Past and present rotary owners: some questions.

"Iheartmy365kHonda - Car enthusiasts do like FWD" (300korbust)
11/14/2015 at 01:00 • Filed to: None

I’m checking out a couple of RX-7s and I’m new to rotarys. I talked to the owner of an RX-7 who wants $1,400 for his. It says $1,900 in the ad, but here is the car:

!!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!!

The car has been sitting for 4 months, but the owner believes the compression is still good. The motor was rebuilt before he bought it, but he doesn’t know a whole lot about the car. There are no leaks in the car though, which is something. Would $1,400 be a good deal?

Now, what about this RX-7.

!!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!!

I haven’t talked to the owner about it yet, so I’ll assume it is both available and sold. The car is located about a 4 hour drive from me, so if I could check it out, I don’t want to waste a trip up there if the car is crap.

So, here is my question to you all. Are these two worth trying out for a potential first time rotary owner?

DISCUSSION (30)

bob and john > Iheartmy365kHonda - Car enthusiasts do like FWD
11/14/2015 at 01:03

if he doesnt know a lot about the car, whats to say he maintained it the way he should have?

TheHondaBro > Iheartmy365kHonda - Car enthusiasts do like FWD
11/14/2015 at 01:06

Personally, I just wouldn’t buy an ancient rotary.

DancesWithRotors - Driving Insightfully > Iheartmy365kHonda - Car enthusiasts do like FWD
11/14/2015 at 01:10

They aren’t too terrible, but I do recommend premix...

Past that, for the one that hasn’t run in a few months, you may need to pour a teaspoon or two of ATF into the spark plug holes and turn it over a few times, to get it to come back to life. Also, NEVER EVER FUCKING EVER RUN SYNTHETIC OIL IN A ROTARY!!!

Sorry, had to emphasize that. But seriously, don’t. The qualities that make synthetics good for piston engines, namely the stupid-high heat tolerance, means they burn incompletely in rotaries and gum up the apex seals, and that’s bad juju.

As long as you do a halfway-decent job of maintaining it, it’ll give you years of fun.

Iheartmy365kHonda - Car enthusiasts do like FWD > bob and john
11/14/2015 at 01:12

That is where I stand. What ELSE is wrong with it?

I'mJustOutbackXTing > Iheartmy365kHonda - Car enthusiasts do like FWD
11/14/2015 at 01:14

I live about 30 minutes south of Ft. Collins, so if you ever get in touch with the owner and want someone to give you an unbiased opinion of the car, lemme know.

Iheartmy365kHonda - Car enthusiasts do like FWD > DancesWithRotors - Driving Insightfully
11/14/2015 at 01:15

Awesome! So, in your opinion, is the turbo one here worth a shot at fixing up or should I run? The owner seems nice, but he doesn’t know a whole lot about the car. What ELSE could be wrong with it? My guess is it might need a gasket kit, but I am afriad of a warped rotor or possibly scratched rotor housings. Next, could the spark plugs be the problem? Still, engine rebuild, but he even doesn’t know when it was rebuilt last. I’m on the fence with this car.

Iheartmy365kHonda - Car enthusiasts do like FWD > I'mJustOutbackXTing
11/14/2015 at 01:15

You rock! Thank you! I’ll contact the owner tomorrow.

Full of the sound of the Gran Fury, signifying nothing. > Iheartmy365kHonda - Car enthusiasts do like FWD
11/14/2015 at 01:16

Is the second one owned by a guy named Schroedinger? :P

DancesWithRotors - Driving Insightfully > Iheartmy365kHonda - Car enthusiasts do like FWD
11/14/2015 at 01:16

To continue with the premix... http://www.idemitsu-usa.com/h/38/premix.ht…

Get that. Use that. It’s made by the same guys who do the Mazda factory-fill on their new stuff/the Mazda-branded quarts at the parts counter. Idemitsu makes good stuff.

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > DancesWithRotors - Driving Insightfully
11/14/2015 at 01:16

i had no idea that synthetic and rotaries dont mix.

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > Iheartmy365kHonda - Car enthusiasts do like FWD
11/14/2015 at 01:17

I’d pic the second one based on the condition of the interior alone.

DancesWithRotors - Driving Insightfully > HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles
11/14/2015 at 01:18

Yeah, it’s not a good thing. Because they burn a bit of oil, by design, anything that won’t burn completely is a no-no in them.

Iheartmy365kHonda - Car enthusiasts do like FWD > Full of the sound of the Gran Fury, signifying nothing.
11/14/2015 at 01:18

HAHAHA so glad you got the reference!

Iheartmy365kHonda - Car enthusiasts do like FWD > DancesWithRotors - Driving Insightfully
11/14/2015 at 01:19

You are the best! Thank you so much!

Iheartmy365kHonda - Car enthusiasts do like FWD > HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles
11/14/2015 at 01:20

The second one seems so much nicer! I’ll contact him tomorrow in hopes of a response.

Full of the sound of the Gran Fury, signifying nothing. > Iheartmy365kHonda - Car enthusiasts do like FWD
11/14/2015 at 01:24

R isn't very far from T on a keyboard...

DancesWithRotors - Driving Insightfully > Iheartmy365kHonda - Car enthusiasts do like FWD
11/14/2015 at 01:26

The plugs are interesting... They use two different, special NGK plugs that will cost you somewhere around $8-10, per plug... Spend the money, get the NGKs.

Also, don’t mix up the leading and trailing plugs. Take it from personal experience, they don’t like that.

As for scratched rotor housings/warped rotors, I wouldn’t worry too much, unless it’s been abused. See if it has decent compression, and go from there. (To read a rotary’s compression, you want to rig your compression tester so that it doesn’t hold the PSI reading... You’re looking for three even bounces per rotor, not a number, necessarily. A cold rotary will almost always read artificially low, because of the apex seals not forming a tight seal until it’s warm.)

If compression is too low, it’ll show up when you can push-start, but not necessarily use the starter motor to get it running.

Iheartmy365kHonda - Car enthusiasts do like FWD > Full of the sound of the Gran Fury, signifying nothing.
11/14/2015 at 01:29

Uh oh. Where is my spelling error?

Iheartmy365kHonda - Car enthusiasts do like FWD > DancesWithRotors - Driving Insightfully
11/14/2015 at 01:32

The owner said, and I quote, “Engine was claimed rebuilt by previous owner,” meaning it could be bs, and, “Compression sounds goods, too, when you spin the counter shaft.” Even bounces might need to be seen/heard then in person.

Full of the sound of the Gran Fury, signifying nothing. > Iheartmy365kHonda - Car enthusiasts do like FWD
11/14/2015 at 01:36

Don't worry - there isn't any error. I was just thinking caT vs caR.

Iheartmy365kHonda - Car enthusiasts do like FWD > Full of the sound of the Gran Fury, signifying nothing.
11/14/2015 at 01:38

OOOOOOh hahaha that is good! Knee slapping good, too!

for Michigan > Iheartmy365kHonda - Car enthusiasts do like FWD
11/14/2015 at 03:31

If that second one were near me, I’d be all over it. Been looking at these on the local CLs for some time.

SP23 > Iheartmy365kHonda - Car enthusiasts do like FWD
11/14/2015 at 05:33

Just going by the pictures I’d go with the second one. Simply because it looks like it’s been used and cared for...not neglected and left under a tree.

Plus I’ve always like the ‘85 body style to the ‘88.

Manwich - now Keto-Friendly > Iheartmy365kHonda - Car enthusiasts do like FWD
11/14/2015 at 11:47

I would avoid that 1988 RX7... that one looks like the current and/or previous owners were complete idiots with the mods they did to it... which I bet includes a less-than-successful turbo install/upgrade.

I bet it’s a complete basketcase. And the jackass seller says the interior is “complete”, but I can see in one picture the headliner is missing, among other things. And he wants $1400 for it even though it doesn’t run? It’s a $500 car at most.

The 1985 RX7 looks more promising. Looks stock and complete... just worn.

I suggest going on some RX7 enthusiast sites and forums and researching them there.

The RX7 is a car that you DON’T want to start with a basketcase. You want to start with a decent one and maintain it properly. And the way you maintain it is a little different from other cars.

And the first thing I suggest you research is installing a “Sohn adapter”

Here are a couple of links to get you started:

http://www.rotaryinsider.com/diy-tac38/sohn…

http://www.rx7club.com/1st-gen-archiv…

Rotary engine cars CAN be reliable... but you have to take proactive steps and also do a few upgrades to help insure it. I would argue that something like the Sohn adapter upgrade is something that should have been installed by Mazda right from the start.

Manwich - now Keto-Friendly > DancesWithRotors - Driving Insightfully
11/14/2015 at 11:55

Synthetic oil is actually very good for a rotary... IF it’s used in conjunction with a Sohn adapter upgrade:

http://www.rotaryinsider.com/diy-tac38/sohn…

Iheartmy365kHonda - Car enthusiasts do like FWD > Manwich - now Keto-Friendly
11/14/2015 at 12:58

That 1988 was exactly what I was afraid of... a basketcase. Thanks for providing me with this information. It really helps out a lot! The owner to the 1985 hasn’t responded so the car must have been sold and he still has the post up. I might wait a little while then and get my tax refund first before going back to the grind of RX-7 searching. Thank you for everything!

Iheartmy365kHonda - Car enthusiasts do like FWD > SP23
11/14/2015 at 12:59

The SA22/FB is a better looking design. The owner hasn’t responded yet, so no luck.

Iheartmy365kHonda - Car enthusiasts do like FWD > for Michigan
11/14/2015 at 13:00

I tried contacting the owner and I’ve had no luck. Well, shoot. I’ll probably wait for a while until my tax refund comes in and try looking again.

Nauraushaun > Iheartmy365kHonda - Car enthusiasts do like FWD
11/15/2015 at 21:11

it is both available and sold

Schroedinger’s Rotary

Iheartmy365kHonda - Car enthusiasts do like FWD > Nauraushaun
11/16/2015 at 11:20

Brilliant!