New to Rotaries (VW with rotary inside)
#1
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Greenville, SC
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
New to Rotaries (VW with rotary inside)
I'm Andrew, I've been into VW's and cars in general for years, but never knew much about rotary engines. I recently picked up a '66 bug that has had a 13b stuffed in it years back, though; so here I am. It hasn't been driven in nearly 10 years, but we have had it running long enough to know that the carb needs replacing. So I'm going to do that and give it a full tune up at the same time. The first question I have is what the hell do I have? The bug I know like the back of my hand; but the 13b, I don't have the first clue about... I've been doing a bunch of reading up on Rotaries, but I can't seem to find what year would this have come out of?
#4
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Greenville, SC
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
When did they start making the 13b? I thought I read that '84 was the first year for it?
Trending Topics
#11
Where does this bolt go?
iTrader: (8)
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: TN
Posts: 315
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Wow that brings back memories. I had a 13b in a 1973 chop top bug. You have a potential street monster. The engine is an old 4 port 13b. The intake is set up for a webber 48ida. The adapter plate to mate the engine to the tranny is probably made by Kennedy engineering along with the special flywheel. The starter should be from a 6 volt bug because the 12 volt wont spin the engine fast enough. Cooling was the big problem with mine, which I eventually solved by running copper tubing through the heater ducts on the side of the floor pans. I ran a chevy radiator to the front of the car and made cooling ducts through the fiberglass front end. Good luck with the car. If I can be of any help let me know.
#12
Where does this bolt go?
iTrader: (8)
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: TN
Posts: 315
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I forgot to add about the carburetor. If it is a Webber 48ida you might want to try to rebuild it as they are very expensive carbs. Some of the vw conversions ran a custom Webber 48 that was bored to a 51mm, you may have that carb. And I agree about the oil premix, you will definitely have to add oil to your gas tank.
#19
Full Member
iTrader: (1)
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: UK
Posts: 141
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Here is a friends ROTORBUG in the UK - running a 13b bridge port, 48 IDA webber and close ratio VW box..
http://www.exile-rotorsport.com/viewtopic.php?t=315
http://www.exile-rotorsport.com/viewtopic.php?t=315
#22
Senior Member
iTrader: (6)
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Northern California
Posts: 310
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Fixableunknown is right, 4 port 13b. 84 was the first year for a 13b in an rx"7", though not the first for 13b use in a mazda.
Nice ride. My wife has been talking about building one. I say only if she goes with a big single turbo.
Nice ride. My wife has been talking about building one. I say only if she goes with a big single turbo.
#23
13b came out...
Im pretty sure it the 13b came out with the rx3. she is a chunky rx2 <3
#25
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Greenville, SC
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Took me a bit to get back to this, sorry about that. I had a really busy week last week. The manifold is an IDA manifold. It actually had a 48 IDM (predecessor to the IDA) on it when I bought it that I just sold on eBay. I'm going to buy a new IDA to go on it to replace the IDM. As for the engine, it's not looking too good at the moment... I posted this thread about it as I started doing a little bit of maintenance.
https://www.rx7club.com/1st-generation-specific-1979-1985-18/rusty-coolant-passages-13b-820769/
I'm actually on my 3rd mk2 right now as well. I've got a vr6 swapped '90 Jetta Coupe as my daily driver.
https://www.rx7club.com/1st-generation-specific-1979-1985-18/rusty-coolant-passages-13b-820769/
I'm actually on my 3rd mk2 right now as well. I've got a vr6 swapped '90 Jetta Coupe as my daily driver.