So I am looking at a 13b engine off craigslist and I have a couple questions, first how much should I pay for it? All that's coming with us the engine and throttle body.
And second, he says the seal on the coolant is bad,howmuch would that cost to fix in parts? I will be doing the work myself.

Last question,how do I work on and store the engine while it is not in a car? I do not want to buy an expensive engine jack.

Thanks in advance.

 

welcome to the board.

personally, i wouldn't pay more than a couple bills for it. bad coolant seals may mean the engine is good compression-wise, but it may also mean something that overheated. either way, you probably won't know until you get it in your possession and disassemble it.

rebuild cost? same story. you won't know what you need until it's all apart, cleaned and spec'd. best case scenario is everything specs good and all you need are the basic gasket/seal set ($160-200). worst case scenario is you'll need another whole engine because you just bought junk.

if you do a simple search in just this forum you should come up with some threads on storage and basic tools you'll need.

 

It's possible to disassemble and re-assemble an engine w/o one, but an engine stand with a rotary engine adapter (available from multiple sources) is IMO almost mandatory. Doing without is like doing all the work with just open end wrenches.
Have you gotten a Factory Service Manual yet?

 

the stand you can find on craigslist for 30$ or so. you can make the adaptor plate fairly easily if you have access to a welder. it's just a section of pipe with a flat plate welded to it with holes drilled where the power steering bracket mounts to.

as for the engine, pay whatever a good core is worth. because that's what it is. if this is an na, as mentioned, the most i'd offer is 200$. that is after checking that the apex seals are all still intact and the springs still have tension. first, with the spark plugs in, spin the engine by hand. listen to the exhaust pulses. they should all be evenly spread apart and sound about the same for each face. you can also use a compression tester and spin by hand. mark the flywheel and spin it 360*. you should get 3 good even compression pulses from each housing. if not, walk away from it.
you can check the apex spring tension each seal through the exhaust ports. turn the flywheel until the apex seal is visible. then apply pressure to the seal with your finger. you should feel a very slight amount of tension behind the seal. if not, it's either seized or the spring is broken.

 

With a blown coolant seal, I would estimate the engine will sell for $50 to $400, depending on the condition of the rest of the engine, and the amount of additional parts that comes with it.

To fix it you are looking at anywhere between $200 and $8,000, but you will not know the extent of the repairs until you break it apart. Obviously, if there is too much damage then you are better off buying another engine and selling off any spare parts on Craigslist.

An engine stand would be best to work on the engine, and you can make this yourself if you have welding skills. I have seen people rebuild an engine on a workbench, so you could go this route if a stand is not available

An expensive engine jack is for a professional shop that has a car lift. All you need is an engine hoist ($200-300) and/or a chain hoist ($50-100). A leveler (about $30) makes things a lot easier. You can also make these yourself if you have welding skills. Before you buy any special tools, check to see if they are available for free or for rent at your local auto parts store.

See this video to get an idea of what it is like to rebuild an engine:

For storing the engine, you can just keep it on the engine stand if you have one, or you can just put it on a shelf, workbench, or even on the floor. I like engine dollies, which you can buy or make yourself out of metal or wood. In the attached picture, you can see a red engine hoist and a 12A engine on a home-made wooden dolly with caster wheels.

 

Alright,thanks for all the help,tools hopefully won't be too bad,my dad has helped me stock the garage fairly well but the guy has now said he will do 250 cash,and I might end up just doing a trade with him.

One question I had that Google could not seem to answer was,will the 13b fit onto a normal transmission?

And with these prices in parts, not all of the parts are being listed so Idk how much some parts are gonna cost. I looked and found 3mm apex seals for 60 in a full set,and from my reading this is something that will likely need to be replaced. What can I ask the guy to do to see how much in parts it will cost? He lives a ways away so meeting him would only happen if I was positive I'm gonna buy it.
How rare is it for me to be able to buy just an engine in the Minnesota area? I've beenlooking on Craig's list and this is the first engine only I've seen.

 

on the issue of engine lifts and engine stands, i don't necessarily disagree with anyone of the advice given above me, but rather if you find yourself short on funding or space, you can physically build an engine on a strong bucket or mover's dolly. both have served me well for decades and are great in situations where space is an issue. i once had to build an engine in my 8th floor apartment. as long as you can lift about 350 pounds or have friends willing to help you do so, it works.

if you have the funds and space for it, then i would strongly recommend this route, particularly if you aren't planning on rebuilding engines regularly (whether for fun or profit). while i'm not knocking a bucket or dolly, the proper tools do make life much easier if you can get your hands on them.

 

Yeah,there's a very good chance I will be rebuilding it on my desk in my apartment for a couple months,and hopefully once I have somewhere to work I will make myself a nice stand out something.

 

your wording of "normal transmission" is a bit curious. anyway, this line of Mazda rotaries pretty much all have the same transmission bolt pattern, so a few little details aside (flywheels, clutches, starters, etc.) they will all bolt up and work with any factory transmission that came with a rotary in front of it.

this is the part where i ask what car you have and what engine you're looking at, because it will matter. $60 for a full set of apex seals? you've either contacted a fairy or they're likely VERY used. also keep in mind there are 2 sizes of apex seals and they are not interchangeable. rather than lecture you on going for cheap parts that are critical, i'll simply say save your money. don't buy anything until you have the engine in your possession and it's apart and evaluated. check the sites of trustworthy sources (Atkins, Mazdatrix, Pineapple, Goopy, etc.) and get an idea of prices. some things you MUST buy new. period. when you have enough posts, you can check the classifieds here or maybe Ebay. i have seen trustworthy guys like Rotary Resurrection with engine parts on Ebay.

you can check your Regional forum here when your post count is adequate. you may be able to find someone or someone that knows someone local to you. not to mention, it won't hurt that they may have some experience with rotaries and possibly a genuine desire to help you.

 

Well that answered my question,I was wondering if it would hook up to a standard piston engine transmission.

The place I found 3mm apex seals for 60 was on Atkins website,maybe I saw something different though.

 

the corner seals were 69usd.
you need this: 86-95 Rx7 13B 2mm Apex Seal & Spring Kit (ARE132)

Please do not turn this thread into a WTB stuff..YOU can do that research yourself as it is TECH and not "anyone got this" section".(This is a Pit stop for a couple questions and then it's "off you go" to the main forum.Once you gathered your posts then you are not a newbie anymore)

One thing about this type of car is you have to be Patient.It's a huge pain in the *** but it works out of you don't rush it and start tossing anything that "just pops Up".
I'd start off with the INFO in the Sec Gen Specific threads and just read,read,read.
The info there is a Gold mine and can help you with your quest to get something to install.Hell,I am still learning.
The MORE you know the less you will get Taken..and Trust me,.there are guys that will tell you ANYTHING to get at your money...Craigslist is the fishing hole and you are the Fish.
The Guys on here that have good track records are documented in the GOOD GUY section or have good ITRADER feedback,.You will find that most(Sorry I can't say all) members are helpful.
Some jump on to just sell.Others are here for the long haul.
It's that guy you want to talk with.The true owner.

If that statement hurt anyone..It's reality..You show me a perfect world and I'll show you a RX7 that runs on Unicorn Farts!..and never blows up!

Now,if you excuse me,I am going out to make my coat smell like premix and gear oil.


***EDIT: find out HOW to compression test an engine and the signs of a bad engine if you go looking for a replacement.THAT knowledge alone will help you keep money IN your pocket.

 

There is no such thing as a standard piston engine transmission.

 

I realize that,I just worded that badly. Sorry bout the confusion.

 

Sorry if this sounds mean, but I do intend some tough-love here....you really should just forget whatever it is you have in mind and save your money. You seem to have little grasp of what you're doing, know little about mechanics and even less about a rotary engine. Seriously, "a standard piston engine"? Sorry, but I don't think you just "worded that badly".

 

While it's true I still am very new to rotary engines, I do have a grasp on mechanics. As stated in the OP this would be for my first car so I will have to excuse some of my newbishness, and my question was to see if a rotary could be put on a non-rotary specific transmission. I hope that cleared up what I meant a little bit.
Again,sorry for being a noob,I'm still learning.

 

So at any point are you going to state what kind of car you have?

Um, no.

 

obvious. standard vehicle car