Questions about buying an FD
Thread Starter
More money=more power/fun
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 56
Likes: 0
From: TX/MI/NY/S.korea
You better have lots of disposable income, a second job and a back up car for your FD "wanna be" DD.
Think about Texas Summer heat + traffic + FD with A/C on = overheating and NO more FD DD.
The RX7 is a dying breed, like it or not.
Parts are expensive and starting to get hard to find, no if about it.
I have had mine for 10 years and I have done eveyrthing you can imagine for reliability (following Howard Colemans advise).
I have only blown 2 engines, one at at the track (detonation broken seal) and one normal driving (broken worn down seal).
It got really expensive, since the housings, rotors and turbo got FUBAR.
Accept and prepare your mind, that you will rebuild at least once in your lifetime.
Set funds aside, you never know how bad it will be.
The rotary engine is a little nuclear heat generator and 400-500 RWHP FI, doesn't help it either.
My advise for friends I know is, stay away from the FD.
I don't know you and I have been brutally honest in my opinion to you.
Go STI, Mitsu Evo, S2000, Miata MX5, Boxer S or E36 M3(best IMHO).
Lots of support, good power to weight ratio out of the box and good track cars, that can be used for DD.
Just in case, I love my GT35R turbo R1, will never sell it and I will rebuild, until I can't find any more parts for it.
My .02 cents
Think about Texas Summer heat + traffic + FD with A/C on = overheating and NO more FD DD.
The RX7 is a dying breed, like it or not.
Parts are expensive and starting to get hard to find, no if about it.
I have had mine for 10 years and I have done eveyrthing you can imagine for reliability (following Howard Colemans advise).
I have only blown 2 engines, one at at the track (detonation broken seal) and one normal driving (broken worn down seal).
It got really expensive, since the housings, rotors and turbo got FUBAR.
Accept and prepare your mind, that you will rebuild at least once in your lifetime.
Set funds aside, you never know how bad it will be.
The rotary engine is a little nuclear heat generator and 400-500 RWHP FI, doesn't help it either.
My advise for friends I know is, stay away from the FD.
I don't know you and I have been brutally honest in my opinion to you.
Go STI, Mitsu Evo, S2000, Miata MX5, Boxer S or E36 M3(best IMHO).
Lots of support, good power to weight ratio out of the box and good track cars, that can be used for DD.
Just in case, I love my GT35R turbo R1, will never sell it and I will rebuild, until I can't find any more parts for it.
My .02 cents
When I first looked at getting a FD, most people said it would be a bad idea and not to do it. Granted their reasoning was sound, I still didn't listen, I bought a FD anyway. And it's been one of the best decisions I've ever made. I couldn't be happier.
Take it for what it's worth.
And a rebuild should be about $5k depending on options. (balancing, porting, new parts, etc...)
Take it for what it's worth.
And a rebuild should be about $5k depending on options. (balancing, porting, new parts, etc...)
Thread Starter
More money=more power/fun
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 56
Likes: 0
From: TX/MI/NY/S.korea
RedbaronII, thanks for your advice. mitsu Evo is one that Im looking for, if I decide/realize the FD isn't for me. But only one thing turn me down about evo is I'm 26 now, and I little bit feel that I'm little late to jump on evo world. And I do agree about rotary is dying breed. Yea it is sad, I couldn't believe when I read that same sentense from modified magzine (this month issue).
Well, how other people thinks? I mean how long do you guys thinks rotary can get a support by mazda or aftermarket parts?
Well, how other people thinks? I mean how long do you guys thinks rotary can get a support by mazda or aftermarket parts?
Thread Starter
More money=more power/fun
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 56
Likes: 0
From: TX/MI/NY/S.korea
Thanks for giving me an idea about cost of rebuild. That sounds pretty much close to 6 cyl rebuild cost. Hummm.
I'm also think that if I can find a blow motor FD for cheap and build motor isn't bad idea too.
I'm also think that if I can find a blow motor FD for cheap and build motor isn't bad idea too.
When I first looked at getting a FD, most people said it would be a bad idea and not to do it. Granted their reasoning was sound, I still didn't listen, I bought a FD anyway. And it's been one of the best decisions I've ever made. I couldn't be happier.
Take it for what it's worth.
And a rebuild should be about $5k depending on options. (balancing, porting, new parts, etc...)
Take it for what it's worth.
And a rebuild should be about $5k depending on options. (balancing, porting, new parts, etc...)
Thread Starter
More money=more power/fun
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 56
Likes: 0
From: TX/MI/NY/S.korea
Found a price of rotary engine. Sounds " NOT " that bad...expect 20B.
http://www.rx7store.net/category_s/28.htm
http://www.rx7store.net/category_s/28.htm
True that....
The most used cliche in the rotary world.
And I wonder, why does it still happens to good tuned cars???
My car has been tuned by Steve Khan once and Rotary Performance on the other.
Both are great tuners, yet the engine went on a detonation.
So how do you know when you get a good tune, when it doesn't blow and last forever???
Am I to believe, that Murphy's Law has something against the RX7???
If anything, the 3gen RX7 was designed by Murphy.
Excuses from owners for blown engines:
1- Poor batch of gas
2- Ignition problems
3- Gas delivery system failed
4- Overheating
5- Over boosting/boost creep
Never because the little corner of the 2 piece seals (2mm or 3mm) are prone to wear and tear and they do break, with or without good tuning.
High HP FD and DD = more wear and tear/stress/strain = blown engines
That's a Rotary fact.
And I wonder, why does it still happens to good tuned cars???
My car has been tuned by Steve Khan once and Rotary Performance on the other.
Both are great tuners, yet the engine went on a detonation.
So how do you know when you get a good tune, when it doesn't blow and last forever???
Am I to believe, that Murphy's Law has something against the RX7???
If anything, the 3gen RX7 was designed by Murphy.
Excuses from owners for blown engines:
1- Poor batch of gas
2- Ignition problems
3- Gas delivery system failed
4- Overheating
5- Over boosting/boost creep
Never because the little corner of the 2 piece seals (2mm or 3mm) are prone to wear and tear and they do break, with or without good tuning.
High HP FD and DD = more wear and tear/stress/strain = blown engines
That's a Rotary fact.
The most used cliche in the rotary world.
And I wonder, why does it still happens to good tuned cars???
My car has been tuned by Steve Khan once and Rotary Performance on the other.
Both are great tuners, yet the engine went on a detonation.
So how do you know when you get a good tune, when it doesn't blow and last forever???
Am I to believe, that Murphy's Law has something against the RX7???
If anything, the 3gen RX7 was designed by Murphy.
Excuses from owners for blown engines:
1- Poor batch of gas
2- Ignition problems
3- Gas delivery system failed
4- Overheating
5- Over boosting/boost creep
Never because the little corner of the 2 piece seals (2mm or 3mm) are prone to wear and tear and they do break, with or without good tuning.
High HP FD and DD = more wear and tear/stress/strain = blown engines
That's a Rotary fact.
And I wonder, why does it still happens to good tuned cars???
My car has been tuned by Steve Khan once and Rotary Performance on the other.
Both are great tuners, yet the engine went on a detonation.
So how do you know when you get a good tune, when it doesn't blow and last forever???
Am I to believe, that Murphy's Law has something against the RX7???
If anything, the 3gen RX7 was designed by Murphy.
Excuses from owners for blown engines:
1- Poor batch of gas
2- Ignition problems
3- Gas delivery system failed
4- Overheating
5- Over boosting/boost creep
Never because the little corner of the 2 piece seals (2mm or 3mm) are prone to wear and tear and they do break, with or without good tuning.
High HP FD and DD = more wear and tear/stress/strain = blown engines
That's a Rotary fact.
BDC Motorsports
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 3,667
Likes: 6
From: Grand Prairie, TX
Drive to Live
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 347
Likes: 0
From: texas
https://www.rx7club.com/3rd-generation-specific-1993-2002-16/making-case-rotary-powered-fd-fix-806104/
if you're going to buy an FD read this thread and get informed about auxiliary injection benefits to the rotary. anybody who wants to run more than 400whp imo should seriously research this. you may have to rebuild your rotary yes, but with this you wont have to do it so often as many fear.
pistons engines blow, rotary engines blow...it doesnt matter which route you take (in that regard). with this, you will have longetivity and reliability. also its a sports car, and just like all sports cars there will be money spent and there will be issues to run across. that is the nature of the beast when it comes to modifying vehicles beyond factory horsepower. just my 2 cents
ps: BDC's a great guy, hes fun to hang around with and easy going. just make sure to ask him to show you those vids of carlos santana and metallica shredding it up!
if you're going to buy an FD read this thread and get informed about auxiliary injection benefits to the rotary. anybody who wants to run more than 400whp imo should seriously research this. you may have to rebuild your rotary yes, but with this you wont have to do it so often as many fear.
pistons engines blow, rotary engines blow...it doesnt matter which route you take (in that regard). with this, you will have longetivity and reliability. also its a sports car, and just like all sports cars there will be money spent and there will be issues to run across. that is the nature of the beast when it comes to modifying vehicles beyond factory horsepower. just my 2 cents
ps: BDC's a great guy, hes fun to hang around with and easy going. just make sure to ask him to show you those vids of carlos santana and metallica shredding it up!
Don't be fooled, rotaries can last forever or die multiple times on the same "good" tune. Too many part and system failure modes that can result in engine failure compared to other popular sports cars, all other things being equal re tune and build quality.
If you love the 7 it can be well worth the risk, otherwise we would not have this forum. For me, I still have not found the 7's equal in looks and performance at anywhere near it's price point, and with unlimited options to personalize the car.
If you love the 7 it can be well worth the risk, otherwise we would not have this forum. For me, I still have not found the 7's equal in looks and performance at anywhere near it's price point, and with unlimited options to personalize the car.
Thread Starter
More money=more power/fun
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 56
Likes: 0
From: TX/MI/NY/S.korea
Thanks for PMs and all advice guys. I thought about it and research about all night. And My life, i think it is kinda hard to go "try" FD. My plan was buy a new car for my fiance and i take her car for DD and buy a FD for myself. But More i research about FD, it seems like i'm going back to life when i had 350z and forced induction. Which i didn't have enough time for my fiance/family and gotta live without the car for few weeks and money after money.
So, you can call me one of guy that " wanna buy and no ***** to play game " lol I will be still hang around here tho, still love FD timeless body style, and seems like really nice members here. Thanks again, see you guys around. car lovers, stay tuned...
BDC- are you doing only rotary??
So, you can call me one of guy that " wanna buy and no ***** to play game " lol I will be still hang around here tho, still love FD timeless body style, and seems like really nice members here. Thanks again, see you guys around. car lovers, stay tuned...
BDC- are you doing only rotary??
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