So here is the whole story, I bought a 87 Rx-7 in July of 09, I always wanted a rotary engine since I've learned about engines in boarding school when I was 14.

Anyways I finally found one from a customer (Im a flooring installer, hence I go from house to house for work) and asked if they wanted to sell it, they did, and man was it a sweet deal for me, turned out she bought it brand new in 87 and has only put 44k miles on it, only Problem was the clutch was dying and it needed to be replaced, other then that, $3,500 bux and it was mine. So I got it, fixed the clutch put about 400 miles on it between then and November.... Anywho living in Alaska it gets cold, and one morning when I went to start it, (it was probably about 0 degrees f) it sounded like i have no compression. I am thinking the seals might have cracked and now I need new seals? The starter is spinning but other then that nothing sounds like its firing. It sounds like the rotors are just spinning. Ill admit I dont know much about rotary engines, that is one reason i wanted this beast. (to learn about them) But I need to diagnose this problem and cure it. So I have a couple Questions.



Any idea on what my problem might be just from my story?



If it is my seals, i'd like the put in some Apex seals, but i'd like to know others experiance with them, 2mm, 3mm, ceramic, metal, double spring, single spring?



I'd like to find a block heater for my baby to keep her warm for the rest of the winter nights up here, anybody have one or know where to find one?

how about installation of a block heater? difficulty level?



and finaly, i believe my Rx-7 is a GT-u but dont really know how to tell, how can i figure out the exact model of my Rx-7?

(reason for beleiving its a GT-u is because of a Sticker on the back window stating its like a sema GT-u car of the year or somthing like that)



Thanks for any help.











(If this is posted in a wrong forum please have a mod re-locate it properly, and if there is a smimular thread, sorry for a re-post i searched i coulded find anything sounding like my issue)

 

the car is probably flooded, they do that.. pull a couple of spark plugs, if they are wet with fuel... the gas also washes down the walls, and lowers compression.



if the engine IS actually bad. an 87 has 2mm iron seals from the factory, with double springs. in a street car this is the best way.



ceramics are probably better, but very expensive.

carbon seals are great in a race/track car, they are light, easy on housings, but fragile



dual springs are the way to go, it helps the seal seal more evenly across the housing surface.



mazda did list a part number for a block heater



models; in 87 they had the following



base; 4 lug wheels, manual windows, non tilt steering column. seats have the headrest built in. sunroof, a/c, p/s and cruise control are optional



sport; like the base, but it has 5 lug wheels with the 4 piston front brakes, the "aero kit" which is a little rear spoiler and flaps in front of the wheels. otherwise its equipped like the base model. ps would be standard, but the other options are like the base model



gxl: the most advanced car in the world in 1987. its got the 5 lug wheels, and big brakes. power windows, steering, cruise, ac, 100w am/fm/tape, sunroof, rear wiper, automatic adjusting suspension. ABS, leather interior, and a CD player are optional.



turbo; like the gxl, but minus the suspension. power steering is an option on the turbo. turbo gets special seats. oh and the turbo engine



in 88 the sport model becomes the GTU

 

If its flooded, whats the cure? In a engine like my jeeps, time cures a flooded engine, like 5 minutes. but this thing wouldn't start for weeks, I also tried bump starting it and it wouldn't start then either.



and if it is not flooded then it would be my seals? or was that more just to answer my question about seals? Also, any brand or website suggestions for finding both iron and ceramic seals?

 

Unfortunately, these engines never "unflood" themselves. Do a quick search in the FAQ section, (search: Unflood Procedure) you should be up and running again in no time.

 

Alright, thanks for that I searched it and found out how in no time. I wont get a chance to unflood it until I get a chance to do it in daylight. So probably the weekend. But now I have a new question, how is it possible it flooded itself while sitting? does the cold have anything to do with the flooding?

 

Scratch everything except the quote. My wife and I went out and unburied my Rx-7 from her snowy bed, did the de-flooding procedure (twice) and she started! I almost cried I've been without my Vivian for so long I can't explain how happy I am now. Thanks to Ronin FC & j9fd3s your help has made my day off very very good. On top of having my baby back, I also found out my loan application for my new jeep has been aproved!!! IM GETTING MY JEEP COMMANDER!!!! thanks again for your knowlidge.

 

these cars like to flood anyways, really cold doesnt help

 

That would suck if the car flooded.

 

One feature not mentioned is that early RX-2s and RX-3s had a bottle of antifreeze mounted on the firewall. Below some specific temperature, antifreeze would pee into the manifold to knock out any frost build up on the rotors. The frost on the rotor housing chrome would push the apex seals into the bottoms of their grooves, and stick them there like super glue. In one revolution you would have zero compression. No compression means no heat of compression, and no fuel vaporization, and that means no start and probably flooding. Make up an oil squirt can you can fill with hot antifreeze, and give it a few squirts into the primary ports before start up. Of course a warm engine cures the problem.



I had a junk engine in a RX-2 racing stock (IMSA) car, and on cold mornings I poured in 1/2 cup of hot coffee and a few squirts of Hypoid oil. Started right up every time. One hell of a cloud of smoke. Other racers would come around to watch me do it.



Rotary engines have no valves, and are open to the outside air temperature all of the time. They cool off quickly, and in general perform less well than piston engines in cold starting.



An MSD 6AL ignition system for the leading plugs, will perk things up on the flooding problem. It will fire a plug no matter what, even carbon fouled. Or antifreeze shorted.



Lynn E. Hanover