Front-Mid Engine, 50/50 Weight, 100hp/liter.

[Eunos_Cosmo]

Well after 6 years of faithful service, she finally lost a seal. After doing a DIY compression test, it appears to be an apex seal on the rear rotor. I'm pretty baffled as to how this happened to be honest. I checked the sump oil and it was full, and I had plenty (too much) oil premixed. It just let go at 6500rpm in 2nd gear. The only thing I can think of is maybe I overrevved it beforehand, damaging/cracking the seal then shattered it on that 2nd gear pull. A stock S3 13b redlines at 7,000rpm and I've pulled it past 8 a few times since the carb swap. I can't help that it makes power up there!

Looking for an S4 or S5 six port to swap in. Going to keep it stockport, as the first gen chassis doesn't really need more than 175bhp and it should keep it reliable.

 

[Thatman]

OH NOES!!!

Well that sucks man.

It makes me really want to make a patch or somthing and then give it to people having it say "the brotherhood of the chipped apex seal."

You know what it was though,

Now I just have to swap the idle jets, and it should run perfect.

I dont think you should have said that.

Anyways good luck on the next step in its life!

 

[Eunos_Cosmo]

It actually did run really well, for a short while.

 

[Eunos_Cosmo]

Working on acquiring a new 13b. When I do, I shall paint it thusly:

 

[Leonidae@MFT]

Yay!

 

[Thatman]

Schweet! 👍

 

[Moglet]

Did you see the guy who put a Mustang engine in one of these? Just something to think about

Although part of the joy of owning a rotary is that little bit at the back of your brain that says "is it breaking? Oh god what was that noise?"

 

[Eunos_Cosmo]

I would never put a V8 in an RX-7 because V8 swaps are just too easy. If this thing ever got a piston motor it would be of the 6 cylinder, horizontally opposed variety.

Also, aside from when I lost the apex seal at 140,000 miles and 29 years of service, the engine has never made so much as a click out of place. Rotaries are awesome, that is all.

This car will stay rotary as long as rotary parts are still available, which is looking like it will be a long time to come.

 

[Eunos_Cosmo]

Finally took the motor out. Here is the culprit:

My apex seal went on vacation.

 

[Eunos_Cosmo]

So I found a new engine. On Monday I will pick it up. I'm hoping to have it in the car by tuesday night, but we'll see how it goes.

The engine is a fairly recently rebuilt S5 6 port with S5 TII rotor housings. They should flow a tiny bit better than n/a housings and the engine should be quite a leg up on my lower compression S3 6 port. The S3 13b was rated at 135hp and the S5 is rated at 160hp. So 25hp just to start with. I'm hoping for somewhere around 180-200bhp (160-175whp) with my carb and exhaust setup.

 

[Heldenzeit]

Every time I see a well sorted FB I want one, I love how they drive. Too bad I already have two sports cars by Mazda, don't have room for a third yet.

 

[Eunos_Cosmo]

Intake wrapped:

Also painted my velocity stacks flat white:

(old engine)

 

[Eunos_Cosmo]

After rescheduling several times, the seller outright backed out of selling me the engine. I leave back for Michigan Sunday, so this thread will likely not be updated again for at least another year. I'm so pissed. I could have had a running car....

 

[CodeRedR51]

I'm looking into getting another one of these. Want to go with a mildly tuned N/A 20B. Nice street cruiser.

 

[Space Dynamics]

It actually did run really well, for a short while.

That's exactly what all the spec rx7 guys say right before they blow. XD