okxrxxcx

So... Im new to the rotary world and just purchased an FC. $200 later... What are some do-able engine swaps for someone new? And what are some price points. Any information is extremely appreciated!!

Dak

Welcome. So is the car running now? Is it a turbo or non -turbo car? What year, this tells us the series( 86-88 = S4, 89-92 = S5)? What are your plans goals for the car? If it has no engine or it's blown putting in whatever engine it came with is obviously easiest. As for swaps do you want to stay rotary? If so and If it's a non turbo swapping in a turbo motor from the same series is the easiest. It's all bolt in and you can use the ecu from the same series turbo car. .It gets progressively harder from there. S5 into a S4 is a little harder. More wiring work to make it work. The 13B-REW from a third gen is doable and has the parts available to make the engine mostly bolt in. Still alot of work on other things like coolant hose routing, intercooler, etc. Then there is the ecu and wiring it in to get it to run. But it is probably the ultimate relativity obtainable rotary swap.. Check out this thread https://www.rx7club.com/build-thread...e-car-1143382/
I think he used the FD ecu. A standalone might be easier. Sure there are some 3 rotors out there but you're getting into so much custom work or even sourcing the parts it's probably beyond the scope of this thread. 4 rotor wasn't even a production motor so all custom there. Look up Defined Auto works. If your funds are unlimited they'd probably build you one.

As for non rotary LS is probably easiest. Most things to make it bolt in are available. IIRC just about everything else will will require some fabrication by you or a shop of mounts and things. There may be some mounts out there for a 2Jz swap but the LS is still easier I think. Do some searching all the details are out there.

j9fd3s

iTrader: (3)

for an engine, you need to think about a few things. budget is the first one, the stock engine is the least expensive, and the sky is the limit from there. the next thing is time, again the stock engine can be put in in a weekend, swaps are slower. third are the legal requirements, in California we need to pass smog, so we need to stick with A stock engine. if you're going racing, often its more strict, and you need THE stock engine.

i'm working on my second REW swap, the REW is more available than the T2 engines, it makes more power than the T2 engine, and it can still pass smog in California. its not a quick swap, the wiring and cooling systems are completely different. cost has been low enough to make the extra work make sense.

Dak

Opps, I missed the price points part. Looks like supply of everything but the Renesis has dried up for the moment. The prices for the sold engines on the JDM sites looks like the REW isn't selling for much more than the TII's anymore. Looks like the problem is becoming finding one.

okxrxxcx

Dak,

Its a 1988 hard top non turbo 5 spd. I've done some research and I kinda sorta really wanna enjoy the rotary... Atleast once. I just want a small single turbo for a fun street car. I'm only 16, so its just going to be a project car. I do plan on getting coil overs for it and some wheels and tires.

Have you ever built a rotary?
(its not currently running)

Thank you for replying. It's nice to know the rx7 community is really awesome!

Thanks,
Nick (reece)

okxrxxcx

Oh and another question. What would you recommend on wheels and tire sizes for a stock motor with a small turbo?

Dak

I've built a couple engines. It's not too hard. If you've ever rebuilt a piston engine then you should be ok. I'd never rebuilt anything before the first time I built mine. Get a copy of the FSM( Factory Service Manual) for your car. There are links in the FAQ. It has all the clearances and specs that need to be checked. There are some good videos out there as well. You didn't clarify if it's running. I'm not sure what I would recommend. If your end goal is to go turbo then it may be best to try to find a complete turbo motor to start with. It'll have all the the hardware to support the turbo.

As for wheels and tires. A light weight 17" in a style you like is what I would probably recommend.

WondrousBread

IMO, what you should do first is try to get the engine running. The non-turbo cars aren't fast by modern standards but the platform is fun. Unless there's internal damage, getting the engine running is usually cheap (gaskets, hoses, lots of cleaning, maybe some fuel components). You can do a compression test to check before spending money on other things. If the engine has been sitting awhile, put some oil in the spark plug holes and rotate the engine a few times to spread it around.

Once it's running and driving, enjoy it while doing the other mods you want. Leave the turbo project for last, because it's usually the most expensive and difficult part. Good options have been mentioned already in this thread by people that have more experience with it than I, so I would save up and research the options before you make a decision.

If you want to do a custom setup and turbocharge the existing engine (ie. not a swap, but to just turbo the NA engine) that is the most difficult and usually most expensive way to do it. The common way is to either swap to a TII engine or as others have mentioned the REW engine is becoming more popular.

Congratulations, welcome to the forum

j9fd3s

iTrader: (3)

for an NA car shorter is better, 205-50-15 on a 15x6 or 15x7 is really optimal (can be the stock wheel)
i'm not sure about the turbo, stock size is 205-50-16 on a 16x7 and that is a good start, the Mazdaspeed fitment was 17x8 and 17x9, the offsets were 30 and 35, but i don't recall which is front and rear (i could look)

the FC is funny, it is the most fun in a kind of modest form, stock with a better exhaust and lighter flywheel is pretty good. power goes up, throttle response gets better. for the suspension a little lower and a little stiffer is kind of the same, it gets sharper, but you keep the good ride. for coil overs 8/6 is great for the track, but its pretty hardcore for the street, 7/5 is probably better, unless you live somewhere with smooth pavement

Dak

I might should have been more specific about tires. The reason I suggested 17" is you can run a 225/45/17 and be close the same diameter(25" vs 24.3" for theTII) as the stock turbo size of 205/55/16. Someone once said a 17x8 with a 30 offset was good but unfortunately wheels in that offset are hard to find these days. At least in a style I myself like.

You might be better with a smaller size as suggested if you stay n/a for awhile.

Dak

This is good advice. I'm struggling with what I would do vs what someone totally new to these cars should probably do. The turbo is the stick in the spokes. Getting a n/a car running and driving vs getting a potentially non running n/a car turbo swapped and running and driving are two different beasts. Especially when talking of going from S4 to S5 or REW due to the wiring differences.

j9fd3s

iTrader: (3)

i have found a great combo for the NA, but for the turbo i don't know, so i went to the factory fits.... my car is 17x7 and 17x8 with a 205/225 setup, and its fine, but not sure how ideal it is.

okxrxxcx

Yeah, I plan on getting it running first then as I go along do some little here and there things. I was thinking about the OMP pump and whether or not to pre mix. Is there a way I can bypass the omp and just premix. its has been sitting for atleast 5 years, and im not sure if the OMP still works. I know its more work to premix, but id rather be safer than sorry. It's currently at my cousins house so I cant work on it till I get it to my house. Just want to have some good resources and a good general idea of what to do when I get the thing home lol. thanks for helping !!

Dak

I too am basing things somewhat off the factory size. I've always ran the 205/55 setup that came stock on the car except for a few years I put 225/50's on the rear. I only switched back so I could rotate tires. Of course being n/a I didn't need them anyway. I just liked the look of a little wider tire. I have some stock 89 GXL rims but find them ugly so it never even crossed my mind to use them to try different sizes. For me 17x8 seems like a buy once cry once scenario. I'd like 225's all around so I can rotate tires if I want and it allows that( with the right offset so the fronts don't rub the strut) plus one could move up to a 235 or 245 width on the rear if needed in the future. I guess I'm letting my wants bias my suggestions.

Dak

On a S4 you can. There are block off plates available. Try Mazdatrix or some of the other rotary vendors. The FSM tells how to test the OMP as well. If you want to keep it and know it's working.

WondrousBread

From my experience, even if he wants a turbo in the long-run I would get it running NA (if feasible to do so). First off it lets him drive and enjoy the car in the meantime. Secondly a known-running engine has more resale value than a mystery engine. Third, like I mentioned he can learn the platform and do other non-engine dependent mods like suspension.

My biggest mistake when I started my project was doing everything in one big block. All I technically had to do was replace the clutch and fix some holes in the floor. I should've stuck with that, then driven my car and enjoyed it while figuring out everything else I wanted to do. Now my car has a very long list of repairs and mods, new suspension, 5 lug brakes, etc. But I haven't actually driven it in something like 4 years. It's maddening, and if I could do it again I would tell myself to start with the basics and do other stuff as I went along.

Now if his NA engine isn't cost-effective to repair, then doing a turbo swap now makes a lot more sense.

j9fd3s

iTrader: (3)

me too, the engine is probably ok. i feel like even if it only starts and runs once, that gives you motivation to keep going

j9fd3s

iTrader: (3)

i agree with that as well