What do you guys think of the idea? I can't seem to find a decent rotary motor for a good price or any rotary motors for that matter. But these engines will fit into the RX-7 body and tranny and have quite alot of HP potential. I can get 1 of these real cheap and have a turbo on it in no time at all. But it is ford ... I think it would be kool because Ive seen some nissan motors in gen2's and some Honda S2000 motors in gen 2s but never any american stuff in them. Maybe it's just me but I would like to try this without being shunned by the rest of this community. Thanks for your input and try not to roast me too bad....but I geuss i'm kinda asking for it lol.

 

If you have the ability both mechanically and financially to do it, I'd say go for it. I think swaps of this nature are always a little more involved than people initially think, but something new is always cool (although I bet something close has already been done.) Don't just give up on finding a rotary yet though, first contact the likes of Kevin Landers at rotaryresurrection.com to see what possibilities are of keeping what is unquestionably the heart and soul of your RX-7 intact.

 

Thanks for that website~!

 

why would you want to use that 4 cyl... even turbo it is only a couple HP more than a stock non turbo motor

 

Yea but with swapped heads and everything else on to it your only spending about 3-400 dollars and your gaing an assload of HP that way. My friend has a Focus that has 350 HP (dyno Proven) with a 2.3L that he built and he hasnt even reached 1 grand in spendings yet. I just can't find a rotary motor. I found a guy with a 91 N/A motor and he said he'd hold it for me so today I call him to pay and he said I sold it? That was less than a week? But nobody has anything in the midwest. And the ford 2.3 motor is about 100 bucks while ppl want 1 grand for rotaries that have been rebuilt. It would be a cash saver and the engines are bulletproof and power proven.


But hey If I find a rotary engine then I'll take that but so far 2 months of looking has got me nowhere.

 

I say go for it. Who the hell cares what the "community" thinks. It is your car... you want more power... and you want to do it cheaply and reliably. The 2.3i turbo Ford is a great setup. Coupled with the T-5 5speed it will be a very good setup.

On TorqueCentral.com there is a guy with one in a 1st gen that runs 10's I believe. It has a stock shortblock with ported upper, larger turbo, larger intercooler and basic upgraded exhaust. Runs 11's on the motor and 10's with a 50hp nitrous shot I believe.

2.3i motors are pretty easy to find in junkyards and rebuilds consisting of a hone, new rings/bearings/turning the crank would net a healthy motor ready to be punished.

Good luck.... dare to be different... and much much faster at the same time. Your RX-7 is still an RX-7 with and engine swap. Would you rather have an anemic 130hp or 300-400 with the same or better gas mileage?

-Mark

 

Ahhh this man is wise ^^^ Thanks great Suggestion.

 

Go for it, I have a T2.3 sitting in the storage room waiting for a project to go into, too!

 

http://www.torquecentral.com/forumdisplay.php?f=11 <- TONS of american stuff in FCs.

Im mr budget here, and my friend is a total 2.3 turbo freak who actually knows his **** so I'm considering going down that same path myself. Get power, gas mileage, and a nice tractorey-exhaust tone instead of a raspy one thats kind of like my camaro was... when the cat was clogged, I pulled the O2 sensor to give the exhaust somewhere to go, AND the EGR was leaking (I just heard a straight-exhausted 13BT in a T-II, sheesh! and Im told v8s sound like ****). I got nothing against v8s whatsoever, but the possibility of amazing gas mileage and just how cheap the 2.3 engines are (the biggest factor, then again I might go 302 or chevy 350~) and the fact that you can make some very good power with it in a light car got my attention.

If you make mounts for it, could you make a welding jig for it and share/sell it? BTW, http://www.grannysspeedshop.com/ sells a crossmember to bolt a T-5 into a FC, so theres your tranny mount issue solved.

Oh and FYI, the fastest v8 rex is a 351w turbo in a FB I believe.... at least until he crashed it on the dragstrip anyway.

 

Go for it. I have a 2.3 in a thunderbird we just bought. The ******* thing will fly in that heavy *** car. Oh did I mention how stout they are? You can make some serious power with those engines. I've thought about putting one in my 7 as well.

 

http://www.torquecentral.com/showthread.php?t=31071

I started a thread over in T.C. thats got more info on it and probably will get more attention than here, just a heads up for everyone.

BTW... you got NO clue how cheap all this is, and there is definitely a big aftermarket, and lots of wisdom behind them. These engines have been used for racing for decades and still are!

 

Anyone know what this iron block/head 2.3 weighs?

 

I personaly think by the time it is up and running it will have costed you the same if not more then a nice rotary motor. If it doesnt cost you the same then it will vibrate apart and endup in a field somewhere to rot. You should be able to go to a pick your part junk yard and get an engine, I must see 7 or 8 S4's in there all the time. just pull the motor an tranny at the same time then when you got it out of the car and on the ground you can seperate the trans from the engine. If your good you can have it out in an hour easy

 

Even if it cost(ed) the same. In the end, the 2.3 turbo would be not even close in it's potential. The na rotor engine would be limited to the upgrades.

 

did you read the part where it's a cheap replacment ie meaning that he doesnt want to spend the money... If he had money he could do a cosmo motor swap or 3 rotor swap which would smoke the 2.3. my point is that to do a conversion right it takes time and money an in the end he could have done a nice street ported turbo rotor motor and if you dont do it right then your just gonna ruin the car all together. As much as I think doing a piston conversion to a rotary car is the wrong thing to do, there are people who have spent the time and money to do it correctly and if you ask those people they will tell you it isnt cheap

 

I think if he could afford a cosmo/3 rotor, he wouldn't have posted his original question at all. He could do a good running 2.3 turbo swap for alot cheaper than a 20b. As the 20b is how much to puchase? You are the one that presented the case of the 2.3 cost(ed) the same as a "nice" rotary. I guess "nice" means the 20b?
http://www.jdm.net/jdm_mazda.htm
Here is a quick google search I found for pricing. Complete engine/harness etc.. is about $4,700. He could have the 2.3 turbo completely rebuilt with almost unlimited mods for less than that. I don't know what the 20b puts out but the 2.3 could be well into the 400hp range conservatively.

 

Heres an exerpt from the thread @ http://www.turboford.org/cgi-bin/ult...c;f=3;t=016687 :

Ok, to make a LONG story short............

Base run was 377 and was way too lean. 13:1 and dipping to 14's.

Added some fuel. She dropped to 330hp.

Kept on adding until we had 11:1 and she climbed back up to ................. 390!

The only issue that remains is pretty much the air meter. Its maxing out the 80mm air meter right around 5400rpm. Pretty much right where the peak is. So it gets a hickup right before , and starts popping with anything over 5400.

So with a bigger air meter she might have more left in her, but at the very least, I need some more room to shift after the peak then the 100rpm or so that I have.

Heres the dyno chart for now. Once Juscuz gets on the computer I am hoping he can save it and flip it to his picture gallery so Skye does not have to use up her bandwidth.

 

update on that dyno from before. Looks really nice imho!



His mod list is as follows:

Hy35w @ 30ish PSI
2.5 inch intercooler tube to IC
Forge BOV
International IC 30x17x4 inch bar and plate
3 inch tube to TB
Supercoupe TB
gutted and turned Gator Upper and majorly ported lower
Pretty ported Big valve head with A237 @+2
52lb CFI injectors at 40psi'ish base
Bob center mount with some port work
3.5 inch exhaust , catless with Dynomax Ultraflow
90mm Lightning air meter.
Intank Walbro 255hp
Inline Walbro 255hp
Kirban regulator
Stock bottom end
EEC tuner with a PE program / mass air
MSD Digital 6+
stock 87 TC T5*

*I dont plan on using one, but maybe a 87 rx-7

 

Another update: Grant's gonna be making 2.3 mounts! Mwahahha.

Everyone interested send him an email @ grannysspeedshop@verizon.net

And no Im getting anything out of it, just raising awareness.

 

Does anyone happen to know the weight of a 2.3 Ford Turbo engine?

 

like 450lbs

 

Link to info? I get 380lbs Interesting to see the mazda rotary weights

http://www.gomog.com/allmorgan/engineweights.html

 

The 2.3 is a very strong engine especially if built right. I have a 2.3l in my mustang ii ghia which is going to a turbo hopefully very soon, even with minor modifications it's a good engine. Small, reliable, strong... i've had no problems with mine, never had a single issue with it.

Just my own $.02.

 

http://www.turboford.org/ubb/ultimat...=017596#000001 ta da.

Looks RIDICULOUSLY EASY now, damn. Only thing I can say tho is... GET A U-PIPE OR A DIFF IC! lol.

Btut yeah, it works and sits like its meant to be in there

 

heh i baught my car for 650, sold everything out of it i dont need for about 400 and baught the whole shabang for under 800 and is almost done. pics soon...

Mike