Knee-deep in my current build
 

So due to a leaking oil pan and leaking front cover my motor is coming out......has about six years use and just under 20k miles on the build. Still makes pretty good compression.....it really doesn't HAVE to come out :)

(note that 6 years ago I used a paper front cover gasket and didn't reseal the oil pan with all the tricks I've learned over the years)

Buuuut---I decided to go with a brand new mazda japan oem motor about a year ago. Ray had been holding one for me since then, and about a week ago he shipped it to IRP in central NJ.

I have no pics yet, but the motor is torn down and I've spent the last few nights after work porting it. Here's a complete list of the changes/additions to my current setup:

*New mazda zero mile engine
*IRP Stage 3 aggressive streetport
*Oil passage porting
*Coolant passage modification
*port match intake runner inlet/GZ LIM/UIM
*Pineapple heavy duty coolant o-rings
*Rotary Aviation 2mm super seals
*mazdacomp metal front cover gasket

*3600 degree cerama-black coating on tubular exhaust manifold and 4 inch downpipe
*1200 degree cerama-chrome on compressor housing
*polish misc intercooler piping

I'll also be installing an RE-Speed oil filler neck and Exedy cerametallic twin disc clutch (very excited about this last addition). I *may* be moving to a billet turbo but we'll see about that last one. I'm actually very happy with my 500R, it's been 100% bulletproof and once I started running 20 psi it really came into it's own :D

P.S. Pics sometime soon ;)

I bet those RA seals are nice, but you know you wanna get you some ceramics Rich lol :)

Yeah but clearancing the motor for the ceramics is such a PITA chris :lol:

Get your hooptie running and bring her by the shop sometime soon :)

Rich,

I would spring for Edgar's new units!

http://www.eastcoastparts.com/html/apex_seals.html

get the Super Seals, they're really tough. And it's not like you put a ton of miles on your motor anyway... the best part about them is that they reduce the chance of your housing and turbo eating a seal if something goes wrong

Good luck with your build Rich.

thewird

I would of thought you would have opted for MFR rotor bearings and oil pump.

What ya doing with the old motor, Rich? *wink wink* ;)

Rich, Did you read the post from Glen on the other forum about the RX8's e-shaft? Might want to check it out.

i wonder what motor you did that to :lol:

Only a rotary guy would be so proud of a 4" pipe that hangs down.

In any case you'll have fun. :o)

Rich, I've read a lot of mixed reviews about the "Rotary Aviation 2mm super seals" and was curious as to why you choose them. Albeit that most of the bad reviews of excessive wear on the rotor housing from the RA seals was back in 05. Are they using some new material now? Also, how do you feel about the ALS seals?

sooo when your done, want to send me this fully built motor? Much appreciated :)

RICH what time you gonna be over thre on sat? i'm driving my dirty ass car over.

you should see the back bumper from the drive up...it went from silver to yellow/brown-ish hahahaha

running a lil rich i think...

What mods are you running to make 380whp at 1bar on the stock twins? That is an impressive number.

see the link in my sig.

rich, why are you going with the stock seals (or 2mm av seals) instead of something else?

Hey Rich,

Give us some updates on the build man. I'm really curious about those seals and that 8 e-shaft sounds interesting. What are the advantages?

What are the benefits of the Rx8 e shaft?

edit - nevermind, I searched:

https://www.rx7club.com/showthread.p...ight=rx8+shaft

Rich I will call you back in a couple hours, sorry I missed the call. Have to be careful when I am on the phone at the new day job :)

MFR?

It's sold already :)

Thanks for the heads up Alberto. That's all news to me......may opt to stick with the REW e-shaft. Food for thought, that's for damn sure.

From all that I've recently read and feedback from several engine builders that have been using them for years, they're a good choice. I'm still on the fence, my current setup runs like a top with oem seals, and I don't plan on detonating so have to really weigh the supposed advantages of the seals vs the potential drawbacks.

Tom, I plan to show up around 11 or so. Shoot me a text when you head down :icon_tup:


I just posted this last night :lol:

MFR: Mazda Factory Racing

Higher output oil pump

Windowed rotor bearings

As I understand it the race bearings have no application on a street car that spends time idling at low load/low rpm.

As far as the oil pump is concered, I hadn't really considered it. I don't think I'm past the limits of the stock pump based on my oil pressure and temp. It's worth thinking about though, thanks :)

you should just got with one of these. i've got it hooked up to some steel braided hose directly to my motor. works awesome. couple of squeezes now and then and you're good to go. :lol:

RX8 eshaft is about .4 lbs lighter. Doesn't seem like a lot but it makes a difference. It is also about half the price of a new fd shaft. Certain bearings/oil mods are only suited for race cars that spend most of their time at high rpm. Rich is going to be doing our IRP oil passage mods which will be more than enough for any street car.

????????? more info please + pics

Ummm, mine.

I should have some pics on my website, but basically we open up the passages around the oil pump, port match the pickup to the pickup tube, and open up the holes on the rear iron where the oil filter pedestal mounts. We also use the standard e-shaft thermobypass plug.

We installed the NRS ceramics on both of your motors, no need to come to blows over it ;) :D

yo rich sorry i didn't make it out today...

after i broke my phone, my gf got a call from her grandfather offering us free ground-level tickets to the yankees/mets game...couldnt pass that up.

you gonna be out there next weekend so i can stop by??

where are them pics! :)

he's holding the pics hostage!!

I shall post a copious amount of pics, you all know I'm a notorious picture whore :lol:

The portwork is done, and the motor is cleaned, prepped and ready to build. I'm going back and forth on painting it or not, the irons and housings are brand new so look pretty damn good as-is :)

leave it unpainted IMHO

Pics :)

I ended up painting the motor high-gloss black and aluminum/silver, and am glad I did, it looks very clean and shiny. We do this for almost all customer motors.

I also did end up going with the RA 2mm black/super seals with oem springs. Pineapple heavy duty coolant o-ring kit, stock corner seals, stock rew e-shaft, stock tension bolts torqued a bit higher than factory spec.

The more research I did and the more 'in the know' people I talked to, it seemed clear to me that in general going with primarily stock components is the way to go for my goals (a consistent 500 rwhp with some time spent at a little higher boost).

I had to stop short of installing the front cover because the endplay was just barely in spec as it came from the factory in japan and I want this motor to be tighter. We have a big pile of spacers at the shop but unfortunately not an 'A' to be found.

In this first pic, I cleaned up the rough spots that you see on the port wall before the build.
https://www.rx7club.com/attachment.p...0&d=1245203790

Primary port, hard to tell but quite a bit bigger than stock. Sorry, for some reason no flash so you can't see inside the port.
https://www.rx7club.com/attachment.p...1&d=1245203790

Don't brand new parts look great :)?
https://www.rx7club.com/attachment.p...2&d=1245203790

Hope these suckers treat me well, plan is to keep an eye on EGTs make sure they enjoy a long (warp-free) life.
https://www.rx7club.com/attachment.p...3&d=1245203790

All buttoned up with Exedy cerametallic twin disc clutch installed.
https://www.rx7club.com/attachment.p...4&d=1245203790

Looks nice so far man, new parts are to die for.

How much power were you making with your previous setup? If you keep the same turbo what kind of gains are you looking at with the new engine?

Sure is pretty. I wish I could see my motor but its buried under all the crap that is bolted to it. :)

looking great rich!!

nice build and good luck. i pulled mine last fall after 4 years for no particular reason. curiosity and time for a new bullet.

hc

Nice clutch Rich I have the exact one sittin in my closet, now if I can get somebody to come here and help me install...want a free trip to AK...LOL..

Pay the airfare and I am in :) Im sure you will get several hundred of these offers :)

the motor looks great! good luck.

Nice pics, Rich. The $65k FD :wink:

Sounds like a great project Rich, hope everything goes according to plan. Always nice to see good work.


=Ben

gonna be working tomorrow rich? i can definitely make it this weekend...

https://img34.imageshack.us/img34/1953/dsc6739.jpg

https://img20.imageshack.us/img20/5973/dsc6742.jpg

https://img36.imageshack.us/img36/1246/dsc6747.jpg

https://img38.imageshack.us/img38/5561/dsc6755.jpg

https://img44.imageshack.us/img44/4106/dsc6766.jpg

unfortunately rich isn't swapping his motor anymore. the new short block fell off the engine stand while rich was trying to make sweet sweet love to it.

hahahahahahaha

Is that why he called me crying the other night?

Engine bay looks great buddy!

damn man i wish i had time to take my diff for you guys measure it. i wanted to install the diff this week but i just don't have the time to go down there. do you guys @ IRP run errands in new york at all?

Looks good Rich. Consider an AL oil pan from Pineapple. No pan sealing issues and larger oil volume for better cooling.

FWIW I went through all the same questions you did. I ended up with stock seals and the solid corner seals.

http://www.reganrotaryracing.com/fdenginebuild.htm

Regards,
Crispy

Some battle damage
 

This is what happens when you don't install a heat shield over your passenger side motor mount :(

Back in 2003 I installed a pair of arms that didn't have the bolt holes to mount the bracket, so when I went to go and install the heat shield after the fact it was a no-go.

Also, the gaskets from the block to the exhaust manifold......as you can see, one of the nuts wasn't tightened 100% due to the stud on the rotor housing stripping out. The vibrations of the motor over the years must have backed the nut off. With a large exhaust leak like that I'm hoping to have better spool on this new setup with everything nice and tight :)