Getting my feet wet: first rebuild.
01-09-13, 12:52 PM
#51
I actually had my last engine rebuilt by Kevin at rotary resurrection, I had it in the car for 6 years (only 25,000 miles) before the coolant seals went for unknown reasons.
I don't know if he'd help me or that other site would if I asked.
I do plan on making posts/threads on my build, getting an fsm, as well as an instructional video on how to rebuild the engine.
I think the reason my seals went were from age, thinning out over time, the engine had previously blown the coolant seal passage in an iron, which I had replaced.
Rotary >Pistons
I don't know if he'd help me or that other site would if I asked.
I do plan on making posts/threads on my build, getting an fsm, as well as an instructional video on how to rebuild the engine.
I think the reason my seals went were from age, thinning out over time, the engine had previously blown the coolant seal passage in an iron, which I had replaced.
Rotary >Pistons
01-09-13, 11:40 PM
#52
Thanks Kevin but I actually sold the car with that engine in it.
I sold the car for 300 running, I should've got way more for it.
Right now I'm working on a 87 t2 , I'm trying to determine if my junkyard engine is worth dropping in my car to get it going.
All the apex seals are intact, which surprised me because I only paid $250 for it at a junkyard.
I wish you were closer by, finding someone you can trust that's as wise and knowledgeable as you locally is close to impossible.
Rotary >Pistons
I sold the car for 300 running, I should've got way more for it.
Right now I'm working on a 87 t2 , I'm trying to determine if my junkyard engine is worth dropping in my car to get it going.
All the apex seals are intact, which surprised me because I only paid $250 for it at a junkyard.
I wish you were closer by, finding someone you can trust that's as wise and knowledgeable as you locally is close to impossible.
Rotary >Pistons
01-10-13, 09:20 PM
#53
the driver.
Thread Starter
02-07-13, 06:46 PM
#54
the driver.
Thread Starter
Hey y'all!
It's been a while, thought I'd update with my current status on the rebuild. It's been very slow progress over the winter. I've received all the 'soft' parts necessary for rebuilding the transmission, and am partly done putting the transmission back together with the new synchros and bearings in. This Friday I'm hoping to get the shafts and gears all back together, and then back in the case next Friday. So that's looking pretty good.
Aside from the transmission, I've been racking my brain trying to decide on the best course of action for the engine. Here are a few possibilities I've thought of:
1) Super drastic: Junk the car, try to buy a different FC / completely different car. I'm not a fan of this idea, for obvious reasons.
2) Buy a used / "JDM" engine and drop it straight in. Not liking this idea due to not knowing what's inside of a used engine, I'd rather have an engine I'm sure of the condition
3) Buy new housings, rotors, rebuild kit, and do it myself. Lots of work and high cost, looking like the most likely option.
4) Arrange for a rebuild company to assemble an engine from new or like new parts. This would be logistically complicated, but would save a lot of time and less likely for me to screw it up. Additionally shipping would be expensive, and I'd be paying for labor. This option looks really attractive to me at the moment, though it comes down to the costs involved.
Also, still trying to sort out which upgrades I'll try to get done, I'll likely do porting and a downpipe. Any other suggestions are welcome. And I'd love any recommendations regarding my plans!
It's been a while, thought I'd update with my current status on the rebuild. It's been very slow progress over the winter. I've received all the 'soft' parts necessary for rebuilding the transmission, and am partly done putting the transmission back together with the new synchros and bearings in. This Friday I'm hoping to get the shafts and gears all back together, and then back in the case next Friday. So that's looking pretty good.
Aside from the transmission, I've been racking my brain trying to decide on the best course of action for the engine. Here are a few possibilities I've thought of:
1) Super drastic: Junk the car, try to buy a different FC / completely different car. I'm not a fan of this idea, for obvious reasons.
2) Buy a used / "JDM" engine and drop it straight in. Not liking this idea due to not knowing what's inside of a used engine, I'd rather have an engine I'm sure of the condition
3) Buy new housings, rotors, rebuild kit, and do it myself. Lots of work and high cost, looking like the most likely option.
4) Arrange for a rebuild company to assemble an engine from new or like new parts. This would be logistically complicated, but would save a lot of time and less likely for me to screw it up. Additionally shipping would be expensive, and I'd be paying for labor. This option looks really attractive to me at the moment, though it comes down to the costs involved.
Also, still trying to sort out which upgrades I'll try to get done, I'll likely do porting and a downpipe. Any other suggestions are welcome. And I'd love any recommendations regarding my plans!
02-08-13, 11:28 AM
#57
the driver.
Thread Starter
Good to know. I've been more and more leaning towards option four, I still need to get some quotes but it looks the most attractive to me right now.
02-08-13, 12:35 PM
#58
He does good work for good prices.
Rotary >Pistons
02-20-13, 02:45 AM
#60
the driver.
Thread Starter
Hey everyone, sorry for the slow updates... sadly, it's looking like the build is running out of steam.
With a super-budget rebuild costing $2,000+ and the rebuild I *want* costing $5,000+, I just didn't have the funds to complete the job. Additionally, my car has serious rust damage which was not going to just go away, and would have involved cutting away significant sections of subframe and welding on new plate. This doesn't seem like an attractive option, so I've been looking at alternative ideas.
After checking the classified forums and Craigslist, I've come to realize that FCs in much better condition than mine can be had for ~$3,000, complete with recent rebuild. So that's the situation I'm in now, checking everywhere I can find for a good budget FC to start over with.
I've posted in the classifieds here in the hope that something good would pop up (either NA or TII) but no luck so far.
This Craigslist post looks promising, hoping the owner will reply to me tomorrow. It's currently primer grey, but that's a plus in my book as it makes me more comfortable for painting it however I want rather than being left with paint I don't like and being scared of messing it up. Other than that, rebuilt engine and transmission, no rust, no other problems, pretty cheap, seems like a pretty good deal.
I still haven't finalized anything though, so any suggestions (no matter how crazy) or other cars for sale in the Portland or Seattle area and I'm definitely interested.
This has been a very hard decision to make, and a very personal one, but the way things were going was definitely looking like more and more cost and less and less sense.
With a super-budget rebuild costing $2,000+ and the rebuild I *want* costing $5,000+, I just didn't have the funds to complete the job. Additionally, my car has serious rust damage which was not going to just go away, and would have involved cutting away significant sections of subframe and welding on new plate. This doesn't seem like an attractive option, so I've been looking at alternative ideas.
After checking the classified forums and Craigslist, I've come to realize that FCs in much better condition than mine can be had for ~$3,000, complete with recent rebuild. So that's the situation I'm in now, checking everywhere I can find for a good budget FC to start over with.
I've posted in the classifieds here in the hope that something good would pop up (either NA or TII) but no luck so far.
This Craigslist post looks promising, hoping the owner will reply to me tomorrow. It's currently primer grey, but that's a plus in my book as it makes me more comfortable for painting it however I want rather than being left with paint I don't like and being scared of messing it up. Other than that, rebuilt engine and transmission, no rust, no other problems, pretty cheap, seems like a pretty good deal.
I still haven't finalized anything though, so any suggestions (no matter how crazy) or other cars for sale in the Portland or Seattle area and I'm definitely interested.
This has been a very hard decision to make, and a very personal one, but the way things were going was definitely looking like more and more cost and less and less sense.
03-23-13, 06:52 AM
#62
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Join Date: May 2011
Location: Highland,CA
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I'm tearing mine down and looking at the same type of options as you were but being in southern california there's a lot more choices.I hope it works out and you have a rotary powered car soon!
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