New to the game; Question!

[DubSeth]

I am trading my trusty mk2 jetta for an 86 gxl n/a. I know very little about the rebuilding of rotary engines. The engine in the car im getting is high mileage and although it runs well, i am aware it will need rebuilding. I would like to stay n/a and achieve 200-250hp. I was looking at porting and there are many choices! This car will be road legal but not my daily (I have a Civic for that) So i dont mind an idle with lope. I noticed Bridgeporting seems to be a popular choice? I'm just curious how the fuel consumption is and the power that could be achieved with that porting along with intake and exhaust mods. If it turns out to be cheaper to just do a TII engine swap for that power range i'll give in, i've just always been a fan of all motor :D Thanks for any help i can get!!

[Sonik11]

ive been doing tons of research on this topic as well...im in the same boat as you, getting an 86 gxl n/a, already have a daily (mines an 02 subie) and looking to make some decent power. check the FAQ posting about porting that one of the mods put up when i asked about this, really helpful stuff with power ranges and gas consumption pros and cons, good pics as well. hope that helps and welcome to rx7forums

[BoostedFC]

Welcome to the forum Dub. As Sonik11 has said check the FAQ section here to get a decent idea of results of porting, that should be a good enough start to help you decide on a way to go.

[DubSeth]

Thanks! but anyone can read something, it isnt always the same in real life :D I was more interested to hear stories about if people regretted anything about any porting or something. Or maybe the cheapest and easiest way to 200hp...I will be rebuilding the 13b soon and if it isnt a long process i would love to go somewhere and maybe get someone to show me wat to do so i dont mess up my new project car! haha, thanks again for all the help!

[BoostedFC]

If you are doing it yourself get a workshop manual & one of the rebuild DVD's. A few companies like Pineapple Racing & Atkins I believe sell porting templates. Reading is a very good way to learn as you are now reading the post we write. LOL No really though I have driven / owned street ported & bridge ported rotary power vehicles. An uncorked bridge port was a little too loud for my taste in a street car. Some might disagree, but that's just my opinion. 200+ hp isn't hard to obtain in NA form. Bridge port, full exhaust, emissions delete, fuel ect. is one way to get there.

[DubSeth]

If you are doing it yourself get a workshop manual & one of the rebuild DVD's. A few companies like Pineapple Racing & Atkins I believe sell porting templates. Reading is a very good way to learn as you are now reading the post we write. LOL No really though I have driven / owned street ported & bridge ported rotary power vehicles. An uncorked bridge port was a little too loud for my taste in a street car. Some might disagree, but that's just my opinion. 200+ hp isn't hard to obtain in NA form. Bridge port, full exhaust, emissions delete, fuel ect. is one way to get there.

I was actually gunna ask how close i can get with a bridge port, test pipe, CAI, and bigger injectors maybe; and can it spit flames at that point? :D

[BoostedFC]

Why flames, do you want to see flames?

[DubSeth]

I picked up that 86 rx7. It didnt start for 2 hours cuz it was flooded. He has a fuel pump killswitch so we would turn off the pump(to get the gas out of the engine he said) while cranking then flick it on...after a while it started. All was good till i got halfway home when it overheated hardcore and the overflow tank was bubling and shooting water and the cap on the top left of the engine was shooting water...I had been running it at low rpms before that but someone told me: "It's a rotary! u gotta keeps the rpms high to keep it cool!"....idk if thats true but i didnt try it yet...I had already planned on getting an all new cooling system so its ok if i buy stuff. It was flooded bad so i think maybe some new spark plugs are in order because i couldnt pull the egi comp fuse(i think its called)....Any one have any help please?

[BoostedFC]

It amazes me how many people are buying RX7's that have overheating issues. Why is nobody taking these cars for a test drive? Before buying any vehicle especially an older one, you need to look the car over & take it for a decent test drive. Not just around the block, drive it a few miles to see how things act when it's warm. I always let the car run for a little while after the drive while I talk to the owner, then recheck things. Since you already have the car I guess those steps are no longer an option. Check the condition of your plugs & replace if needed. The overheating issue start with the basics, replace the thermostat, flush the system, check for leaks, check your oil for traces of coolant before going all out trying to replace other parts. BTW good luck with the car & let us know how things work out.