Foreword: This is a continuation of my previous thread (https://www.rx7club.com/1st-generation-specific-1979-1985-18/gas-oil-even-after-oil-change-416522/ where I thought I had gas in my oil, but it turns out I didn't; the new oil just smelled different from other car oil [high mileage Castrol]. This isn't wholly the same topic as that thread. It's more a sob story than anything else (which I freely admit.)

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Well, it looks like my worst fears have been realized: I believe my rear apex seal is fawked up.

After using a whole can of sea foam, I still had the "miss". So, Saturday morning, my dad and I checked the compression. We tested both rotors multiple times, bumping the starter and running it constantly. The front rotor had good compression (forgot what each rotor face had, but I remember the highest had ~100 psi, and all of them were around that area), but the rear rotor went no higher than ~50 psi. I'm sort of bummed out about it. The car is still driveable, but I hate to drive her when she's limping because I feel like I'm hurting her (I'm sure most of you know how it feels. Either that, or you people think I'm crazy :P)

As of right now, I'm (Read: My parents. I'm lucky to have them ) looking for a reliable daily driver with good gas mileage (going to look at a Camry this next Sunday). Driving an '87 Cherokee with 3" lift and 31x10.5" bald tires, along with engine/tranny/sensor problems which all add up to shitty gas mileage, is not an ideal daily driver.

I'm unsure whether or not I am going to sell my RX-7, or whether I am going to keep it for a TII swap. There are several things wrong with the car, none of which are much of a problem, but it just seems like it will take forever/alot of money to set them right (even though it won't. I'm sort of a 'worry wart' :P)

The main problem that I'm facing is that I REALLY want to keep my car (I'm a pack rat) because I know I'll regret it later on if I sell it; however, I also know that I must be realistic. I think that it might be more worthwhile just to sell my rx7 and save up my cash to buy another, cleaner one with fewer problems, or to start looking into a used car lot. I've already gone to CarMax, but I've set my heart on a Sports car that is manual. I guess I'm a little too picky to be looking into financing any kind of car.

So, I guess I'll have to decide whether I want to rebuild/streetport the engine, do a TII swap, or sell the car to save up money for another rx7 or a different car (which I know is blasphemous to this forum. It's also blasphemous to myself >.<)

 

You know in the time it took you to write that the engine could have been half way outa the car

 

Keep the rex if the body is straight and clean, otherwise dump it. And yes, any other car should just be considered an appliance. You can probably find a clean rex with a bad engine cheap. I've had them given to me! That way when you spend the money on building an engine you have a nice home for it. Don't be a stranger if you buy something else, I think "don't ask, don't tell" would be best.

 

Have you tried the ATF treatment for the Apex Seals?

 

Pickup a used engine and swap. You will spend much less doing that then buying another car.