Expensive Mistakes
12-24-11, 09:42 AM
#26
So far my most expensive mistake is buying a damaged 2nd hand motor to fix and to replace with the one in my car when it dies. I never had the time to fix it and did not trust anyone to fix it for me so I ended up buying a brand new motor. Having said that I used the alternator and the starter motor on that 2nd hand motor. I own the most expensive alternator and starter motor in the world 
I will use that motor some day, maybe its destiny is to become a 20b
I will use that motor some day, maybe its destiny is to become a 20b
12-24-11, 11:20 AM
#27
Eye In The Sky
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Just after the 4 year warranty ran out, the rear e-shaft oil jet came loose.
This caused a lot of rattling as the jet bounced around inside the rotor, and oil pressure dropped very low. Yes I am the first or only person to have this failure.
At this time I was in my infancy of learning to work on the FDs. Instead of having an acquaintance rebuild my motor for me, I bought a rebuild from a company that had a good reputation. Hayes Rotary Engineering in Redmond, WA. $3300.
The engine ran fine but used a quart of oil every 500 miles. Hayes said they would help me fix it, but then at that time they ran into money problems and lost all respect from the rotary community.
I rebuilt the engine with help from my friend, but the problem did not go away.
$1300.
Thus I trashed most of the engine parts, bought new parts and built my own engine. Even new harnesses, injectors, and dynamic balancing. My own engine has 52,000+ miles at above 330 whp and is still running great. $7500
Total cost to get to my own rebuild from after the initial failure; about $12,000.
This caused a lot of rattling as the jet bounced around inside the rotor, and oil pressure dropped very low. Yes I am the first or only person to have this failure.
At this time I was in my infancy of learning to work on the FDs. Instead of having an acquaintance rebuild my motor for me, I bought a rebuild from a company that had a good reputation. Hayes Rotary Engineering in Redmond, WA. $3300.
The engine ran fine but used a quart of oil every 500 miles. Hayes said they would help me fix it, but then at that time they ran into money problems and lost all respect from the rotary community.
I rebuilt the engine with help from my friend, but the problem did not go away.
$1300.
Thus I trashed most of the engine parts, bought new parts and built my own engine. Even new harnesses, injectors, and dynamic balancing. My own engine has 52,000+ miles at above 330 whp and is still running great. $7500
Total cost to get to my own rebuild from after the initial failure; about $12,000.
12-24-11, 11:38 AM
#28
They see me derpin'
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Seattle, WA
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second most expencive mistake was not keeping a fire extinguisher in the car. after a 3 hour drive in 110deg weather, the engine ignited into a ball of flame taking the engine, all wiring, the hood, the fender the front bumper and all accessorys with it. took all summer to rebuild.
as stated earlier car was then rear ended.
as stated earlier car was then rear ended.
12-24-11, 11:56 AM
#29
My biggest mistake is taking it to a shop. Dudes scammed me a couple of dollars telling me to replace parts that didn't need to be replaced. Me being new to the fd and not as mechanically inclined as I am now, I had no choice but to agree to their suggestions and pricing. I don't want to get into detail because im ashamed to say and it will get me pissed.
Let's just say I spent about 3000-3500 dollars more than what I should have spent.
Now I have trust issues with both my cars, not only the fd and I try to work on them myself. Although I have to plan ahead because I will have to trust a shop if and when a major problem does occur to my cars to a point where I am unable or don't have the tools to fix.
Let's just say I spent about 3000-3500 dollars more than what I should have spent.
Now I have trust issues with both my cars, not only the fd and I try to work on them myself. Although I have to plan ahead because I will have to trust a shop if and when a major problem does occur to my cars to a point where I am unable or don't have the tools to fix.
12-24-11, 04:18 PM
#31
My biggest mistake is taking it to a shop. Dudes scammed me a couple of dollars telling me to replace parts that didn't need to be replaced. Me being new to the fd and not as mechanically inclined as I am now, I had no choice but to agree to their suggestions and pricing. I don't want to get into detail because im ashamed to say and it will get me pissed.
Let's just say I spent about 3000-3500 dollars more than what I should have spent.
Now I have trust issues with both my cars, not only the fd and I try to work on them myself. Although I have to plan ahead because I will have to trust a shop if and when a major problem does occur to my cars to a point where I am unable or don't have the tools to fix.
Let's just say I spent about 3000-3500 dollars more than what I should have spent.
Now I have trust issues with both my cars, not only the fd and I try to work on them myself. Although I have to plan ahead because I will have to trust a shop if and when a major problem does occur to my cars to a point where I am unable or don't have the tools to fix.
12-25-11, 07:00 AM
#32
To the OP, yes there are techniques for removing hardened hoses. I like to use a razor to shave away the rubber on one side of the nipple until I can see the plastic underneath. Then twist and pry it free from the nipple.
I do not buy replacement rats nest parts from Mazda. They are expensive as sin and not all of them work perfectly out of the box. I buy low mileage used parts and test them for function.
My most expensive mistake is storing my FD outdoors for a winter and believing that a brand new car cover would help protect it. While the paint was thin and somewhat faded then, a winter with that cover lifting and whipping around in the wind took care of it. And it wasn't flapping around in a sandy desert wind - just once in a while the breeze would lift it enough to flap on the roof and hood. While the car cover mistake was not the sole reason for needing a paint job, it was a good portion of the $5k bill.
Another salty move was when I did a full "rats nest" job and found a shop nearby to ultrasonically clean my injectors. They cleaned them but they couldn't test them. I spent 6 weeks trying things and buying parts until I finally pulled the injectors again and sent them to a shop that knew how to clean AND TEST them properly.
I do not buy replacement rats nest parts from Mazda. They are expensive as sin and not all of them work perfectly out of the box. I buy low mileage used parts and test them for function.
My most expensive mistake is storing my FD outdoors for a winter and believing that a brand new car cover would help protect it. While the paint was thin and somewhat faded then, a winter with that cover lifting and whipping around in the wind took care of it. And it wasn't flapping around in a sandy desert wind - just once in a while the breeze would lift it enough to flap on the roof and hood. While the car cover mistake was not the sole reason for needing a paint job, it was a good portion of the $5k bill.
Another salty move was when I did a full "rats nest" job and found a shop nearby to ultrasonically clean my injectors. They cleaned them but they couldn't test them. I spent 6 weeks trying things and buying parts until I finally pulled the injectors again and sent them to a shop that knew how to clean AND TEST them properly.
12-25-11, 07:13 AM
#33
Pretty sure I destroyed my gauge cluster last weekend. I removed it to do the hyperite mod. I glanced over the instructions and missed the part where I needed to mark my needles. I have been wanting to do a speedhut cluster for a while anyways. All in all, about a $700-800 mistake after I get the gauges I need.
And the biggest mistake I ever made was taking my car to Rick's Rotary Performance in Pleasanton, Ca a few years ago. Shady, unbelievably terrible work at truly astronomical prices. $128 to swap a fuel pump (which I can do in 15 mins), engine sitting on unbolted engine mounts, charged a rebuild, then charged extra for "installing injectors," and the list goes on for pages.
12-25-11, 08:05 AM
#34
Original Gangster/Rotary!
iTrader: (213)
It's not the engine's fault you were doing it wrong.
While I'd agree with you circa 2000-2001, with all of the options nowadays, a high-powered rotary is just as reliable as it's piston counterparts. Case closed.
Merry Christmas
P.S. My expensive mistake back in the day was blindly listening to an incompetent shop owner and allowing him to install Hurley 'longlife' apex seals in motor after motor, as they failed about 5-6 times at the hint of detonation. I mean, if I farted too hard while WOT the engine spontaneously developed a compression problem
Last edited by GoodfellaFD3S; 12-25-11 at 08:09 AM.
12-27-11, 09:42 PM
#38
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the fire was put out pretty quick, it didn't even have time to melt the aluminum parts, just all the plastics and wires, i think what happend was the fire burnt through the high pressure AC line and and blew the fire out, that and the Fire department was close by and got there inside of 5 minutes. that all being said, i think im getting a new FD anyway
12-28-11, 08:28 AM
#42
RX-7 Bad Ass
iTrader: (55)
JDM motors should be considered cores for a rebuild. I've bought 2 or 3 FD JDM motors and have torn them apart to rebuild, got TONS of great parts (good rotor housings, etc.). If you look at it as buying a big stack of low-mileage parts you've got a winner, if you just drop it in and expect happy times you're a fool.
My big dumbass moment was putting my '99 spec twins in. I had totally taken them apart, cleaned, ported the wastegates, etc. When I put them back together one (or both) of the compressor housings was slightly clocked to one side too much that my Efini Y-pipe wouldn't fit. So, I thought "I can just hammer that housing back a bit, it just needs a few degrees". Worked on that for a bit, then broke my nice ceramic coated Efini Y-pipe lower half. Not too pricey to replace, but the replacement isn't coated.
So, I had to do what I should have done in the first place - pulled the turbos back out - and had a broken Y-pipe as a bonus.
Dale
My big dumbass moment was putting my '99 spec twins in. I had totally taken them apart, cleaned, ported the wastegates, etc. When I put them back together one (or both) of the compressor housings was slightly clocked to one side too much that my Efini Y-pipe wouldn't fit. So, I thought "I can just hammer that housing back a bit, it just needs a few degrees". Worked on that for a bit, then broke my nice ceramic coated Efini Y-pipe lower half. Not too pricey to replace, but the replacement isn't coated.
So, I had to do what I should have done in the first place - pulled the turbos back out - and had a broken Y-pipe as a bonus.
Dale
12-28-11, 10:20 AM
#44
Pulled my rats nest today in preparation for stainless omp lines and a new FPD. Snapped a nipple on my turbo control valve. But it's no biggy cause im installed Azeknights solenoid rack and it eliminates that solenoid anyway I'll keep you updated if I break anything else. LOL. Trying not to break things by the way I swear.
I'll keep you updated if I break anything else. LOL. Trying not to break things by the way I swear.
12-28-11, 11:41 AM
#47
best one i had was while replacing a broken iron i fixed a minor wastegate issue, after getting the engine back together and forgetting about the minor wastegate leak i fixed i didn't turn the boost level down. first WOT the iron i just replaced cracked as well due to overboosting. this was on my own car many years ago but that was definitely a boot in *** moment.
12-28-11, 12:51 PM
#48
At least now I take on tasks myself. I am just so lucky nothing MAJOR occured as of yet, knock on wood, and I actually became pretty good with mechanical stuff now lol.
I even do audio
Btw the shop that scammed me also scammed other people and now out of business.
12-28-11, 06:10 PM
#49
completly disasemble my FC3s, sandblasting everything (chassis and suspension), rewelding the chassis, painting chassis and suspension parts, get a haltech p2000 + dash, get a FD3s engine + turbos + spare parts, 3D-scanning suspension parts for calculations and CAD data, get some mocal oil pumps for diff + trany, a shitload of fittings, wheels etc.etc.
->
buy an FD (I loved the car since i was 16, I'm 26 now), put everything FC related to side now... but... maybe in 2-3 years... but... it's an FD, it will EAT time and money
->
buy an FD (I loved the car since i was 16, I'm 26 now), put everything FC related to side now... but... maybe in 2-3 years... but... it's an FD, it will EAT time and money
12-28-11, 11:24 PM
#50
Got my pulsation damper installed without breaking anything! Man those stock OMP lines look sad though. Glad I ordered the SS ones. I also replaced all the rats nest hoses without breaking a single nipple! An EXTREMELY useful tip; use a bic lighter and heat up the hose end for a few seconds then give it a GENTLE twist with some needle nose pliers and the hose will pretty much fall right off.