When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Hi everyone! I recently purchased an FD touring (1994) RX! She's a 1.3b with just over 86,000 miles! (86,056 I'm quite sure is the exact number) so she will need a rebuild soon! Still pulls hard and runs like a top! In immaculate shape with no reliability mods done yet! I've wanted one of these since I was 6 and am now 23! Car was donated to UGM and I purchased for $20,000 and wow, what an absolute blast to drive! She's had full compression tests done and I have full carfax and more! Enjoy the pictures! -Randy
if there's no issues with it, runs a good as u say and good compression with only 86k on it, why do u say it will need a rebuild soon? if taken care of and maintained well, it should last another 86k.
Oh, I'd sure hope so! Though the longest I've heard a rotary lasting is 115,000 before rebuild, and poor soul cracked the block on his RX-8 plus, I wanna silicone the rats nest, and do some other lovely things while I'm in there. (coughbiggerradiatorcough) hopefully in the next 3 years or so! - Randy
Last edited by Randy'sRX-7; Apr 2, 2020 at 11:48 PM.
Reason: Typos,
Nice clean stock example. If compression is good, you got a deal
And if compression is good, the engine is fine. No need for a rebuild. Just change your radiator fluid and keep an eye on the level. If it's holding and you don't see any white smoke out the exhaust, your coolant seals are still good
And if you have stock boost pattern (10-7-10), i would not touch the rats nest. It might be brittle as all get out, but it's working.
In fact i wouldn't do anything at all to it. Just keep an eye on things.
Hello again! I've found the paperwork from the compression test and it looks like it ranked at 70 psi with a minimum of 85psi required to pass, now, this information comes from a test performed in 2005, I do have a more recent test but that paperwork currently escapes me. The diagnosis that was given to it was "possible cracked rotor seal, needs engine" which of course is an apex seal, but, "Be nice to her and she'll be nice to you" I take seriously, it's not my DD and definitely not a racecar, but.. she is fun to drive anywho, I'm aware this isn't the place to ask a question such as this, but being stuck on mobile, it's a hassle to post a thread ^^; but here goes, I've driven her today and upon parking in the garage, I've noticed 2 small puddles near identical in size underneath what I'm quite sure is the oil pan, recently at a car meet, a guy had a sticker on his FC that read, "rotaries don't leak oil, they mark their territory!" ..that's re-assuring -Randy
That's a bummer on the compression. 70 is like rebuild time. 85 is worn, but drivable. Get it checked again with a rotary tester. It will give you some hints to the problem (worn vs cracked). Worn is generally ok, cracked/broken is not
Oil leaks are common. Search the forum. For the most part, it's a nuisance problem
I'll be sure to delve into the 3rd gen threads! Thanks Tom! And yeah.. I love this car enough to pursue a (preferably highly knowledgeable) rotary rebuilder! So, the compression issue.. no sweat! Pay the car off, and save for such a feat! Also, what it was I forgot to say, the turbos were serviced and or replaced at 75,000, (recipt just says "Turbo Maintainence") I don't have a boost gauge (yet) but I can't imagine it'd be anything other than 10-7-10 on pressure, especially if they were done so recently, though I hear it faintly they spool up just fine from what it sounds like!
-Randy
Last edited by Randy'sRX-7; Apr 4, 2020 at 01:16 AM.
Reason: Typos, again,
Don't want to add any anxiety, but there are not too many people knowledgeable on these cars (especially Mazda dealerships). I'd be leery on what any shop tells you unless you trust their competence with rotaries.
For the most part, i'm an advocate for keeping things stock, but there's two aftermarket gauges that are essential. Boost and water temp. The boost gauge will let you know if your boost system is off, or if you have boost creep, which is generally a problem when you start making mods on the intake and exhaust. The stock water temp gauge sucks and since these cars are prone to overheat, that's an essential gauge. You can get it to work, but i find it easier to install an aftermarket gauge. The forum has plenty of info on both.
Don't want to add any anxiety, but there are not too many people knowledgeable on these cars (especially Mazda dealerships). I'd be leery on what any shop tells you unless you trust their competence with rotaries.
Thus, why I want someone who knows what they're doing working the rebuild... I purchased, knowing with disclosure she'll need a rebuild in 3-5 years critically. The 05 test was performed in CA (where the car was from, it's quite a tale! still can't find the newer test..) but, I too am skeptical of the diagnosis.. currently looking into shops that won't just air-tool the thing together (I'M LOOKING AT YOU MAZDA DEALERSHIPS. ) I'll happily trailer/drive it to OR or WA for someone to love it, being in PNW... there's only 4x4 shops where I live, and all the mechanics claim at any speed shop here (if they can even be called that...) "we can't do rotaries" that's ok! It wouldn't run right anyways!
-Randy
Last edited by Randy'sRX-7; Apr 4, 2020 at 11:38 AM.
Reason: Added info!
Hello, apologies to bump my own thread, but! I've contacted the dealership and was told that the 05 test WAS in fact the CT they ran with! The previous owner had purchased the car for his wife, she abhorred the car, but, the recipts make it look like he was going to rebuild it for himself! Then right after moving from CA to WA where it failed emissions, (Thankfully ID has no emissions or smog!) He garaged the car for 15 years! then, donated it to UGM (they already told me this, they just simply re-iterated), where I bought it, after they went through, drained all the fluids, and re-filled to get her started again, as well as replaced a few solenoids and gaskets with Mazda parts! I have those boxes! So, She's at 70 compression due to a possibly cracked rotor seal, now to put my desk back together
-Randy
Last edited by Randy'sRX-7; Apr 13, 2020 at 11:08 AM.
Reason: Added info!
Hello, apologies to bump my own thread, but! I've contacted the dealership and was told that the 05 test WAS in fact the CT they ran with! The previous owner had purchased the car for his wife, she abhorred the car, but, the recipts make it look like he was going to rebuild it for himself! Then right after moving from CA to WA where it failed emissions, (Thankfully ID has no emissions or smog!) He garaged the car for 15 years! then, donated it to UGM (they already told me this, they just simply re-iterated), where I bought it, after they went through, drained all the fluids, and re-filled to get her started again, as well as replaced a few solenoids and gaskets with Mazda parts! I have those boxes! So, She's at 70 compression due to a possibly cracked rotor seal, now to put my desk back together
-Randy
Well at least you've pretty much confirmed that test is current and it'll need a rebuild. I'd still get a shop you trust to check it again to confirm and then once rebuilt least you know what you have and will be good for many more kms
plus, I wanna silicone the rats nest, and do some other lovely things while I'm in there. (coughbiggerradiatorcough) 
hopefully in the next 3 years or so! - Randy 
anywho, I'm aware this isn't the place to ask a question such as this, but being stuck on mobile, it's a hassle to post a thread ^^; but here goes, I've driven her today and upon parking in the garage, I've noticed 2 small puddles near identical in size underneath what I'm quite sure is the oil pan, recently at a car meet, a guy had a sticker on his FC that read, "rotaries don't leak oil, they mark their territory!" ..that's re-assuring 
-Randy
I purchased, knowing with disclosure she'll need a rebuild in 3-5 years critically. The 05 test was performed in CA (where the car was from, it's quite a tale! still can't find the newer test..) but, I too am skeptical of the diagnosis.. currently looking into shops that won't just air-tool the thing together (I'M LOOKING AT YOU MAZDA DEALERSHIPS. 
) I'll happily trailer/drive it to OR or WA for someone to love it, 
being in PNW... there's only 4x4 shops where I live, and all the mechanics claim at any speed shop here (if they can even be called that...) "we can't do rotaries" that's ok! It wouldn't run right anyways! 
now to put my desk back together 
