Rx7's...what May I Need To Know?

[DNGRUS]

I found a car im keen to buy, BUT...i no nothing about RX7s!

All i no is they drink alot of fuel and need to be serviced every 10000kms or sumthng like that? and to service them is a pain in the ass lol

thats all i know hahaa..

Does anyone have any good pointers n tips for me, as this is all new to me lol

[Wyseman]

First thing to know...

Don't do it.. Rotaries are fun for about a week or two, then you have to live with it.

Not a good car to buy and not reliable..

[R-SPEC]

you mean engine needs rebuild every 100,000Ks, and thats only the older fc's not fd models. someone correct me if im wrong

they look good but sound terrible.

[DNGRUS]

First thing to know...

Don't do it.. Rotaries are fun for about a week or two, then you have to live with it.

Not a good car to buy and not reliable..

How r they not reliable? thats what i wana no. As in what problems are there?

[FLY12N]

Look up how the Rotary engine works... it will give you a bit more insight as to why they are higher maintainence, especially if its not stock.

[JamesK]

I always thought Wankel Engines were more reliable due to their design, less parts, simpler, less things to go wrong....

[Z1LLA]

As always there is going to be the typical negative rotary myths/false information/assumption answers (normally by people who have never owned one) when a question is asked like this.

I've had my Series 6 13B Turbo Datsun 1200 Coupe for nearly 4.5 years... The motor was rebuilt with a large extend port, GT35/40 turbo, no intercooler, water injection setup and has run 11.4/122mph and makes about 210rwkw.

The car has done at least 100 passes at the drags, been driven to Adelaide and back, driven around Tasmania in a week, thrashed on the street everytime it is taken out, countless burnouts etc etc and has only had the oil/plugs/filters changed in that time (servicing is piss easy, much quicker than my GT-R) with no engine problems at all (and this is from a un-intercooled motor as well).

It comes down to how well the engine is built, how well it is tuned and how well it is maintained. Like any performance car.

You are better off browsing www.ausrotary.com for much better information and answers to whatever questions you have.

[KezR33]

I always thought Wankel Engines were more reliable due to their design, less parts, simpler, less things to go wrong....

In theory yes, but a lot more money has been put into design piston engines. Rotaries have other issues too, like seals and shit.

I actually don't know much about them either, but the design is just so much smarter, you can't help but be attracted.

[Z1LLA]

First thing to know...

Don't do it.. Rotaries are fun for about a week or two, then you have to live with it.

Not a good car to buy and not reliable..

[rs73]

My brother bought a brand new RX 8 and the Mazda dealer literally gave him a small bottle of engine oil and tell him to monitor the oil as the renesis engine will burn oil FROM NEW...

If that oil burning phenomenon has started to occur since the engine was new, imagine if you're buying a used RX 7, how good do you know the previous owner in maintaining the engine, and topping up the oil when needed ?

You never know.

Nevertheless they are great car, but you need to be prepare to maintain it properly, I mean this car is not some kind of an old corolla.

[MP_R33]

don't do it, think about when u want to sell it again, not many people want to buy RX-7s so it will make it that little bit harder for you to re-sell.

but ultimately if your keeping the car stock and you don't drive like Sam you will be fine as most problems arise after you start modifying them.

but the bottom line would be stick top skylines

[Al]

you mean engine needs rebuild every 100,000Ks, and thats only the older fc's not fd models. someone correct me if im wrong

they look good but sound terrible.

It's actually the new engines that need to be rebuilt every 100,000km.

If it has been rebuilt make sure that it has been done by one of the better w/shops. Make sure the tune has been done properly, as the rotary's do not like any pinging and will break before you release your foot off the accelerator.

If the tune and build are spot on you should have no issues at all.

[DNGRUS]

You are better off browsing www.ausrotary.com for much better information and answers to whatever questions you have.

thnx

[W0rp3D]

It's actually the new engines that need to be rebuilt every 100,000km.

If it has been rebuilt make sure that it has been done by one of the better w/shops. Make sure the tune has been done properly, as the rotary's do not like any pinging and will break before you release your foot off the accelerator.

If the tune and build are spot on you should have no issues at all.

I agree.

Next question is how many people in this thread have ever owned a rotary and how many are purely going off what they heard from a guy whos "dogs uncles aunt on there mothers side had a second cousin who maybe had one but it might have been a datsun 180b"?

Firstly i use to have a bridgeport 13b in an old rx7, i gave that thing hell, saw 10,000rpm many times and it never missed a beat, i also have 2 mates that have had/have a S2 rx7 with a S5 engine, purely standard engine with big turbo, fmic, ecu and they pumped out over 300rwkw, one of which is still running today trouble free the other blew a water seal so he decided to sell it as parts and buy a S6 instead of repairing it.

The S6 how ever was a bit of a nightmare, it was meant to have a newly rebuilt engine, after a few months he discovered it had blown a seal (dont know which one) so had stripped it down only to find that the plates had previously cracked and been welded up (once cracked they should be binned) and the housings had corroded from a lack of coolant, as he planned to keep the car he bought all new parts, i believe the cost was around the 7k mark, ever since then it has been perfect.

Another friend of mine built a S2 from ground up with an unknown import s5 13bt engine and got a mate to tune it, that blew pretty quick, he then got it rebuilt by a well known rotary wrecker, he didnt get 1000k's out of that one, rebuilt it again, got the same mate to tune it and never got 300k's out of it, today it still sits in his garage after having spent over 25k on it, moral of this one is to get a reputable workshop to rebuild it (not wrecker) and tune it (not a mate who thinks he knows what he is doing).

If you get a good one it will treat you well, you get some ones dog breakfast it will be a money pit, not that its any different for a skyline.

Ask for receipts for all work done and servicing, if it has a rebuilt motor get receipts and check to see what was done and how long ago, whilst these things have fewer moving parts and are theoretically simpler they must be put together with a lot closer tolerance than a piston engine and all that comes with experience.

Whilst all these experience's sound bad there not, if i had the money i would buy a S6, my gtst has 225rwkw and a host of mods, my mates S6 only has a fmic and raised boost and would blow my doors off, not to mention the smooth power of the twin turbo's.

And www.ausrotary.com is your best resource.

Edited December 7, 2008 by W0rp3D

[AGE]

Yep www.ausrotary.com is the best place for info!

I've owned 3 rotary's.

A RX2 with a 13b, then i destroyed it...then replaced it with a 12A Turbo. Then later i've owned a S2 RX7.

Rotary s are one of the most funnest cars that you will ever own.... after owing 2 modded WRX's, I'm still to find something as much fun as a 900kg 12A turbo rotary RX2.

Yes i did kill the 13b, but only because of my own fault! And the funny thing is even though i totally destroyed the rear gear, it would still start and move the car....sure it was very slowly and with a lot of smoke, but still it would move under it's own power! And the cause.... i didn't check the oil!

And my RX7 never missed a beat. I'd still have it, but you can't fit much more than the driver and a baby seat in the car.

It's very simple with Rotary's. Look after it and it will look after you!

It's the same with the new RX8's.... of course Mazda will give you some oil and tell you to keep an eye on the levels. Your not buying a Corolla here, the Rotary actually use oil in the fuel (a lot like a 2 stroke), to lubricate the rotor seals and apex seals.

[rs73]

It's very simple with Rotary's. Look after it and it will look after you!

It's the same with the new RX8's.... of course Mazda will give you some oil and tell you to keep an eye on the levels. Your not buying a Corolla here, the Rotary actually use oil in the fuel (a lot like a 2 stroke), to lubricate the rotor seals and apex seals.

True, they're like 2-stroke lawnmowers on steroid!

[AGE]

If your buying one, check it out when the engine is cold... the oil seals do take up a lot when they are warm. So starting a cold Rotary engine will revel a lot.... if it blows smoke upon start up for a few minutes, the seals are slightly worn, so you might need a rebuild in the future!

If it start's with no smoke (and i mean blue smoke for oil) you could have a good engine.

Oh and Rotary's are a lot of fun with compression lockups Also 1 thing with owning a Rotary... once you have one, it'll will never leave you. It will be in your blood, they have a way to get under your skin no matter how much you spend on it and how much might let you down. You will never have as much fun with a normal piston engine as you will with a Rotary!!!

For me, i sold mine and then had 7 years worth of WRX's.... but with a trip to Japan, do you think i could pass up a trip to the Mazda Museum??? That place is like the 'Holy Grail' for Rotary lovers!!!

[BeEnAr]

get a nice series 8 later model. Then do a bad ass bridge port on that sucker! They are a good car IMO and look awesome! they drink oil and fuel but they rev like no tomorrow and go like the clappas

[DNGRUS]

lol thanks for all the info guys..even though one person says one thing and another disagrees...

im going to test drive one soon so ill see how i find it..

im still a little uncertain lol now im thinking an r33 gtr..complete opposite..but yeah who knows with me

[RBPOWA-(TJ)]

lol thanks for all the info guys..even though one person says one thing and another disagrees...

im going to test drive one soon so ill see how i find it..

im still a little uncertain lol now im thinking an r33 gtr..complete opposite..but yeah who knows with me

step it up a notch Ferah, GTT to GTR , its the way god planned it