80RX7LS

For the past several years I have been trying to decide what to do with my car, it's a 1980 LS in Solar Gold that I bought new in August of 1980. There was the option of selling it, or rebuild the engine, or do nothing and "nurse" it through and let someone else deal with it when the time comes. Well this past fall I made the decision to bite the bullet and have the engine rebuilt. It was really down on power and the compression in the front rotor was quite low. So with the help of my local garage I did some research and elected to pull the engine and send it to Atkins Rotary and have it rebuilt. So I thought I'd post some pictures of the progress of the project. While the engine was out I took the time to clean up the engine bay and replace several items. Attached are some pictures of the engine bay waiting for the engine.




As the project progresses I'll post more.

rxtasy3

iTrader: (2)

this would have been better posted in the build section.

Banzai

iTrader: (13)

Excellent choice Ed. Glad you decided to keep her and patch her up. I suspect you will be glad you did as well. No better time to "go crazy" with a toothbrush in your engine bay! Keep us posted with updates.

80RX7LS

I wasn't sure where the best fit would be so i stuck it here under general discussion. To me a "build" would include the engine, cooling system, suspension, exhaust, interior and electronics but that's just me. I was also thinking about putting it in the "What did you do to..." heading. Ultimately I though I'd start its own heading because it addresses just the engine rebuild and my experiences. If the moderators think it is better suited in another area they can move it as they see fit. Thanks for the comment.

ATC529R

thats one clean looking engine bay. not much of a build IMO

any other pics?

mazdaverx713b

iTrader: (91)

Glad to hear that you're having the engine rebuilt! I've always loved the car and wish I could have been a part of the process! I would have loved to lend a hand! Too bad we're not closer as the distance isn't terrible. Would love to have you at the meet ay my place again this year!! Let me know if I can be of any help!

80RX7LS

Dave, actually you were part of the process. Your input last fall helped me with my decision. That combined with input from two certified valuation experts and my local garage were crucial in making the decision. If the distance was a little closer I would have you more involved with the hands on stuff. There's a lot more to do so if you want to make the 2 hour drive let me know. The current time line should have the car back on the road by the end of April so if it works out I'll make it a point to make it over to your meet just let me know when it will be. Thanks again for all you help in the past.

mustanghammer

iTrader: (3)

Came here expecting to see a Chevy engine and left much happier! Nice looking work

80RX7LS

Just a brief update on the progress of this project. I finished cleaning and replacing old parts in the engine compartment, this phase is now completed. It was an interesting process, I found a wire that had broken off of it's connector (even though the car ran OK) so I repaired it and cleaned the terminals. It was a cold start lead on top of the transmission housing. Found a few other things that needed attention as well and addressed them too. I received the rebuilt engine and interconnect parts. Next step would be to install the engine. Here are pictures of the old and new engine.

tommyeflight89

iTrader: (4)

Awesome. Chassis looks very nice and clean, glad you are getting it running nicely again.

Can you share some details on what Atkins found during the rebuild and what they did? I see factory 12A housings...

Maxwedge

iTrader: (1)

Are your housings & front cover left bare, or clear coated? My engine is being rebuilt by IRPerformance right now and I want it like yours... black irons and "bare" aluminums. Not sure if I want to let the aluminum patina (like my used intake(s) or have it sprayed clear.

RX7_Renesis

iTrader: (1)

From one SA Original Owner to another (also purchased in August of 1980) .. glad you decided to keep your RX7 and refurbish it.

I would also be interested in what Atkins found when they tore down your 12A .. and where they sourced new or used rotor housings.

Also if you have the time .. maybe a little writeup about the various products and cleaners you used to get your engine bay looking as nice as it is!

RX7_Renesis

iTrader: (1)

I recently had some engine parts vapour honed .. and they look brand new. I inquired about some sort of clear coat for protection, however I was told that the clear would yellow over time.

Best recommendation was to leave them "as is" to age naturally .. or paint them an aluminum colour to match. My guess is that the used aluminum parts from Atkins were painted.

Maxwedge

iTrader: (1)

When I first got the engine they were painted but it eas a bad paint job... peeled and chipped off easily revealing dirty metal underneath. The shop that has it now has a vapor hone box to clean everything and will re-paint it any color I want (or powder coat for an extra charge). I just want simple black and aluminum.

He said he has something he can spray/treat the aluminum with to keep it from oxidizing, but I actually like the "patina" look that my old RB DCOE intake has.

80RX7LS

[QUOTE=tommyeflight89;12513843
Can you share some details on what Atkins found during the rebuild and what they did? I see factory 12A housings...[/QUOTE]

I don't have a lot of details on what Atkins found and did to the old engine. I originally sent the old engine to them with the thought of it being rebuilt but when they received it they advised it would be less expensive to replace it with a re-manufactured engine. They basically said the front half of the old engine was unusable and many components of the back half were questionable. I asked for more detail and a picture or two of the findings but received no more information. I wasn't really surprised by this based on my evaluation of the old engine. When discussing the rebuild with various providers I asked what would you do if you find you can not use the irons or rotors after you get the engine apart. Atkins was the only one that had a good answer and potential solutions including having some 12A housings on "the shelf". The remainder basically said they would deal with it when the time comes at a price and timing to be determined.

80RX7LS

The housings are painted whit high temp ceramic "aluminum" paint and the irons are high hi temp gloss black paint. I'll ask Atkins for more info and pass on what I get. I haven't started the engine yet so we will have to see how well it stands up the the heat.

7aull

iTrader: (2)

Would LOVE to know the cost of the rebuild, delivered to your house.This would help a lot of us know what to expect if/when. I second the request for info on what Atkins considers a "replacement block". Seems obv this is maybe an in-house block, ready to go. But what parts (besides obvious soft bits) are new? Tips? probably. Housings? unlikely as the 80s have been NLA (and are 79-80 year-specific) for years. Dd they warranty it?
I may have missed this on earlier posts, but what was the mileage on the original block? I ask cause my 80 is now at about 110K, tho running fine...
Thanks for the deets!!
I have some great 'first-start' info for new blocks if you are interested. Stuff am guessing most of us never considered...

Great thread-
Stu A
80GS
AZ

Banzai

iTrader: (13)

I'm also interested in what they are calling a "re-manufactured" engine. I'm guessing its an assemblage of parts they have on hand. Does this mean they will salvage what they can from your engine and refurbish the parts for another future re-manufactured unit? Do you know if they re-used any of your original engine? The front Iron would have been nice, that way it would retain the original engine number.

80RX7LS

You can get the cost of a rebuilt engine from the Atkins web page, click on the info header and then select engine rebuild prices. If you read through this page and the associated pages they provide a god description of what you will receive. I also spoke with them on the phone several times before and after I placed my order to make sure I fully understood what I was getting and they were very responsive and helpful. Their price includes a complete engine "core" and the necessary parts (i.e. gaskets and seals) to re-install the engine. The only difference was for the shipping, the "actual" price was about 40% higher YMV depending on location. The price also includes a two year/12K mile warranty. The mileage on my original engine was 65K but there were some extenuating circumstances that apply to engine (I won't get into at this time) that caused the problem. In addition I had them resurface and mount the flywheel which was only $50 more. While the engine was out I did drop about $800 on other stuff such as a new water pump, clutch kit, all the heater hoses. new oil cooler and lines, oil metering pump and lines and misc clips, gaskets etc.

I'd really like to see the "first-start" info!

7aull

iTrader: (2)

Here is Rob Golden of Pineappleracing's complete Start-Up and Break-in: (courtesy, Pineappleracing)

"Failure to follow break-in instructions does not necessarily cause immediate engine failure. BUT we have found it will greatly shorten the life of many of the components. For example, we have seen oil control rings loose ½ their life from lack of break-in. Consider your hard earned money and time when deciding a break-in procedure. -Rob Golden"

Pineapple Racing Recommended Engine Break-in Procedure To pre-lube engine:
-Startup Oil Weight: For startup use a dead dinosaur( ie. mineral based) oil in a 0w20 through 10w30.
-Leave oil line loop at front cover unattached with catch pan under it. (Stu: I think we are trying to fill the FM Oil Cooler here with this!)
-Repeatedly fill oil filter pedestal outer cavity with oil and allow oil to gravity feed into loop line until oil is present at disconnected end of line. [see PHOTO]
-Attach the oil line at the front of the engine
-All oil lines should be attached.
-Pour oil into center passage of oil pedestal.
you loosen the oil line coming from the front cover it allows oil put into the outer ring of the oil pedestal to fill the oil cooler and lines.
I tend to do this if I am installing an engine. I fill the ring periodically while working on the car,
-then when I am ready to crank the engine over I plug the center hole and tighten the front oil line to the front cover.
The most important thing is the oil down the center of the threaded area the oil filter threads onto. This is the galley that is headed into the engine.

The overview is we would like to get oil into the engine just like when it is running. When running, he oil enters the "ring" (outer) area on the oil ped and then passes through the filter element and goes down the center hole on the threaded area the filter threads onto. Gravity will allow the oil to fill the engine’s internal passages.

A quicker way to move oil into the engine’s internal passages is:
-apply low pressure air to filter adapter and push oil into loop line. Be sure to wear appropriate safety gear and use low pressure. The oil can blow out at you around the rubber tip of the air gun.

Crank Engine to pressurize & leak-test:
-Prevent engine from starting, (-pull coil wires or pull plug wires)
-then crank engine until pressure gauge shows oil pressure or until oil indicator light on dash goes out.
-Check for leaks.

The above addresses only the oiling system; refer to factory manual for additional first-start precautions that may be necessary.
Once Started, check for leaks while allowing engine to come up to operating temperature. Check all gauges frequently.

-After engine reaches operating temperature, bleed air from cooling system as necessary per factory service manual.
-Check oil level.
-Allow engine to run for approximately 30 min. in neutral, varying rpms, then turn off.
-allow the engine to cool, then change oil and filter.

Especially for turbocharged engines: make sure spark and fuel mapping are safe for engine break-in. We recommend the engine tuner prevent the engine from exceeding recommended break-in operation specifications.

Driving Break-in:
-For the first 500 miles of driving, allow engine extra time to warm up before driving the car and do not exceed 4000rpm. Turbocharged engines should run minimal boost during the first 500 miles.
-Change oil and filter at 500 miles.
-From 500 to 2000 miles, gradually increase engine rpm and load to the point of occasionally bringing the engine rpm to 7000 using no more than ¾ throttle.
-Dyno-testing/tuning is the best way to get the most out of your new engine. While not necessary for non-turbo applications, it should be done for turbo cars.
-Check oil level frequently during break-in. During break-in, any engine can consume a noticeable quantity of oil. Running an engine low, or out of oil, will void your warranty.

These instructions are not intended to supersede any other engine builder’s recommendations. They should have been chosen for their skill and knowledge. If they cannot provide you with the technical support you require, consider that the next time you look for an engine builder.

Oil Recommendations:
Manufacturer: any quality brand of oil is OK except Pennzoil. I dislike this one brand for buildup reasons.
Startup Oil Weight: For startup use a dead dinosaur(mineral based) oil in a 0w20 through 10w30.

Post Startup: For non-turbo engines we like thin oils like the 0w20-10w30 for all applications where the oil temp is kept below 220*F. Virtually all stock or near stock applications will not have an issue with oil temp. A well designed race car should be able to run these thinner oils.

We have run 0w16 in full race circuit cars with great engine life.

For turbo cars, due to higher temps in limited area of the engine package, like inside the turbo we recommend 10w40 -20w50.

After Break in:
For all but the street driven RX8, we recommend changing to synthetic oil like Mobile 1. The extended oil change cycle(for normal use) and its superior wear protection and heat transfer properties make it a great choice. For n/a applications I will run it for 1yr./12K miles between changes.

For the RX8, it’s tendency for carbon buildup makes a change to a synthetic oil a poor choice for all but the hardest driven cars.

For turbo RX8 engines for street use dead dinosaur oil and 2000 – 2500mile oil changes are your best friend. For track use or extremely hard street use, synthetic oil in 10w40-20w50 is an option. It is a compromise of better oil protection vs. carbon buildup.


Courtesy Pineappleracing


Stu A
80GS
AZ

80RX7LS

Stu thanks for posting the first start info. This combined with the FSM and directions from Atkins and i should have all the basis covered.

here's a picture of recent progress. The basic engine "core" looks so small when its installed in the engine bay, but it will fill up quickly after I add all the ancillary equipment.

7aull

iTrader: (2)

NICE! Couple of thoughts as you add accessories back in. There is a specific way to install the Dizzy correctly so it "times" properly with the ignition. Flywheel/eng needs to be "parked" in certain position Won't detail here since you may already know.

-I use a very light application of lube (like say bearing grease) around the tip of the coolant pipes prior to installing the hoses. This makes slide on - and OFF! - a breeze, and also bit better seal for coolant.

-If you struggle with mounting reactor to the the exhaust pipe, loosen a few sections of the pipe to allow some flexibility at the reactor joint.

-Take a hard look at the OMP lines to the carb. Prob the originals? Unfortunately only ONE of them is still avai (long one I think?) but members hear have found some alternatives. I think use of the now-brittle originals is problematic.

-great time for NEW FMOC rubber mounts!! Still avai.

-Factory thermostat seems to offer best performance for cooling. Likewise new OE rad cap.

-coolant sys will need to be "burped" once engine is running. If you can raise the front end and let gravity help the bubbles come up to the rad is helpful.
I then give the lower hose some squeezes to help move things along...

So - Onward! hope the start-up goes well !

Stu A
80GS
AZ

80RX7LS

Just another short update. Everything is installed except for the carburetor and air cleaner. Just waiting on my mechanic to finish rebuilding the carb and we should be good to go.

Maxwedge

iTrader: (1)

Looking good!

mazdaverx713b

iTrader: (91)

I looks absolutely incredible Ed!! Very nice work on the install! I can't wait to see the car in person again! I'm speaking with my wife about scheduling another RX-7 meet in a couple months. When we come up with an exact date I'll let you know.