apsolus

iTrader: (2)

One day a few months back i had a crazy idea to get an Rx7. Well off to craigslist i found an 87 N/A that looked the part. Clean paint nice wheels. Judging from the pics i knew it was an Autozone tweak job though, painted orange calipers, ugly hood scoop, crappy front end bra etc etc etc. Ive always wanted one ever sence i was young so i went out and took a look.

Man this thing was in terrible shape. Talking to the guy over the phone he stated it had a coolant leak from the radiator and it wasnt drivable due to a horrible bearing noise coming from the rear end. Ok i said well when i got there it was pretty much love at first sight, i just wanted to fix this poor poor thing! I started out with a detailed inspection under the car no rust no issues with the rear end, oil leaks like crazy, powersteering leaking coolant leaking. Opened the hood and found a really sorry *** intake set up short ram thing and found out the coolant wasnt leaking at the radiator but the water pump.

Well dude wanted the get over 2000 dollars couldnt realy figure that out. so i offered him 600 and he got me to 650. Ok next day me and a freind with a truck and trailer towed it to the shop. I was so proud looking in the mirror seeing an Rx7! Here are some pics of what it looked like when i got it.

apsolus

iTrader: (2)

After getting it to the shop a few days later i brought it in late night and found out what was going on with the many leaks and bearing noise.

Alright so the rear brake pads had been completely depleted and the pad was wedged between the scored rotor and the caliper piston! Trip to the junkyard and i found one and only 1! rx ripe for the picking. looks like the exhaust and some interior were the only things missing. so i got to it and removed the right rear brake caliper and installed it on the car. left the rotors alone for now cause at this point all i want to do is drive this car! Installed a new water pump which threw in some surprises when i took it off and the front cover thermostat housing decided to come with it and i didnt have a gasket for that! well i just made one and went about my buisness started the car after deflooding it and took it for a spin! Ran so bad and there was this annoying beep coming from under the dash powersteering is intermittent but it runs. Come to find out the retard PO installed an aftermarket steering wheel and tucked the steering angle sensor under the dash! Why PO why??? Why make a perfectly good car sucky?? Once i got it home i had alot of diagnosing to do as the car just would not start on its own. Had injectors serviced replaced injector clips as all of them were broken as well as the thermosensor and thought i had the issues resolved after i got it running it ran great, but a few days later i started to smell coolant and was having to fill it regularly. Here are some pics of my adventures under the UIM. Got that thing off and found all kinda messed up lines and ****! OK after a few noob quesions i found out my oil metering lines needed replacement.

apsolus

iTrader: (2)

Also with the engine out ill replace all the front suspension bushings. The powersteering appears to have been leaking for years as the fluid has destroyed the left side swaybar bushing, lower control arms and motormounts. So i plan on replacing the powersteering with a manual rack thats on my parts car at the junkyard. If anyone is interested in the entire powersteering set up let me know. i know for sure its leaking from the electrical sensor at the bottom of the pump also it doesnt whine when filled.

During the first month of ownership i repaired the 6 port actuators installed highflow sleeves, replaced omp lines, omp, full emissions delete and blocked off the front and rear coolant lines for the cold start wax valve. Car ran fine till a few days later when the coolant seal took a ****. Time for my first rotory rebuild. Here it is in the garage where it will sit till i replace the suspension bushings, convert to manual steering, replace front struts, brake lines, motormounts, transmounts as well as figuring out how to properly mount the manual trans. (Car apparently used to be auto and was swapped horribly)

apsolus

iTrader: (2)

Got motor to work in the back of my geo! Small drivetrain compared to powerstrokes!


got the motor tore down today and i think i found my issue. looke like the very bottom of the engine where the coolant seal sits i have some cavitation which probably ate up the coolant seal. Ive attached pics. Now ive been hearing through most of the rotory community that ill need to replace the irons. wouldnt it be better to just get it braised? couldnt i just give it to a machine shop to get repaired? why replace it? looking for some advice here please.

Wow i was completely amazed at how quickly the engine came apart! Also when i removed the rotors all kinda gizmos and seals started bouncing around everywhere. All in all very cool to finally see the inside of this motor for myself. Everything else seems like its in usable condition, rotor housings are showing no chrome flaking but i do see some choppy looking shine to the finish, ill have to take more pics and post up tommorrow for you guys to see.

varianfc3s

As far as reparing the irons it depends on how bad the wear is and the condition of the water seal grooves I would contact Mazdatrix about having them lapped, also visit their website and search this forum about lapping if they can be lapped that is what I would do and thats what I am doing to mine.

FelixIsGod29X

iTrader: (50)

The choppy looking shine on the housings is probably chatter marks, which can make the housing not usable as is. As for the plate with the broken wall i would just get another one for like $90? Lapping doesnt fix a busted coolant seal wall.

apsolus

iTrader: (2)

alright here are some more pics. check em out and let me know what your thinking. This is my first time seeing the inside of a rotory so i got no idea but i know all my bearings are not showing any brass eshaft looks great rotors appear to be fine. my housings and all im not to sure about.

apsolus

iTrader: (2)

there is a shop in san antonio called alamo rotory that i plan on checking out for my needs including lapping the peices if need be. haha ive heard nothing but bad about the guys but its hard to ignore the only shop in the area specailizing in rotory. Anyway what do you guys see here? If i need to i might buy some turbo housings to get rid of the exhaust defusers, but really im just interested in a good running rotory not really trying to get alot of power. i am gonna do a street port though, why not?

apsolus

iTrader: (2)

Taking the engine pieces to someone else. apparently alamo rotory is shut down, go figure.