank may have made it's way to the pump and clogged the filter. I may have to cut it open an see if it's dirty. I've cut open old ones before and they have been clean as a whistle.
Oh well, such is life. It has been a fairly reliable car though. This is the first time in 4.5 years and 60k miles that it has left me stranded. Granted I'm always doing preventative maintenance stuff. My neighbors probably think it's a piece of crap since I'm always crawling around under it.
I'm either going to get a streetported rebuild or an LS1 swap.
Decisions, decisions.
BTW, If anyone reading this has a LS1/6 FD in the Georgia area, I would like to take a look at/ride in one before I make any decisions. Thanks
I rebuilt my engine about 15k miles ago, not because I had to, but because it was down for the winter anyway and it could use a little refreshing. I used RA 2mm seals. I bought them about the time people were having trouble with them warping. I wonder if that's what happened? What are the symptoms of that?
I was just driving down the main straight, of course accelerating, but far from abusing it and all the sudden I couldn't make boost, the boost gauge was shaking violently and when I pushed in the clutch, it died. I let the clutch back out and it ran well enough to get to the paddock where it once again died when I pushed in the clutch. It hasn't run since.
I didn't hear a thing, no smoke, no gauges out of whack. The only thing is earlier in the lap, it had a slight hesitation. Like fuel starvation, but I had about 16-17 gallons in the tank and turning right, so that's unlikely. I checked the gauges and everything appeared fine and it reved fine, so I continued. Another 3/4 lap and it was done.
As I'm typing this I'm starting to wonder if it was the fuel filter. It was about 15k miles old and if under hard right turns, sediment in the tank may have made it's way to the pump and clogged the filter. I may have to cut it open an see if it's dirty. I've cut open old ones before and they have been clean as a whistle.
Oh well, such is life. It has been a fairly reliable car though. This is the first time in 4.5 years and 60k miles that it has left me stranded. Granted I'm always doing preventative maintenance stuff. My neighbors probably think it's a piece of crap since I'm always crawling around under it.
I'm either going to get a streetported rebuild or an LS1 swap.
Decisions, decisions.BTW, If anyone reading this has a LS1/6 FD in the Georgia area, I would like to take a look at/ride in one before I make any decisions. Thanks
09-20-05, 12:09 AM
#4
You never thought your rotary would blow? Thats odd... I kinda expect it.
The symptoms of warped RA seals are losing compression accross the board and hot start issues.
Sorry to hear it blew though, I'd say most people on the forum know the feeling.
The symptoms of warped RA seals are losing compression accross the board and hot start issues.
Sorry to hear it blew though, I'd say most people on the forum know the feeling.
09-20-05, 01:37 AM
#6
Rotary Enthusiast
Seems odd that it gave out with no warning. You weren't overheated or running too lean? Is your car stock? You have to be really careful with these cars when you track them.
I've been lucky. I also run stock (10psi) boost levels despite having upgraded my cooling system, exhaust, ecu and intercooler. I have about twenty track days and 60K miles on my factory reman. I've overrevved it, starved it for fuel on hard corners and gotten it a bit too hot. I know my luck will run out someday. Hopefully someone will be able to trailer me home since I drive to events!
I've been lucky. I also run stock (10psi) boost levels despite having upgraded my cooling system, exhaust, ecu and intercooler. I have about twenty track days and 60K miles on my factory reman. I've overrevved it, starved it for fuel on hard corners and gotten it a bit too hot. I know my luck will run out someday. Hopefully someone will be able to trailer me home since I drive to events!
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09-20-05, 03:02 PM
#10
Originally Posted by Mdessouki
Put a small bolck in that thing and only craw under it every few months to change the oil.
Ugh, I don't even want to go pull it out of the car...
I was actually running surprisingly cool for how hot it was.
09-20-05, 03:14 PM
#11
Originally Posted by White87FC
You never thought your rotary would blow? Thats odd... I kinda expect it.
My has pretty much all the bolt-ons with stock ports and turbos @14psi
dp, mp, rb dual tip
Hard intake pipes w/k&ns
Efini Y-pipe
Blitz FMIC
Power FC w/1600 secondaries
Supra pump
etc.
09-20-05, 03:29 PM
#14
development
Originally Posted by poss
I knew it would need a rebuild, but I figured it would be from old age. Like I said in my first post, for an RX-7 it has been very reliable. This was my first track day with the PFC though. (tuned by steve kan)
My has pretty much all the bolt-ons with stock ports and turbos @14psi
dp, mp, rb dual tip
Hard intake pipes w/k&ns
Efini Y-pipe
Blitz FMIC
Power FC w/1600 secondaries
Supra pump
etc.
My has pretty much all the bolt-ons with stock ports and turbos @14psi
dp, mp, rb dual tip
Hard intake pipes w/k&ns
Efini Y-pipe
Blitz FMIC
Power FC w/1600 secondaries
Supra pump
etc.
seems you are capable of enough fuel and cooling the charge. I'd be interested in the tear down damage.
09-20-05, 03:45 PM
#16
Originally Posted by Mahjik
How much boost were you running on the track?
14psi. In retrospect that was stupid. I wasn't pushing the car hard, but I was on high boost for extended periods of time. Live and learn I guess.The highest that my water temp reached all day was 210 deg F w/ mid 90's ambient temps.
09-20-05, 03:52 PM
#18
Originally Posted by poss
14psi. In retrospect that was stupid. I wasn't pushing the car hard, but I was on high boost for extended periods of time. Live and learn I guess.The highest that my water temp reached all day was 210 deg F w/ mid 90's ambient temps.
Mine also died on the track but wasn't nearly as severe as yours. I didn't notice anything until I parked over with the other RX-7 guys and the engine was doing the "paint shaker dance of death". It still idled and drove though.
09-20-05, 03:54 PM
#19
Still on 1st engine
Join Date: Jun 2003
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Originally Posted by poss
14psi. In retrospect that was stupid. I wasn't pushing the car hard, but I was on high boost for extended periods of time. Live and learn I guess.The highest that my water temp reached all day was 210 deg F w/ mid 90's ambient temps.
I just installed an AVCR and found the damn thing to be quite a bit off.
The sensor is pretty sensitive to temperature.Sorry to hear the engine's gone.
09-20-05, 04:13 PM
#20
A couple years ago I had problems with the AVC-R. It turns out that the boost sensor doesn't like water. I sealed it up with some RTV and it has matched my boost gauge ever since. It has a weather seal in it from the factory, but it doesn't seem to work. Damian, IIRC, also had this problem and I told him about sealing it and it worked for him too. Don't know if that's your problem, but it may be worth investigating.
09-20-05, 04:14 PM
#21
Originally Posted by Mahjik
Your water temps sound like they were in good shape. It would be nice to have a log of everything that was going on when it happened (espeically like charge temp).
09-20-05, 04:32 PM
#22
Originally Posted by joeyz87
Forget it being the fuel filter. My fuel filter hadn't been changed in 4-5 years. I'm thinking if I drain out the 10-30 and put 5-30 in she might start.
09-20-05, 04:41 PM
#24
Still on 1st engine
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Originally Posted by poss
A couple years ago I had problems with the AVC-R. It turns out that the boost sensor doesn't like water. I sealed it up with some RTV and it has matched my boost gauge ever since. It has a weather seal in it from the factory, but it doesn't seem to work. Damian, IIRC, also had this problem and I told him about sealing it and it worked for him too. Don't know if that's your problem, but it may be worth investigating.
09-20-05, 04:50 PM
#25
Originally Posted by poss
Yeah, if a rotary goes back in, so does a wideband and datalogit. Think the track will let me run with my laptop in the car?
A tunable ECU + Datalogit + wireless network + MP3 system + GPS would be one kickass setup for very little weight gain.Dave