Mazda Rotary Club

General => General Technical => Topic started by: dan_miles86 on February 09, 2009, 11:08:14 PM

Title: Buying
Post by: dan_miles86 on February 09, 2009, 11:08:14 PM
Hi im new to this site and Mazda, always had Hondas until now. Need a change but dont want to lose the RPM\'s!
 
I have search and read and read and read before you say anything but the more i read the more I confuse myself...
 
As with most buyers im worried about the engine and with little rotary knowledge Im a bit stuck.
 
I have had a good test drive and cant find any driving faults at all, starts fine when cold and warm, idles perfect etc.
 
BUT rotor tips still hang over my head! The seller says tips have been done 15k ago (but strangly has no paperwork) and keeps saying that the oil pressure is good so must prove good compression. Can someone comfirm or deny this (guessing deny!)
 
Would you buy a rotor without doing a compression test?
 
Thanks in advance for your advice/links to old posts i might of missed!
 
Dan
Title: Buying
Post by: peterwolds on February 09, 2009, 11:39:21 PM
welcome - no paperwork no buy without compression test.is the seller a member on here ? if so read his postings
Title: Buying
Post by: L18M on February 09, 2009, 11:53:35 PM
just a word of warning, compression test wont show if the water seal may start to crack.
also check for smoke out the exhaust.
ask if its been flooded lots or easy flooded / stood for long time
might help you get a picture of how its been treated.
i\'m assuming its an fd which on ave they need rebuild around 70k miles
(feel free to correct me if im wrong! im an fc guy lol)
good luck :)
Title: Buying
Post by: neil_jdmr on February 10, 2009, 12:28:14 AM
I was in the exact same boat mate 18months ago, I came from a jdm itr and eg6 vti before that to rotary and have honestly never looked back.
Before i made the leap into my dream fd i read all of the buying guides on as many rotary forums i could find to give an idea of what things to look for. I decided from the start that i was only going to buy a fresh rebuild from a known rotary tuner with warranty if possible to minimise the chance of any problems.
In the end i payed probably a little over the going rate but for really well cared for car with a fresh jimmy\'s rebuild and 10month warranty remaining.
 
It has been worth every extra penny paid as andy at jimmy\'s was always very helpful and answered all of my newbie questions and happily transferred the warranty to me, not that i needed it as the car has been as reliable as any of my hondas to date( Tempting fate :Hammer)
 
There a good number of rotary owners on here that have progressed from honda ownership.
 
Back to your question: I would not buy a fd without a rebuild and the papers to prove, If no paperwork then a compression check is a must.
Title: Buying
Post by: ro284 on February 10, 2009, 10:45:02 AM
Quoteand keeps saying that the oil pressure is good so must prove good compression.
As i understand it good oil pressure does not relate to good engine compession in any way! if i were in your position i would insist on a compression test, even go as far as paying for it myself and watch it being done!
Good luck
Bob
Title: Buying
Post by: Kieron on February 10, 2009, 10:53:28 AM
I\'d keep the honda for a back up car. I got a UK DC2 R and even when the RX7 was working I walked past it and got into the DC2 every morning. I just know that I\'ll make it to work and back :Giggle
Title: Buying
Post by: dan_miles86 on February 10, 2009, 09:13:06 PM
Thanks for all your input guys, the one I have found is from a small indy garage. They say they can get the paperwork from the previous owner.
 
Shall have to wait and see!
 
I have just moved and now lucky enough to be able to walk to work so the car is jsut for fun really. Hence considering moving away from the Honda as its now finally an option.
 
It\'s always good to see a helpful response on a forum like this, can make a huge difference in the future if im stuck on something. It\'s also something Honda forums are very good for. Looked at buying an MR2 a while back and didnt get the same level of help on those forums shall we say!
Title: Buying
Post by: G@NDY on February 10, 2009, 09:29:09 PM
Hi Dan,

compression tests arent as people say the holy grail so to speak. My last car had over 7 bar on each rotor and still failed after a week.

It really depends on how much it is really. Then we can advice you accordingly.

Oil pressure isnt something to go on matey, the main thing is if its starts without problems hot or cold and the faster the better ;)

But if the car is any more than £4000 then I would strongly recommend a comp test.

If you are the Lincoln side of nottingham then I would be prepared to have a look round one with you.

regards Andy.
Title: Buying
Post by: dan_miles86 on February 10, 2009, 09:35:20 PM
Im in Newark but unfortunatly the car is just over 2 hours away in the other direction.
 
Its up for £4k, and really nice if its had the work done on it he says its had done on it. Just need the proof!
 
Im tempted to have a go compression tesing it myself but I wouldnt be confident in the answer. Maybe best I ring a few local garages and pay one to do it for me.
 
It did start very quickly both hot and cold. They let me have a test drive but had virtually no petrol in it so drove straight to the petrol station! lol
Title: Buying
Post by: G@NDY on February 10, 2009, 09:39:15 PM
Ive got a mate selling a yellow Type R, it has 10,000 miles on a WGT rebuild. It needs tax and MOT and a front bumper. But he only wants £2800 could do with a respray tho, could organise some pics if your interested. And its local ;)
Title: Buying
Post by: G@NDY on February 10, 2009, 09:41:27 PM
2 Hours!! im afraid thats the nature of these cars, few and far between and travelling is a bit of a must unfortunatly.
Where is it, could be near a tuner?
Title: Buying
Post by: dan_miles86 on February 10, 2009, 09:41:38 PM
Umm yes! lol definatly interested. Although insurance is killing me at the moment, not sure how much difference type r makes.
 
Its prob more that two hours, in north wales.
Title: Buying
Post by: G@NDY on February 10, 2009, 09:44:47 PM
Would make no difference, its only cheaper if you could find a UK one, and I think there cant be more than 50 on the road and generally go for a bit more.
Will chase up some pics for you tomorrow, I was even tempted to buy it ;)
Title: Buying
Post by: G@NDY on February 10, 2009, 09:48:30 PM
Just found this old pic, it has standard alloys on now, not those nissan ones.
(http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m272/gandy78/mycar.jpg)
Title: Buying
Post by: Timmy on February 10, 2009, 10:11:28 PM
Proof of rebuild isn\'t worth anything unless it is under warrenty still.
Although i bourght my car not knowing it had been rebuilt once it blew which was 2 weeks later it turned out it had. It failed due to over problems.
Title: Buying
Post by: Jimi_Hendrix on February 10, 2009, 10:21:59 PM
I cmae to the 7\'s from owning a string of Hondas, most recently a 1990 JDM siR CRX.
 
Sold it and bought a UK 1990 FC3S Turbo II. Bought it because it only had 59000 miles on it and it didn\'t have a spot of rust anywhere. The seller was a really helpful genuine bloke and i kind of knew what to look for and what questions to ask but i didn\'t get any comp tests done on it, i just had a feeling that it was a good car.
 
3 monts or so later and she\'s still lush. Starts fine every morning and gets me wherever i need to get to hastle free. I dont understand these guys that are "scared" to drive their 7\'s incase they break! Lol!
 
RX7 aren\'t made of bone china! They dont just explode in HUGE numbers, its just a largley unfounded myth i think!
 
Mind you! The 13bt or tt aint no B16 or B18 when it comes to being able to take huge milage hits!! Lol!
 
Plus i drive like miss Daisy\'s on board! Ha ha!
Title: Buying
Post by: dan_miles86 on February 10, 2009, 11:21:46 PM
Ive got two B16\'s, one is on 192k now! Thats an amazing amount of miles on a 16yr old piston engine that hits 8.5k rpm daily. Still works perfect and with as much power as one with half the mileage.
 
My other option to this is complete my turbo B16 build which would make it amazingly quick but wouldnt make it RWD!
Title: Buying
Post by: Jimi_Hendrix on February 11, 2009, 12:23:42 AM
Ha ha, yeah those Honda units are some of the best engines ever built. My CRX was on 110,000 miles and was still as reliabul as a wood burning stove! And being a sub 1000kg car it was BIG fun! Its just a shame they FWD cars. I tried so many times to convince myself i could build a RWD CRX! Lol! But reality has to kick in sometime.
 
Im a full on rotorhead now! Honestly man dive in! You wont turn back!
 
Untill you get the cash for an NSX!:InLove:chat
Title: Buying
Post by: dan_miles86 on February 21, 2009, 11:07:23 PM
Did you find anything out about this one? Still looking for an RX7...
 
Cheers, Dan.
 
Quote from: G@NDY;583312Just found this old pic, it has standard alloys on now, not those nissan ones.
(http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m272/gandy78/mycar.jpg)
Title: Buying
Post by: G@NDY on March 18, 2009, 09:47:11 AM
Hi Dan, this car I think is getting MOT\'ed this week. If you fancy having a gander matey.
Title: Buying
Post by: dan_miles86 on March 18, 2009, 11:36:02 AM
Thanks for letting me know but I finally bought one yesterday :)
Title: Buying
Post by: G@NDY on March 18, 2009, 11:44:05 AM
Nice work, get some pics up matey :)
Title: Buying
Post by: G@NDY on March 18, 2009, 11:45:16 AM
And now you have no excuse to register on our local jap forum
//www.clubljp.co.uk ;)
Title: Buying
Post by: Jono FD3 on March 18, 2009, 12:48:15 PM
If you do go down the route of a compression test matey, make sure it is done with the mazda digital tester & not the usual analog ones used in piston engines!! the reason for this is you have 3 chambers to read in each housing, al done through one plug hole!!!

Jono
Title: Buying
Post by: gandyRX on March 18, 2009, 04:13:59 PM
hello mate mines gonna be up for sale at the end of the week, it was compression tested by carl at hayward rotary a few months ago before mapping, he had a digital tester measuring all 3 cycles front and rear got a print out too in the paper work