Mazda Rx7

[celliott]

I am looking at buying a 1987 mazda Rx7, with the 13b rotary engine.  The car appears in good shape for the year, and the price, but it supposedly has a blown oil seal.  Just curious, does anyone know anything about these rotary engines? would this be expensive to fix?
Thanks

[beenthere]

I suspect it will be very expensive to fix. Are you familiar with this engine, and its history?

Maybe plan on a new rebuilt engine or a fix, both about the same money.

How much do you have to invest in the repair?

Have you searched google for chat about that repair?

[ScottAR]

I know a guy that put a 302 ford in one... Does that count?  :

[celliott]

I do know a little bit about the rotary engines, and I was suspecting that a rebuilt engine may be in order.  I need to do some more research on finding a replacement, see what the $$$ will be.

Oh and if i happen to find a 302, i may consider that :D :D :D

[crowder888]

My brother once had a 1987 Rx7.  It caught on fire one day while he was driving it...

[Woodchuck53]

Afternoon all, please do not buy the Wankle (Renasis Engine) We just got rid of a 2 year lemon. Could not keep it out of the shop more than a few weeks. All warrenty work including a whole new engine that they could keep running. Once they put the engine it they couldn't keep a battery in it for more that 6 weeks. Put another in and set your watch. I am hoping it was our terrific Ford dealer but we want have another. In fact the only thing they didn't parts change were the brakes and tires. I did those. Beware.

[ScottAR]

302 fits pretty well...  There's quite a bit of room in the engine bay.
Besides engine mounts and a trans. crossmember it's fairly
straightforward.  http://www.bacomatic.org/~dw/index.htm

Go to the vehicles section.

[Ianab]

I would see what a proper engine rebuild would cost, maybe with some port mods and a better carb and exhaust if it's still standard.

That way you have a car that should run OK for another 50,00 miles and still handles like a sportscar. Jamming a 302 in gives you something that runs OK in a straight line, but thats about it.

I haven't owned one myself, but my granny had a 70s RX2 that I drove a lot of Ks as a teenager. Nice little car even when it was 10 years old.

Later various friends had RX4s and 7s. They are what they are, a low cost little sports car. Mazda has pretty much got the bugs out of the Wankel engine design, but dont expect them to last as long as a conventional engine between rebuilds. But if you are willing to accept that for the power to weight ratio then go for it.

An older car you have to expect various problems, electical, brakes, cooling etc. Thats just the way it is with older cars.

Ian

[ScottAR]

There's not as much weight difference as one would think.
The guy above found the ride height was within factory spec.
after conversion.  Put it on the road course at Memphis TN.

I'm not telling anyone to do it but it does fit and work. 

[CLL]

Looked at one years ago and the mechanic told us the motors wouldn't last, the gas mileage was awful, and repairs was a nightmare, bought a Toyota and put 300,000 miles on it.

[D._Frederick]

There is a local company here in Portland that specializes in rebuilding Wankle engines, my cousin burned there's up when a cooling hose broke. It cost about $3K and had a year guaraneety.  Being a collectors car, it was selling for $12k range. (That was 07 time frame)