headed to the darkside...

BRC · Postby **BRC** » Fri Mar 04, 2011 9:14

As some of you already know I guess ill make it official. Ten years ago I bought an 88 turbo 2 knowing nothing about how a rotary worked or what to do if it broke, I just liked the way it felt when I sat in it. It is a true drivers car and epic it was:D. After the first motor blew I had to rebuild it knowing nothing about what i was gonna see when I tore it apart. Long story short I ended up going through five motors total since day one while only putting 45000 or so miles on the car. so now at 90k I was faced with a delima. Having already bought a JDM motor/trans, installed it, and been driving it for about 6000 miles or so that old paranoia feeling in the back of my head started ringing again... Impending rotary doom! I know it is only a matter of time before evil strikes again and turns my apex seals into dust whilst shredding a housing or two. So after months of hard thought and number crunching I had an epiphany... V8.... So it has begun, once again the transformation from rotary to LS1 will plague the RX7 world. Sunday I pickup the motor and begin the swap. The donor is an LS1 & T56 from a 99 firechicken with long tube headers, mild cam, ported/polished heads, 5 angle valve job, and was rebuilt about 25k ago. With any luck all will be up and running by this spring or summer. I will post pics of the build as they come. For now heres some pics of the rear subframe that is being replaced. I thought the diff mount just needed to be replaced but as it turns out the diff mount not only tore itself in half but it also tore the mount right off the subframe... ouch...

BTW: the motor & trans in the 7 now will be sold before removal. I will post it in the classifieds when its ready to be removed so if anybody wants to hear it run they can do so. It is a jdm s5 turbo from a 91 and minus some tuning it runs magnificent!

speedjunkie · Postby **speedjunkie** » Fri Mar 04, 2011 9:14

I might be up for that engine and tranny if I get the 91 vert Zico was telling me about lol.

christi · Postby **christi** » Fri Mar 04, 2011 9:14

Aw I'd love to buy it off you but I think Eric has me beat

BRC · Postby **BRC** » Fri Mar 04, 2011 9:14

well i just finished the subframe & diff mount and added a pinion snubber... I shoulda done that a looooong time ago. The shifts are very solid and responsive. No more shudder under load and zero axle hop. Deffinetly reccomended to andbody with an FC.

alex_n/a · Postby **alex_n/a** » Fri Mar 04, 2011 9:14

a v8 in a rotary car is more unique then a rotary in a rotary car.

I want a v8 one day.

VRx8 · Postby **VRx8** » Sat Mar 05, 2011 9:14

alex_n/a wrote:a v8 in a rotary car is more unique then a rotary in a rotary car.

I want a v8 one day.

Is more of a disgrace if u ask me.

alex_n/a · Postby **alex_n/a** » Sat Mar 05, 2011 9:14

VRx8 wrote:Is more of a disgrace if u ask me.

why?

don't get me wrong I love my rx7 and the rotary, but i don't see anything wrong with doing an engine swap, the rotary is an amazing invention and very different from a piston engine but it does have its flaws and limits. I get about 8 mpg in my 7 and still under 200 whp while a ls1 can easily have 300+ whp and get 17mpg which not even my explorer gets 17mpg. the lsx is an amazing engine and it is now going into an amazing car.

:cool:

iani1.1 · Postby **iani1.1** » Sat Mar 05, 2011 9:14

i hate to say it but the ls is better swap than a 20b. yes i said it, what of it lol

speedjunkie · Postby **speedjunkie** » Sun Mar 06, 2011 9:14

alex_n/a wrote: but it does have its flaws and limits.

So does a piston engine.

Name a piston engine that can still be driven even when it's blown.

Name a piston engine that makes as much HP per liter as a turbo rotary.

Name a piston engine that runs as smooth as a rotary.

Name a piston engine that can suck in water and not blow up LOL.

Just a few examples.

VRx8 · Postby **VRx8** » Sun Mar 06, 2011 9:14

This shows who's the true fan of the rotary engines, i burn my RX7 before i put a piston engine in it. Again that's just me, I'm also Puerto Rican.

erod550 · Postby **erod550** » Sun Mar 06, 2011 9:14

HP per liter? Now you sound like a Honda owner lol.

chickenwafer · Postby **chickenwafer** » Sun Mar 06, 2011 9:14

Swap stories always turn into piston vs rotary wars. Everyone has their preference and I'll never "disown" anyone for swapping a piston motor into an RX (or other factory rotary car, there aren't many), hey, it's their car.

My take- people usually ditch the rotary when it's let them down time after time. This is usually because they don't have a true love for the motor (yes, you need to LOVE the rotary in order to own one) and/or they don't understand them and want something more familiar.

I can't blame someone for wanting to get rid of a rotary if they've been through 4 motors in 10,000 miles or it makes 200hp and 7mpg. However, on the other side of the fence, I have owned rotaries for over 30,000 miles or so and have never blown a motor due to a "rotary" issue (running too much boost is the only reason, and yes, a piston motor would have blown, too). A rotary has never stranded me and I have a deep, true passion for the motor so I would never give up on it. My rotary also makes plenty of horsepower and nets around 12mpg when going fast or 26mpg on the highway.

Really, if your motor lasts an average of 4000 miles or makes shitty power and poor fuel economy, something is wrong. Naturally aspirated rotaries are generally regarded as marathon runners and can see 200-300k miles without issue, and they typically get better with age. If you're burning through a bunch of motors, the motor(s) have been rebuilt poorly, the normal maintenance hasn't been performed, or you hastily modified it- bottom line.

Turbo rotaries have a shorter lifespan, but a death before 60,000 miles would be considered to be premature. Of course, if you're modified, you always take a risk, just as you do with a modified piston motor.

Every motor has their inherent strengths and weakness'. There is no perfect, end all/be all motor. If there was, every car manufacture would run a 5.7L V-8 or a 2-rotor Wankel. And I fully admit and actually enforce that the rotary isn't for everybody.

alex_n/a · Postby **alex_n/a** » Sun Mar 06, 2011 9:14

speedjunkie wrote:So does a piston engine.
[color="red"]yes. Everything in this word has its flaws.[/color]
Name a piston engine that can still be driven even when it's blown.
[color="red"]a honda running on 3 cyl. Not 4.[/color]
Name a piston engine that makes as much HP per liter as a turbo rotary.
[color="red"]comparring apples to oranges. How about n/a to n/a, like a non turbo ls7 camaro vs a non turbo rx7. Guess who would win lol[/color]
Name a piston engine that runs as smooth as a rotary.
[color="red"] you got me there, but my piston engine has 210,xxx miles on original motor. How many rotaryies can say that.[/color]
Name a piston engine that can suck in water and not blow up LOL.
sucking in water is not good on any engine besids a steam engine.
Just a few examples.

VRx8 wrote:This shows who's the true fan of the rotary engines, i burn my RX7 before i put a piston engine in it. Again that's just me, I'm also Puerto Rican.

I guess you are right. I'm more of a fan of the rx7, I love my rx7 so much I would do anything to keep it on the road and away from the junkyard that I would stick a piston engine in it. I would even cut holes on the floor and flinstone it. :lol:

PXRdriFT · Postby **PXRdriFT** » Sun Mar 06, 2011 9:14

VRx8 wrote:Is more of a disgrace if u ask me.

I think your "holier than thou" attitude is a disgrace.

Some people don't buy the car because they are fans of the rotory. Many buy the car because they are fans of the actual car. Me being one. If you would rather burn your car than put a V8 in it, that's absolutely fantastic. Do whatever the hell you want. Its your car. Just don't proceed to cast judgement because everyone doesn't share the same opinion.

PXRdriFT · Postby **PXRdriFT** » Sun Mar 06, 2011 9:14

speedjunkie wrote:So does a piston engine.

Name a piston engine that can still be driven even when it's blown.

Name a piston engine that makes as much HP per liter as a turbo rotary.

Name a piston engine that runs as smooth as a rotary.

Name a piston engine that can suck in water and not blow up LOL.

Just a few examples.

Name one rotary FD at your house thats running? :huh:

:lol::D

headed to the darkside...

headed to the darkside...

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