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So today was the big day. My fuel pressure gauge arrived yesterday and I spent last night making a nice wee mount for it. This morning I finished off the fuel lines and mounted the fuel regulator. I also bought some more brake line and made pipe work to my nice new flexy clutch line from mazda- cheap at $20. I went and bought some of BPs finest, mixed in some 2 stroke oil. But that in the tank, checked fuel pump. All good. It was now about 2 in the afternoon. Thought Id better fill engine with some coolant...and then this happened.... The photo I took is missing. Just picture lots of coolant coming up out of the oil filler breather hole :-( I wasn't as curse word off as most would normally be as I already knew when I bought the Rx7 this engine came in that it had popped the rear frost plug after a cold Welsh winter. But I had been hoping that was all that had happened. I called Hannah over and we drained all the fluids in a mad rush before they mixed too much- by this time the sump was full of coolant! Then I stood there - pretty cheesed off and just not at all sure what to do- I really was miffed at the prospect of spending even more time on this car when I should be finishing the housetruck. I suggested selling the car- really! But Hannah stepped in and said that would be silly after all this work and that she was excited about it being on the road. Should I leave it for a year or tow till we get back from down south? Nup, it would only fester. So we both set to work removing the engine. I'm really hoping its just the water seals between housings and plates. But I fear worse- the water mixed so quickly that I reckon some of the castings may be frost damaged  The engine came out quickly and easily at least. And it was cool that the wiring is now so sorted that it was like working on a factory fitted engine  Its now on the work bench less the sump and flywheel. I'll strip it in the morning and see what the damage is. Then I'll work out what I do. This will be the first Rotary I have stripped so its all new to me. I have always been lucky with my engines and never had any problems till now. I just hope its not bad damage. |
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Last Edit: Jun 5, 2017 6:00:26 GMT by yoeddynz
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Bad luck on the engine, you know it will be worth the effort in the end though.
All the work you have done on all you vehicles is amazing and no doubt the sun will help with the mojo.
Can you just find another motor local and throw it in?
John.
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yeah - i'll look into local motors but problem is in NZ rotaries are popular and hence people pay alot for engines- unlike in blighty where we would sell good working engines on for £100. So I'll see what I find when I strip it. the water seals are just big o-rings 8 of them. But I'd need a gasket set too. It'll be worth it though because the engine has been fully rebuilt by a mazda dealer I bought it from had rebuilt it with new seals etc.
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Last Edit: Mar 7, 2011 8:48:12 GMT by yoeddynz
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carmad
Posted a lot
Posts: 2,002
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awww dam it !!!
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Bad luck dude.
Hopefully it'll be something simple & cheap.
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Koos
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I'm not sure on this but after looking carefully through the Haynes RX7 manual I cant find any reference to these two bits....  I think the centre plate is f--ked. I filled it with water this morning and it intoxicated out through the bottom on each side of the centre plate. So after a quick tidy of the workshop bench I started the strip down. I made a little table to sit the engine on and then carefully unstacked the sandwich.  Odd that it only has 17 through bolts. Not 18 as per the haynes rx7 manual or 19 as my old Mazda workshop manuals for rx2/rx3 show? I've been told it has RX4 housings so I guess the whole engine is Rx4 as ya couldn't mix housings and plates with a different amount of through bolts eh... Hannah helped strip the engine as it was new to both of us. We found pretty sludgy waterways. The outer water seals were really long- too long to fit back into grooves as if they had been stretched? The ports have been tickled with a grinder - just a clean up I think. The housings looked good but I later found some deep scores on one housing right near the exhaust port as if something got stuck in there like a nut ?! So that housing is scrap which is a bloody shame as the chrome is really good and chatter marks seem minimal. Once is was all stripped down we both set to work cleaning the sludge out to look for damage. First up the front plate then rear plate. Centre plate. Bingo! - when I was rinsing the petrol/scum off the water going into waterways was coming out the bottom oil ways. There was a big hole and two lovely bits of casting sitting on top barely dislodged. The centre plate also had a defined depression on one face about the size of a 50p piece as if a corner seal has been gouging it. Sadly, thanks to image shack most of my photos are gone. I thought Id backed them up but nah.. missing :-( So I'm now going to have to find a centre plate and one housing. The rotors are good and side seals, corner seals, springs, bearings, eccentric shaft etc are all ok. Tips are new. oil pump is good. Its all cleaned, oiled up and packed away now as I cant afford to just go out and buy an engine. Maybe something will turn up - I'll just keep asking anyone I can think of who is into rotaries and see if they can help for parts. I'm a bit worried that I'll struggle to find the right housing and plate to suit 17 through bolts? |
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Last Edit: Jun 5, 2017 6:16:38 GMT by yoeddynz
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MonzaPhil
Posted a lot
Think like a man of action, act like a man of thought
Posts: 2,456
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Hope luck is on your side, love this car and want to see it done  Fingers crossed. |
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This is now a clicky linky!  |
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Could you sell it for parts especially if it is rare/difficult to find parts and put the money towards a more common engine?
John.
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Yeah- there are plenty of RX7 engines here. But plenty of money too which I really cant afford to spend right now (queue sad music..)
I'm just going to have to keep searching and waiting for a bargain to come along........................................
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Siert
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,105
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That's a real shame, I hope you get it sorted soon-ish.
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Could you get one here and ship it down there?
PS stop biting your fingernails! :-)
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Koos
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Seth
South East
MorrisOxford TriumphMirald HillmanMinx BorgwardIsabellaCombi
Posts: 15,538
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Argh! Really sorry to read the engine maladies |
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Follow your dreams or you might as well be a vegetable. |
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yeah id love to ship one over! or get someone to bring it over in their on board luggage....
seriously would consider buying overseas if shipping could be done cheap enough.
my fingernails? its nerves...
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sorry to read about that dude sending good vibes, mojo by the bucket load, and a magicians hat sized slice of luck your way! |
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If a complete RX7 weighs 130kg, how much could be stripped off to save shipping weight?
Carb, manifolds, dizzy, water pump, flywheel...
Was the 130kg with the clutch and cat?
Ive sent some pretty big crates to Brizzy for not too much money....
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Koos
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I reckon that with the flywheel and waterpump off it would be less than 100kg. I'll get all the bits out from under the bench and weigh them later. Engines are soooooooooooo much cheaper in the UK. I think its just demand for them here that has pushed the prices up. Plus mazda stopped making 12A engines in 1985. 13B parts are still available new- at a price.
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Hannah is one seriously awesome lady, she should be reminded of that more often.
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Yep- she's pretty bloody cool and very handy! I'm a lucky bugga If only she could cast brand new rotor housings. But cakes will do. |
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Last Edit: Mar 4, 2011 2:46:06 GMT by yoeddynz
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bloody bad news mate hope you get sorted soon
how's oz off for rotary engines?
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Plenty over there I think but its the postage costs. I digging about anyway and hopefully something will turn up. I may have a housing sorted hopefully...
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The engine came out quickly and easily at least. And it was cool that the wiring is now so sorted that it was like working on a factory fitted engine 
Its now on the work bench less the sump and flywheel.
