Rebuild Advice Needed!
 

So the engine is out and about to be pulled apart. I suffered from low compression with a small coolant leak. I am looking to keep the car fairly stock with the following mods:

- 99 Turbos
- Hi-Flo Cat
- CatBack
- Intercooler (SMIC if I do it at all).
- PFC to tune it all when done.

To keep myself busy during the winter, I figured I'd do the rebuild myself. In all the research I've done, I think I've settled on the following. I think I'm just looking for experiences with the parts I've selected, and advice on the ones I have not.

Engine Rebuild Kit: Atkins Rotary Kit B bit without the Apex Seals for better fitment than RA.
Apex Seals: RA Classics
Engine Gasket Kit to pretty much replace everything.

Other Items:
- New Clutch - a little wear but has 55k on it. Figured I may as well.
- New Flywheel - mine is in great shape so not sure it needs to be replaced.

Now - i've done a ton of searching but since everyone has different experiences, I'm looking for a last bit of data from those reading this thread.

2 Questions:

1) Which clutch would best fit my setup (thinking about the pettit clutch)
2) Should I replace my flywheel with something lighter? Do I forego longevity and low end torque if I switch to a lighter fly?
3) What is the benefit of solid corner seals over the OEM ones?

Thanks!

Steve

My 2 cents:

* Just go with the RA rebuild kit, but order OEM coolant seals.
* ACT S/S Clutch ACT Clutch Kit
* If your car is just used on the street, keep your stock flywheel

thanks Mahjik! Just a bit worried about what I've read about the Viton rings and their being a PITA to fit (as well as longer term reliability issues).

Your thoughts on that? First hand experiences?

That's why I said to order OEM coolant seals. ;) Use everything in the RA kit but the coolant seals. I could not get all of them to seat properly. I had a friend use them as well and he ended up pinching a seal. If you can install them properly, they work fine. However, it sucks to assemble everything only to find out you pinched a seal and it's leaking. Use the RA kit but order coolant seals from Ray at Malloy. You'll be set.

+1 on the clutch kit I just got one myself and its awesome. Much easier to drive with than the six puck clutch I had on the car.

RE The RA kit - I guess I need to order a gasket kit too - as the Atkins kit comes with all the engine gaskets, but the RA kit does not.

No biggie there - just another few bucks to do it a-la-carte.

Any other thoughts?

I went thru a rebuild a couple of years ago. Mods in sig.

I like my lightweight flywheel, and ACT SS clutch. Much better than stock.

I like my 99 turbos, but wish I had gotten the wastegate ported. You should think about doing that while things are apart.

Do you need bigger secondary Injectors?

Fuel pump?

Porting? I went with a mild port. No change in driveability or idle. Nice improvement in high rpm power. Glad I did it.


Good luck with your rebuild :)

Adam

Cool! ACT SS Clutch it is!

As for the bearings for the front & rear stationary gears - there are about 5 different choices. Should I just order new ones for the colors that are in the gears now or is there another method.

Steve

I'm in the same situation as you, I'm in the process of getting mines rebuild with a mild streetport,tho I went with the act six puck clutch w/ act street lite flywheel,after carefully researching,seemed like this was the most common set up that most run.

There are several people in the area who will likely be able, and willing, to help you with the rebuild. Just kick me a pm when you have a solid time frame and I'll gather some troops to help :)

I'm going through the same thing myself, almost done though. Here is a list of what I did:
-Iannetti 1 piece 2mm ceramic seals
-New rotor housings
-OEM seals/gaskets
-Mild street port
-BNR stage 3 turbos (bought used but found out one of the turbines had chips in them, went ahead and bought new CHRA's)
-Racing Beat flywheel
-Exedy stage 2 clutch
-All new silicon hoses

Downpipe and exhaust were already on the car when I bought it.

Going to be buying:
SMIC (not sure which one yet)
Fluidyne radiator
Power FC

ACT SS clutch is a good choice, I had it installed in another FD.

I second the ACT SS with stock FW. Been happy with mine.

I would say get RA rebuild kit but not their apex seals. They are to harsh on the housings. I recommend ALS seals

They're strong seals, but what you said is the only catch.

Using softer seals won't give you this problem but of course you better have your car tuned right because they'll break easier on hard detonation

Ra seals are more for peace of mind

rotary > pistons

I've never seen RA classics eat housings as long as the motor was well lubricated 1-1.5oz per gallon premix. Even ALS seals will eat your housings if you don't have enough lubrication.

Solid corner seals are more resistant to detonation and Atkins has worked out the old problems they had with them eating side housings. For what you're doing I don't think they're necessary.

Other then that I think you've got a good plan for a reliable street car.

I rather pay 400 on apex than 800 + on housings, also ALS don't break they bend.

I've open a few engines and I know what I've seen. Not trying to start something here, Im just throwing this out there.

Lightened flywheel fit the engine characteristics to me wheat her street or track, was one of those why didn't the factory offer. I have been using the Racing Beat alum flywheel for some 9 years

I did the '99 turbos wBNR waste gate porting

Add to your list larger SMIC Greddy or such, fuel pump.. Cosmo or Supra, solenoid redo, ACT street clutch

Spoke with Ray Crowe and think I am going to get the entire rebuild kit he is offering. Basically all OEM. I figure I can't go wrong w/ that as I havent read anything overwhelmingly amazing about going aftermarket other than saving a few bucks.

However, I have read a lot of possible pitfalls with various apex seals wearing housings, solid vs. OEM style corner seals, and o-rings that don't really fit or don't seal as well.

Go OEM for go home - especially for what will amount to be a $250 difference.

Also, my bearings look AMAZING! No wear at all after 55k (at least that I can tell). I think I am going to replace them with what is in there now.

Go ALS

Why ALS? What advantage to they offer over stockers besides being unbreakable?

Not sure I need unbreakable seals as my power levels may not warrant it.

Discuss!

That's what I did. The original 3 pc apex were tossed and replaced with OEM 2 pc. Like you I searched and read here and elsewhere, talked to a bunch of people who's opinions I respected. But instead of resolving the issue I just got more conflicted. I'm not a rebuilder, just a DIY'er, so I took the coward's way out and went OEM. 30k miles and no issues.
If there's little to no wear/copper showing, why not just leave them?

Jim -

Glad to hear it worked out for you. The ONE thing I may change is the apex seals (goopy's look really good right now as they claim to reduce housing wear).

WRT to the bearings - i'll measure the tolerances & check it out, but I wouldnt mind keeping them. I just heard that its best to replace them to get longer life. Its is only $300 to get them & have them pressed.

Nothing wrong with oem apex seals except if you detonate you will break a seal and trash at least one housing and the turbos. If you keep the boost down to 12-13 psi and add water injection for piece of mind, you will be fine. For higher boost I rather use stronger seals. Most of the aftermarket seals will bend instead of breaking. You lose compression but you won't trash the motor. I feel every rx-7 should premix. The stock oil metering was designed for stock power levels. Nothing close to what so many of us are pushing. With RA or ALS seals I like 1 oz per gallon of gas. If it smokes too much I back it off by an ounce at a time until it subsides. I wouldn't go below 12 oz per tank. Something is always going to wear so its a tradeoff. In my opinion it is idiotic to rebuild a motor and not replace bearings. Bring me the stationary gears and rotors and I will press them for you. They may look ok now, but in another 50k miles they may not be. If you spin a bearing, you will most likely trash the entire motor. Can't comment on Goopy seals, but we have used ALS and Rotary Aviation Super seals for years. Rich's motor has been over 500 hp for 6 years with countless track events and many street miles and is still making good compression. It is going into his new car. No reason to even open it.


Get a light weight flywheel and never look back. The ACT ones are cheap and work well. Don't run a 6 puck on the street. It is not designed to slip and will quickly wear itself down in normal driving as well as destroy the flywheel. If you are on twins the ACT street/strip is your best bet.

Which seals are these?

fixed that for you. not sure why i keep hearing the viton being called a poor seal but would like to put an end to it. maybe pineapple and those ebay seals gave them a bad name. :dunno:

i do use the encapsulated teflon seals but mainly only in drag cars which don't see much mileage or heat cycles. viton is a much much different of a material, excellent chemical resistance and working temperature range as well as excellent compression for sealing benefit. i have seen the teflon encapsulated seals fail in as little as a few thousand miles on street driven engines.