Who's got the highest mileage FD?
09-26-04, 09:49 AM
#28
Rotary Enthusiast
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I think thats the biggest problem slash worry. The fact that you feel like your time is running out. Shitty feeling indeed. I just hope to get about the same life out of my new/ rebuilt motors as I have from this one. It made it over 100k so its gotta be somewhat well built.
09-26-04, 01:06 PM
#29
Rotary on a budget
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Originally Posted by FDNewbie
See, there's your problem. I just don't know of anyone who buys an FD to baby it. I'm sure there are ppl like that...I've seen them occassionally...the old white haired guy you pass on the highway doing 45 in a 55 on the right lane in his "sporty zippy car." I'd venture to say he may very well have never seen 10psi in the 10 years he's owned the car. But that's a very VERY tiny percentage of FD owners. The vast majority beat the living CRAP outta their cars every time they drive them - me included. So given that, just how reliable do you expect it to be?? And that's keeping in mind it's being strained considerably to put out practically double the hp it was made to handle. The answer: Not very.
somebody needs to tell my father that....
Last edited by DamonB; 09-27-04 at 05:45 PM.
09-26-04, 01:28 PM
#30
Originally Posted by MrRx
somebody needs to tell my father that....
09-26-04, 07:14 PM
#34
Originally Posted by LSeven
The 93 I have now had 178k on the original motor before the woman that owned it stopped driving it and a year later tired to start it and it would not start,so I bought it.
09-26-04, 07:17 PM
#35
Running Lean
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A little over 184K. Daily driver. I keep her clean. I've had it for over 4 years, bought it with 90k on the clock. Definately not the original motor. A little over 45k on the motor I rebuilt almost 2 years ago.
09-27-04, 11:37 AM
#37
Drunken Master
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Originally Posted by jimlab
And furthermore...
You've got to be kidding.
09-27-04, 12:34 PM
#38
Super Snuggles
Originally Posted by technician
If you take care of a vehicle what makes it any less reliable than any other car?
The heat alone makes the FD less reliable than any other type of car, because it can cause the battery to fail (and in some cases explode), make the plastic solenoids Mazda used for turbo control brittle and prone to breakage, bake and crack the dozens of rubber vacuum lines, and so on.
Next you've got a cooling system that is inadequate for the job at hand in some climates, and especially when the car is tracked or driven hard. Overheating is a very common cause of engine failure, even with stock cars. The engine is made up of alternating plates of steel and aluminum which expand at different rates when heated. With all the heat under the hood and the chance of overheating, is it any wonder that there might eventually be issues with the coolant seals?
Also, you've got an engine that relies on a very large number of small and delicate seals to hold in the combustion process, despite having relatively few major moving parts. Piston engines can shrug off detonation that would turn a rotary into scrap. The apex seals are likely the weakest of the bunch, and no matter what you replace them with (3mm, ceramic, whatever), they still won't put up with detonation. The car has fuel delivery issues even stock, with fuel sloshing away from the pump when the tank level is low. Even stock cars running stock boost have blown engines.
And finally, people don't leave their cars alone. They modify them and make all of these issues more likely, and they stress the engines to the point of producing sometimes twice or more the rated output. You absolutely cannot do that without reducing the life expectancy of the engine. Increasing power means increased heat and friction, which means shorter lifespan. Period. None of this can be avoided simply by changing the fluids and plugs regularly.
In the case of a Honda, you'd have to seriously abuse the car to even have a remote chance of causing engine damage. You'd literally have to do something incredibly stupid to keep the Honda from reaching 100k+ miles. Changing the fluids and plugs periodically is about all you need to do.
Therefore, it's ridiculous to say that the FD is reliable as a Honda if taken care of. Hondas don't have a reputation for needing a new engine at about 60,000-70,000 miles, and the number of Hondas still on the road with 200,000+ miles on the original engine absolutely dwarfs the entire production of 3rd gen. RX-7s worldwide. There is no comparison. Look at the resale value of Hondas, even high mileage cars. That tells you all you need to know.
I'm sure you've read this thread, lots of 150K+ FDs on original motors
some of the replies in this thread are pretty impressive for a twin-turbo sports car running an engine the general public (at least, in my area) believes is the most unreliable piece of junk in existence.
09-27-04, 12:48 PM
#39
Senior Member
Originally Posted by jimlab
Therefore, it's ridiculous to say that the FD is reliable as a Honda if taken care of. Hondas don't have a reputation for needing a new engine at about 60,000-70,000 miles, and the number of Hondas still on the road with 200,000+ miles on the original engine absolutely dwarfs the entire production of 3rd gen. RX-7s worldwide. There is no comparison. Look at the resale value of Hondas, even high mileage cars. That tells you all you need to know.
I still don't like fwd drive though,
09-27-04, 06:42 PM
#42
Rotary Enthusiast
Made it 90K with numerous track days on the original engine. Put in a factory reman and I'm on 147K now with numerous track days. Will she blow soon? Who knows...
I know that the FD is a different story but... back in the day it used to be that racing a rotary engine was cheaper than a piston engine because they rotary engines lasted a lot longer under racing conditions and didn't need to be rebuilt as often. I know guys who got tired of rebuilding their piston engines every other race so they switched to a rotary which could last one or more enitre racing seasons without a rebuild. Of course we're talking a non turbo rotary with sufficient cooling.
The fact is that a rotary engine will last longer under racing conditions than a piston engines IF run within its design parameters. Of course it's the many IFs that tend to blow up our FD engines with regularity.
-John
I know that the FD is a different story but... back in the day it used to be that racing a rotary engine was cheaper than a piston engine because they rotary engines lasted a lot longer under racing conditions and didn't need to be rebuilt as often. I know guys who got tired of rebuilding their piston engines every other race so they switched to a rotary which could last one or more enitre racing seasons without a rebuild. Of course we're talking a non turbo rotary with sufficient cooling.
The fact is that a rotary engine will last longer under racing conditions than a piston engines IF run within its design parameters. Of course it's the many IFs that tend to blow up our FD engines with regularity.
-John
09-27-04, 10:34 PM
#45
Billy Bo Jangles
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I'm on 89k on my FD, and still don't have any problems out of mine. My '88 FC has got 148k on her, and she still runs like a champ, she's my daily driver too. Now, My domestic owned vehicle - that's an entirely different story..
09-27-04, 10:45 PM
#46
Banned. I got OWNED!!!
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Originally Posted by jimlab
And how many engines? Six? 
Expensive habit, although not all of them were of my doing.
At least it's certainly cheaper than my sister's habit of collecting horses which u can't exactly overhaul it's engine.
BTW, u need to hurry up and get that project of urs finished before Mt. St. Helens gets a piece of it.
09-28-04, 07:05 AM
#47
Rotary Freak
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my original motor went at 99,134 miles a year and a half ago, but it was definately caused by my tuning and lack of aftermarket intercooler. it still had plenty of life in it if i had been careful. i'm now on an atkins rebuild with 125k on the chassis.
I LOVE it.
09-28-04, 02:36 PM
#49
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I'm at 104.5k miles w/ the original engine, turbos, but reman ECU!? Had the car since 72k miles, recently performed a small longevity project (vacuum hose job, FI servicing, new rad, new coolant/heater hoses, PCV elimination, purge control elimination, changed the trans/diff fluids, and bled the brakes). The car has 16Hg vacuum at a completely solid 750rpm idle and boost near perfect 10-8-10 (I'm currently getting some spiking at transition which I need to tune out). Car is mostly stock, the only perf mods is a DP and RB intake duct. My last FD needed it's turbos replaced at about 58k miles, again mostly stock (only DP). Guess I just got a good one this time around.
