Well took the car out last night for the second time after getting it back from Steve at Gotham racing. He tuned the car and finished installing my single turbo. Well tonight I put some gas in it and go out doing the first pull I have ever rely got to do hard in it. First to second it goes good then into 3rd and wham on its face gong into 4th. I checked the boost controller to see if it spike and it only hit 14lbs of boost tuned for 16. I drove the car form Texas home and it ran great. It was not any of Steve work that caused the engine to shoot **** but the Engine was rebuilt by Jason at rx7 store it was there stage 3 with 3mm seals. I wonder if there is any warranty? The exact millage on the car is 8465. Awesome compression on the rear rotor and **** on the front. Haven’t taken the turbo off yet to see if sucked the apex through it or not.

 

Why are you assuming the engine failure wasn't Steve's fault, but think it was Jason's? You have not even torn down the engine yet.

Only 8000k miles, and the first time you really got on the boost!
Most likely since you were on boost, it was a timing or fuel issue.

 

I rode around with steve after tuning. He showed me full boost and went through everything. I broke the enigne in on 99 spec twins i did boost some after 5k miles. Then went single. I relly dont think tunning was the issue.

 

I wonder how bad things are If the motor was ported can it just be opend up and put new seals in or does it have to have new rotors, housings and seals?

 

jeez thats sucks..... but it happens all the time. While you might be dissapointed its tough to expect a shop to cover a motor that has a cracked apex seal. When you decide you want a modifed car with a built engine, reliability might not be its strongest trait. best case scenerio is that you just cracked a seal .. worst case scenerio your housing is scored, rotor is damaged and the turbine wheel is done

all in all, modifed rotary cars are expensive to own!

well anyways, good luck!

 

You get what you pay for...assembly line motors with high compression rotors just do not work nor last any length of time in high hp street motors. There is no room for error. I too lost an engine after a year. Did RX7 store actually build the motor or was it outsourced? It really really does not have to be that way.
https://www.rx7club.com/forum/showthread.php?t=412677

 

Very interesting, I recently just made my ems, fuel system all spec for a single, and at about 8k miles my engine popped as well. This is also w/ the new parts installed for only like 500 miles, but we did dyno it a bunch of times. who knows

new engine soon i hope, looking at options just like you.

Bradley

 

After we went single, did you have the car retuned? What single did you end up going with?

Anthony

 

Yes i went single then retuned the car. I went with a drag turbo t51r kai with costom dp intake 1680 secondaries 850 primares and 2 fuel pumps, pfc twin power ignition blitz fmic,kazz dif, oil pan etc. I am very upset just spent all this money to drive it for this short of time. I just wish i could redue the eingine my self or they would warrany it. One question i will not have to report the enigne so if i go with a rebuild now all i will have to pay for is like a stage one motor right?

 

The engine was built in house and was not a cheap engine. Look on the site at the stage three. I asked and they said this is the exact engine we run in out 500hp shop car so i was like well this will be a good engine. It took them like 4 months to get the engine back to me and that was after rushing them. So i wonder if rushing them turned out to go against me.

 

If the rotor housing is trashed you will need to re-port the exhaust port.

good luck

 

So Steve tuned the car on the single turbo and it blew up after you got it home?
If Steve tuned it then he did multiple full boost pulls. Typically if the motor is poorly built it shows up soon after you start it for the first time, not 8000 miles later. If an apex seal went then its a tuning issue or a weak seal. Not implying that its Steves fault, but there are to many variables that could happen to say it was just the motor. I have seen many blown motors and 99% of the time its been a tuning issue rather than a bad motor.

You can send us the motor and we will see what the problem is. Since we built it we would help you out on the costs which could be pretty cheap if it just needs new seals.

Jason

 

I would suspect something other than the engine ie. bad fuel, injector, etc.

 

That’s cool Jason I really cant say what it was. I am wanting to get it rebuilt just not for sure on the cash right now. I know it wasn’t’ injectors as the were brand new well I don’t gess that matters but I just wouldn’t suspect it. As for bad gas who knows how could I tell I got the gas at the same place everyone buys it for the track. It’s a gas station right beside our local 1/4 mile and the sell from 93 to 110. The car drove good with Steve and I drove it 500 miles home it was raining so I couldn’t really get on it. Maybe it was just a freak thing or just a weak apex I duno I just know it sux!!!! What really sux to me is that day I had taken it to a local car show for the first time And everyone was very impressed as 3rd gens is very uncommon here I got 2nd place in the sport compact and had a awesome time was on my way back home when it happened

 

Ouch! Landen,

Did you read the knock reading when it happened? I probably made at least 20-25pulls on the highway to make sure that there isn't any lean issues with the car. We also made several highway pull when you were riding with me while I was explaining to you on what to look for etc.. we also talked about the fact that I wasn't sure how the altitude may affect your car and we went ahead and richen up another 4% just to be on the safe side. What octane fuel were you using? water in fuel? contimination in fuel? Fuel can degrade over time so I wonder if the gas may be the cause? It's hard to tell the cause of the problem without tearing down the engine.

 

I was using 93 and I put 1 gallon of 110 since it was beside the 93 to be on the safe side. As I knew it was nice out and wanted to run the car a little. What’s funny Steve is this was the first real pull I done in the car. All the way home it rained and I parked the car in the garage when I got home as it was storming. Saturday was real nice 70 degree weather. went to the car show I was telling you about had lots of fun was on my way home buy my self pulled off the highway onto a business road that has a mile straight stretch and done a pull from 2 into 3 when I got into 3 that’s when it quit. I know it a apex seal haven’t looked at the turbo yet who knows if it will have to be rebuilt. I am scared about the rotor housing I know if an apex seal goes it usually destroys the housing. I think this weekend I will pull the engine out. Today I will take the turbo off. I duno the car might just have to sit as I have to start paying college tuition and I am already taking classes and paying for my real-estate licenses don’t have no extra money now as it all went to the car already. Like I said the was no boost spike and the knock reading was not high I don’t recall what it was. The elevation is no difference here from there. I have no idea what happened . I don’t believe there would water in the fuel. Hell I duno what happened. Maybe it way just one of them rotary things. If I remember right didnt we have to put new housing on there Jason the first rebuild.

 

I know exactly how you feel. I recently (christmas day) had a motor **** the bed on after only 2k miles with my single turbo. 1k of those miles were break in and another 5-600 of those miles were highway drivin. I didnt beat on my car much, and only ran it at 15 psi all but maybe 5-6 20psi pulls through 3rd gear. KDR definately took care of me and replaced the motor for me for almost nothing (just costs of fluids, hoses, and other small stuff, 94 dollars total). Dave said he found 1.5 quarts of water in my gas tank, so we suspect that was the culprit. I hope all goes well for you.

Adam

 

thanks adam i am glad everything worked out for you. that was a good christmas present huh. I did a very long break in around 5000 miles with nothing over 8 psi of boost on 99 spec twin the last 2000 miles. I relly wanted this engine to last. I have a daily driver and it was just going to be my weekend car when i was back from college.

 

Steve I guess I should have just payed the extra 300 or so and let you finish my water injection. Don’t know if it would have helped our not. I don’t know if it was detonation if it was then that might have saved me. I was going to install it on my spring break this weekend. 6 days thought I would have time to do it then.

 

water injection would only save the engine if it was detonation related. There's no telling at this time what causes it. If you said that the knock was only showing 15, i seriously doubt it was detonation since the knock sensor is on the front.

 

I dont want this to go the wrong way i am not blaming this on the enigne build or the tuning. I relly do not know what happend . I called jason and steve called me today i went over everything with both of them and they were both very helpfull both very nice guys.

 

Obviously an engine teardown is necessary. Could be anything though...bad injector, fuel pump, etc...again, anything over 400rwhp on the high compression 93+ rotors is not a good idea.

 

im intrested in what happened... when are you going to take the motor apart???

i want to see what could have caused this?? and is the knock reading on the pfc even accurate???

 

well i figured out what happend. its a rotary lol you know 8000 miles is pushing these engines. just kiding No i still dont know what happend but i got the turbo off and its just like new. thank god. so good so far. Ill just hope for the best and maybe the housing wont be bad.

 

I will start on the engine removel thursday or friday. what do you think take the tranny out with the motor or leav it in. last time i left it in wasnt to bad installing the engine. what do you guys think of this rotor housing?
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