Noob Rotary Rebuild
 

Hello i am a noob to the I have had the 1986 RX7 GXL since 1994 and in 1995 the car started to leak major coolant not knowing what to do my dad parked it and left it. I found the tech manuals on how to rebuild and its probably harder than it looks but whatever ive been around cars all my life and would love to rebuild and learn how to fix a RX7 and since the Rx7 is so rare i would love to be the only one in the area driving it. I would just like to know because my dad owns a shop do you need any specialty tools besides the ratchets and sockets and air tools and stuff like that to rip apart and rebuild the RX7 13b rotary engines or do you need tools only for the rotaries to rebuild the rotaries if so what are the specialty tools you need?
I also was wondering can you tell without ripping apart the motor that the apex seals are gone?and if so how?

I am really looking forward to Resurecting the RX7 because i love rotaries

Thanks for the help
NxT G

Yes, you can. If you take the exhaust manifold off, or take the spark plugs out and look really closely with a good light, you can spin the engine over (well, if it's out of the car) and see the apex seals when the rotors turn to the right spot...

Can't really do it without taking the engine out of the car (or at least it would be a real PITA), and you'd need to replace the exhaust manifold gasket if you take the manifold off.

FYI, I rebuilt my engine with nothing but hand tools (although I don't know if it runs yet, I haven't put it in the car yet!)... I did have to get my pilot bearing out with a Dremel tool, though... but that's only because it got knocked in too far by using the wrong flywheel puller.

Make sure you have:

a flywheel stopper... a crowbar WILL work, but a flywheel stopper will be so much easier.

an engine hoist (obviously)

a 3 or 5-pound dead blow hammer (11 dollars at Harbor Freight)...very usefull for getting the flywheel off. Or just a 5-pound hammer and a pipe... It's also usefull for putting a pilot bearing back in.

An engine stand and a rotary engine adapter will be usefull, unless you're on a tight budget and don't want to spend more than you absolutely have to. Otherwise, one of those plastic milk crates makes a workable (but crappy) engine stand for when you're putting it back together. Just make sure it won't be crushed by the engines weight... that would be bad.

Make sure you buy a tube or two of Hylomar sealant, some sort of gasket sealer if you fudget up the gaskets (like if you have to take something back off), and a thread sealant for a few of the bolts.

You also might need a blow torch to heat up a few of the bolts, to melt the locktite holding them in place... and you might have to take the engine to a tire shop and have them use their heavy-duty impact wrenches to get the flywheel nut (400+ foot pounds of torque) off.

Make sure you have a clutch alignment tool ($3~) for when you put the clutch back on...


Make sure you have a metric socket wrench set... especially a 10, 12, 14, 17, and 19mm socket, in various drive sizes.

You'll also need a torque wrench (5~100 ft/lbs).