So I want to get a stock 13b and manual trans to put in a MG midget or somthing small, but it'll probably just sit on a engine stand and be run for giggles for a while before I get that far. I kinda want to port it and do a lot of tricks iv'e heard of to it before I ever stick it in somthing.

I can get used motors from the salvage yard for 200 a pop and they have 4 or 5 2nd gen rx7's there. I don't mind replacing seals or anything but I don't want one damaged beyound that. Aside from rotating one by hand and listening for scraping and/or tearing one completely apart in the jyard and checking it for internal scaring is there anyway of telling if a rotary is good or not?

Would compression checks work on a rotary that has sat for a while? Should I put a little oil in though the sparkplug holes before I check it? Thanks guys. One more thing are there good and bad (as in mechanical diffences and defects) years to the 2nd gen motors I know they are diffent and I also need somone to point me to a topic or a faq that deals with that question. Also If somone would just put their two cents in about want years would be the best for me that would be helpful too. Thanks.

Yup throw plenty of oil in the lower plug holes turn the motor slowly a couple times. Then turn the motor to listen for 3 somewhat even swooshes of compression on each rotor.



Ideal would be to find a Turbo II motor because the 4 port engine lends itself better to porting. that together with 89-91 non turbo rotors can make a nice foundation for a powerful non turbo motor.

Non turbo motors, look for a 89+ just cause the comp ratio is a little higher and the stationary gears are hardened. If your looking for a budget project, pick up 2 of those engines preferably of the same series (86-88 or 89-91) that way you have extra housings, rotors, etc.

man salvage yards still charge an arm and a leg

150-200 is pretty standard for an engine... I believe I am helping my buddy pull a 3.4L SHO v8 this weekend, and the long block price is 175...

besides doing a compression check, and even then sometimes they might have compression but a bad coolent seal....



another great method to tell is look at the car its coming out of!! if the car looks like it took a telephone pole at 40 mph, then u know it must of ran to get there! haha.

Exactly.