RX8SS

I have to tell most people it is not stock and that I put it in. I bet you have had to tell people it is a rotary in your car and get the deer in the head light look.

Later

Icemark

A non-Turbo rotary to Turbo engine swap is typically much less (like $500-$1000) after you sell the old parts. You can't come close to that with a V8.

Edit - Last sentence deleted because it no longer applies to this thread now that it has been moved to the Other Engine Conversions forum. - Evil Aviator

bluejay128

What about a 300zx twin turbo engine and tranny. A 2800 pd. car running around 290 at the wheels stock. That would be bad ***. That would be what I wil go for. I already know what kind of modifications that I would need to do this. But I am not sure if it would fit. If anybody knows what the demisions are between the two engines are please hit me back. The 50/50 weight ratio would be thrown in the trash though but maybe not to bad though. Well that is my opnion.

WonkoTheSane

iTrader: (2)

Although this thread is 4 months old, it apparently was dredged up from the dead, and I never got to see this after I posted the first time.

Sorry to spread incorrect information, I honestly did not realize that it wasn'ta revision number, as I had been lead to believe by a couple of different sites I have seen.

How does the widths thing work? I know that the 13B is 10MM larger than the 12A, and so on... so where does the the width of the model number come into play?

Forcus

The title of the thread is "Engine Swaps for the FC" not "ROTARY Engine Swaps for the FC". Discussing pistons swaps is fair game. However I agree that the V8 vs. Rotary argument should be referenced in the numerous other threads that already exist.

In the true sense of the thread I will post options and estimated costs.

Performance 13B NA build. Depending on what you are looking for, NA is not necessarily "bad". You may want to cruise the NA forum for more details but an NA 13B can be made to make 180-200 HP fairly reliably. In a light car (think, early S4 with no sunroof) this would be plenty of power to have fun. Also would be fairly inexpensive (note, I did not say cheap). You could also stick with an NA differential and related suspension as the relatively low torque of the NA rotary would probably not harm any of the stock parts (bonus, as they are there on the car already, and free). Ditto for the brakes / four lug hardware. No need to upgrade in a light car, optimize what you have. I would estimate you could take a light S4 and rebuild a very decent 13B NA for it for under $2k. NA engines are cheap because people chunk them all the time for turbo motors... have seen them from free-$400 or so.

Performance 13BT build / swap. Usually easier if you start with a car that is already a turbo, but not a huge deal if you do not. The supply is starting to (IMO) dry up on the Jspec engines, which are becoming fewer in number and lesser in quality (just look at Jspec prices over the last year or two and you will see what I mean - up to 50% increase in prices and many are doing away with start-up guarantees). If you want a fast rotary this is the way to go. A tad more expensive - Jspec motors are around $1000-$1400 for 13BT's before shipping and you will need ancilliaries such as the MAF Meter, airbox, downpipe and exhaust, computer, harness, etc etc etc. So I would budget $2500-3000 without a rebuild. Keep in mind you can sell some of your NA stuff but NA stuff is not really worth much.

Edit - First paragraph deleted because it no longer applies to this thread now that it has been moved to the Other Engine Conversions forum. - Evil Aviator

fcdrifter13

putting a v-8 in the car. Wouldnt that ruin the balance of the car. You could go real fast in a strait line but thats no fun. And it wouldnt sound so cool.

Forcus

You should search other threads for those answers but in short, not necessarily, not necessarily, and that depends on if you like the sound of a rotary or a V8. PM me if you want to know more.

Ice_Wolf

I see someone decided to bring my topic back!

I have been thinking quite a bit about the RX-7's as of late, and decided that if I could get my hands on one, I'd like to try and keep it original. The bad thing about this is that means I'll have reliability issues with the 13BT motor. I would love to get my hands on a 350, mate it with a 4 speed manual and plop that in too, cause I'm sure we all know that would make one fun car. I would love to keep the original turbo rotary engine, but rebuilding one seems like it's not worth the cost when I could put a V8 in there for the same price and have better reliability. How much do rebuilds usually cost for a 13BT?

owen is fat

you cannot drop in an oldschool 350 V8 with a 4 speed and expect the car to handle as well as with a rotary... the older motors just weigh too much and have their weight high up if they are carb'd. it is an inexpensive swap though.... you could source a 350 for under $1000 and get the mounting equipment and driveshaft, etc for under $1000 more. selling off whatever motor is currently in your RX7 makes that project pretty damn cheap.

I sourced an LS1, this is a 1998+ chevy 346 V8, its all aluminum and fuel injection and fits under a stock non-turbo hood, used mounts from Hinson and you could do a similar swap in any FC for under $5000 total... if you find the LS1 cheap enough. I found mine for $1500 and a 6 speed tranny for another $925. Adding on the mounting equipment and required system upgrades (fuel, cooling, Turbo-II rear end, etc) the swap is not that much money in comparison to building up a rotary motor that will produce similar HP as a stock LS1. we're talking 330hp and 350tq with a 6speed tranny and its barely adding 40-50 pounds to the nose of the car, thats nothing in comparison to the 2600-2900 piound FC chassis.

anyhow, for guys with NO money... keep the stock motor, rebuild it if need be. there is only one way to make an FC hella fast and thats ''dumping money into it''. So, whatever motor you choose to modify, its all money in that engine bay when your done.

Greycobra_03

An LS1? JMHO lol.

Forcus

The answer to this is "it depends". If you have a low mile car that you are getting ready to mod, then freshening the engine is relatively cheap and easy. I bought Bruce Terrantine (sp?)'s DVD on rebuilding a 13B and it was very interesting even for V8 guys. Anyways there are an amazing amount of parts you can reuse and make no sense to replace if within specification. So if you have something that's not blown up, you can buy a basic rebuild kit from Rotary Aviation + the car kit (OMP gasket, etc) for around $600. That's really not too bad.

If you buy a Jspec motor, this is a good time to clean / refreshen as well. Some folks have great luck with these motors, popping them and running them immediately. I've heard someone say that Jspec motors are perfect for rebuilding and I would have to agree. Cheap and easy, just some cleaning and really gives you a hands on as to whats going on in the motor.

However if you blow a motor or otherwise damage it before rebuilding it, it can trash alot of expensive parts. If you can find used rotors and housings they are usually $300-$500 or more for a pair. Breaking an apex seal often wipes out the rotor and housing and sometimes damages the irons. So a rebuild after the fact might mean a couple thousand dollars.

It's all up to you and what you want. I wouldn't settle on a certain type of motor until I asked myself what I want and how much I would pay as those are two very important factors. Are you mostly driving in traffic, squirting from light to light, which would be easy with a motor with lots of torque? I'd recommend a V8. Do you want a unique motor that can make good power but requires specialized knowledge? Go rotary. Want to go fast for very cheap? I'd say piston but it all depends.

I'd recommend reading some of the rotary vs piston threads (no need to rehash here) and if you have specific questions let me know. Each have their positives and negatives.

digitalsolo

iTrader: (2)

Well, Mark must not be around, they fear piston swaps around here, this will be moved/deleted before the end of the day, don't want to let the word out...

The thing to keep in mind with the rotary engines, is that a rebuilt engine does not guarantee "trouble free" operation. A mazda built, moderately low milage rotary will run for a long time if it's properly taken care of. Don't let fear of a "stock" ~100K mile motor turn you from a car, that's an engine you KNOW was built properly, as opposed to a rebuild that could be done by anyone.

This is a moot point if it's a rebuild from a reputable rebuilder (Mazda Reman, Rotary Resurrection, etc). Just another concept to think about.

LookThatsMe

http://acostamotorsports.com/html/in...category&cid=3

Look there they put 20bs in, supra engines and even skylines... Prices are crazy but hell your pushing out liek 800hp

73 mazda

you forgot the most of them all the 13G the engine that Abel Ibara is running.

Ice_Wolf

Alright, first of all, you don't have to worry about me getting a JSpec motor. I will be using the original motor over again if I decide to rebuild. Not to mention I have no clue where I'd get a JSpec motor from anyways or what the advantages to it are. And no, 600 bucks is not a bad price at all for a rebuild kit. What happens when you blow a rotary motor? I'm guessing the rotor mashes into the side wall and destroys some stuff? That basically means that at about 80 or so compression, you'd wanna rebuild to make sure you don't blow anything up. Most of my driving will be highway driving, and the only time the car will get abuse is when I take it to the track maybe twice a year. The main reason I wanted to keep the rotary is because I want a high revving beast that's got a high top speed. Also, I've never been a big fan of carburation, that's the only reason I don't like old motors. I'm a lot more partial to fuel injection. I also love the uniqueness of a rotary engine and that it's something special to have instead of the usual cars.

Forcus

When a rotary blows it is usually an apex seal breaking (they can warp, which just lowers / eliminates compression). If an apex seal breaks sometimes you will get lucky and it won't damage anything but I have not seen pictures on here yet of that miracle happening. Usually what will happen is a piece of the seal will exit the groove that holds it in the rotor, scrape and ding up the rotor, and gouge the rotor housing. If you are lucky it won't damage the turbo. That's why rebuilding before the fact (as in, if it has high miles or you KNOW you have low compression, or its been sitting a long time) is preferable.

Sounds like you will be happy with the rotary and it will suit your purposes exactly and your plan is a solid one. After you rebuild, before you do ANY mods.. I would suggest getting a full complement of gauges so you know what is going on inside that motor. A good boost gauge, a wide band 02 sensor and monitor, good temperature gauge (since heat is a rotary killer), etc. That way when you do mod... you won't blow your motor, at least due to ignorance of whats going on inside your motor.

2 FYI's.. Jspec's are just pullout motors from Japanese market cars that have been junked. They are not really advantageous except as a rebuildable core with low miles. The other FYI is you do not have to go carb if you did a V8 RX7 (which like I said doesn't really fit your requirements anyways). My friend has a carb'd 383 Chevy in his FB and I will likely have an FI'd 302 / 331 in my FC.

owen is fat

just because the LS1 v8 isnt a high revving motor doesnt mean it isnt even MORE fun to drive... I had a 9500 rpm redline built GSR motor swapped into my 2000 pound Civic for the last 2 years and the same motor in its originla chassis (GSR Sedan) at the stock 8200rpm redline for 3 years before that... and I love the LS1FC because it just completely rips... you wont have time to look at the tach when youre eyes are in disbelief of how fast the speedo is moving up.. the acceleration is just amazing... I've got a low 12 second car here... and the LS1 motor is still all stock! also, you dont lose topspeed when running an LS1, thats for sure!

I hear you on that, but remember thats just the super-cheap way to do a V8 swap (with a carb'd motor)... those are motors you can find for free. if you just have $1000 for a V8 motor you can get a fuel injected LT1 from a chevy caprice or camaro/firebird. the LT1 is a somewhat modern motor capable of huge power and with a 6speed tranny your topspeed is the same as any rotary.

yeah I like the rotary for its uniqueness and compact size but its reliability (when modified and driven hard) is less than optimal... at least from a cost perspective. now that the LS1 swaps are cheap and LS1FC mounts are well made and off-the-shelf, the LS1FC is a easy project and very cost-effective... not to mention it is even MORE unique since there arent many LS1FC's/LS1FD's. To me, its even more unique to have a V8 swapped rx7 that is setup for autocross/dailydriving/hpde's only because a lot of the previously built v8rx7's were drag cars.

canaduh

Not only would i not pay $75,000 for an RB26 swap, but i wouldn't trust a company who can't spell.
Many spelling mistakes throughout that site.

And so on.

JamesBong

Actually, I liked the RX-7 because it sounds like my uncle's old E-type Jaguar. They sound surprisingly similar. Kinda like those old ground flower fireworks.

Sorry for the useless opinion. I just had to get it out.

Falcoms

I am also interested in how the letter designation after engine codes (i.e. 12A, 13B) works. Icemark touched on it, but didn't make it clear.

Edit - First two paragraphs deleted because they no longer apply to this thread now that it has been moved to the Other Engine Conversions forum. - Evil Aviator

Evil Aviator

I think that this thread has come to the point that a simple rebuild is the best answer. However, I will re-open the thead in case anybody would like to add anything.

Hint - Icemark is NOT correct. I will post the answer to that question IF everybody behaves after I re-open this thread. If the flames continue, then I will be quite content going through life knowing something that you guys don't.

Ice_Wolf

Too late, already started a new thread about it. Go here for the new thread.

https://www.rx7club.com/other-engine-conversions-non-v-8-118/engine-swaps-fc-part-2-a-403391/