2nd Gen RX-7 Engine Swaps...
 

I just happened to come across a rolling 2nd gen rx-7 chassis for practically nothing. I've been doing research, and the v-8 swaps seem like great bang for their buck.

However, I already have my supra. Therefore, I was thinking more along the lines of doing a honda engine swap or something just to used the FC as a beater, and the supra as my weekend warrior.

I also thought of perhaps picking up a 2jz-ge as they are pretty easy to come by.

A search of the forum really didn't help me, as most of the swaps tend to lean towards v8 or other hybrid swaps.

Anyone have any thoughts about swapping something in there in order to get great gas mileage, etc?

Thanks

Youd have to make your own mounts with a 2JZ. Also, its an OHC I6. OHC I4s have some hood clearance probs... as low as the hood is at the front youd have it even more exascerbated with the I6!

v8s fit under the hood and there are bolt-in mounts, and ultimately chaper aftermarket than a 2JZ. The 2.3T is the ultimately cheaper than a v8 up to 350-400whp, but you will have to trim hood suports for the cam pully and if you use the alternator in the stock location on the engine have hood clearance issues.

Honestly, if you want just a beater, a stock EFI v8 will do awesome, as would a 2.3T (stock) or even a domestic V6. Ive seen 2.3Ts get 30 mpg in stock weight turbo coupes which weigh 3400 lbs (and I know the guy who drives it) and Ive seen 30 mpg from LS1s. Id imagine an LT1 wouldn't be much different.

Also, reported MPGs are 25+ with swapped RX7s in general, that keep EFI and dont have super wild cams anyway. But, ultimately, youd get the best in terms of mileage from an actual economy car.

So what about a little bump in your hood????
 

Been reading this and other forums for a couple years, and it never ceases to amaze me how many people are so concerned about hood clearance. Just build it! If the hood won't close, putting on a hump of some sort is definitely the easiest part of the whole conversion. I have less than a day of work invested in putting a 280Z hood bump on my first gen. I recently picked up a hood from an old Eclipse, just in case I do another conversion someday. Even if you don't know how to do bodywork, it is a small task for you local body shop. My hood modification is shown here:

www.cardomain.com/ride/646433

It's nice for no one to have any clue what's under the hood until it's too late.

Have you considered the 4.3 Vortec V6. Cheap, good MPG, over 200 hp stock, and I think Grannys has a bolt in kit for it. Considering the 4.3 gets 25+ in a S10 I would think it could pull over 30 in a rx7 no problem. Does any one know if you can bolt a T56 to a 4.3, I know the bellhousing pattern is the same, but what about everything else?

grannys has a vg30 cradle (or adapter mounts for a chevy cradle) for the 2nd gen. www.grannysspeedshop.com

and as for the hood thing. . . many of us dont desire to add things to the hood. . . because we like our cars in the shape theyre in. well, i do at least. on my FD, i wouldnt want anything that wasnt in the same style lines as the car already has. just to make it less noticable (sp?). youve done fine on your 1st gen, because that "hump" fits the cars genre. the 2nd gen though. . . i just dont seen anything really looking all that good beyond the stock hood.

i think a motor from an S2000 was dropped into a FC. saw pics awhile back. other than that, your sorta stuck on options. it sorta depends on what you come across in relation to what you want to do work wise. V8 swaps are common place and the easiest of the options. next to of course, putting a rotary back into it.

Turbo Buick 3.8 liter would be fun too.

yeh those are on ebay sometimes and pumping out 400+

what about sr20 rb20 etc any body have luck with those?

sr20 has been done. . . drift alliance among others. is the vg30 mounts for the vg30e/t or for the vg30dett?

The only Honda engine swap that is realistically possible is the S2000 engine. The earlier motors like the B18 turn the wrong way, and they're all for FWD. The newer K series turn the right way, but are also FWD, so you'd need to somehow hook it to a RWD tranny, and make lots of custom things like mounts, a header, an intake, and many other bits and pieces.

The reason for the popularity of the V8 swaps is the ease at which they can be done, and the reason why there aren't many swaps for economy is that most people who are willing to go to the effort of a swap want it for the power, if they want economy, they get another car.

Ive gotta 4.6 mustang v8 in my FC :)

I have a 2.3 turbo motor in my fc hood fits fine, the cam hear is close to the hood but doesnt hit and has enough room it also has had the webbing cut out of the hood. you can run a ranger alternator which mounts it on the side of the block and its fine, the only issue is the intake manifold sits high which can be fixed with a front facing intake

I'm going 4g64 turbo'd in my fc. I know I'm going to have some hood clearance issues with the cams, but I'm using the wideblock out of a mighty max and a bellhousing out of a b2600 so I can use the stock t2 trans. I will have to make custom motor mounts of course and I will have to work the oil pan and pickup and I will also have to figure out something for the intake manifold. I'm assuming gas milage should be pretty decent in close to stock form (mine won't stay that way lol).

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