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+10 years ago I moved to the PDX area from central Pennsylvania. For a number of reasons I decided to leave my 93 FD behind with the plan of shipping it once I settled in. A decade later the car is still in PA and im finally thinking about resurrecting it. It has not been turned over/run for over a decade.
The full build sheet is extensive but here are the cliff notes:
- Ported engine built/tuned by Dave @ KDR/1Speed (w/ spark plug delete)
- Ported/clipped T88 Turbo
- Microtech EMS
- Secondary Fuel Rail in intake manifold
- 3.5in downpipe to straight 4in HKS exhaust
- +500 rwhp
When the car was parked it was fully operational but leaving it sit for so long means getting it back on the road is is going to be a process. With KDR/1Speed now closed my options are limited. To add, I haven't read many positive reviews on PNW rotary shops so even if I resurrected it in PA not sure who would fix it when I break it (which we all know is 100% going to happen).
Here are my options (as I see them):
1) Leave the car in storage
2) Resurrect the car in PA and ship it to a PNW shop to inspect/review while fully functional so when it breaks they're somewhat familiar with the car
3) Ship the car prior and and resurrect the car in the PNW
Again, the lack of PNW resources/shops is concerning based on my forum research. Im a more than capable "mechanic" but I don't have a dyno, cant tune (if I did have a dyno), and haven't assembled a motor in years. The day to day maintenance isn't an issue.
Engine bay pic below (ignore the +10 years of dust). Advice and opinions on how to move forward welcome.
I would highly recommend selling it and getting another car / project. Most likely not what you want to hear, but my honest recommendation. I have played that game and it's going to be a very frustrating and expensive journey with very little happiness in return.
The NW rotary "scene" is basically dead, you will have little to no support or competent shops that will be able to assist or help. A lot of people that used to make aftermarket parts have stopped because there isn't a need/profit to be had. I'm not sure what the current "real" competent tuners are in the area, or if even exist any more? All the parts and engines are either extremely high priced, hard to find, badly worn / broken, scammers, or ignorant sellers. Even the V8 RX7 community is dead in the NW. Rx7 is dead.
You will be working on an extremely outdated and unreliable engine and platform that no one knows how to tune or repair. I would have someone make sure the car runs where it sits, and list it on ebay. Sell it with the little FD tax that still exists, take the $15k (assuming you get it running well) and the shipping money you would have spent and get a new, more active, stable, reliable, cost effective project.
I see the smiles to $ ratio being very low on keeping a 10 year sitting high HP FD and shipping it to the NW. Just a guess, but I would think the cars value would lower considerably being in this area. The NW has changed. Teslas, Prius, Honda civics, Subaru, high safety, quiet, automatic transmission, environmentally conscious, MPG, reliable, and convenience technology/gadgets are the important factors now days. Literally the opposite of an 13B FD. At least up here in Seattle, I'm pretty sure a smelly, loud (4 inch straight exhaust?? lol), car ripping down a road would have the cops called on it in an hourly basis. Noise tickets all day for sure. I had trouble driving my LS swapped caged rx7 that looked basically stock without getting harassed weekly, 5 years ago. Not like there is anywhere you can enjoy a 500 HP car on the street with traffic how it is around here. (pre and post corona assuming)
I however, would wait until everyone is done dying from the virus and the market is stable before selling it.
Good luck and welcome to the NW.
(One last side note: The "people" in the NW community (if you find any) still doing rotary and Rx7s are more often than not, very ... strange, at best. It's just not pleasant like it used to be a decade ago, and it that was borderline hostile back than! That rx7 platform (even the FD) has been passed off, or fell off, into the druggy, gang, degenerate community. Kinda like how you used to look at an FB and think of a dirty old man with a mullet, back it the day. You can still find that one person that has a hard on for a FD, knows what it is, that actually has the money, but that is becoming more and more rare. The time to sell it is now, in my opinion. Actually, I think it peaked a few years ago before the environmental concerns started. It isn't going to get any better, that's for sure. Sadly, I think a clean stock fd, would be worth more than a modified one now days. The amount of people that know what a clutch pedal does is dropping VERY fast in this area. Even the people that know don't want to use a clutch in stop and go traffic for the 1 hour drive home. The window between people knowing what an RX7 even is, and also being able to drive a stick is getting very small.)
(Side Side note: If you get someone to get the car up and running somehow, make sure they DO NOT get on it until it is completely and competently re-tuned. Fuel has changed to 10% ethanol since your car was tuned last, and depending on how tight it was tuned (very tight considering +500 HP), it could pop it very easily. I hope you haven't had fuel sitting in there for 10+ years. Eek. Rip injectors, fuel pump,fuel filter, fpr, lines, tank, sensors, .... also your tires will need replaced. Dry rot for sure. All belts will need replaced. All those poor apex, corner, side, and oil seal springs that have sat fully compressed this whole time. Rip compression. Gooood luck. )
Not exactly what i wanted for an initial response but honestly not surprised. Not even reputable engine builders?
I have a guy in PA i know can get it up and running and yea its not going to be fun. Still has all the fluids... fortunately its been converted to stainless AN lines and aeromotive external pump/regulator so readily parts. Injectors can be rebuilt and the fuel tank is OEM with a sump welded in (know an incredible welder) that most likely will need to be replaced by a cell. But thats just fuel system.... Side note: you can get 94 at the pump in PA which definitely isn't happening in the PNW.
1993 is emissions exempt in PA and I dont have inspection or emissions where I live in OR which is convenient (yep you read that right). The car is definitely not quit lol. The wastegate dumptube exits under the passenger door and ear plugs are recommended for extended drives haha. Dave and I also got pretty liberal with the a/f ratio on decel... Honestly I never really got harassed in it but that wasn't Portland cause even 10 years ago people didnt know what it was..
Will probably start making some calls cause I know I can get it tuned in south jersey (3hr away). Once its running i'll figure out what to do. By then maybe a reputable builder opens out here...
Emissions is different than noise tickets. You will be getting many many noise tickets with that exhaust.
Also not sure why you need a builder. If you are as handy as you say you can easily build an engine youself in your kitchen. I have done many before swapping to a good engine. Some for shops here in Seattle area.
Crisco, rubber bands, and super glue is all you need.
Mainly just cause... but would occasionally take it to track days at pocono, the glen, and vir. It does have a rear cage and "technically" was built as a track car that could get past road inspection. Has 25k miles on it.
I reside in rural area and there are plenty of muscle cars around here. Not overly concerned about the noise. Dont plan on driving it thru downtown portland regularly.
Either way I need to get the car running... Will probably end up unloading it tho as it'll break and then i'll let it sit again.
I still have the dyno chart in a folder with the part/build receipts back in PA but any footage has been lost via phone/computer upgrades throughout the years.
Not quite sure what your resources are at home RE working on the car but I visit my brother in Portland often and would be happy to give you a hand with a once over before you sink money into it. I recently rehab'd a 12000 original mile car that had been stored for a local dealer so sitting isn't a 100% death sentence, though it usually is.
Not quite sure what your resources are at home RE working on the car but I visit my brother in Portland often and would be happy to give you a hand with a once over before you sink money into it. I recently rehab'd a 12000 original mile car that had been stored for a local dealer so sitting isn't a 100% death sentence, though it usually is.
Any experiences you'd like to share from the rehab?
Options (and not saying anything you already don't know)
1. Do nothing. Either in PA (if that's an option) or OR. A CYM will probably appreciate even in current condition
2. Sell as-is. This is probably the easiest option (other than doing nothing if you don't have to ship it), but limits potential sale price or enjoyment if kept
3. Rehab on the east coast. There are probably more (and better) shops on the east coast than in OR
4. Rehab on the west coast.
Options 3 and 4 have multiple sub-options on what you want to repair/improve and what you want to do with it (sell or keep). You should be able to get close to any money you put into it if you sell it (because CYM)
If it was me, i'd clean it up, revert it back to stock (with possibly a new engine), and enjoy it.
Any experiences you'd like to share from the rehab?
Quadruple check injector o-rings/sonic clean. Remove and sonic clean oil injectors (better yet just premix). Anything plastic that takes pressure/vacuum likes to have minute cracks. Pressure test the engine cold and hot. Be thorough.
Sounds simple (and it is) but there are always little things that bite you on the *** and rotaries will happily run right into the ground and die in a fire if you're not careful.
Options (and not saying anything you already don't know)
1. Do nothing. Either in PA (if that's an option) or OR. A CYM will probably appreciate even in current condition
2. Sell as-is. This is probably the easiest option (other than doing nothing if you don't have to ship it), but limits potential sale price or enjoyment if kept
3. Rehab on the east coast. There are probably more (and better) shops on the east coast than in OR
4. Rehab on the west coast.
Options 3 and 4 have multiple sub-options on what you want to repair/improve and what you want to do with it (sell or keep). You should be able to get close to any money you put into it if you sell it (because CYM)
If it was me, i'd clean it up, revert it back to stock (with possibly a new engine), and enjoy it.
It is a CYM car but reverting it back to stock is never going happen. Finding the parts would be a nightmare. Making it more "streetable" is a possibility tho.
Again, will most likely start doing my due diligence on the EC and figure out what to do once its operational.
Quadruple check injector o-rings/sonic clean. Remove and sonic clean oil injectors (better yet just premix). Anything plastic that takes pressure/vacuum likes to have minute cracks. Pressure test the engine cold and hot. Be thorough.
Sounds simple (and it is) but there are always little things that bite you on the *** and rotaries will happily run right into the ground and die in a fire if you're not careful.
The fuel system stuff is pretty obvious. Would just have the injectors rebuilt regardless and replace the fuel pump/reg (not worth the risk). Been running premix way before it was stored so no issues there.
Mechanically the car is as stripped down (for lack of the better term) as possible. Which will most likely be a benefit in this scenario.
I can say for certain there are rotary resources here in the PNW. However, they're a bit harder to find.
As for builders, Pineapple Racing in PDX (Troutdale) still offers engine rebuild services, porting, and transmission rebuilds. Rob built my 13B Peripheral Port last year and I've had zero issues thus far. That said, he is not a full service shop and while he can assist with diagnosis, he doesn't take in more work than he can handle. I've also heard that Legend Motorsports in Seattle does rebuilds and is recommended by quite a few people in that region.
For basic maintenance and repair, the owner of the now closed FD3S Engineering is still assisting local FD owners/friends on a limited basis. He might be interested in helping you, especially if it's a legit CYM lol.
As for tuning, your best bet is remote. Rent a dyno and have a reputable tuner remote into your laptop and tune. Otherwise, Force-Fed in Vancouver, BC has a great reputation for tuning (they may even do remote). I don't know if they'll tune Microtech, though.
Feel free to PM if you need any more details on local options!
EDIT: I stand corrected. Per Force Fed's website, it looks like they prefer Microtech EFI.
Hi BP3S, welcome to the NW Rx-7 group. I'm the old owner of FD3S Engineering. Feel free to send me a message, even if it's just to meet another FD owner. djSL is right, I only take on certain projects now and I definitely have a sweet spot for CYM's. I've been trying to find one for a few years for my personal collection.
03-22-20, 01:45 PM
