Hi all
09-22-2002, 11:49 AM
#1
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2002
Posts: 14
Im new to the rotorary world. I own a Camaro and was thinking about getting an LS1 Trans Am but due to insurance costs, and overall car costs, I have decided I want to get a 3rd gen RX-7 instead. Being a post ***** at a Fbody forum has taught me a that Newbies ask questions that have been answered a 1000 times before. Knowing that, lets get off to my first question that im sure has been asked a 1000 times before. Exhaust, who makes ones that wont end up sounding like a bunch of pissed off bees trapped in a can, and wont have a HUGE tip on the back. I saw Borla made exhaust for 2nd gens that sounded nice, but nothing for 3rd gens. So thats my first question.
My car
My car
09-22-2002, 12:03 PM
#2
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Tulsa, OK
Posts: 3,346
Hey there new guy 
and welcome. Now you do realize that 3rd gens can become a costly beast to maintain and fix when broken? Racing beat and M2 make very nice exhaust for the rx7 that doesn't sound "honda civic fart can like". Rotaries always sound a little different anyways, nothing like a v8 with exhaust.
09-22-2002, 12:06 PM
#3
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2002
Posts: 14
LOL all my Fbody friends have been telling me all week trying to convince me not to cross over. Yeah I have heard some of the stories, I doubt I will run it hard (well hard by my standards) until I get a rebuild done on it anyways. Other then engine trouble, what are the main things that tend to go wrong? Atleast I live in the 2nd rice capitol of the united states (LA probably being first) I live in the SFBA... So im sure there are plenty of Rotorary repair shops out here. Anyone else live in the SFBA?
09-22-2002, 12:14 PM
#5
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Tulsa, OK
Posts: 3,346
Well you shouldn't be scared away by them, as long as you know what to do you'll be fine. Other than engine failure, which is almost always related to bad tuning/lean conditions, the stock twin turbo design can be a real pain in the ***. There are tons of hoses and solonoids which over time and heat will cause a lot of headaches. Good news is, the turbo's can be modified to elminate all that crap or you could always go single turbo. In stock form the 3rd gen is very reliable (minus the turbos). But if you begin to modify at all, you need to know the rules, otherwise it won't take long to blow a motor.
09-22-2002, 12:21 PM
#6
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2002
Posts: 14
Well sad as this is.... (laugh now heh) the one I like is an auto. My car now is a manual, and right after buying it, the clutch blew, over 1000 bucks later (new clutch, pressure plate, throw out bearing, slave and master cylinders) i was back on the road. Even know sometimes the clutch gives me some feedback thats unwanted, and im not even rough on it. Long story short, im a bit sick of manuals for the time being. There is actually a decent selection of RX-7s here, so I should be able to find something I like. Though likely despite what I just said above ill be back in a manual (but I did notice a fair amount of posts about you guys having trouble with them). Obviously the auto will translate less horsepower to the wheels due to the fact that its just liquid providing the power transfer (the t/c) but I could over come that with a few mods including a higher stall tc.
09-22-2002, 12:30 PM
#7
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Tulsa, OK
Posts: 3,346
Not that there is anything wrong with auto's, but I think you may regret buying a 3rd gen auto later on. The stock clutch is pretty tough, if I remember correctly it can hold around 300rwtq before it starts to slip. I know that I had my car modded pretty good and still had the stock clutch and it was fine, even looked good when I finally took it out after going single turbo. I recently toasted my spi race clutch, but thats after a year and a half of abusive driving with 350rwtq. I now have a act street/strip and it holds up great, couldn't be happier. The transmisions are very strong in these cars as well and will hold probably more power than you'll ever have. Very rarely do you see where people had an off the wall clutch failure.
09-22-2002, 12:40 PM
#8
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2001
Posts: 689
Turbo rotaries are the coolest motors I've ever had a chance to play with. That's coming from a former F-body guy. Don't get me wrong , I still have much love for F-bodies. But a rotary engine is incredibly simple, small, and can create some monster HP numbers.
If you get that 3rd gen, you are probably going to want to switch those twin turbos to a single. You can create more power and it simplifies the engine operation. Easier to run a single rather than sequential twins.
Probably, the single most important preventive maintenace tip anyone can give you is, Rotaries HATE heat. Heat will kill your engine sure as ****. Make sure your cooling system is always in top shape, and avoid even slight overheating.
As far as performance mods, intake and fuel.
Rotaries can breathe much more than any piston engine. And the performance gains from intake/exhaust alone are amazing. Just make sure you always have enough fuel to go with that air.
Just like anything else, if you know what you are doing, you won't have too many problems.
Good Luck and Welcome
mike
If you get that 3rd gen, you are probably going to want to switch those twin turbos to a single. You can create more power and it simplifies the engine operation. Easier to run a single rather than sequential twins.
Probably, the single most important preventive maintenace tip anyone can give you is, Rotaries HATE heat. Heat will kill your engine sure as ****. Make sure your cooling system is always in top shape, and avoid even slight overheating.
As far as performance mods, intake and fuel.
Rotaries can breathe much more than any piston engine. And the performance gains from intake/exhaust alone are amazing. Just make sure you always have enough fuel to go with that air.
Just like anything else, if you know what you are doing, you won't have too many problems.
Good Luck and Welcome
mike
09-22-2002, 12:40 PM
#9
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2002
Posts: 14
What is the name/model of the auto and manual trannys? And what rear end gears come on RX-7s? (Example T-56 and 3.42 would be the transmission and rear end gear on a manual Z28). 4l60e being the auto on 94+s etc.