Update on my car problem (broken gasket + coolant issue)
 

Hi!

Ok, after driving 40kilometers, I had to put half a glass of water back into the coolant. So I took it back to the mechanic and found that the problem is a broken gasket, which is apparently leaking water into the Engine....

... I've instructed the mechanic to fix the gasket along with replacing all the gaskets whilst he's at it.

My question is: Is there any serious damage caused due to this water leak into the engine? or is fixing it (seeing as it has only just begun) sufficient enough?

The engine hasn't over heated, the add coolant light come on (which changing the sensor seemed to have fixed), the only reason I noticed issues happening again was due to low idle starting speeds until it warmed up a bit (I assume evaporated the water in there), and the fact that I needed to occassionally put more water into the coolant..

Any feedback/reassurance/advice would be appreciated.


Thanks!

Pwantwan.

what exact gasket are you talking about? Coolant seal failures are usually the cause of coolant leaking into the engine, and this only fixable by rebuilding the engine. I would ask your mechanic specifically what gasket he/she is talking about.

Anyways, there should be no ill effects from water *somehow* getting into your engine for a short period of time unless your car has been sitting for long enought for things to rust. If you drive the car regularly, then it should be no problem.

Well, the gasket that keeps the coolant out of the engine is a coolant o-ring. And fixing that is a complete engine rebuild. It's a lot of labor - is this mechanic an experienced rotary specialist? Because that's what I'd recommend.

Regarding other damage, I believe (rebuilders correct me here) that coolant seal failures aren't coupled with damage to the hard parts. But you should have them watch for warpage of the housings and/or have them properly re-machine any hard parts that require it. Shortcuts are murder in rotary rebuilds.

Good luck, hope you have a couple thousand pounds laying about.

Dave

He's had 10 years experience dealing with Rotary engines, so he seems to be fairly good, however he's informed me that the car will be ready by Monday/Tuesday - is a rebuild possible in that short a time?

Since he's doing a rebuild, should I consider replacing/uprating anything in the process? it's a 2001 Type-RB

Thanks for the help,

Pwantwan.

[QUOTE=Pwantwan]
Since he's doing a rebuildQUOTE]

first, find out if he really is doing a rebuild ;).

hehe, OK I'll go stalk him now. (To think I've only owned the car a wonderful week!)

What a combination I have somthing similar and went to my specilist today.

First of all do you see any water leaks under your engine. If not that might be a preasure leak as my specilist suggested. Infact in mine water level is always the same when the car is in the garage and i see not water under it.

He suggested that it might be a preasure leak which occours when the engine is working hard.

First thing to do is as I was instructed is to go to him next Friday so that he can preassure the water with a pump so as to see if the are any leak under preassure.

I have to ask my other friend specilist as well but if you want I can keep you posted.

10 years experience and he's calling the o-ring a gasket? A rebuild in 4 days. Can be done, but keep in mind that a rebuild means the engine needs to be pulled, completely stripped, rebuilt, and then put back in. If he's willing to work over the weekend, more power to him.

rebuild time

I'll contact him tomorrow morning regarding exactly what he'll be getting upto...

I guess eventually it was going to happen, I'm actually relieved it's sooner rather than later...

Curiously why are engine rebuilds so expensive? is that purely for replacing all the seals/gaskets? Or is it all the labour work?

http://www.coursive.co.uk/mine.jpg

Thanks again for all your help, I'll keep you informed of what happens along the way (even though you've heard it millions of times before I'm sure, might help someone else down the line!)

Regards,

Pwantwan.

The parts have their cost but man the labour. :eek: It really takes a specilist to rebuild a rotary. Both the specilists I know and talked to told me that they usually do it in from 1 to 4 days but they just close themselves up in their garage and they have to be totally concentrated on what they are doing. If they happen to forget just a washer then it is back from the start again.

Now just imagen in the middle of the build up someone disturbs them and they forget what they were doing. :confused: :mad: :(

Hey,

Well spoke to a middle man (seeing as the mechanic is Greek and I can hardly understand half the words he's talking about) so you can imagine the loss of information down the pipeline, but..! (and yes the car's in Cyprus don't worry I didn't find some foreigner), basically they're saying they put the car on the computer and all the compressions were fine, the temperatures were fine and never rising, even said everything was 'perfect' so....

Basically they're not doing an engine rebuild - they're just replacing seals/gaskets (can't get the right translation of what he's talking about) that are leaking water into the engine.

I'm lost, and no doubt you all probably think I'm thick as hell!

Anyway, that's the update. It'll be done by Monday and I can let you all know the outcome by then.

Cheers,

Pwantwan.

Glad to here you do not need a rebuild. Just be sure to check the coolant level for some time after having you car back just to be sure :rolleyes:

Yes it will be interesting to keep us posted.

yup rebuild time and more spending on the FD

If you're leaking water into the block, you'll need a rebuild. If coolant is leaking elsewhere (although I don't know what seals/gaskets they could be talking about) may not. I'd find out what the hell your mechanic is doing to your car.

What color blue is that, innocent blue mica? Maybe it just looks darker in the lower lighting conditions of the pic.

Ok!!!

It got an engine rebuild, he changed all the gaskets, the coolant O-rings, all coolant seals, and all the apex seals (- I suspect that's a good thing?)...

and the result is perfect! The car drive amazingly well, no noticable leak/losing of anything: All problems have been solved!

The most amazing part is: The dealer I bought it from has picked up the cost as he takes serious pride in what he sells... How impressive?

Anyway, I'm over the moon with the result - should I still take it easy with the car for a few hundred miles let it settle in?

Regards, and thanks for the feedback,

Pwantwan.

if you find you are having to add approx a half a glass of water to your cooling system you need to do 2 things:

pressure test the cooling system to locate any airleaks

compression test the motor if no leaks from the cooling sytem are present.

as our motors reach operating temp they push about a half cup of coolant into the overflow tank. after shutdown a vacuum develops within the motor's cooling system sucking that coolant back into the motor.

if there is ANY airleak in the cooling sytem, such as a loose clamp or tiny crack in a hose NO coolant will be recovered as there will be no vacuum. the only way to diagnose it is by pressurizing the system and observing and pressure drop and if so looking for the leak.

since your engine compression is fine my bet is you have a pinhole leak in your cooling system.

good luck,

howard coleman

It's all fixed up now! :)

That's very informative Howard. I think I may be experiencing this. What's a sure fire way to rule the o-ring leak out before emptying all the coolant out for a pressure test(If there is one)?

You story and mine are just the same. My dealer also took all the burden of the engine rebuild before I had even bought my RX7.

Very glad to hear it is all fixed up.

On my end I did the preasure test and the leak was located on the upper main aliminum pipe of the water pump. That is why water only leaked when the car's engine was started and well running.

My specilist is to check the water pump out sometime this week but he is 90% suggesting that it will have to be changed. All this because the car was on a long idel period before I had it. If I do not change it the problem will go on till I will one day find all the coolant on the floor. So a stich in time might save 9.


Will keep you update it if you want. :bigthumb: Have fun but remember to be careful and till the first 1000km consider your car on a running in. Do not treat it hard and never go over 4000rpm. That what my specilist recommended to me. My running in was just concluded last August. ;)

When I did mine I left the coolant in the system. I think that's how it's supposed to be done. If there is air in the system it will take a very long time to see a pressure drop since air is compressible and coolant isn't.

If you want to borrow a coolant pressure tester I have one. Borrowed it from Autozone but somehow misplaced the receipt, doh!

Dave