ShobThaBob
Premium
- 2,651
- rosooftw
Yeah, but we're talking about FDs, which are much worse than the RX8s. Despite the oil issues, I thought the RX8 motor was considered to be pretty reliable.
Could a rx 7 be a daily driver?
- Thread starter Gumpertapollo12
- 43 comments
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- 331
- KUSHifornia
- MaliciousMD
- MaliciousMD
I can agree to that partially.
If left stock, rarely do I see people with issues. Nor do you need to monitor everything with 4-6 gauges as the warnings are built into the car itself. Modified RX7's are always the problem. Prime example, FC3S Turbo II.
You got that cool 3" down pipe/exhaust with no catalytic converter and a cone filter intake, your waste gate isn't ported = boost creep. So you went from stock boost 6-7psi to creepin' 10-14psi. Sorry you ran out of fuel injector or hit fuel cut for that much boost, we'll blow up your engine now.
Being uneducated about what you're doing should not automatically equal being unreliable. 99.9% of rotary failure's I've seen are due to being misinformed or uneducated about the maintenance required. So you say no other modern cars require this type of maintenance, but there are no other modern cars with rotaries. Rotaries burn oil, that's a given as they use oil injection to lube the seals/housings. There is no other way to force oil from the eccentric shaft through the rotor to the seal faces/housings. Some would call this a design flaw for the Wankel Rotary, and rotor heads would call having valves/other valve train related parts a design flaw as it's one more thing to break/float or not be the right length/diameter, whatever.
I see it on Craigslist all the time "RX7 FC3S For Sale: Idle Problems." Go look at the car and all of idle control and emissions related parts are stripped off the car. People messing with fast idle cam, BAC idle adjustment screw, throttle cable holds the T/B blades open so it holds high idle, nobody checked the crank angle sensor before putting a timing light on it, etc. Just the most basic stuff for RX7's. Unreliability in ANY car is usually due to user error or misunderstanding.
I also see people giving up on RX7's all the time because they just don't want to learn the quirks. Matters not to me because those $200.00 idle problem cars turn into perfectly running RX7's that sell for much more for those who fix & sell to keep the ever so "unreliable" rotaries on the road.
ShobThaBob
Premium
- 2,651
- rosooftw
You might not be seeing them now, but the amount of money Mazda lost in the US due to warranty claims was unprecedented. Dealers and manufacturers don't care how much you know about your vehicle, they just want you to buy it. It clearly was not a smart thing to do with American buyers.
- 5,812
- shmogt
It just comes down to money and want. If you want it and can afford it/maintenance than get it. It was built to sell to consumers to use in daily life so of course it will work. However if you live where there is snow or lots of speed bumps etc than maybe not the best choice. I love the RX-7 so I'm saying get it if you can but not if it's gonna screw you over. Nothing worse than getting your dream and it turns out to be horrible.
- 331
- KUSHifornia
- MaliciousMD
- MaliciousMD
That I can agree with fully. But there's probably not a worse place you can take an RX7 than the Mazda dealer. They know less about them then you'd think. There are also several parts of the Mazda Factory Service Manual (FSM) that are translated from Japanese incorrectly. Funny thing is most of the bad translations are for settings things that effect idle and idle quality, LOL.
+1 to this! If you know nothing about RX7's, find a reputable specialist locally that may be willing to help go over the car and perhaps do a compression test. There is a specific way you should compression test a rotary engine. Also an abundance of information online at a number of different forums world wide with excellent information on what to look for and common problems for specific models.
Any type of oil or coolant leak found should NOT be taken lightly. Poor idle vacuum is a good sign the motor is on it's way out, or you have a vacuum leak somewhere in the million miles of vacuum lines, etc. Poor boost response or lack of boost can mean things like you have a boost leak. So someones taken the turbos apart and not re-assembled properly, leaking intake gasket(s) or piping under pressure, boost control solenoids are taking a dump, etc.
I've always told people to try their best not to buy a car that is incomplete. If something has been removed from the car (smog pump/air control valve for example) it should come with it in case you want to put it back on. Try not to buy a car that has the "emissions" or rats nest removed. Also try not to remove things like the "emissions" or rats nest if you have no idea what you are removing. Learn what each system does before you start ripping things off thinking you'll make more power, because you won't. #1 reason for not running RX7's usually "I removed all the emissions, now it won't idle right, help!"
I'm now on my 3rd FC3S, and pretty much at the point now if I bought a FC stripped down I could put it back together 100% stock if needed. Look at a random bolt or nut and will have a pretty good idea of where it would go. Be prepared to turn into a hoarder, you'll be rummaging for spare parts and bits for as long as you own it. RX7's will do that you, LOL!
- 341
- Auckland
- RZRX7
As everyone above has said they are very labour/maintenance intensive. It's like buying a aircraft, don't keep up with its maintenance and it will bite you. As a owner of 3 rotary cars I have my hands full but would not exchange them for anything else. I build/mod my own engines and would not remove the rats nest unless replacing ECU with a aftermarket stand alone system.
Very happy owner of a FD3S RX7 Type RZ, JC Cosmo Type SX 20b triple and a
very modified FC3S RX7.
Very happy owner of a FD3S RX7 Type RZ, JC Cosmo Type SX 20b triple and a
very modified FC3S RX7.
- 331
- KUSHifornia
- MaliciousMD
- MaliciousMD
LuminisI heard that Chevy V8s are more common and, thus, cheaper in Texas, though
LSX swap weighs about what a TT 20B swap does. I would LSX swap over 2JZ or RB any day due to front end weight. Been a Japenese car guy my whole life, but built plenty of old school V8 and LSX engines. Hard to choose, just depends on what you want to do.
- 331
- KUSHifornia
- MaliciousMD
- MaliciousMD
RZRX7
Pics, specs, thanks.
- 9,295
- Duisburg
Well, yeah, I don't think the JZ or RB would be the best choice for a daily. At least in the US, they're cheaper. Also, there are swap kits for the LS engines, but I don't know if there's something like this for JZs or RBs.
Plus, no turbo to go pop and plenty of shops that could probably fix any engine issues seems to be a big plus for a daily.
- 2,143
- The Track
- youngun_great
Well this side of the world, guess 2JZ or RBs or even 3/4 rotors. Bit your side, due to the constructed location of LSx, easy for you to put them in. Just goes to show, everywhere is different, there's an RB in Britain with 600hp but ain't seen it at shows for a while, hope it wasn't totalled.
