this is not a generic "how reliable is the FD" question

my question is - how gradual is the process that causes FD owners to need a new engine? do you get a lot of warning, like the car will start being sluggish and then the engine dies, or is it one second with bad gas and POUF you're $3000 poorer?

test drove a '93 R1 on monday. definitely in love, but i don't want to do something stupid the plan is to get rotary performance in manassass to give the car an inspection, something they charge $150 for. other than a compression check, what should i expect from this?

thanks
-rg

 

The check is worth the time and money, at least you will know where you stand on the car as a whole and how much you will need to invest in the near future to keep it running.

You should expect the boost numbers through the rpm range, horsepower output, a once over on all the temperature sensitive components (such as hoses, pumps, belts, sensors and controls) and some input on the frame, exhaust system, any leaks, bushing wear, brakes, transmission, rear end, and so on.

In the end you should have a good idea on what is broken, worn, and what you will need to replace or rebuild in the near future to keep the car mechanically sound. This should give you a financial picture on how mcuh the car will cost to keep it running right.

Just as a side note, I haven't seen too many of these for under 20 grand that don't need some parts or work.

 

Good info shred. water seals can go gradually, apex seals can go instantly. So rotories can die slow or fast.

 

shred - thanks for the lengthy reply. i will now know what to grill the RP people about

(i hope it's ok, i hope it's ok...)

-rg

 

I lost two engines on my 1980 RX7; the original engine and the import that I replaced it with (bad idea).

This was around 12 years ago, but what I remember was...

Each time I would get off the gas at highway speed, the engine would blow a lot of white/light gray smoke until I got on the gas again.

This is different from the current behavior I observe in my 94 (when I coast then get on the gas hard it sometimes blows black/dark gray smoke - I think this is just a over-rich exhaust, but I am not sure. It has been doing this for 33K miles).

Also, right before they went, they both seemed to be running so strong - they seemed to run best the last 3K miles before the end. I compare this to a light bulb burning very bright just before it blows.

To extend the analogy, when the engines finally went, it was like someone turned the light switch off - suddenly dark! One rotor gone, limp home, get new engine.

 

Low compression is your first clue. Compresssion readings under 7 is below factory spec (7 to 9 are spec). Low compression does NOT mean the motor will not run. It just means motor replacement is imminent.

Next will be the coolant o-ring gaskets. This usually fails on high-mileage motors. You can have this checked with a coolant leak-down test.

If you're lucky enough to have the o-rings still holding on, then the low compression will keep getting worse.

You'll get to a point where the motor floods after you shut the motor down. The compression is so low that the fuel is seeping between the apex seal and the combustion chamber.

This is what is happening with my 102,500-mile motor. The coolant o-rings are fine (per leak-down test). The compression was measured in the low 5s front and rear, earlier this year; but now the compression has worsened to consistent flooding of the combustion chambers leading to hard starts.

My new cold-start procedure--squeeze the gas pedal to the floor, to cut fuel from the injectors, and crank away, to get rid of the fuel in the chambers. The next set of cranks are done with the foot off of the gas, and I pray the motor fires up!

FWIW, I'd ordered a new motor from Malloy Mazda earlier this week (Dec 22), with a price of $1950 plus shipping to KD Rotary. Dave Barninger will port and perform reliability mods to the new Malloy Reman (which is apparently one of a few new motors Mazda released into the mix--according to Ray Crowe of Malloy Mazda?).