Engine Builders:the good and the bad?
 

So I've done some searching and it seems that people like Pettit Racing and Pineapple Racing but all of the threads that I'm finding are old, most about 10 years. So I'm wondering if these two companies are still considered the best or if there are others that have come along? Also, who should I avoid?

If I have missed some newer threads about crate engines please point me to them as I'm more than willing to read up on all of this. In the mean time I will keep looking and if I find something I will post up that I have.

Thanks in advance.

What kind of engine?

This is an important question because if you just ask which builder is "best", then the cheap people are going to say the local cheapie guy who builds engines at his house, the road racers are going to say the uber-expensive race shop, the drag racers are going to say the drag shop that specializes in high-boost engines, the 3Gen RX-7 guys are going to say the shop that specializes in 3Gen engines, the 1Gen guys are going to say the shop that specializes in carbs, the DIY guys are going to tell you to order the parts and a video and do it yourself, and so on.

..Heh...

BOB THE BUILDER?????

(sorry!,it's early!..)

looking at S5 turbo, road and coarse use.... 275hp but being able to have the crap kicked out of it on weekends at the local autocross spots, road america, and once in a while the drag strip (just for fun)

My car had the engine rebuild and supporting work done at Banzai by a previous owner around 08. I saw the build for it on their website and talked to them about it before I bought the car. Great to deal with and quality build.

Not going to happen. An engine built to full road race specs will not be streetable, and a street/autocross engine will not have the high-rpm and oil system mods to make the car competitive on the road course. You will either need to choose one configuration, or build two cars.

My recommendation is to just go with an OEM engine rebuild, maybe with mild street porting. This will be good for street and autocross use, and you could also use it for mild road events like solo club track days or driving school. Anybody can build such an engine, including you if you are mechanically inclined. You can also talk to the builder to see if he can add some road race modifications that are streetable. Your regional forum has a "sticky" listing rotary shops, or you could just make a separate thread asking for a builder. Here is the link:
Midwest RX-7 Forum - RX7Club.com

If you want to ship the engine, here are some of the many shops that could rebuild it:
Banzai Racing Home Page
Pineapple Racing
MAZDATRIX for Mazda RX7, RX8, Rotary Engine Parts and Accessories
DEFINED AUTOWORKS
Atkins Rotary - Rx7 | Rx8 | Mazda | Rotary | Engine | Parts

For 275hp you will also need some bolt-on modifications, such as an upgraded fuel pump and fuel injectors, RTek ECU or standalone EMS (fuel cut defensers are obsolete), boost controller, performance clutch, and performance exhaust. You may also want to upgrade the radiator, turbocharger, and fuel pressure regulator. Besides the usual big brand names, here are some RX-7 specific vendors that are common for low-budget upgrades:
Rtek7 ECU Upgrade Technical Information
BNR Supercars - Bryan Nickell's Rotary Supercars - Mazda RX-7 2nd Generation (1987-1991)
RX-7 Store - Walbro Fuel Pump

^ this. nuff said.

Since the OP is in Wisconsin, I'll toss one more shop in for consideration since HC (of Coleman Precision Rotaries) is in his state.....
Home

sheesh, all these years helping the FC guys and i don't even get a minor mention...

it's ok(though i guess it should bother me just a tiny bit), i'm too busy to accept anything else right now anyways. ;)

Thank you everyone for the information. This forum is one of the most informational and polite forums I have ever been on and I truly appreciate it.

I will be looking at what each place has to offer. I'm pretty good with the mechanical side of things but lack some of the tools normally required for engine work..... though this may not be as much of an issue over the next year or two as I'm building up the tool base.

Yes, it is good to throw a local shop in there, but I think the OP would be better off with a shop that has experience with OEM and road race builds, and a mechanic who is ASE certified or at least has a few years of experience at a dealership or well-established auto shop. CPR is more of a hobby shop for people who want to experiment with their street cars.

Great, now all of the other 2,500 rotary shops that I didn't list are going to bash me. It's a good thing that I am a self-centered, sociopathic, pompous ass, otherwise it would make me feel bad, lol.

So...how long have you belonged to the PCA? :)

:lol:

lol

When I bought my first FC back in 1988, lots of people thought that I was just some stuck-up jerk driving a Porsche 944. I guess I should have given them credit for being half right, but I just ignored them because they were stupid and not worth my time. :rofl: