FD RX7 reliability?
01-28-09, 09:22 PM
#32
Pole Position
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01-29-09, 07:21 AM
#34
Driver School Candidate
Join Date: Jan 2006
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01-29-09, 07:30 AM
#35
The late model RX7s (96-02) are simply amazing machines. There are negatives, such as the engines last only 100,000 miles, but the upside to them is simply amazing. Insofar as handling goes, they're sports cars not some luxury sedan...
From 1.5 liters you get stock 255bhp, but since it is a rotary engine it revs faster and redlines at 8,000 rpm. Do some simple modifications and you can take it up to 300bhp, where, due to the 2,300 pound weight of the car, you can hit 0-60 in 3.2 seconds and a top speed of 180mph.
For a few more dollars, still less than what you paid for your Lexus, you can increase the reliability of the Apex seals and literally shred asphalt and blow the doors off of some ***** in his Lexus that posts **** on his club web site that he knows nothing about and has preferred to hand his ***** over to wife because he’s afraid to drive a real sports car…douche bag.
From 1.5 liters you get stock 255bhp, but since it is a rotary engine it revs faster and redlines at 8,000 rpm. Do some simple modifications and you can take it up to 300bhp, where, due to the 2,300 pound weight of the car, you can hit 0-60 in 3.2 seconds and a top speed of 180mph.
For a few more dollars, still less than what you paid for your Lexus, you can increase the reliability of the Apex seals and literally shred asphalt and blow the doors off of some ***** in his Lexus that posts **** on his club web site that he knows nothing about and has preferred to hand his ***** over to wife because he’s afraid to drive a real sports car…douche bag.
As you'll find, most of us here in car chat are car enthusiasts not just Lexus fans.
To sum up my thoughts on the RX-7:
-amazing purpose built sports car (nimble, high reving and can put down some hard numbers when it comes to mods)
-not so great on reliability but most owners know this going into buying them but taken care of they can last longer than your average RX-7 just don't expect to drive this thing into the 200k mile club
-don't make this your DD
-great looking car with semi-exotic looks
01-29-09, 05:21 PM
#37
THE RX7 is one of my all time fav's!!!! picture does not do it's justices. After seeing one in person, it blew me away(when i was in HS). i'm a big fan of anime, and initial D just totally got me sold.
i really like the look of the car, it's timeless. but with little to none knowledge of the mechanics, and after reading this thread, i'm not so sure anymore.. was gonna use it as a project car or weekend car.
i really like the look of the car, it's timeless. but with little to none knowledge of the mechanics, and after reading this thread, i'm not so sure anymore.. was gonna use it as a project car or weekend car.
01-29-09, 06:04 PM
#38
Let me start off by saying that 90% of all Lexus owners should never consider a RX-7.
It's a drivers car, you have to understand your vehicle, and be in tune with it every time you drive. Above all else, it's a performance car, not a Lexus!
Uneducated assumptions of ignorance and speculation "I heard... I think... I know... I've seen... My buddy said... I saw it once!" drive this thread. Shame on you guys!
The rotary engine is a beast, with performance above that of the typical piston engine due to less moving parts. The 13B-REW was the first-ever mass-produced sequential twin-turbocharger system to export from Japan, boosting power to 276hp in its last production year. Yes, that's right more HP per litre than the S2000, eat it up Honda!
National agencies that tax automobiles according to displacement and regulatory bodies in automobile racing variously consider the Wankel engine to be equivalent to a four-stroke engine of 1.5 to 2 times the displacement; some racing sanctioning bodies ban it altogether! Talk about being biased!
Handling in the FD was regarded as world-class, and it is still regarded as being one of the finest handling and best balanced cars of all time. The continued use of the front-midship engine and drivetrain layout, combined with an 50:50 front-rear weight distribution ratio and low center of gravity made the FD a very competent car at the limits.
Wankel engines have several major advantages over reciprocating piston designs, in addition to having higher output for similar displacement and physical size.
1. The rotary engine uses oil as part of its combustion cycle, not how 99% of all previous posters say "it burns oil, it's bad". That statement is false, and uneducated.
2. Wankel engines have several major advantages over reciprocating piston designs, in addition to having higher output for similar displacement and physical size.
3. Wankel engines are considerably simpler and contain far fewer moving parts. For instance, because valving is accomplished by simple ports cut into the walls of the rotor housing, they have no valves or complex valve trains; in addition, since the rotor is geared directly to the output shaft, there is no need for connecting rods, a conventional crankshaft, crankshaft balance weights, etc. The elimination of these parts not only makes a Wankel engine much lighter (typically half that of a conventional engine of equivalent power), but it also completely eliminates the reciprocating mass of a piston engine with its internal strain and inherent vibration due to repeated acceleration and deceleration, producing not only a smoother flow of power but also the ability to produce more power by running at higher rpm.
*takes breath*
Because of the quasi-overlap of the power strokes that cause the smoothness of the engine, and the avoidance of the 4-stroke cycle in a reciprocating engine, the wankel engine is very quick to react to throttle changes and is able to deliver a near-instantaneous surge of power when the demand arises, especially at higher rpms counts. This is more true when compared to 4 cylinder reciprocating engines and less true when compared to higher cylinder counts.
4. In addition to the enhanced reliability by virtue of the complete removal of this reciprocating stress on internal parts, the engine is constructed with an iron rotor within a housing made of aluminium, which has greater thermal expansion. This ensures that even a severely overheated Wankel engine cannot seize, as would likely occur in an overheated piston engine. This is a substantial safety benefit in aircraft use since no valves can burn out.
5. A further advantage of the Wankel engine for use in aircraft is the fact that a Wankel engine can have a smaller frontal area than a piston engine of equivalent power. The simplicity of design and smaller size of the Wankel engine also allows for savings in construction costs, compared to piston engines of comparable power output.
6. Of perhaps the most importance is that Wankel engines are almost immune to catastrophic failure. A Wankel that loses compression, cooling or oil pressure will lose a large amount of power, and will die over a short period of time; however, it will usually continue to produce some power during that time. Piston engines under the same circumstances are prone to seizing or breaking parts that almost certainly results in complete internal destruction of the engine and instant loss of power.
7. Due to a 50% longer stroke duration compared to a four stroke engine, there is more time to complete the combustion. This leads to greater suitability for direct injection. A Wankel rotary engine has stronger flows of air-fuel mixture and a longer operating cycle than a reciprocating engine, so it realizes concomitantly thorough mixing of hydrogen and air. The result is a homogeneous mixture, which is crucial for hydrogen combustion.
8. In Mazda's RX-8 with the Renesis engine, fuel consumption is now within normal limits while passing California State emissions requirements. The exhaust ports, which in earlier Mazda rotaries were located in the rotor housings, were moved to the sides of the combustion chamber. This approach allowed Mazda to eliminate overlap between intake and exhaust port openings, while simultaneously increasing exhaust port area. The Renesis engine even meets California's Low Emissions Vehicle or LEV standards.
9. These and other innovative technologies allow the Renesis to achieve 49% higher output and dramatically reduced fuel consumption and emissions (the RX-8 meets LEV-II). It won International Engine of the Year and Best New Engine awards 2003 and also holds the "2.5 to 3 litre" size award for 2003 and 2004, where it is considered a 2.60 L engine. Finally, it was on the Ward's 10 Best Engines list for 2004 and 2005.
10. The Renesis has also been adapted for a dual-fuel use, allowing it to run either on gasoline or hydrogen.
It's a drivers car, you have to understand your vehicle, and be in tune with it every time you drive. Above all else, it's a performance car, not a Lexus!
Uneducated assumptions of ignorance and speculation "I heard... I think... I know... I've seen... My buddy said... I saw it once!" drive this thread. Shame on you guys!
The rotary engine is a beast, with performance above that of the typical piston engine due to less moving parts. The 13B-REW was the first-ever mass-produced sequential twin-turbocharger system to export from Japan, boosting power to 276hp in its last production year. Yes, that's right more HP per litre than the S2000, eat it up Honda!
National agencies that tax automobiles according to displacement and regulatory bodies in automobile racing variously consider the Wankel engine to be equivalent to a four-stroke engine of 1.5 to 2 times the displacement; some racing sanctioning bodies ban it altogether! Talk about being biased!
Handling in the FD was regarded as world-class, and it is still regarded as being one of the finest handling and best balanced cars of all time. The continued use of the front-midship engine and drivetrain layout, combined with an 50:50 front-rear weight distribution ratio and low center of gravity made the FD a very competent car at the limits.
Wankel engines have several major advantages over reciprocating piston designs, in addition to having higher output for similar displacement and physical size.
1. The rotary engine uses oil as part of its combustion cycle, not how 99% of all previous posters say "it burns oil, it's bad". That statement is false, and uneducated.
2. Wankel engines have several major advantages over reciprocating piston designs, in addition to having higher output for similar displacement and physical size.
3. Wankel engines are considerably simpler and contain far fewer moving parts. For instance, because valving is accomplished by simple ports cut into the walls of the rotor housing, they have no valves or complex valve trains; in addition, since the rotor is geared directly to the output shaft, there is no need for connecting rods, a conventional crankshaft, crankshaft balance weights, etc. The elimination of these parts not only makes a Wankel engine much lighter (typically half that of a conventional engine of equivalent power), but it also completely eliminates the reciprocating mass of a piston engine with its internal strain and inherent vibration due to repeated acceleration and deceleration, producing not only a smoother flow of power but also the ability to produce more power by running at higher rpm.
*takes breath*
Because of the quasi-overlap of the power strokes that cause the smoothness of the engine, and the avoidance of the 4-stroke cycle in a reciprocating engine, the wankel engine is very quick to react to throttle changes and is able to deliver a near-instantaneous surge of power when the demand arises, especially at higher rpms counts. This is more true when compared to 4 cylinder reciprocating engines and less true when compared to higher cylinder counts.
4. In addition to the enhanced reliability by virtue of the complete removal of this reciprocating stress on internal parts, the engine is constructed with an iron rotor within a housing made of aluminium, which has greater thermal expansion. This ensures that even a severely overheated Wankel engine cannot seize, as would likely occur in an overheated piston engine. This is a substantial safety benefit in aircraft use since no valves can burn out.
5. A further advantage of the Wankel engine for use in aircraft is the fact that a Wankel engine can have a smaller frontal area than a piston engine of equivalent power. The simplicity of design and smaller size of the Wankel engine also allows for savings in construction costs, compared to piston engines of comparable power output.
6. Of perhaps the most importance is that Wankel engines are almost immune to catastrophic failure. A Wankel that loses compression, cooling or oil pressure will lose a large amount of power, and will die over a short period of time; however, it will usually continue to produce some power during that time. Piston engines under the same circumstances are prone to seizing or breaking parts that almost certainly results in complete internal destruction of the engine and instant loss of power.
7. Due to a 50% longer stroke duration compared to a four stroke engine, there is more time to complete the combustion. This leads to greater suitability for direct injection. A Wankel rotary engine has stronger flows of air-fuel mixture and a longer operating cycle than a reciprocating engine, so it realizes concomitantly thorough mixing of hydrogen and air. The result is a homogeneous mixture, which is crucial for hydrogen combustion.
8. In Mazda's RX-8 with the Renesis engine, fuel consumption is now within normal limits while passing California State emissions requirements. The exhaust ports, which in earlier Mazda rotaries were located in the rotor housings, were moved to the sides of the combustion chamber. This approach allowed Mazda to eliminate overlap between intake and exhaust port openings, while simultaneously increasing exhaust port area. The Renesis engine even meets California's Low Emissions Vehicle or LEV standards.
9. These and other innovative technologies allow the Renesis to achieve 49% higher output and dramatically reduced fuel consumption and emissions (the RX-8 meets LEV-II). It won International Engine of the Year and Best New Engine awards 2003 and also holds the "2.5 to 3 litre" size award for 2003 and 2004, where it is considered a 2.60 L engine. Finally, it was on the Ward's 10 Best Engines list for 2004 and 2005.
10. The Renesis has also been adapted for a dual-fuel use, allowing it to run either on gasoline or hydrogen.
01-29-09, 06:07 PM
#39
Like all cars, finding a well maintained, clean, FD with good compression, and little to no mods will yield a very reliable car.
Education is key with a purchase of an FD! Read read read, talk, chat and pick the brains of rotary guys, and you will find, that in the end, the biggest problems with rotaries are their owners!
01-29-09, 11:59 PM
#41
Lexus Fanatic
my early 1 st generation G35 was plagued with its " teething " problems since it was such an early 1st generation car and I made excuses for the car because I loved it so much. I think the RX7 guys are kind of guilty of the same thing. To each his own, but I wont be spending my cash on one any time soon
01-30-09, 01:43 AM
#42
my early 1 st generation G35 was plagued with its " teething " problems since it was such an early 1st generation car and I made excuses for the car because I loved it so much. I think the RX7 guys are kind of guilty of the same thing. To each his own, but I wont be spending my cash on one any time soon
01-30-09, 06:30 AM
#43
Lexus Fanatic
It's a drivers car, you have to understand your vehicle, and be in tune with it every time you drive. Above all else, it's a performance car, not a Lexus!
Uneducated assumptions of ignorance and speculation "I heard... I think... I know... I've seen... My buddy said... I saw it once!" drive this thread. Shame on you guys!
Maybe not all, but most of what CL members said here is factual.
The rotary engine is a beast, with performance above that of the typical piston engine due to less moving parts. The 13B-REW was the first-ever mass-produced sequential twin-turbocharger system to export from Japan, boosting power to 276hp in its last production year. Yes, that's right more HP per litre than the S2000, eat it up Honda!
Handling in the FD was regarded as world-class, and it is still regarded as being one of the finest handling and best balanced cars of all time. The continued use of the front-midship engine and drivetrain layout, combined with an 50:50 front-rear weight distribution ratio and low center of gravity made the FD a very competent car at the limits.
Wankel engines have several major advantages over reciprocating piston designs, in addition to having higher output for similar displacement and physical size.
1. The rotary engine uses oil as part of its combustion cycle, not how 99% of all previous posters say "it burns oil, it's bad". That statement is false, and uneducated.
2. Wankel engines have several major advantages over reciprocating piston designs, in addition to having higher output for similar displacement and physical size.
3. Wankel engines are considerably simpler and contain far fewer moving parts. For instance, because valving is accomplished by simple ports cut into the walls of the rotor housing, they have no valves or complex valve trains; in addition, since the rotor is geared directly to the output shaft, there is no need for connecting rods, a conventional crankshaft, crankshaft balance weights, etc. The elimination of these parts not only makes a Wankel engine much lighter (typically half that of a conventional engine of equivalent power), but it also completely eliminates the reciprocating mass of a piston engine with its internal strain and inherent vibration due to repeated acceleration and deceleration, producing not only a smoother flow of power but also the ability to produce more power by running at higher rpm.
*takes breath*
Because of the quasi-overlap of the power strokes that cause the smoothness of the engine, and the avoidance of the 4-stroke cycle in a reciprocating engine, the wankel engine is very quick to react to throttle changes and is able to deliver a near-instantaneous surge of power when the demand arises, especially at higher rpms counts. This is more true when compared to 4 cylinder reciprocating engines and less true when compared to higher cylinder counts.
4. In addition to the enhanced reliability by virtue of the complete removal of this reciprocating stress on internal parts, the engine is constructed with an iron rotor within a housing made of aluminium, which has greater thermal expansion. This ensures that even a severely overheated Wankel engine cannot seize, as would likely occur in an overheated piston engine. This is a substantial safety benefit in aircraft use since no valves can burn out.
5. A further advantage of the Wankel engine for use in aircraft is the fact that a Wankel engine can have a smaller frontal area than a piston engine of equivalent power. The simplicity of design and smaller size of the Wankel engine also allows for savings in construction costs, compared to piston engines of comparable power output.
6. Of perhaps the most importance is that Wankel engines are almost immune to catastrophic failure. A Wankel that loses compression, cooling or oil pressure will lose a large amount of power, and will die over a short period of time; however, it will usually continue to produce some power during that time. Piston engines under the same circumstances are prone to seizing or breaking parts that almost certainly results in complete internal destruction of the engine and instant loss of power.
7. Due to a 50% longer stroke duration compared to a four stroke engine, there is more time to complete the combustion. This leads to greater suitability for direct injection. A Wankel rotary engine has stronger flows of air-fuel mixture and a longer operating cycle than a reciprocating engine, so it realizes concomitantly thorough mixing of hydrogen and air. The result is a homogeneous mixture, which is crucial for hydrogen combustion.
8. In Mazda's RX-8 with the Renesis engine, fuel consumption is now within normal limits while passing California State emissions requirements. The exhaust ports, which in earlier Mazda rotaries were located in the rotor housings, were moved to the sides of the combustion chamber. This approach allowed Mazda to eliminate overlap between intake and exhaust port openings, while simultaneously increasing exhaust port area. The Renesis engine even meets California's Low Emissions Vehicle or LEV standards.
9. These and other innovative technologies allow the Renesis to achieve 49% higher output and dramatically reduced fuel consumption and emissions (the RX-8 meets LEV-II). It won International Engine of the Year and Best New Engine awards 2003 and also holds the "2.5 to 3 litre" size award for 2003 and 2004, where it is considered a 2.60 L engine. Finally, it was on the Ward's 10 Best Engines list for 2004 and 2005.
10. The Renesis has also been adapted for a dual-fuel use, allowing it to run either on gasoline or hydrogen.
3. Wankel engines are considerably simpler and contain far fewer moving parts. For instance, because valving is accomplished by simple ports cut into the walls of the rotor housing, they have no valves or complex valve trains; in addition, since the rotor is geared directly to the output shaft, there is no need for connecting rods, a conventional crankshaft, crankshaft balance weights, etc. The elimination of these parts not only makes a Wankel engine much lighter (typically half that of a conventional engine of equivalent power), but it also completely eliminates the reciprocating mass of a piston engine with its internal strain and inherent vibration due to repeated acceleration and deceleration, producing not only a smoother flow of power but also the ability to produce more power by running at higher rpm.
*takes breath*
Because of the quasi-overlap of the power strokes that cause the smoothness of the engine, and the avoidance of the 4-stroke cycle in a reciprocating engine, the wankel engine is very quick to react to throttle changes and is able to deliver a near-instantaneous surge of power when the demand arises, especially at higher rpms counts. This is more true when compared to 4 cylinder reciprocating engines and less true when compared to higher cylinder counts.
4. In addition to the enhanced reliability by virtue of the complete removal of this reciprocating stress on internal parts, the engine is constructed with an iron rotor within a housing made of aluminium, which has greater thermal expansion. This ensures that even a severely overheated Wankel engine cannot seize, as would likely occur in an overheated piston engine. This is a substantial safety benefit in aircraft use since no valves can burn out.
5. A further advantage of the Wankel engine for use in aircraft is the fact that a Wankel engine can have a smaller frontal area than a piston engine of equivalent power. The simplicity of design and smaller size of the Wankel engine also allows for savings in construction costs, compared to piston engines of comparable power output.
6. Of perhaps the most importance is that Wankel engines are almost immune to catastrophic failure. A Wankel that loses compression, cooling or oil pressure will lose a large amount of power, and will die over a short period of time; however, it will usually continue to produce some power during that time. Piston engines under the same circumstances are prone to seizing or breaking parts that almost certainly results in complete internal destruction of the engine and instant loss of power.
7. Due to a 50% longer stroke duration compared to a four stroke engine, there is more time to complete the combustion. This leads to greater suitability for direct injection. A Wankel rotary engine has stronger flows of air-fuel mixture and a longer operating cycle than a reciprocating engine, so it realizes concomitantly thorough mixing of hydrogen and air. The result is a homogeneous mixture, which is crucial for hydrogen combustion.
8. In Mazda's RX-8 with the Renesis engine, fuel consumption is now within normal limits while passing California State emissions requirements. The exhaust ports, which in earlier Mazda rotaries were located in the rotor housings, were moved to the sides of the combustion chamber. This approach allowed Mazda to eliminate overlap between intake and exhaust port openings, while simultaneously increasing exhaust port area. The Renesis engine even meets California's Low Emissions Vehicle or LEV standards.
9. These and other innovative technologies allow the Renesis to achieve 49% higher output and dramatically reduced fuel consumption and emissions (the RX-8 meets LEV-II). It won International Engine of the Year and Best New Engine awards 2003 and also holds the "2.5 to 3 litre" size award for 2003 and 2004, where it is considered a 2.60 L engine. Finally, it was on the Ward's 10 Best Engines list for 2004 and 2005.
10. The Renesis has also been adapted for a dual-fuel use, allowing it to run either on gasoline or hydrogen.
01-30-09, 08:59 AM
#44
Pole Position
Head on over to www.rx7club.com to get some 411. 
There's definitely a lot of misinformation in this thread.
There's definitely a lot of misinformation in this thread.
01-30-09, 10:56 AM
#45
WOW....what a trick question.....it all depends on what is under the hood...if it has a wierd little thing near the fire wall..then it is not reliable but on the other hand...if it has a LS series motor then you will be marginally reliable....ultimately..if it has the 2JZ....it is very reliable!! LOL