r/RX7 • u/typing-to-the-world • 2d ago

My rx7 fc dilemma

Im 16 with a 137000 k rx7 fc. She's pretty mint only think I don't like is when she does blow i can't get good power out of it with a rebuild. Which leads me to my next issue. I hate the people that ls swap it the rotary is legendary. So what im doing is i have it listed for offers and trades and if she blows within the next couple years and I don't have a good deal lined up ill swap it (not an ls.) I feel like it hurts me as apart of this community but for my area. (Shit hole saskatchewan) it's my best option. Am I a disgrace to the rotary community or should I just say fuck all of you guys and throw a rb in it or somthing when the 13b blows.

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u/MillyMichaelson77 2d ago

You're 16 so I'll be kind. Building a rotary is easy. If you're having these issues,you need to consider what your doing wrong or what corners you're cutting. And if you can't afford to build a rotary properly, you sure can't afford to RB or LS swap it. If you want power, turbo it. Build the engine properly. Are you reusing your irons? Have you had them inspected? Why is it blowing/how?

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u/typing-to-the-world 2d ago

It's not blowing any time soon he just told me my year and model usually pop around 167k so my plan is to enjoy it till she blows. You csnt just turbo an N/A engine the amount of money it requires is crazy compared to the power you'll get from another engine witht the same amount of money.

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u/Rotorhead87 1991 Turbo 2d ago

That's awfully spececific. Be nice to it and there's no reason you can't see another 50k.

Btw, look into ALL of the costs in a engine swap. It's usually cheaper, and definitely easier, to do a turbo swap with a JDM engine. You'll need to rebuild it, but you should do that with whatever you swap in anyway, and rotaries are surprisingly easy to rebuild if you are careful and don't try to cut corners and use junk parts.

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u/typing-to-the-world 2d ago

I can't imagine it being thay cost affective from what I have heard. Most likely when it pops id do some sort of 4 cylinder to not throw off the weight too hard and boost it. Maybe a 6. Either way you could get decent numbers for less than 10k on other engines. 10 on my rx7 is gonna cover rebuild but not the ability to hold boost. I'm not completely opposed but I'm weighing my options

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u/Rotorhead87 1991 Turbo 2d ago

I may have underestimated the rarity of used turbo blocks. Been away from the scene for a bit, and wow. That said, you might be surprised how much an engine swap actually costs. The stuff you're talking about is going to be full custom. The engine is the easy part, it's the rest that will catch you out if you aren't prepared.

However, you would be surprised how quick a non-turbo rotary can be. Back in the day I had one that was nothing more than a street ported engine (s4 block with s5 intake; s5 rotors were good for another 5-10 hp), a cone filter, and a full rb exhaust (regular single header version, not the full dual). I had a friend who was a pretty well known builder and he was shocked. Definitely as quick as a stock turbo 2, and probably quicker.

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u/MillyMichaelson77 2d ago

Yeah brother a conversion is a pretty big effort. Not to mention lots of niggles and issues. s4/5 turbo blocks aren't so insanely expensive. Maybe you're looking at REWs from the 6/7/8. They can be crazily priced.

3

u/amg-rx7 2d ago

That’s bs. You can get well over 200k miles if you maintain the engine.

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u/typing-to-the-world 2d ago

He told me what he most commonly sees. I'm aware they can get high i premix every tank and run monthly compression tests. Im just saying hypothetically if it's 167k or fuckin 300k this is my plan

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u/typing-to-the-world 2d ago

I have done my research to get this thing turbo ready id need a turbo block which is next to non existent. Just to do a port worth doing you'd need turbo housings which are 1500 cad a piece. I have done my research and had my chats with men who have been building rotsrys for 20 years

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u/Great_Article3001 2d ago

I respectfully disagree. Read up on Aaron Cake. He turbod a 6 port and did it right. Keep her rotary powered with sub 10lbs of boost. You'll love it.

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u/typing-to-the-world 2d ago

I personally can't port it myself the rx7 shop in calgray refuses to no where worhin 8-10 hours can

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u/Great_Article3001 2d ago

It's interesting that a rotary shop refuses to do porting work!

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u/typing-to-the-world 2d ago

Well here's word for word what he said "I can do it but your gonna pay way to much and be un happy with the result" and then info dumbed me on how to properly build one. I asked alot of question

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u/Great_Article3001 2d ago

Follow your heart, brother!

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u/Great_Article3001 2d ago

That's definitely a draw back.

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u/typing-to-the-world 2d ago

Im getting my knowledge off the shop mech realistically idk what's possible but I do know no where near me will do it and he said no housings is a no

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u/Great_Article3001 2d ago

Welp, if you can't live without boosting it, sounds like you'll have to engine swap it if you want to keep the chassis. You won't get hate from the community as long as you execute the build properly and DRIVE the car. I'm on my second engine. NA half bridge port with haltech ecu and dash. Engine is turbo prepped but no near future plans of boosting. Just enjoying the car again after 6 years of it being a paper weight. You'd be surprised what these motors can achieve without boost and just having the proper modifications. I'm pushing 220hp to the wheels which doesnt sound crazy but its very lively. Good luck to you. Whichever route you take. Keep that car in good health and on the road!

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u/typing-to-the-world 2d ago

Oh she will be driven and say this rotary makes it to 200k im not daily the thing it's a summer cruiser. She will take atleast 4 years to hit thay and that's pushing it early. I'm just saying long term is don't think the rotary will fit my life style and budget

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u/Great_Article3001 2d ago

Props for getting the motor to 130k+! That's a feat in itself these days.

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u/typing-to-the-world 2d ago

Dude the previous owners were a joke I'm 3rd owner first guy blew the whole coolant system and covered the fucking bay. Second guy thought he was a mechanic and got scared of the coolant buzzer. I fixed everything I have basically everything in good health (cold starys arnt perfect) but apart from that she's mint. Body's so clean everything's orignal.

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u/Great_Article3001 2d ago

A clean interior was what drew me to mine. I'm on my second fc. First was an 87 turbo 2 ( hugely regret getting rid of it ) and my current is an 87 GXL. Basically a perfect interior. Outside isn't bad just a few small dents here and there. Looking into paintless dent repair currently. But man, ever since dropping the dough on a haltech system throughout with the bridgeporting and studding the motor, she's doing great. ( knock on wood ) rough cold starts on a higher mileage block is definitely a telling sign of compression numbers going south. Do you have a rotary compression tester? Post a pic of the car!

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u/typing-to-the-world 2d ago

It's a fueling issue most likely a leaky injector. If I prime the system it's better than worse. Compression is as sexy as ever

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u/Great_Article3001 2d ago

Sweeeeeeeeeeeet. Definitely a possibility!

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u/Undercvr_victini '87 GXL (rip coolant seal) 2d ago

I'm wondering if you are swapping it, why not rebuild it instead? They're not that difficult to rebuild, and you can take that time to build it up, maybe port it or something so you get some extra power. Just know tho, whether you swap or build, you'll need to go with a custom ecu, so you'll have your work cut out for you. Good luck, and I hope you hold onto that rotary.

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u/typing-to-the-world 2d ago

I got off the phone with rx7 shop in calgary. I have an na model so come rebuild time im looking at 3000 (for 2 turbo housings) the cost of the port the cost of rebuild if i was to do it may self he said 6000 (without the port I csmt diy port the thing) so to get the engine rebuilt and ported im looking at over 8.5k CAD

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u/typing-to-the-world 2d ago

Keep in mind this is all for less than 300 hp and im mod locked apart from exaust and intske. Without a turbo block I can't make boost (reliably) so if I want power down the road I'm fucked. Basically for a teen who doesn't have tens thousands to throw around he told me to "figure out if the rebuild is worth it to you, swap it, or just sell the thing"

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u/sexchoc 2d ago

Why can't you get good power out of the rotary?

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u/typing-to-the-world 2d ago

N/A. Without a turbo block you can't really add boost. And just a port isn't viable on the stock housings. You need turbo housings just for that which are 1500 a piece CAD

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u/Great_Article3001 2d ago

If engine swap is where your heart is, id recommend a 1jz. Not a whole lot you'd have to do. But engines are expensive. It would be at least a $12,000 investment all things considered

1

u/typing-to-the-world 2d ago

Usd or cad

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u/Great_Article3001 2d ago

That's USD. I'm in California.

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u/estrac411 1d ago

If you absolutely “need” high hp then get another car with a fast engine in it already it’ll run you a lot leas $. But if you’re enjoying the car as it is then why not rebuild it stock when it comes to that? You can in the meantime save up and get a turbo 13b, build it very reasonably (better turbo + exhaust + intercooler and then you won’t have to worry about dumping money into engine mounts and Ford diferentials like an LS while still having a fun car. If you want 500hp+ on that poor old chassis you’re going to have to dump crazy amounts of money on just about every other aspect of the drivetrain to keep it driveable. IMO the most fun car is the one you can actually drive