New apex seals?
 

I recently got my first rx-7, for 400 knowing that it had some problems. It is an 88 non-turbo. Basicly the car runs, but not very well and with no power. The guy i bought it from said one day it just lost power all of the sudden when he was going up a hill. It will not idle and shakes at low rpm. It will rev up to redline, but even then it has now power. I checked the plugs and they are black. When the car first starts up It looks like it is burning oil (blueish black smoke out of the exhaust), but after maybe 15 seconds it quits. I have been told that one of the converters may be plugged, but i thought that if one was it should still idle well. The plugs and wires have all been replaced after this problem happened. I suspect that the car maybe running rich but i am not sure. Are these symptoms of a bad seal? The guy took it to the dealer and they told him that the seals were bad, but i am not sure. The car only has 73,000 miles and he said he always took care of the oil. I could use any advice at all.
Thanks!

Have you had a compression check done on it? It is possible, the guy just didn't drive the car hard enough to get rid of carbon buildup. Do a search on this forum for ATF trick, or ATF treatment. Its worth a shot. I've heard MANY stories of people buying RX-7's with "blown" engines , or engines that have lost compression, and they've done the ATF treatment, and gotten them running almost like new.

If an apex seal was gone, it would make a real crazy exhaust sound.. I'm assuming you know what a normal rx7 sounds like.. A blown apex seal would sound like...erm...hmm. Imagine a REAL lopey cam in a piston engine..

Or, take one plug out, and crank it over. You should hear three "pssssssst" sounds.. if you hear "pssssst ffff ffff", then an apex seal is prolly gone.. Do it to one rotor at a time.. Be sure to remove the EGI fuse when you do this.

I'm buying a car today for 250$..the guy thinks the engine is toast...I think it's flooded.. Worst case, I just got a donor/project car. ;)

-Tesla