Got my FD, couple of questions.
11-19-2005, 07:58 PM
#11
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Originally Posted by Dueled' post='780005' date='Nov 19 2005, 07:30 PM
Just so i'm less paranoid.
Above what temperature (off my water temp guage) should i start worrying about the car?
Right now its mostly 180f when i drive. I have seen it go up to 210 once, and that was because i did drive a bit harder on some local turns. heh.
Funny thing is i've been reading about the FD for the last 5 years. Right when i get the car, my mind goes blank
IIRC, stock thermostat is 185 F. so you're readings seem just fine. If it stopped at 210, that's about where the Miata or FC thermoswitch would kick the fans on, rather than 220 F for stock thermoswitch. So the former owner may have already done that mod.
If it helps, I also have a Fluidyne radiator with a miata thermoswitch on a basically stock car with 50/50 green coolant to distilled water. Last summer, even on 100+ deg. days it would spike a bit after getting into boost, but never went over 220-225 F. And if I was moving, it would drop quickly back down to ~190- 195 F. On a "normal" day, say 85 ambient, my gauge would sit pretty solid at 185 to 190 F. cruising.
IIRC, it starts getting hard on the OEM coolant seals for anything over about 240 F..... but I would stand corrected on that.
11-19-2005, 09:21 PM
#12
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Originally Posted by Dueled' post='779922' date='Nov 20 2005, 05:03 AM
If the O-ring fails, is the rebuild the same price as a blown apex seal? Or are all rebuilds the same.
What signs should i be looking for to know the orings failed?
If it's just a coolant seal, it'll be cheaper...but not by much. This is factoring in getting new rotor bearings/stat bearings and re-using end plates/rotors/e-shaft with new rotor housings.
11-20-2005, 01:09 AM
#14
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Originally Posted by jspecracer7' post='780023' date='Nov 19 2005, 11:21 PM
If it's just a coolant seal, it'll be cheaper...but not by much. This is factoring in getting new rotor bearings/stat bearings and re-using end plates/rotors/e-shaft with new rotor housings.
i disagree. MOST of the engines that i have seen with failed coolant seals also end up with warped rotor housings. That will cost you a shitload more to fix than your average rebuild unless a broken apex takes out the housing also.. Unless you treuse all the old seals , which is idiotic. I have had failed engines that destroyed housings due to broken apex seals and yes, they are very expensive to fix. You really don't know what it'll cost to rebuild a broken engine until it is taken apart.
11-20-2005, 02:31 PM
#15
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Originally Posted by Signal 2' post='779997' date='Nov 19 2005, 04:21 PM
Respectfully, I think Fd3BOOST might be worrying you unnecessarily. Yeah, the 13bREW isn't as bullet-proof as some 4 cylinders out there, but taken care of, I think they can last way past your 70k. Turbos are another issue, but they should be regarded as a consumable, not unlike clutches, brake pads etc.
I agree with getting the boost controller. You also might want to research the FC/Miata Thermoswitch mod, which turns on your fans at a lower temp. Also agree on forgetting the turbo timer. The turbos on these cars are water cooled, so a couple of minutes easy driving before turning it off should do. You already noticed that temps can actually go up at idle. Now the "Fan Mod" is another thing to consider to reduce underhood temps, but a separate issue from the timer.
Best advice I think I got as a new owner was to be religious about maintanance. Oil change with a quality filter every 2.5k IMO. Also think about changing your tranny and diff fluids, and plugs, as soon as practical. None of the stuff I mentioned is very expensive, and it'll also allow you to get some "hands-on" familiarity with the car. Just my .02. In any event, sounds like a nice car. Post some pics and keep us updated, and congratulations.
Your right, I don't mean to scare him to death but you have to understand that no matter what he does to care for the car at this point. The fact is it has 70k miles on it and who knows how the car was cared for during that time. I agree that you would have good chances of getting more than 70k out of a motor , but here is the important part. It should be set up right from the get go. Not something you can really do about it 70k miles later other than just do the reliability mods and hope for the best. At this point he is just buying time till the coolant seals fail. Which brings me back to your original comment. It may or may not be in his near future. Again all I am getting at is be aware that it is a very real concern with a higher milage stock engine.
11-21-2005, 02:23 PM
#17
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They're all right. Apparently with 3rd gens, compression isn't so much a factor as the coolant seals, in regards to engine failure.
I just learned this today, myself too.
My motor produced these compression numbers today @ Mazcare:
1st rotor: 8.4 8.4 8.3 @ 258rpm
2nd rotor: 8.1. 7.9 8.1 @ 261rpm
Consistancy is imporant. Although my rear rotor is producing a little bit lower numbers, the numbers are consistant, Mazcare assured me it's a good motor. It's fine.
It's my opinion that the REW's are much more temperature sensitive than the 13BT's in the 2nd gens.
I drove my T2 hardcore sometimes, and the temp gauge in my T2 had gone over half before, a little bit, due to not having a 5th gear on the highway or just driving it hard...but over the time I had it, the motor always ran flawlessly.
My FD temps are much like yours. My aftermarket gauge is about 160-185 in this cold weather, but when it was warmer just a few days ago, it would end up around 200-212 tops, if it was just sitting there idling forever and ever and a red light.
Your idle issue is same as mine. I agree it's probably just the fans kicking on that causes that. Same thing your idle would do if you turned the A/C on.
My problems now are vaccum-line related. First it was overboosting, now it's underboosting, and I'm getting backspin on my turbo sometimes...makes this horrid low-pitch "BYOUUUUU" sound. Mazcare told my vacuum lines are a nightmare, but they want $212 just to take off the UIM and look at the rats nest, etc, that's not even including any additional hours of labor. Ugh.
I'm too scared to do it myself, though. My brother who is at least a mechanic, tried helping me re-arranged the lines coming off the turbos/manifolds, but we still couldn't get it to fix my boosting problem.
:[
Stupid seq. twins. lol :P
I just learned this today, myself too.
My motor produced these compression numbers today @ Mazcare:
1st rotor: 8.4 8.4 8.3 @ 258rpm
2nd rotor: 8.1. 7.9 8.1 @ 261rpm
Consistancy is imporant. Although my rear rotor is producing a little bit lower numbers, the numbers are consistant, Mazcare assured me it's a good motor. It's fine.
It's my opinion that the REW's are much more temperature sensitive than the 13BT's in the 2nd gens.
I drove my T2 hardcore sometimes, and the temp gauge in my T2 had gone over half before, a little bit, due to not having a 5th gear on the highway or just driving it hard...but over the time I had it, the motor always ran flawlessly.
My FD temps are much like yours. My aftermarket gauge is about 160-185 in this cold weather, but when it was warmer just a few days ago, it would end up around 200-212 tops, if it was just sitting there idling forever and ever and a red light.
Your idle issue is same as mine. I agree it's probably just the fans kicking on that causes that. Same thing your idle would do if you turned the A/C on.
My problems now are vaccum-line related. First it was overboosting, now it's underboosting, and I'm getting backspin on my turbo sometimes...makes this horrid low-pitch "BYOUUUUU" sound. Mazcare told my vacuum lines are a nightmare, but they want $212 just to take off the UIM and look at the rats nest, etc, that's not even including any additional hours of labor. Ugh.
I'm too scared to do it myself, though. My brother who is at least a mechanic, tried helping me re-arranged the lines coming off the turbos/manifolds, but we still couldn't get it to fix my boosting problem.
:[
Stupid seq. twins. lol :P
11-21-2005, 04:15 PM
#18
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Originally Posted by GreyGT-C' post='780050' date='Nov 20 2005, 04:09 PM
i disagree. MOST of the engines that i have seen with failed coolant seals also end up with warped rotor housings. That will cost you a shitload more to fix than your average rebuild unless a broken apex takes out the housing also.. Unless you treuse all the old seals , which is idiotic. I have had failed engines that destroyed housings due to broken apex seals and yes, they are very expensive to fix. You really don't know what it'll cost to rebuild a broken engine until it is taken apart.
**** your right, I did forget about warped rotor housings
11-21-2005, 04:22 PM
#19
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Originally Posted by Lionheart240' post='780330' date='Nov 21 2005, 12:23 PM
I'm too scared to do it myself, though. My brother who is at least a mechanic, tried helping me re-arranged the lines coming off the turbos/manifolds, but we still couldn't get it to fix my boosting problem.
My dad's a mechanic, but he has no experience with rotaries. He just knows it eats alot of oil.
11-21-2005, 06:17 PM
#20
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Location: La Plata, Maryland
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Originally Posted by Lionheart240' post='780330' date='Nov 21 2005, 12:23 PM
I'm getting backspin on my turbo sometimes...makes this horrid low-pitch "BYOUUUUU" sound.
Stupid seq. twins. lol :P
That sounds like the airpump. Make sure the lines are hooked up to the air filter. For som reason if you take that air pump hose off from the air box (stock set up) it makes a sound like a cow. Turbo compressor surge sounds more like a Shuhhss Shussh Shuussh like a boomarang or something.
As far as your boosting problem maybe you ought to give the poor mans non sequential mod a try. The how to is posted in the FAQ.