Spooled up Racing's RX7 build thread

[Vocko]

What year is your car ?
I'm looking into buying a 86/87 (date of manufacturing 1986/11/28) with a 13BT... The car is in working condition, or so the seller says, but it needs some bodywork and a whole new paint for starters.
ODO says 141k KM and the engine inside wasnt changed, compresion is 6...

I'm not sure if I should dive into this project...

 

[lil_red_wagon]

his car is an 86 IIRC. since the manufacturing date on the one you are looking at is that late in the year, it is an 87. the early models like that are good build material. that early on didn't have power steering, so there is at least one less thing to swap.

 

[SpooledupRacing]

Yes I own an 86 BASE...

Your car has to be an 87 because no 86's were turbo.

if the underbody and frame is all together go for it.. its a fun little project..

Once I get my rotor I will be ready to put the engine together

 

[SpooledupRacing]

OK update...


JACK s***!!!!! I paid for my rotor on Sunday (last week) and I was told it would ship out Monday morning..

well I got the confirmation number and it didnt leave dakota till wednesday (I dont think he shipped it till then, the day I asked for the tracking number)

so here it is Saturday and still NO ROTOR.. so I wont be building my engine this weekend !!!!!

so pissed...

I am about 4 hours away from a built engine and about 400.00 away from being able to drip the engine and trans in the car..

Last Saturday I was screwed by a guy who said he had a GREAT condition rotor for me.. I look at it (after not buying the one I am waiting for) and it was rusty and the bearing was SHOT..

not I buy this rotor.. the guy says that he shipped on Monday but its still not here..

Why do people have to lie.. I just want to get this damn engine BUILT!!!!

 

[SpooledupRacing]

Ok I received the rotor I paid for..

It showed today and DAMN...

there is a piece that has been ground down on so that means that the rotor is not the stock weight and that it will make me have to balance the assembly

The rotor bearing is also no good. there is bronze showing..

Mine u this is what the guy said.. and I quote

"Im selling a s5 tII rotor that is in EXCELLENT shape. cleaned and inspected and ready to throw in."

I am PISSED
now he wont give me a refund. and I had to make a paypal claim

The rotor and the "grinded spot"

The bearing.. u can see the bronze in the bearing even in this pic.. more so in person

 

[SpooledupRacing]

Ok so today on my way into work I stopped at a local shop and cleaned off MY rotor..

I am going to stop by the post office today (because thats baller) and put the two rotors on the scale and see how far off from eachother they are..

if they ARE in fact the same or very close to the same weight I may just use this other rotor..

The guy who sold it to me wont give me my money back and when I escaladed my paypal to a claim and they denied it because they dont cover if the product is not as said it was..

its all bulls***.. so now I am either out 150.00 or I may get lucky by the skin of my teeth. GAH!!!

 

[SpooledupRacing]

Ok I took the rotors to he post office and weighed them

My rotor: 9lbs 9.5oz
New rotor: 9lbs 10oz

looks like I have a compatable match.. so I just gotta decided about the bearing and go from there..

hummm

 

[SpeedMetal-7]

seams like you got it figured out man.
its a bad ass fc....


my 86 rx7 has a turbo (poke)......

cause i put it there.....
anyone who wants to do it, theres a couple options, most common t2 swap, or least choosen road........turbo the 6port......
i built up a 6port before i slapped my turbo on, gotta be prepared......

 

[SpooledupRacing]

Nice....

OK last nights saga...

I decided I WILL use the rotor. I got home.. after thinking a bit I decided OK.. Lets go..
Pulled the new rotor out and begin to clearnce the side seals..

Side 1 done.

Side 2.... **** ME!!!!!!!!!!!!

Same as my old rotor one of the corners is pushed in and the corner seal will NOT go in the hole.. SOB!!!!

Ok.. time to think.... think... think....

Ok the guy wont take the rotor back... Email him more hate mail....

ok back to the rotor... I have an idea.. he wont take it back so if I break it then its no biggie... so I go out to the garage grab my needle nose visegrips..
go back to the rotor.. wrap the edged of the needles and begin to bend the tip.

moved.. not enough.. more
moved.. close... more
moved... FITS...

put the corner seal and spring in and believe it or not.. it does rebound. WOW!!!!

grab some 1000g and rub the face a bit to get the burs left off the face.

so now that I am frustrated, pissed, and READY... I am building the engine NOW!!!!

so that is what I did.. I got the engine together... set the end play (the ONLY spacer I had is the one I tried and sure enough I am in the good)

I need to replace the front and rear e-shaft seal, put on a front cover gasket, clean and repaint the front cover, and then it will be ready to rock and roll..

buy a clutch and the turbo header hopefully this weekend and get the engine and trans in within 2 weeks.

things are getting very close.. I can almost TASTE IT !!! lol

here is the only pic I have of the engine on the stand as of this am.

 

[evilmonkeyMSP]

Congrats! hopefully it will be finished up soon.

How reliable is the "modding" you did to the rotor to make it fit? Not worried about that causing a problem?

 

[SpooledupRacing]

Congrats! hopefully it will be finished up soon.

How reliable is the "modding" you did to the rotor to make it fit? Not worried about that causing a problem?

Of course in the back of my head I am.. but there was no cracking and no breaking of the rotor and the seal does rebound like it should so I think it will be ok..

I heard that back in the day the dealers had a tool that they would stick in the coner seal holes to "manipulate" them back to correct orientation..

only time will tell though.

 

[evilmonkeyMSP]

well hopefully she holds (2thumbs)

 

[tsunami7]

I'd be really worried about that. If you know it's not in working order why would you take the change of having to tear the motor down a third time?

 

[SpooledupRacing]

it is in working order.. the corner seal fits in and the apex seal is in.. it functions as it should..

lets see I have wasted over a month on 2 LOW LIFES who have tried or HAVE screwed me for money on their rotors..

This one works and I am happy with it..

 

[SpooledupRacing]

Well my header is on the way..

T4 header with external wastegate.. should be here next week. WOOT WOOT.

 

[SpooledupRacing]

Ok I sold my other housing so on Monday i will be buying my clutch kit..

SPEC stage 3 turbo kit

6 puk sprung hub etc..

 

[SpooledupRacing]

ok.. the front cover has been removed so I can wire it off and repaint it.
the rear e-shaft seal has been replaced
the rear counterweight was bolted to the FEED flywheel and then the flywheel was put on the e-shaft and the nut was tq'd to 265ft/lbs

so next step is the wire the front cover, repaint the front cover, install the new front seal, put the cover on, put the front crank pulley on, put the lower intake on

Monday I will order my clutch kit.

if we get any decent weather I plan to pull the trans mount off, replace the bushings with urethane bushings (previously purchased), and get the trans and engine ready to drop in.. CANT WAIT!!!

 

[SpooledupRacing]

front cover has been repainted and will be put back on here soon..

pics most likely tomorrow.

 

[SpooledupRacing]

Well the fuel rails I was going to buy from KG appear to not fit on the injectors I will be using..

SUX...

time to make my own fuel rails.

 

[SpooledupRacing]

Well my header arrived today

T4 with external wastegate