Hi all,



My '88 NA died on me tonight. I was tooling along about 35 mph- definitely not standing on it. I felt a thud or bucking for a second. Thought something in the suspension broke at first. Then I realized the power had disappeared and it died about 200 feet later. No grinding or banging from the engine. It turns over fine, but it won't start again except for very short periods of barely running on its own at times.

I had just done the pre-silencer thing and block off plate from removing the air pump past weekend. I did notice that the idle was wandering up and down the past few days.

I don't have time to mess with it now, so I had it towed to the Mazda dealer. I've only had the car 2 months and don't know a lot about RX7's yet, but I'm fearing the motor is toast?

 

It sounds like it's dead. Sorry to hear man



CP

 

I wouldn't fear the worst just yet. You never know. Maybe something just came unplugged.

 

Do a compression test. The good thing about n/a's is that they usually don't "blow up" like the turbos do. Usually just the seals wear out and there isn't as much damage to the internals of the motor. Somtimes the seal can dislodge and tear up the housing though. Only way to know is to tear it down.

 

Thanks for the responses. Since it's in the dealer's parking lot now, what would most of you do? Like I said, I really don't have the time right now to try and rebuild this thing if the motor is shot.

What would it cost to let the dealer rebuild or replace the motor? How about if it is just a seal and the internals are OK? It seems like the hard part is getting the motor out and there's not all that much inside to replace unlike a piston engine.

 

The dealer will only replace the motor with a Mazda rebuilt motor, should take 3 days to get the motor depending how close you are to the rebuild center, there is one in Florida. The motor runs about 1500 plus the core and about 16 hours labor, cost about 4k plus any extras needed ie. metering pump, hoses, belts injectors, etc.. Mazda gives 12 month unlimited mileage warranty I had 2 replacements under warranty in the past year, seal problems.... Mine is at the dealer now getting the 3rd motor installed.

 

$1500 for the new motor + 16 hrs. labor @ say $70/hr.? = about $2600. How do you get to the $4000 you quoted? The extra parts? If I do wind up getting a new motor at least I can get an injector or two replaced and fix that leak. Plus an oil leak that I think is starting.



Is there any way to rebuild the old cheaper? Could an independent mechanic rebuild or replace it cheaper? I know a few guys.



Are these motors that bad that you've already had 2 replaced or do drive like a madman? Thanks.

 

That really sucks man.. good luck with it..

 

Mazda Reamn is more like 1800 call Malloy Mazda ask for RAY

 

Do you have a number for Malloy and where are they? I'm in Iowa, and I'm guessing the car would have to be taken there.