spacemanmort

iTrader: (3)

I’m in the process of buying my 1st FD (4th rx7) and have a few things to ask you more experienced members.

Back-story
I found a Jan 92 build date FD (touring) in a storage lot. When I asked the lot owner about the car he said that it was his and he was going to send it to the crusher because it was missing some parts. When I asked the owner about selling the car he told me that he had a clear title and would let it go for $3200. Upon examination of the car I found it had no body damage 78000 miles and was missing the intercooler and piping. I put an intercooler that I borrowed form a local forum member and jerry rigged the pipes (nothing screams redneck like PVC intercooler piping). I started the car, and found that it runs fine at idle. The owner will not let me drive the car, as it is not inspected, so I have no idea what it does under load. I have a hold on the car for two weeks, so if I cant scrape the money together before then I will pass the location info on to any one who is looking for an FD in the Virginia area.

I know it is not the smartest thing to buy an FD, in unknown running condition, on a tight budget, and while working in a TII project that is already running in the $7-8k range. But for a $3200 FD I figure that if it is a complete turd and I don’t want to spend the money to fix it, I can sell it to some one with the time and money to fix the car, for what I paid for it.

Here is a list of things I will do to the car and the time frame that I want to do them in. this list is based off of reading the FAQ and general FC experience. I would appreciate any input on this list that you can offer.

Stage 1, first thing (the car has been sitting for 2+ months):
Stop at nearest jiffy lube (less then 2 miles away)
-Oil 10w-30
-Oil Filter
-Coolant flush/fill
-Trans/diff fluid change
-Fuel filter
*Spark Plugs
*Fuel line recall (check)
*Check brake system
Spark Plug wires
Water temp gauge (the stock one does not work)
Clean air filter (has k & n)
Check to see if TSBs (technical service bulletins) are done
If the car is running any thing over stock boost I will turn it back down for now
(* Indicates stuff that I will do before driving it for the first time)

Stage 2, over the next few weeks (car wont be driven much during this stage, mainly to shops to have work done):
Oil temp gauge
Oil pressure gauge
Relocate boost gauge (on car but falling off A pillar)
Silicone vacuum lines
Coolant/heater hoses (check/replace)
Belts (check/replace)
Fix exhaust leak (right next to turbo)
Check compression
Check turbos

This is the point that I consider the car to be road worthy.

Stage 3, over the next year:
A/F wide band
Better boost gauge (depends if the gauge in it is good quality)
SS break lines
Better brake pads
Pillow ball bushings and toe links (given the mileage I might put this off till later)


Stage 4, long term:
Street port rebuild
Stock mount Intercooler upgrade
Boost controller
Fuel system upgrades (injectors, pump)
Clutch/flywheel
Standalone (not sure witch brand, I need to do some more reading)
Suspension upgrades

Car has aftermarket:
Boost gauge (don’t remember witch brand)
Drilled rotors
Metal AST
Aluminum radiator (don’t know witch brand)
Air box (M2)
Exhaust (3”, not sure witch brand)
Turbo timer (greddy (sp?))
Shocks (adjustable, not sure witch brand, HKS I think?)
Springs? (Seems to sit low)


Sorry to make you read through all this but I appreciate your time and input, especially if I forgot something.
Dave

dgeesaman

iTrader: (7)

You certainly have a good opportunity. Get a compression tester - you can do that without moving it.

For $3200, you can do almost anything and still make money.

Take your time on the stages, focus on maintenance and don't crunch your cash to get mods in.

Dave

blwnrtr93

a $3200 FD is worth sitting on for a while if you don't have the money to do it right now.

KaiFD3S

iTrader: (37)

I would buy that in a heartbeat, even a roller sell's more than that...the airbox alone is worth over 400 bucks...

BADSVN2000

send it to the crusher? WTF!??? Save it, save it save it!
well that feels better.

pinkston

iTrader: (1)

i would buy that in a minute thats a great deal a clean tittle roller goes for around 6,000 so youll make your money either way if it was black or white i would drive from to chicago to pick that up dont waste time jump on this deal

spacemanmort

iTrader: (3)

It has taken me a few days to get back to this,

For those of you that are worried about the car being crushed, that is not going to happen.

Dgeesaman: I have a normal compression checker, I thought you had to have a special one for a rotary, otherwise you get the highest face. As far as I know the ones specific to rotary are expensive.

3rdGenFever

No reason not to buy the car cuz if it doesn't work out for you, you sell and come out ahead.

dgeesaman

iTrader: (7)

Buy another (cheap) compression tester and rip out the check valve in the nipple.

Tada, a reasonably good rotary tester. You're not selling compression test numbers, so it works quite well to know if an engine is shot, bad, ok, good, or excellent. Every 3rd bounce is a rotor face.

Dave

oo7arkman

iTrader: (2)

WOW... Think of it this way, even if you have a blown motor, $5k and you have a running $8k FD... That is pretty cheap in the world of FD's. OR you could always sell it as a roller and probably MAKE money on it. Well worth the 3200. I may be over a thousand miles away but if you cannot get the money together pm me and I will come save it and revive it to its former glory.

spacemanmort

iTrader: (3)

This is incorrect, it was last registered / inspected in 2000 so it has been 7/8 years since the car was on the road. Last time it was started was 2 months ago.

I drove the car home last week (in hindsight this was a bad idea, I should have towed it), and it ran like crap.

Problems:
Car will idle fine but backfires a lot under load.
Won’t boost past 5 psi.
Running very very rich (8 gals of gas to run 30 mi)
Ran cooler then I was told it should, 150-160 degrees (I was told that it should run about 190)
No 5th gear, it does not grind like a Synchro (sp) problem, there is just nothing there.
Miner electrical issues (some of the lights don’t work)

Note, I ran the old gas completely out of the car, and was running on a mix of 140 octane race gas (5 gals), 93 octane pump gas (remainder of tank), a can if 2 cycle oil and a bottle of Lucas injector cleaner, I don’t know if this could have confused the computer.

Also note, I’m not looking to have people diagnose the problems on the car, I realize I don’t have the experience / equipment to tackle the repairs needed to fix the car. If I decide to keep the car I will take it to a competent rotary mechanic.

So, I’m looking for a bit of advice.

A bit of background so you understand where I’m coming form.
I just graduated form a 2-year collage, and came down to the 4-year school (odu) where I am now. I just finished up my first full time semester at odu and racked up about $8000 in student loans and credit card debt. I realized that I don’t want to graduate form school with 20-30k of debt so I have decided to go to school at night and work full time during the day. I am getting ready to start a job with a government contractor with reasonable pay. I figure I can have the debt paid off in 2 years with out stressing my budget.

Right now I have an FC dd, a turbo FC, and the FD

I see my self as having 3 options

1- sell turbo FC to pay for repairs to FD
2- keep turbo FC and store FD until I have paid off debt and saved up enough to fix fd (Most likely looking at 3-4 years).
3- sell FD and use proceeds to pay off part of debt.

What do you think?

Another question, what would you place the value of the FD in it current condition at. It will cost me $65 per month to for dry storage, and I was wondering if it is worth if for me to keep it sitting for 3-4 years non-running?

Once again, I’m sorry for the long post, and I appreciate your time / input.

BigWillieStyles

If i was you i would keep it and sell one of your FCs to get some money for work it needs but i think it would be much wiser to sell it.

The problems dont sound that bad, and if its got a straight body and interior then it sounds like a nice car.

spacemanmort

iTrader: (3)

I’m sorry for the bad grammar, or any miss spellings. I have an engineering degree not an English degree, so if you don’t like it (joke).

Also, I don’t really want to sell my turbo fc because of the way car blends in, I drive by a group of people in the fc and nobody gives a crap, drive by in an fd and half the people snap there’re necks trying to look. I don’t like to be the center of attention when I’m driving, but I love the way the fd feels when you drive it, and there is nothing like driving a back road through the hills in a properly running rx-7.

^ This part of the post was intended as an extension of my last one, not a reply to BigWillieStyles ^

I know it would be best to sell it but I don’t want to.

BigWillieStyles

find out whats wrong with the FD first, then you will have a better perspective on how much money it could cost and allow you to make a better desision based on the facts.

It might just need fluids changed and new spark plugs.

majuljo

still man thats a steal. i just bought my FD last sunday and i got it for $4900. the guy didnt even know it was TT lol. someone traded it in for a BMW and it landed in his hands and he said he just wanted to get rid of it. car runs good for now but the check engine light pops on but when i start the car again it's not on. gonna get it check this weekend.