problems with rx7
 

hi im new here,
i was thinking about getting a rx7 because the wankel engine really interests me. but i was wandering what the common problems with rx7's or wankel engine?

Consumes oil normally
Does not like to be overheated
Cannot handle any serious detonation


-Ted

hey thanks. ok i have more questions now.
ok i know that the rotors seals wear out at the apex of the rotors. so how many miles does it take til i have to replace the rotors? i want this as a daily driver but i don't want to spend so much on maintenace.
im not rich so i don't want to buy this and regret it.
so is this car a good daily driver? give me as much details as you can.
i thank you in advance for your replies :)

I just got an 85 GS (12A naturally aspirated). You pay for quality and a rotary is no different from any other used car. I did my homework and I'll share.

If its your daily and reliability is a concern, get a non-turbo car. Boosted cars require higher octance gas and stress the motor more. Naturally aspirated rotaries thrive on low octane and will run a long time so long as you keep up on adding and changing oil and don't overheat it.

Climate is a concern, in my experience. FB's are usually carb'd, and rotaries are a bit more finicky in the cold. You have a double whammy and will need to be patient and learn to feather the gas and set the choke on cold mornings.

Shop around. KBB book value is accurate. Like all 70's, 80's and early 90's Japanese cars, watch the fenderwells for rust.

Read the sticky FAQ threads for the generation of car you're looking at. That will tell you what breaks, how easy it is to fix, what to look for, and what not to do. I knew not to move my car and not let it warm up before I even test drove it.

If the car stays stock, it'll go 200,000 miles before requiring a rebuild.
If you're going to bump up performance, I recommend rebuilding at 100,000 miles.  The stock 3-piece apex seals are prone to damage when the FC turbo gets around, and over, 100,000 miles - from my experience.

I've got no problems with my car being a daily driver.
I have addressed most of the maintenance and typical problems associated with the vehicle.


-Ted

your biggest problem with using an rx7 as a daily driver is they are old. a 1st gen will be the cheapest in that parts are cheap and they are simple enough that you can redo the car and have it back to quick and reliable with some elbow grease and a small bank account. na 2nd gens are more complicated and will set you back a bit more as well as being more complicated to troubleshoot. turbos are about the same but have shorter motor lifespans. 3rd gens want you to be well off in technical skills and available funds. parts are expensive and they love attention.

as for my car, 91 na. so far i've replaced in 1.5 yrs ownership: all four struts, headlights, tranny fluid (worn synchros wanting synth), exhaust (y-pipe fell apart and cats clogged), front caliper (frozen), pads, driver's a-arm (bad balljoint), motor mount (become a 3 piece), clutch, and about 20 trillion other little things. car still needs a brake master cylinder, new tranny, motor is eating coolant and recently was overheated thanks to both belts breaking on the highway. this is at 122k. you might find something in better condition but mine was pretty nice when i bought it for 3k. not trying to scare you off but give you a realistic picture of what you can expect. rx7 ownership is a love/hate thing. but you always come back.

ive heard a lot ppl blowing their engine or something bad happens to the engine when they push their car. what can i do to prevent this? besides not pushing the car.

If it's a turbo, rebuild at 100k miles.
The newer 2-piece Mazda apex seals will give you a little more mileage.
Get a bulletproof fuel system upgrade.
MAINTAIN THE CAR.

NA's are not as finicky as turbos, but you should still maintain the car.

My idea of maintenance is:
oil and oil filter change every 3,000 miles
coolant flush every two years
transmission and diff fluid change every 3 years
inspect radiator hoses and belts every month


-Ted