Rx7 FD3S Odyssey
#2
So it all started when I bought my 2001 FD3S Type RB. The car was originally automatic and it was converted to manual by the previous owner. It was also converted to non-sequential turbo. Unfortunately the car was not taken care properly and it had several problems:
1) Bad water coolant seal (=> new engine was needed)
2) Aftermarket adjustable Silkroad suspension was useless (oil leak etc)
3) exhaust leak from supposedly the dp.
Engine bay in 2013
1) Bad water coolant seal (=> new engine was needed)
2) Aftermarket adjustable Silkroad suspension was useless (oil leak etc)
3) exhaust leak from supposedly the dp.
Engine bay in 2013
#3
The goal was to do any repairs needed by the car and ultimately build a streetable, good looking FD for frequent use. But alas, fate had different plans...
First and foremost, the engine needed a rebuild. I was completely ignorant of the technicalities and the details of a good rebuild and in general of how a healthy FD should work. (I still am to some extend as I do not claim to be a mechanic ) In addition, I didn't know what was going on on the local rotary scene. A friend introduced me to a local shop which was supposedly to be rotary experts. And the 1st rebuild begun... (yes, more rebuilds followed...)
First and foremost, the engine needed a rebuild. I was completely ignorant of the technicalities and the details of a good rebuild and in general of how a healthy FD should work. (I still am to some extend as I do not claim to be a mechanic ) In addition, I didn't know what was going on on the local rotary scene. A friend introduced me to a local shop which was supposedly to be rotary experts. And the 1st rebuild begun... (yes, more rebuilds followed...)
#5
Rotor or no motor
iTrader: (24)
Knowing what you been through, it ******* sucks
But thats what happens when you trust (and you have trusted) idiots with 0 mechanical experience or understanding.. hence the title odyssey
But thats what happens when you trust (and you have trusted) idiots with 0 mechanical experience or understanding.. hence the title odyssey
#6
P.S. The downpipe in the pictures above is a Knightsports one. The so called "expert" said that it is a cheap Chinese downpipe that doesn't fit well and that I should swap it with a Greddy one. And so I did. (The dp was swapped for something else I needed)
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#12
Unfortunately even after the rebuild, major problems were left unattended by the mechanic. There was an exhaust leak from somewhere. After indicating the problem to him, he said that he could not tell from where exactly the exhaust leakage was coming from...
#14
The car went to another "sexpert" mechanic in another town, long away from were I live, to check the exhaust leak. He decided it was due to a bad turbo. So eventually I have decided to go single, and scrap all the complexity of the twins.
So there was a big list of upgrades that went into the car...
So there was a big list of upgrades that went into the car...
#15
So the following were used in the single turbo setup:
- GT35R turbo with 1.06 A/R T4
- Greddy style manifold re-enforced
- Custom downpipe 90mm
- Tial 44mm external wastegate
- Mishimoto aluminium radiator
- PLX multi-gauge monitoring AFR, EGT, Water temp, Oil temp, Oil press
- Denso fuel pump (otherwise stock fuel system for the time-being)
- racing tow links and tie rods
- HKS EVC 5 boost controller
- A-tech 18x8 and 18x9 wheels
- Banzai idler pulley kit
- Cusco Carbon Fiber front strut
- other goodies shown in pictures
- Tuning at 0.8 bar
Mishimoto rad
Banzai idler pulley kit
aluminium AST
Turbo housing T4 1.06
Greddy style manifold
TIAL 44mm
PLX multigauge boxes
Flex joint after the downpipe
- GT35R turbo with 1.06 A/R T4
- Greddy style manifold re-enforced
- Custom downpipe 90mm
- Tial 44mm external wastegate
- Mishimoto aluminium radiator
- PLX multi-gauge monitoring AFR, EGT, Water temp, Oil temp, Oil press
- Denso fuel pump (otherwise stock fuel system for the time-being)
- racing tow links and tie rods
- HKS EVC 5 boost controller
- A-tech 18x8 and 18x9 wheels
- Banzai idler pulley kit
- Cusco Carbon Fiber front strut
- other goodies shown in pictures
- Tuning at 0.8 bar
Mishimoto rad
Banzai idler pulley kit
aluminium AST
Turbo housing T4 1.06
Greddy style manifold
TIAL 44mm
PLX multigauge boxes
Flex joint after the downpipe
#16
Some more pics.
Car with GT wing
Car wingless
Car with OEM headlights
Car with authentic C-WEST headlights and CATZ bulbs
Finished work.
Interior pic
Gauge cluster was of automatic rx7 version 5 (green backlight).
Pioneer dvd single din, so that boost controller and PLX multigauge can be placed on the lower din.
Car with GT wing
Car wingless
Car with OEM headlights
Car with authentic C-WEST headlights and CATZ bulbs
Finished work.
Interior pic
Gauge cluster was of automatic rx7 version 5 (green backlight).
Pioneer dvd single din, so that boost controller and PLX multigauge can be placed on the lower din.
#17
Then my rx7 developed an oil leak from somewhere (how unusual). The worrying thing was that the oil was going down to the external, posing the risk for fire when the external was firing.
Unfortunately I chose the worst possible mechanic to take my car and fix the problem, and at this time a really bad trip (a real odyssey) was starting for me.
Unfortunately I chose the worst possible mechanic to take my car and fix the problem, and at this time a really bad trip (a real odyssey) was starting for me.
#19
While the car was on the garage, a, back then, 'friend' who is calling himself rotary expert suggested that my engine (with hitherto 7000 km on it) was on a very bad state, and that the rebuilt I had was of very bad quality. Hence, he suggested that I should give him my engine to re- rebuild it, otherwise it would need a rebuilt very soon as the housings were not sealed properly and they would start to fall apart (!).
Unfortunately I was not aware of how a bad or good rotary engine is rated (apart from the classic compression test), so I was convinced to his advice.
P.S It was only after some time I found I could easily test the water pressure and just see if it remains stable.
Unfortunately I was not aware of how a bad or good rotary engine is rated (apart from the classic compression test), so I was convinced to his advice.
P.S It was only after some time I found I could easily test the water pressure and just see if it remains stable.
#22
Then the mechanic (who apparently smelled money), suggested that I convert my harness to single turbo harness, since it would be a piece of cake for him. That was the most fatal decision I ever made for my car.
The guy turned out to be completely incompetent and ignorant.
The guy turned out to be completely incompetent and ignorant.
#23
Something went really bad during the single turbo harness conversion.
A sign of that it was that the OEM water temperature gauge was working as a boost gauge.
The mechanic cut some plugs and melted some iron to attach them somewhere else. I think that created a very bad malfunctioning of the whole system.
A sign of that it was that the OEM water temperature gauge was working as a boost gauge.
The mechanic cut some plugs and melted some iron to attach them somewhere else. I think that created a very bad malfunctioning of the whole system.
#24
The damages that have been caused from the malfunctioning harness were extensive. I will cut the long story short and just list them, without narrating how I had to found each time that another part ceased to function.
- 5 apex seals were broken (needless to say what happened to the rotors and housings). Thank God turbo had no damage
- Speed sensor was damaged and stopped functioning
- Speedometre was damaged and was malfunctioning
- Wires of reverse gear were slaughtered by the mechanic (still for unknown reasons)
- Engine harness had to be replaced altogether, as the one which was converted to single-turbo type was pretty bad malfunctioning.
- HKS Boost controller solenoid stopped working
- Fuel pump stopped working
- 5 apex seals were broken (needless to say what happened to the rotors and housings). Thank God turbo had no damage
- Speed sensor was damaged and stopped functioning
- Speedometre was damaged and was malfunctioning
- Wires of reverse gear were slaughtered by the mechanic (still for unknown reasons)
- Engine harness had to be replaced altogether, as the one which was converted to single-turbo type was pretty bad malfunctioning.
- HKS Boost controller solenoid stopped working
- Fuel pump stopped working
Last edited by Carpe_Diem_7; 11-19-15 at 05:54 PM.
#25
It was about that time that I started to listen up to the advises of an experienced and very knowledgeable man (almost Godsend at that point in time), Mr. Costas (r-r-rx7).
From that point on, the car was seeing upgrades, instead of downgrades that were happening before due to the mechanical accidents occurred.
P.S. the rotary expert eventually accepted to fix the engine at his cost. It is still unknown what was the quality of the parts used, as both chambers have very low compression (5.7 and 6.5 after rebuild). However, the engine seems to work fine after 10.000km.
From that point on, the car was seeing upgrades, instead of downgrades that were happening before due to the mechanical accidents occurred.
P.S. the rotary expert eventually accepted to fix the engine at his cost. It is still unknown what was the quality of the parts used, as both chambers have very low compression (5.7 and 6.5 after rebuild). However, the engine seems to work fine after 10.000km.