Highs and Lows of the day I got my Rex!

[TwistedHumour]

The day started well!  Me and a mate left my house at about 6ish and headed up to WGT.  The drive up went well and was quite enjoyable.  

At about 9:50 we pulled into WGT and I could see Donato and his car â€" the pictures did it no justice at all!!

After the introductions, I got a guided tour around the car and could not believe how good the car was.  I felt like a child at Christmas  I was a bit embarrassed when it came to showing my car :p  Moving along, Donato took my car out for a quick test drive â€" all seemed well.  When we got back his car was about to get the compression test, so we made our way over to Burger King to settle some grumbles.

Back to WGT and the car was coming out form having the compression test â€" it was looking good!  

Now for my test drive Rather than killing myself it was decided Donato would show me what it could do, then I’d have a quick go to see if I liked the feel of the car.  From the off it was different â€" special.  When he planted his foot in 3rd I could see why you all love them so much!  The acceleration was phenomenal!!  Then it was my turn.  The car instantly felt different to anything I had driven before.  Apart from a wee stall it went well.  Got up to about 4k rpm in 3rd before I backed off.

Back to WGT for a quick chat to Pip, who confirmed that the car was as good as it looked.  Also had a chance to meet another club member agroupuk (sorry terrible with names :p), and had a chance to get some good advice.  We all agreed on the deal and shook on it!  We went to the local pub to deal with the papers, and have a quick pit stop before heading our separate ways.

We said goodbye to Donato and agroupuk and started the journey back.  We made our way onto the motor way and settled to a nice steady pace to get used to the feel of the car.  It felt good!  I’ve never had seen to many people go passed with their faces pressed against the windows! :p  Made a quick pit stop after about a 100 miles and carried on.  The drive was quite uneventful â€" keeping to a steady cruising speed with the odd boost here and there :p  All was well!!

With about 50 miles to go, coming on to an A road in 3rd, I opened her up no more than I had at any other time in the journey.  Up to just under 7k rpm, change in to 4th and there was a loud pop â€" in the rear view mirror was a big cloud of dark smoke.  Instantly the car became lumpy and the boost was all gone.  I slowed down to about 3k rpm and looked for somewhere to pull over.  I was told it pops flames when you lift off at high revs â€" but I didn’t remember hearing anything about a cloud of smoke!  No warning lights had come on, just a couple of minutes before the commander was showing water temp at 86 and air temp at 35ish â€" didn’t check the knock! .  After I found a place to stop, I opened the bonnet to let the car cool for a few minutes.

The car was rattling and shaking all over and the boost needle was fluctuating up and down.  I turned it off and called Donato.  He was very helpful â€" suggested checking if the map sensor or anything else had become disconnected.  Checked everything but no luck â€" so I gave Pip a call.  Again very helpful â€" suggested the same things as Donato but confirmed that it didn’t sound healthy.  I checked if it was safe to drive it home, and set off at low revs.

I headed back staying below 3.5k rpm.  About 25 miles to go and the heat light flickered.  Pulled straight over, lifted the bonnet and waited for it to cool!  Checked the commander and knock went as high as 95, and water temp to 94.  Turned off the car and I waited for water temp to get down in the mid 80s before setting off again.  This happened once again on the way home.  Both times, the car started up first time.

When I finally got home I parked it in the garage and left the bonnet up over night to let it cool.  Went down the next day and spent about an hour checking everything was connected â€" things seemed ok.  I started it up first time â€" black smoke out of the exhaust, boost needle fluctuating and car rattling like a lawn mower  So, I turned it off and decided that I defiantly have a problem!!

I guess it could be something along the lines of a boost pipe â€" but after a bit of reading more likely a rotor tip  Well… I knew what I was doing when I decided to buy the car â€" and I know the car was in perfect working order when I picked it up.  I guess its just one of those things.  I’m going to get a friend of a friend (ex Mazda technician) to come and have a quick look in case it’s anything simple.  

I guess I can take this two ways â€" really badly and whinge about it.  Or see the positive side â€" I was still undecided if I was going to be driving it regularly now or waiting till I was 21.  Now the decision is made for me :p  The insurance alone was going to cost more than a rebuild â€" so I’m not going to be out of pocket so much, just out of car.  

It would be nice if I didn’t need a rebuild, but I’m not keeping my hopes up.

I just want to say a big thank you to Donato for being so helpful (and I’m sorry I killed it )  Thanks to Pip for the testing and advice, and cheers to agroupuk for more advice!  It was certainly an interesting day â€" the biggest high and the lowest low.

One other thing â€" I don’t regret my decision for one minute!

P.S - Sorry for the long post

[Devil\'s Refugee]

Crikey. Really gutted for you mate, but it\'s good you\'re still focusing on the positive side of things. Cars can let go at any time, probably more so in a Rex given it\'s complicated engine setup. Considering the previous owner and also WGT\'s involvement, this is really down to bad luck.

I\'m hoping to pick mine up this coming weekend for the first time from Newera. It\'s been in the shop for some additional goodies so have had to wait 2 months !
After reading your post about your \'virgin\' experience with a Rex, I\'m positively salivating now since I\'ve never driven one either.

[Adriansturgess]

That\'s really bad luck...Just to get the taste of the car and then have it taken away like that...Still you will get it sorted and it sounds like a great car.

[MillSpeed]

Sh*t mate, that\'s bad luck. I admire the fact that you can be so philosophical about it. Glad to hear there\'s another FD in South Wales tho, if you need any help with anything gimme a shout....I\'m only down the road in Port Toilet.

[oldone]

TwistedHumour....you are a top man,you show signs of maturity beyond your years..:cheers :King .There are not many people around to have your outlook on what happend to the car.Unfortunately these things happen...:Hammer ..keep your chin up and a solution will come your way :chat

Regards
Era

[mikeyh]

here`s hoping its ot terminal m8
keep us informed of updates
cheers

[TwistedHumour]

Thanks for the support everyone - it is much appreciated!!

Millspeed - thanks.  I might take you up on that offer if it’s ok.  Beer tokens will be provided!

Cheers

[MillSpeed]

No worries mate, love messin with 7\'s. Gimme a shout on 07850 622028 whenever.

[ds2000]

Sorry to hear about this chap.  Its a real shame as both you and Don acted in the best possible way; having a compression test and it being all clear should have meant some trouble free motoring

Good luck with it, I hope its nothing too bad.  I\'d start with checking the sparkplugs and ignition, if the car is only firing on one rotor it may just be that somethings popped off.  Fingers crossed its not a rebuild job!

[rmagictastic]

gutted matey, im sorry to say that rough idle + smoke + fluctuating boost is signs of a tip seal going.

Well done for keeping yopur chin up though!!!
Rmaj

[Kash_]

sorry to hear about your car mate ... what were the compression results and the mileage on the engine?

[TwistedHumour]

sorry to hear about your car mate ... what were the compression results and the mileage on the engine?

All + mid 6\'s - very consistent too.  Pip said the engine was in perfect working order - and that if I maintained it as well as Donato, it should have plenty of life in it.  Cant remember the mileage since rebuild off the top of my head - but again, this was done at wgt.

[DC-TYPER]

Good Attitude To Have, Sorry To Hear It Though, Good Luck With The Build

[gsb876]

Oh no cant believe your luck there mate,

I know Donato and his car very well, a very brill car and very well looked after i guess you were just unlucky that this has happened, does sound like you might have thrown a tip if the power fc had gone into limp mode for whatever reason the following day when everythnig was back to normal it would have started and idle\'d perfectly.

I take my rx up to 7000rpm almost weekly to give it a blast and has always been fine, just luck of the draw, must say your attitude is brilliant mate as some people would be very upset,

hope all works out for the best,

Gurj :wave

[shafster]

damn dude. that is seriously unlucky. i would be majorly depressed if that happened to me. chin up and hope you get it sorted soon