recian

I recently bought a 86 model with 200k. I've always liked the body of the FC and the rotary totally fascinates me. I'd like to build the car for performance and i've got access to a turbo2 model I've been stripping of body panels. I'm curious what advice anyone here has on upkeep, critical maintinence and what i'll need to do to get the car into the turbo world. I work with 4 guys who all have turbo 240s and i'd like to defend the rotary powered rx.

banzaitoyota

Start with the basics, get it mechanically safe and reliable. Then report back for your next step

recian

Im no stranger to that. Thats always my first step in any project. Anything specific to the rotary i should keep an eye on?

rx_214

If you're gonna do your own work on the rebuild, make sure you read through and study all the rebuild videos. Search online and there are tonnes of resources - Racing Beat, Mazdatrix, RX7.com (Rotary Performance), and Banzai Racing.

What do you mean by going into the turbo world? Is this car NA? If it is, turbo swap may or may not be the best idea compared to just getting a turbo model instead.

In terms of rebuild, make sure you don't opt for the cheap aftermarket items. Use OEM for engine rebuild. Make sure the rotor itself is balanced, the housing are free of cracks and have good grooves. If any parts are doubtful, replace with a new unit, this way it won't come back and bite you later on.

Since you're taking everything out and going with the performance route, may as well upgrade most of the stuff that's there.

Personally I'd recommend upgrading the following in order:
1. Cooling system - aluminum Radiator, SS oil cooler lines, silicone coolant hoses, Aluminum thermostat housing cover, replace water pump.
2. Braking system - slotted rotors, aftermarket brake pads, SS brake lines, replace/check master brake cylinder, master brake cylinder brace
3. Fuel system - boost controller, bigger fuel pump, higher flow fuel injectors, fuel cut defencer
4. Intake & Exhaust - down pipe + high-flow cat + cat-back exhaust/straight exhaust system, aftermarket open intake kit, front mount/v-mount intercooler, upgrade turbo, intercooler hoses
5. Suspension - replace all bushings with aftermarket unit, upgrade motor mounts and transmission mounts, aftermarket sway bars, springs & shock / coilovers, front strut bar

You could also follow this guide by FC3SPRO:
FC3S Pro v2.0:&nbsp From Mild 2 Wild...
FC3S Pro v2.0:&nbsp Mods Recommendation Section

There are a lot of things to look over and research about, but ultimately you want to plan out what your goal is, and work towards that.

rx_214

Maintenance wise, oil change is very important, change every 3000 miles (5000km). For turbo engines, use 20W50 for the oil, synthetic is not necessary.

Only use OEM oil filters, doesn't matter if it's NADM or JDM, just make sure it's factory, because it has the best filtration results compared to any other ones out there.

Driving wise, only drive hard when the engine is fully warmed up. When engine is cold, shift around 3000 rpm. If engine overheats, shut off immediately.

Always check your fluid level, top up oil on a regular basis (at least once a week), depending on how hard you drive, you may need to top up oil more often, unless you do premix in the fuel.

Only run premium fuel, 91 or 94, the higher the better to reduce detonation.

.... not sure what else, feel free to add in anything I missed.

recian

How much oil do you add to the gas to premix usually?
Also I think i'll look into the radiator, that's the first thing I was thinking of doing. Then work on the suspension and cat back exhaust. My car is an 86 so they didnt offer the turbo II that year. It does have the brembo brakes and LSD tho. I can find the turbo II engine/trans ecu and harness for about $1500 shipped so when tax season comes along and swap it over then work on upgrading that system. I may take that engine apart and put better apex seals and get a mild port before installing it in the car.

rx_214

I believe it's 1 quartz for every gallon, but make sure you do the OMP mod if you don't want any more oil injection into the engine. Too much lubrication can also be a bad thing. I don't do premix so double check first on other resource.

Radiator wise, I use KOYO and it's really good already. You could opt for the KOYO N-flow that has multiple passes, but for that extra price, I'd recommend going with Fluidyne which is so far the best there is.

Right... the turbo model did not come out like a year or two after that.

Brembo brakes and LSD?.... It's most likely the GXL trim you have, are there connectors to the top of the strut towers? That's the auto adjusting suspension system. If not then the brembo brakes and LSD may have been added by the previous owners. I'm not 100% sure on this.

If you can find everything listed there, that would be great, and while you're rebuilding the engine, rebuild the tranny as well.

Mild street port is recommended for going performance, it just frees up the entire flow for the engine. Also, for apex seal, I'm not sure if ceramic would be the best application for turbo engine, cause I believe my mechanic uses a high boost steel apex seal...

For more specific stuff for engine parts selection, give Greg at Staff's Auto a call, let him know I sent you and he will help you out.

And here's his website: SA Motorsports | Winning races one triangle at a time!

recian

Thats what it is. Its got the suspension with sport mode buttons in the center, GXL on the fender. All that stuff. Thats the only reason i bought it. Its already set up to drop in a turbo 2

rx_214

I prefer getting safety, reliability, and durability all done first before I get to the performance and handling. Some may wonder why I do performance first before handling, my reasoning behind it is that... when there are more power but not enough suspension to provide handling, your driving style will need to adjust and improve. When you have overcome the power and able to handle it even with stock suspension, upgrading to better suspension system would simply benefit everything, cause you can already handle the roughness from the power upgrades.

One section I forgot to mention above is the drivetrain.... this section can be either before or after the fuel system.

Drivetrain - stage 1 or stage 2 clutch, lighter flywheel + counterweight, driveshaft, short shifter, replace master & slave clutch cylinder, rebuild tranny, rebuild LSD, replace throw out bearing, replace transmission seal.

Chassis would be last section cause that involves adding additional stuff such as roll bar/cage, underbody brace, pillar brace, harness bar, and all the body rigidity stuff (which is not all necessary for street driving). This part would be more of personal preference and what your future goals are.

recian

Makes sense. Ive always done suspension first but get burned out due to lack of power. By then ur budget is spent and u cant improve power. But ur description makes it seem like someones watched a little too much initial d