Pineapple rebuild or do it myself?
 

Hello everyone. I need to rebuild the engine out of my 91 NA which has 167K miles on it, and I originally planned on doing it myself, but I was wondering if it might be a better idea to do with a Pineapple Racing rebuild?
I am interested in just rebuilding the motor to stock, except with a TII intermediate housing and TII rotor housings. I do have the video that Atkins Rotary sells about how to rebuild the engine, and I was planning on getting their full rebuild with w/ bearing, 2mm 2piece piece apex seals, etc etc, and then two new TII rotor housings. The kit is $1014, and then it'd be $800 for rotor housings. I do have access to a machine shop that has height gauges and micrometers and such, and even a lapping machine. I also have half a garage free and I have a simple Harbor Freight engine stand, and I don't have to go off to college until September 22nd. What I dont have is a bucket of carburetor cleaner or a parts washer...

The other option, however, is to get it rebuilt by Pineapple Racing. Its $1900 for a rebuild, and that has the two year warranty on it so I am protected against catastrophic failure... its about $90 shipping each way.So thats $2000. So it would be marginally cheaper to do it myself, but I'd likely need misc parts/specialty tools (cleaners, permatex, lapping compound, eshaft spacer, lockwashers, etc), so maybe not really. And I don't get the warranty.

So, am I overlooking any other major costs? Do you think it would be a good idea to try to do it myself even if it ends up costing a little more and I don't get a warranty? Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Andrew

if you have never had any experience building a rotary and youre gonna try, like your name says you really are one crazy dude, even with that video. (haha) you will need all the specialty tools and the waranty you have is, oh wait you wont have a warranty if you do it yourself. most of the do it yourselfers on this forum, even the best of them, dont do their or engine work. i say you go with the pineapple racing rebuild i hear they do really go work and they are a reputable shop.what are you gonna use those special rotary tools for when youre engine is not blown? well unless youre gonna open your own shop then these tools are usless till the next 150k miles or so right? well this is just what i think and if you think you can hadle it then go for it. just my .02 cents :)

I say if you never try you will never know :) depending on your experience with rotary's. I think it would be great experience if you did it. But like UnSeen said, it will not be easy. Pineapple does great work, but deffinatly a lot cheaper if you can get it goin yourself.

I agree with RexSe7en. If you do it yourself, then it can either be great or really suck. If you have Pineapple do it, then you will never know whether it was great or not. I say, "Go for it."

On a similar note, if you are rebuilding your own engine, then use synthetic oils after you break it in to reduce the wear next tie you rebiuld (if the rest of your car lasts that long).

Personally, I say do it yourself. :) Especially if you're not on any sort of time constraints by when you need the car to run. Imagine the fantastic learning experience! I can't wait to rebuild a 13B.

Just read up all you can, talk to people who've done it, and have that rebuild video and some service manuals handy. :)

You don't have to have experience to rebuild a rotary. You just need to have plenty of time to do it - patiently.

I say, do it yourself for the experience. Just go slow and be careful and you'll do fine. Triple check everything. that way you don't wonder, "Did I...." later on when it's installed in the car. :)

The Mazda book references many special tools, but I honestly don't think you need too much special stuff. Umm, you need some way to press in/out new bearings on the rotors and stationary gears... a dial gauge and mounting block to check the end play... 54 mm socket and huge pipe/breaker bar for the flywheel. I am not sure what other unusual things you might come up against. You don't NEED a parts washer. I've always cleaned things the slow way - by hand.

You will feel VERY proud of yourself every time you drive the car knowing that you did it all. I say do it yourself unless you just can't spend the time.

Brian

Yup I think work done yourself is the way to go. I am doing one soon also.

doing it!
 

Well, I decided to do it myself, and the engine is in pieces in my garage. Turns out there is a 3/4" section of the wall inside the inner coolant O ring on the intermediate housing... on BOTH sides of it! I think I'll need to get my front and rear housings lapped.... Rotors look ok, I'm replacing all seals + bearings ($1000), two new turbo rotor housings($800), and hopefully I should be able to get a good deal on a turbo intermediate housing...

Now the issue is whether or not I should try porting it myself :)