yeah hoser, I should have bought hose clamps before running my washing machine last night... now my garage floor is bubbly and clean!!

 

Every engine swap I have ever done has been hung up on account of hose clamps.

 

That and Cable ties. Never have enough cable ties.

 

hey alak, where are u looking for rebuild kits? all mine were 180$ w/o parts

 

I think we skipped a step here.

There's lots of questions you have to ask...

What purpose? Daily driver, Street, strip, autox...?
Target HP?
Budget?
Who is doing the work? Can you find someone to do it if you aren't doing it yourself?
What do you prefer?

'Best' is pretty vague.

Personally I would go with a 5.5 litre twin turbo diesel. I hear they're pretty quick.

 

I don't think you can rebuild any piston engine car for $180.

My engine cost around $1300 to rebuild at a shop and will support 500hp.

I don't think that my engine will last a "very short" period of time, in fact I think that 60,000+km is not unreasonable if it's tuned properly. As with all engines, tuning is key.

 

Let's face some facts. In this thread you can count the number of people that have been running a high HP/big turbo rotary for any number on years on a couple of fingers. So, most of what is being speculated on here can be ignored.

I know first hand what 4 years of 15psi+ on a big turbo has done to my engine in terms of wear and tear. And I'm at least a few ponies short of 500, and a few miles short of 60k...

 

Yeah, put in a diesel, then you can prove all the idiots wrong about TORK = FAST.

 

I want tork and 1000 km's to the tank!

 

not to mention filling the propane tank for a diesel only costs 12$ rather then 200$ for nitrous.

 

Truck racing

i do admire diesel power, but i prefer rotary. pistons are just half way btween both.

 

You can run Propane injection on a Gas motor......

 

I was talking about this diesel:

http://www.cartoday.com/content/moto...ws.asp?id=8019

 

I'd like to see the proof of your setup running almost 60k, How big is your Turbo? How much RWHP are you making? I find it hard to beleive..... Been around that stuff long enough to know that it won't last that long making the power you say your making. Here is what I used to have...

 

I guess I was being too eloquent, so let me translate: My engine is getting tired after 4 years of 15psi+, and I'm not at 500 whp or even close to 60K. So, surprise surprise, what that means is that I am agreeing with you.

Hey look, you're not the only guy with a big turbo:

 

How does a rotary cost $1000 to rebuild without parts? What are you spending $1000 on?

A rebuild kit for a Miata is not that cheap. $300 would get you maybe a gasket set and a set of connecting rod bearings. I know because I have recently priced out all the parts required to rebuild a BP.

 

Take any piston engine and x4 the horsepower output and see how long it last!

The handfull of people here with 400+++rwhp mostly did it themselfs.

Why do you think that these engines don't last! Mostly were done by hacks/marginal parts, terrible workmanship at shops and trail and error and were probable drivin for some time improperly tuned. Turbo's don't help reliability for sure Rotarys can pop on one ping.


You want something with high hp. Spend the money and buy a new car that comes with high hp and emissions compliant.


Otherwise carry on with old engines and 18+year cheap old cars (fd's excempt)and worry about $4000 every so many years when you pop a motor.

I have almost 50,000km on my engine and still 110 compression. Thats with overheating coolant and oil, a few overboost (24psi), track time and whatever misshaps. (But I've been known to baby it) Cross my fingers hope I get some more years out of her.

 

The reason why I am on the negative side of Rotary is because I have experimented myself for many years and have dyno sheets to prove I have made 400++rwhp and I know from drag racing and lapping days the motor just doesn't last, and I am not willing anymore to dump $4000+++ for a new setup when the one I got rid of was going to pop! GT42R's are not cheap and if the rotary decides to throw a seal I am out a Housing a rebuild kit and a TURBO. I have been down that road before and no matter how cheap others will claim it to be it just isn't! $500 gasket set $500 apex seals Housings if needed $1600 and Turbo if the seal hits it $3000. Lets not forget about the labour, yours or if you pay someone to do the work.

By the way FD's put down about 215rwhp stock and 400rwhp would not be 4 times that power.

 

Sorry about that, and I never thought I was the only guy that had or has a big turbo.

 

does a TO4b hybrid count as a "bit turbo"?

 

I know your pain.

1988 FC may have 156rwhp? 4 times is just a number. I guess closer to 3?

Seems to me you need to go in a direction of a new car. Big hp and no hassels