Max's Turbo II

Max777 · 10-14-2009, 08:17 PM

Background:

I've owned a 91 Vert, it was my first rotary car. It was fun to drive and I learned a lot about working on cars by fixing the numerous problems it had, but i never did end up getting it to run right. The shortblock I swapped into the car was in good shape, but it only had 82psi compression due to worn seals. Figuring that it would make more sense to do a Turbo swap than rebuild the N/A, I started to do some research. Eventually, after a mix up with the engine supplier, I decided to see if maybe there were any Turbo cars for sale...

Here's how this car comes into play: I found an 87 Turbo FC all the way out in Ohio. The car was rough, with numerous fixable, but annoying problems.
The owner assured me that the engine was replaced, so I checked the compression, and it was at 110 psi! The chassis was also fairly decent apart from a large dent in the rear quarter, so I talked him down to $1800, and I was the new owner of a turbo rotary RX-7!

So far, I've carried over most of the parts from my Vert (which I'm selling as a shell)
Mods include:

Koyo Radiator
Samco hoses
Banzai Racing Engine and transmission Mounts
RB Downpipe
HKS Silent Hi-Power 3" Catback. (very rare exhaust for FC's nobody runs it)
DTSS and new wheel bearings all around
Brembo Rotors and Hawk HPS brake pads
Removed emissions
Removed Twin Scroll solenoid and flapper.
Ported Wastegate.
S5 N/A ghetto-rigged primary fuel rail. (PS emimination w/o eliminating it

)
Ford HPP 16x7 BBS mesh wheels
AEM dry flow "Warm air intake" (The stock airflter was melted to the airbox, and the box was warped, rendering it unusable)
convertible model rear springs (stiffer than coupe)
Vert S5 tail lights
S5 center console
FCD
Removed A/C
Rewrapped the engine harness with new wrapping and fixed broken wires.
Wiperless hatch

Planned mods:
N/A throttle cable
S5 bumper and molding swap
SS Brake lines
Nardi Steering wheel
Custom Powersteering setup using a GSL-SE mount, cooler, and SS-AN lines.
Adapt windshield sprayer nozles to spray the intercooler instead.

Pics to come when I get back from class!

Here:

Removing emissions, porting the turbocharger, and rewrapping the harness:

The idiot that replaced the turbocharger left the old gasket on there, and just slapped the new one over it, Doh!

Whizbang · 10-14-2009, 08:53 PM

killing me without the pictures!

Max777 · 10-15-2009, 01:19 AM

posted some, more to come later... btw, not all the mods are done yet, I bought the wheels, just waiting for them to ship.

djmtsu · 10-15-2009, 07:02 AM

Good job Max!!

Looks like you got a killer deal!

prrex4ever · 10-15-2009, 06:58 PM

Good luck with your built, looks great so far.

Max777 · 10-15-2009, 11:24 PM

Yeah, it's alright. I just got a hold of a die grinder for a few days, so I'm going to REALLY port the wastegate now, not just this dremel bullsh*t....

Max777 · 10-20-2009, 02:18 AM

Update: Ok, so I got it all back together after the emissions removal, and I've got a few problems. First, the engine vibrates a LOT after I put in the polyurethane mounts, I don't know what's the cause yet, but it did not do this on my vert, I will double check everything tomorrow.

Another thing: In some emissions removal threads, they say you need a "restrictor pill" for the MAP sensor. WTF are these people talking about, rotaryresurrection website does not cover the "restrictor pil" in his thread....

And third: The car ran a LOT better with the MAP vented to the atmosphere, and the nipple leaking air into the car. Now that I noted the unhooked map sensor, I decided that I would like to hook it back up, and.... the car runs worse now, idles lower, and doesn't seem as smooth.

Phoenix7 · 10-20-2009, 02:13 PM

welcome to teh boosted world....I doubt you'll ever go back to NA.

classicauto · 10-20-2009, 02:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phoenix7

welcome to teh boosted world....I doubt you'll ever go back to NA.

True that.

Been driving my FB lately. Fun yes, but god damn its slow

Max777 · 10-21-2009, 11:49 PM

Ok, so I've been fucking around with the engine mounts, trying to figure out why the engine makes this wierd vibration now that They are installed, and all of a sudden, I park the car, and when I come back it has a no crank no start!

WTF???? How the hell does adjusting the engine mounts create a no crank condition? It started and ran after I took the emissions out and installed the mounts the first time, what the hell did I do? lol

Silver86 · 10-22-2009, 05:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Max777

Ok, so I've been fucking around with the engine mounts, trying to figure out why the engine makes this wierd vibration now that They are installed, and all of a sudden, I park the car, and when I come back it has a no crank no start!

WTF???? How the hell does adjusting the engine mounts create a no crank condition? It started and ran after I took the emissions out and installed the mounts the first time, what the hell did I do? lol

maybe youve created a bad ground?

Max777 · 10-22-2009, 09:56 PM

could be.... no idea how, I havent even had time to mess with the car and start checking things.

Max777 · 10-27-2009, 07:09 PM

Had a little bit of time to mess with the car today. I tapped the starter with a rubber mallet, and wiggled the wiring to it, and the car started right up, thank god!

I still have the thumping vibration, took it to my automotive instructor, and he told me it could be my exhaust system hangers being too stretched. (short piece of flex pipe holdling the system together untill I can get a presilencer....

, I loosened the exhaust, but it's still making the vibration, though it seems to be a little better right now, but it's still present.

The thumping increases with engine RPM and the car in Neutural.... so it's not a drivetrain vibration, wierd shit, but at least she runs well!

Max777 · 11-04-2009, 07:41 PM

Update, so I figured out this vibration issue finally. I took off the belt to the water pump and alternator, and started the car up.... vibration gone! I took a look at the alt pulley, and it was all fuX0red up, i guess it got bent when I was taking out emissions.

Not a whole lot of updates, but I got a new lock for the hatch, swapped over some vert S5 tail lights, and fixed the lock for the gas door, old one was broken. I also put my S5 center console in, as well as an aftermarket stereo, now I just gotta find some speakers...

Pics will all come up soon, but nothing too exciting at the moment.

djmtsu · 11-04-2009, 07:57 PM

Progress is progress. I can't believe that a bent alt pulley would do all that, but I guess being at the topmost point on the engine, a little wobble would translate to big vibration by the time it reaches the mounts.

Don't you love the easy fixes?

10-14-2009, 08:17 PM	#1
Max777 Pirate Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Central IL Posts: 1,323 Rep Power: 19	Max's Turbo II Background: I've owned a 91 Vert, it was my first rotary car. It was fun to drive and I learned a lot about working on cars by fixing the numerous problems it had, but i never did end up getting it to run right. The shortblock I swapped into the car was in good shape, but it only had 82psi compression due to worn seals. Figuring that it would make more sense to do a Turbo swap than rebuild the N/A, I started to do some research. Eventually, after a mix up with the engine supplier, I decided to see if maybe there were any Turbo cars for sale... Here's how this car comes into play: I found an 87 Turbo FC all the way out in Ohio. The car was rough, with numerous fixable, but annoying problems. The owner assured me that the engine was replaced, so I checked the compression, and it was at 110 psi! The chassis was also fairly decent apart from a large dent in the rear quarter, so I talked him down to $1800, and I was the new owner of a turbo rotary RX-7! So far, I've carried over most of the parts from my Vert (which I'm selling as a shell) Mods include: Koyo Radiator Samco hoses Banzai Racing Engine and transmission Mounts RB Downpipe HKS Silent Hi-Power 3" Catback. (very rare exhaust for FC's nobody runs it) DTSS and new wheel bearings all around Brembo Rotors and Hawk HPS brake pads Removed emissions Removed Twin Scroll solenoid and flapper. Ported Wastegate. S5 N/A ghetto-rigged primary fuel rail. (PS emimination w/o eliminating it ) Ford HPP 16x7 BBS mesh wheels AEM dry flow "Warm air intake" (The stock airflter was melted to the airbox, and the box was warped, rendering it unusable) convertible model rear springs (stiffer than coupe) Vert S5 tail lights S5 center console FCD Removed A/C Rewrapped the engine harness with new wrapping and fixed broken wires. Wiperless hatch Planned mods: N/A throttle cable S5 bumper and molding swap SS Brake lines Nardi Steering wheel Custom Powersteering setup using a GSL-SE mount, cooler, and SS-AN lines. Adapt windshield sprayer nozles to spray the intercooler instead. Pics to come when I get back from class! Here: Removing emissions, porting the turbocharger, and rewrapping the harness: The idiot that replaced the turbocharger left the old gasket on there, and just slapped the new one over it, Doh! __________________ Rotaries:They are NOT that complicated! Last edited by Max777; 10-15-2009 at 01:20 AM. Reason: pitchurs!

10-14-2009, 08:53 PM	#2
Whizbang Respecognize! Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Δx = ħ/2Δp Posts: 3,190 Rep Power: 21	killing me without the pictures! __________________ For current updates and event coverage check out Follow on Twitter! @WhizbangRally Whizbang Rally's Webpage \| Facebook

10-15-2009, 01:19 AM	#3
Max777 Pirate Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Central IL Posts: 1,323 Rep Power: 19	posted some, more to come later... btw, not all the mods are done yet, I bought the wheels, just waiting for them to ship. __________________ Rotaries:They are NOT that complicated!

10-15-2009, 07:02 AM	#4
djmtsu My minds tellin' me no... Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Murfreesboro, TN Posts: 4,043 Rep Power: 22	Good job Max!! Looks like you got a killer deal! __________________ 1976 Mazda Cosmo RX-5 1976 Mazda Cosmo RX-5 2003 Toyota Tundra TRD 2015 Toyota 4Runner SR5

10-15-2009, 11:24 PM	#6
Max777 Pirate Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Central IL Posts: 1,323 Rep Power: 19	Yeah, it's alright. I just got a hold of a die grinder for a few days, so I'm going to REALLY port the wastegate now, not just this dremel bullsht.... __________________ Rotaries:*They are NOT that complicated!

10-15-2009, 06:58 PM	#5
prrex4ever Rotary Fanatic Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 274 Rep Power: 18	Good luck with your built, looks great so far.

10-20-2009, 02:18 AM	#7
Max777 Pirate Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Central IL Posts: 1,323 Rep Power: 19	Update: Ok, so I got it all back together after the emissions removal, and I've got a few problems. First, the engine vibrates a LOT after I put in the polyurethane mounts, I don't know what's the cause yet, but it did not do this on my vert, I will double check everything tomorrow. Another thing: In some emissions removal threads, they say you need a "restrictor pill" for the MAP sensor. WTF are these people talking about, rotaryresurrection website does not cover the "restrictor pil" in his thread.... And third: The car ran a LOT better with the MAP vented to the atmosphere, and the nipple leaking air into the car. Now that I noted the unhooked map sensor, I decided that I would like to hook it back up, and.... the car runs worse now, idles lower, and doesn't seem as smooth. __________________ Rotaries:They are NOT that complicated!

10-21-2009, 11:49 PM	#10
Max777 Pirate Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Central IL Posts: 1,323 Rep Power: 19	Ok, so I've been fucking around with the engine mounts, trying to figure out why the engine makes this wierd vibration now that They are installed, and all of a sudden, I park the car, and when I come back it has a no crank no start! WTF???? How the hell does adjusting the engine mounts create a no crank condition? It started and ran after I took the emissions out and installed the mounts the first time, what the hell did I do? lol __________________ Rotaries:They are NOT that complicated!

10-22-2009, 09:56 PM	#12
Max777 Pirate Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Central IL Posts: 1,323 Rep Power: 19	could be.... no idea how, I havent even had time to mess with the car and start checking things. __________________ Rotaries:They are NOT that complicated!

10-27-2009, 07:09 PM	#13
Max777 Pirate Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Central IL Posts: 1,323 Rep Power: 19	Had a little bit of time to mess with the car today. I tapped the starter with a rubber mallet, and wiggled the wiring to it, and the car started right up, thank god! I still have the thumping vibration, took it to my automotive instructor, and he told me it could be my exhaust system hangers being too stretched. (short piece of flex pipe holdling the system together untill I can get a presilencer.... , I loosened the exhaust, but it's still making the vibration, though it seems to be a little better right now, but it's still present. The thumping increases with engine RPM and the car in Neutural.... so it's not a drivetrain vibration, wierd shit, but at least she runs well! __________________ Rotaries:They are NOT that complicated!

11-04-2009, 07:41 PM	#14
Max777 Pirate Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Central IL Posts: 1,323 Rep Power: 19	Update, so I figured out this vibration issue finally. I took off the belt to the water pump and alternator, and started the car up.... vibration gone! I took a look at the alt pulley, and it was all fuX0red up, i guess it got bent when I was taking out emissions. Not a whole lot of updates, but I got a new lock for the hatch, swapped over some vert S5 tail lights, and fixed the lock for the gas door, old one was broken. I also put my S5 center console in, as well as an aftermarket stereo, now I just gotta find some speakers... Pics will all come up soon, but nothing too exciting at the moment. __________________ Rotaries:They are NOT that complicated!

11-04-2009, 07:57 PM	#15
djmtsu My minds tellin' me no... Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Murfreesboro, TN Posts: 4,043 Rep Power: 22	Progress is progress. I can't believe that a bent alt pulley would do all that, but I guess being at the topmost point on the engine, a little wobble would translate to big vibration by the time it reaches the mounts. Don't you love the easy fixes? __________________ 1976 Mazda Cosmo RX-5 1976 Mazda Cosmo RX-5 2003 Toyota Tundra TRD 2015 Toyota 4Runner SR5