I'm not sure what you are getting at. You may still be able to buy 3mm seals from Mazda but they are for an old OEM application - late model 1st gens. It's called having an inventory of replacement parts. All manufacturers do it to support their older cars. Sort of like how you can still buy rings and a gasket kit for a Chevy 396 engine. It's pretty much useless on a new car but if you own an old one they have it for you. Just because they still make the part available doesn't mean that it is supposed to be used in a newer application. Nothing funny about it.

Everyone has their OPINION, but your issues with them are way over-rated....there are many VERY respected and long term builders who like using 3mm seals. I've seen a motor torn down at 50k with 3mm seals that had been driven HARD.....no abnormal wear, no low compression, the seals were barely worn....and in fact had survived a detonation strong enough to put a dent in a rotor face.

I think it's silly to just write them off wholesale because they do work very well. You are correct that the rotors do have to be machined properly, but honestly, that should not really be an issue with a competent builder.

It's not just a matter of opinion. The issues I mentioned early (aside from the cutting a true slot in a rotor) are reasons why Mazda switched to 2mm seals. You can't honestly believe that if the 3mm seals were that much better that they would just ditch them after only a couple of years and go with an inferior seal. Do you? The truth is they changed to a 2mm seal because they were better. Can you get an engine to run with 3mm seals? Yes. Does it allow you to use worn out rotors? Yes. Is it any better than a 2mm seal? No. I appreciate your first hand experience but you have to appreciate mine as well. I have seen rotor housings with chatter marks caused by the 3mm seals and I know of factory 2mm seals that have taken as much detonation as you speak of. The majority - if not all - of the main tuners in Japan stick with 2mm seals. The factory went away from 3mm seals. Surely you can't discount their knowledge and experience. They did invent the cars after all and they have been modifying them far longer than we have.

Like I said, there's enough people on both sides that it is not a cut-and-dried matter. A couple years, LOL. 20+ years of 3mm seals....

wow, you guys have completely hyjacked this thread with your penis showing contest...congrats!

Fair enough. There is some relevence though because smitters builder also built an engine for me and I had the same problems. The builder claimed it was due to a stuck 3mm seal caused by improper machining of the rotors. I now know that is BS but at the time it sounded good to me. The low compression that smitter is seeing is also the same as what my engine was like and that is a combination a poor quality build in my opinion (used parts that are being reused with 3mm seals, out of spec housings, etc.) His complaints about not starting very well, running like shit and now blowing out his dipstick are exactly what I experienced. After 3 rebuilds over 2 years with the same builder I had enough. Even though the builder rebuilt the engine twice under warranty the fact that I lost 2 years driving and still had a car that didn't run worth beans was enough to convince me never to go back - even if the work was done for free.

We were having a civilized debate on something....how is that a penis-showing contest? :shrug:

The 2mm 3mm debate has been hashed out a million times nothing new will be solved here.

Back on topic. I'd be willing to bet the original issue here is a stuck side seal as has been mentioned. I've seen the inside of a few motors built by Adam at RX-7 Specialties and more often than not the side seals are way to long. I have a feeling when he's busy he doesnt clearance them properly and just throws them in right out of the package. Then when they get hot they expand and........well you all know the rest.

Smitter and I have had words over the quality of Adams work. Smitter once refered to Adam as one of the worlds greatest engine builders (laughable at best) so I find it perplexing why he would need to post here? Carbon build up due to rich condition? How dumb does Adam think people are? Ah well, Smitter I don't wish ill on anyone, so hopefully you find a solution to your problem. My advice is what it's always been, don't use Adam, and if you do or have be VERY sceptical about what he tells you, don't fall victim to the greasy sleazy salesmanship. You've now been told in this thread and in others that Adam has blatantly lied to you, hopefully you've taken the rose coloured glasses off now?

TD07, there is no way he just installs the side seals without clearancing them, it's physically impossible to fit them in between the side seals when they're fresh out of the package. It's possible they're clearanced too tightly though----you're talking hundredths of a millimeter.

I realize that. And I think you meant corner seals ;) When I said "throws them in out of the package" what I meant is he grinds them so they'll fit but doesnt throw a feeler gauge in there to insure proper clearance.

Lol, you are correct :). Had a long day of cleaning/clearancing/building an engine, then pulling another one out and breaking it down.....my brain was snoozing ;)

lol!!! No worries.

I've also noticed Adam doesnt seem to taper the end of the side seal to fit the corner seal contour.

If that's the case, that's a rookie mistake. That'll lead to blow by and contamination in the oil, along with lower compression.

Well he's not a rookie. I can not say he misses those steps in every motor, but of the ones I've seen that's a common thing I've seen. Those three symptons you've mentioned I've seen from his motors before. They often suffer from blow by and lower than normal compression as was mentioned earlier in this thread.