FD: The ultimate money pit
 

I think my FD is cursed, or I am. I have had the worst luck with my car, I think I am the most unluckiest FD owner in the world. It started right after I bought the car. The turbos were bad and so I decided to replace them. I took my car to a pretty well known so-called rotary specialist in San Antonio, I won't name names (Alamo Rotary...oops;) ) to have the turbos replaced with new turbo cartridges (same housings). About a year later I spoke with an ex-employee of his who said that he took my $2400 and grabbed some used turbos off a back shelf, which would explain the abnormal amount of play in my new turbos. Then my oil level sensor went bad. Being a still relatively new FD owner, I was unaware of the fact that rotaries actually burn oil like a two cycle moter. So about the time an oil change was needed, I was in fact out of oil and the motor seized. So I decide to rebuild the motor and look on a search engine for rotary engine builder, and who do I find....ah here's one, Hayes Rotary Engineering, they sound reputable. So I called and talked to Don at Hayes, sounds like he knows his stuff, cause I don't. So yeah I'll take the compression dishing, micron taper and polish the eccentric shaft, racing oil jets, ceramic and MOS2 coatings to the rotors and housings, rotor bob-weighted and computer dynamic balanced, 3mm apex seals, and throw in a stage I street port, grand total = $4500. I know what you're thinking "Hayes" not the most reputable company, and now I find out. So I've got this Hayes motor, now someone to install it. I found a guy that owns a mechanic shop and he says "yeah we work on RX-7's all the time, my brother has an R1". So I'm like "cool", WRONG!! The guys mechanic couldn't figure out how to reassemble the motor. The vaccuum lines were all wrong, he broke my throttle body, was to reckless with the wiring harness and snapped half the wires, broke my crank angle sensor, and had the wiring harness backwards at the plugs, my leading was trailing and trailing was leading, according to the Mazda dealership "causing my new $4500 engine to detonate"!! So I pay the first guy for removal of the engine, cleaning of the radiator and oil cooler, new motor mounts, injector o-rings, various sensors, etc. $3200 (couldn't prove he broke the stuff). So then I go to Mazda dealership, they fix the horrible job and complain of over-excessive gasket maker on all parts that make a seal.....sickening. Total bill at Mazda after new wiring harness, various misc parts and labor, $4100. Now my car is running but gets vandalized, keyed. So I get $3400 from my insurance company and I take it to a body shop that cashes my insurance check, blows the money, and doesn't have the incentive to finish the car. My car sat in his shop for, get this......A YEAR!!! I couldn't do anything because the police said it was a civil matter and would have to go through a long letigation process, so I went there when he was gone and took my car back, in pieces. The windshields were out, bumpers off, doors off, rear gate off, front fenders off, and interior gutted and half missing with beer bottles and a nice cat piss smell inside the car with a year of paint dust build-up. Also, my weatherstripings, door jams, and window channels were all gone, price for those $1500. So now I'm still working on it trying to finish it up, with over $20,000 invested not including the price of the car and it's in worse shape than when I bought it. But I ain't no quitter. I'll post pictures in about two months. You guys remember Crazy_Jake, I freaking carazy for going on with this project!

good god, I feel really bad for you that sucks!!! I would probably be in jail if I was in your position after killing someone from being so pissed off haha. You have to admit though not using this forum in the first place to figure out what you needed to do with getting a new motor was a BIG mistake, good for you for sticking with it though and I wish you the best of luck in the future, can;t wait to see pics!

I appreciate it cloud9. You're right about the forum I din't find out about it until about 2 years ago. I've had the car (a 1993) for about 4 years. But I've read the forum for almost two years and have done my research, almost to late but live and learn. The car is going to a body shop that I trust and a fellow FD owner has gone to on several occasions with excellent results. I just placed an order with Chuck from rotaryextreme for a scoot hood, Ings+1 side skirts and rear bumper, full titanium cat-back exhuast, HKS Hipermax Pro coilovers, Feed (Ganador) mirrors, and some other stuff. I already purchased a Feed Type II bumper form Chuck like two years ago when he had that group buy. The car is getting painted mazda Titanium Grey 25G. I have the hood, rear bumper, and mirrors for sale in the parts section of the forum (all freshly painted). Then the car is being shipped to MZM Performance in Austin to fix some oil leaks (from all the gasket maker) and a few other things non-sequential conversin and dyno tuning the power FC w/datalogit. I'm ordering wheels form O.Z. Racing...19X10 +40 offset in rear and 19X8 +40 offset in front. Garaunteed to fit, TUV and JWL approved. Although $5300 shipped with tires!! Ouch!

thats just terrible..more reason not to trust mechanics tsk tsk tsk. did you at least choke someone? its about time you get to enjoy your 7 man. good luck.

Hey man you should really consider Rotary Performance in garland, tx. I live in Austin and while MZM is a great place, RP has been around longer and from friends that have taken their cars there, cant be beat!

DAMN!!!! you got screwed, again, again, again, and agian! you must really love your car. or your 1 stubborn son of bitch! either way, good luck, and dont give up now.

wow thats probably the worst news i've ever heard... sorry to hear man

It takes alot of both SNracing.;)

My my.

Kudos to your perseverence.

Thanks for the support guys. Sometimes I feel like a real sucker. I'd like to sue but that takes time, patience, and money. Not to mention I'm in the air force and just got stationed elsewhere so it'd kinda be hard to go to all the court appearances and talk the details of my cases over the phone with a lawyer. I'll just cut my losses and carry on. "Nobody knows.....the trouble I seeeeeen" :D

You park your car on base?

Where do you work on it, if I may ask.

bro! Ive had my fd for two years, before I got it all my mates told me to stay the f**k away from rotas! I used to lose a lotta sleep over owning it at first,but after a little education and newbie reading I understood the basics and the rest just came in time, my policy would be do everything yourself until you either fix it or stuff it more , THEN take it to someone to fix.
An FD is not the kind of car you can afford to have unless you educate yourself about it.

In saying that....Dam Bro! You have been one unlucky muthaf**ker!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

No, the car hasn't been drivable in over two years. In the four years I've owned it, I've only driven it 6 months. Actually, I just made the last car payment on it! Four year note, driven the car 6 months. Never looked at it like that.:) Oh, I get it worked on at all the wrong places.:D I drive a 95 Accord to work.

Well... if you were to work on your own car, could you do that in the Air force?

I hate to divert the attention of this thread, but I've always been interested in the Air Force and it may be a route that I'm interested in taking.

Absolutely! The majority of bases have excellent "hobby shops" (garages) where you can work on your car for a small fee. I dropped my tranny and put a new clutch in at the base hobby shop. They have plenty of lifts and tools. Go see a recruiter. Been in for 6 years and I just re-enlisted for another 6. I just got $70,000 for re-enlisting. About $50,000 after taxes. Hence the massive amount of work going into my car at this point in time. I'm getting a follow on assignment to Japan!!! Yokota AFB near Tokyo!! Can't wait. Ahhh, FD heaven. :)

I'm so glad I learned how to build engine's.

I'm soooo glad I found a good rotary shop *before* I bought my car!

Damn man, I feel so bad for ya! I kinda know where your coming from with the body shop guys and shit. I have been without my car for 6 months now and am barely getting it back and the engine still hasn't been rebuilt yet. It sucks, so I know how ya feel sorta. It sat at the body shop for 5 of those months which about 4 of the months they didn't do shit! But you got everything 10 fold of whatever anyone else got. Hope everything turns out way better for ya man! I think in the end you'll be happy and glad you stuck with it.........well I hope it turns out that way :p:

Whoa thats awesome...

How was basic?

I PM'd you.

Jake, you are one hell of a tough guy. Most people would have given up long ago. Damm thats a tough story.

The post above about RP in Garland is accurate. I use Gotham in Ft Worth for my FD and my sons. If your getting the car tuned Steve is the best in the country imo. Also you will find the DFW guys are just great. If you come in town they will show you a great time.

Yeah, I've met and spoke with Ari a few times at drag racing events in San Antonio, helluva guy. Offered me a sandwich, soda, and nutty bars, never forget it. It's just to far to tow. The car is in San Antonio and Austin is only like an hour away. I'm getting a friend of mine to tow it and I feel bad about having him tow it that far. Plus the car will probaby need a weeks worth of work done to it and I have a place to stay in San Antonio while the car is being worked on. Thanks for the info though.

Wow, that's a load of BS you've had to deal with. I admire your perseverance, and I'm glad that you're not blaming the car for the misfortunes you've had. I wish you best of luck on your project and look forward to seeing pics of your car. :)

Thanks, I should have pics by the first week of March.

Hey man...sorry to hear...Better luck next time...and i do beleive it is your luck...not the FD...

BTW...FD3693...I am assuming you like Initial D...GRovvy anime...

Ty