Hey guys,

I'm currently looking at purchasing an RX-7. I've been sifting through the forums searching for reliabilitiy and daily driver threads. I already know about the reliability mods and how important they are to do before modding the car. But that isn't the issue for me right now. Right now, all I can afford is the car itself (no mods, bone stock, or however it is when I find one). My question is this, with meticulous maintenance, how reliable is the engine with stock power levels? Meaning, if I'm driving around and give it some gas, could the engine blow out of the blue?


Also, I haven't seen one yet, but is there a maintenance list somewhere showing what needs to be done at what mileage (in chart form)?

Last question, how difficult is it to maneuver around in the engine bay? Is it time consuming to do regular maintenance?

Forgot to mention, this would be my daily driver.

Thanks,
Andrew

 

No, this car is not for you.
Try a honda or something reliable.
They enjoy breaking for no reason. And trust me, keeping your foot off the gas is harder than you think. Things will go wrong, as the car is 10 years old. Things go bad, things break, things need replacing. They arent reliable, and as a daily driver with no money for mods or repairs, you are asking to be stranded.

 

Try these sites: http://www.rx7turboturbo.com/robrobinette/

http://www.iluvmyrx7.com

http://www.scuderiaciriani.com/rx7/index.html

 

I have mine as a daily driver with no major problems for 2 years. Considering I freaked out about what I read on this forum when I first bought the car, it has been relatively inexpensive, compared to my late BMW, to own. You do have to change the oil every 2 thousand miles with synthetic. Right away get a boost gauge, water/oil temp gauge, and the air separation tank bypassed. I would also look into learning how to monitor your air temps and get an air temp gauge so that you don't boost it when it is prime for pre ignition/detonation.
Search the forum and rig up a radiator fan switch modification so you can cool it down when needed. Don't drive the thing hard over an extended period of time.

You could listen to the nay Sayers about all the problems and yes the car is over 10 years old now but if your mind is set, just do a few preemptive things and you should be fairly reliable.

If you cannot afford to do the things above do no get this car. It does require you do a certain level of modifications to be on the safe side. This is not ironclad protection, this engine can be finicky at times. So if you don't have the resources to rebuild a engine if it goes "pop" I would buy a car that is already modified with the reliability mods and has a rebuilt engine for your enjoyment.

Garrett

 

I'm sure most will agree that besides reliability mods, keeping it stock will at least insure a longer life for the engine. Those sites mentioned above are great. Use that info wisely. Boost/water temp gauge's definitly come in handy.

If its a daily driver, then yeah, keep it simple. A lot of guys have modded DD's, but IMO just keep it simple. It would really help if you did have a daily driver though.

Don't let the negatives out way the positives of owning a FD so much.

If they say it's never been raced.........its been raced .

Definite must --> Get the compression checked. Especially if you're gunna look into a 70k+ mile rx7.

 

Well guys, I think you've helped me make my choice for my next car. I can't afford to have an engine that can be as finicky as you say, at least not while still in college. I guess I'll be going with Plan B: a Subaru Impreza L with a wrx motor swapped in. It wont be as pretty as an FD, but at least I can afford to maintain it :\

Thanks for all the replies
Andrew

 

Synthetic !? I know this beening talked about way too many times!!
I did do the search, even read about those group 3 group 4 stuff that I really dont understand. But Not a real conclusion has being reached.

From my understanding is that
1. if car is stock, use regular oil
2. if heavily moded (single turbo conversion?), use synthetic oil.
3. It does not hurt the egine, so go ahead and do a premix. 4oz every refill. Protreck is reconmanded by Petit
4. It is fine to use synthetic oil in tranny and differential.
helps shifting.(As some states)
5.Should use 10w30 if trying to keep stock.

So if you want it to stay stock for a while, then i guess reqular oil is fine. Since its cheapter than sythetic anywayz.

Please correct me if my 1~5 assumptions are wrong!
Thanks.

 

In Houston i would use 20/50 Valvoline VR-1. You could change it in November - Feb to a 10/30. Of course this is just my 2 cents. I change mine every 1000-1500 miles. Obviously I don't DD the car.

 

I put in 20W50 for the summer, and when I do my next oil change (this weekend) I'll be switching over to 10W30 for the colder weather. Always synthetic, but it doesn't matter. Have you ever heard of a rotary going boom due to oil problems (aside from lack thereof)? No you haven't.

I prefer to keep the turbos in a healthy condition using a heavier oil.

I change mine every 2000 to 2500 miles.

 

It is not an imperitive to use synethetic, however, mine smokes more and loses its edge with mineral oil. I also think that given synthetics properties of holding up better it is more suitable for rotaries, hence particulating less. Give it a try. Not many people go back to mineral oil after using synthetic.

Why only if the car is stock? Why instead, don't you just try synthetic to see if helps your car and then change it with mineral. Compare and contrast, don't over theorize motor oil.

Garrett

 

YEah I guess We can always try and find out.!!
The correct way of scientific discovery is through experiment!!!