1st Gen Engine swap virgin has a few questions!

[captainbizzaro]

Hi all,
 
I\'ve just done a straight engine swap in my 12A powered 1st Gen as a stop gap for the summer,(winter turbo project anyone:Laugh ?)but this is my first time so was wondering if anybody could put my mind at rest!
 
The RX had been sat for around ten months with it\'s blown motor,and after doing the usual post engine swap drills and sorting out an oil level sensor fault I had a chance to let her run for a decent amount of time. All seems fine,she fired up pretty much straight away and settled down but she did emit a fair amount of white smoke on tickover which then turned into a dense fog in our street when revs were increased. I **** her down and checked all my levels then fired her again,still smokey but after running for 45 minutes it has cleared it. She still does show signs of it when revs are higher but nowhere as bad as it was and seems to be improving all the time.
The engine was dug out by Tim so the time it had been sat is unknown-am I worrying about nothing!? I\'m hoping it\'s an acumilation of condensation (everywhere!!) and the fact the the engine has been sat on it\'s side etc etc.
 
Apart from that she runs nice and smooth-could obviously do with some fresh fuel.
 
Also what oil pressure should I be expecting on tickover and on higher revs as I can\'t remember what my last 1st gen used to show?
 
Hope you haven\'t fallen asleep by this point but I don\'t want to do any needless damage!
 
Cheers,any input would be appreciated.

[daverey]

Hi

Oil pressure on mine is about 45 on tick over and raises to 65 when driving, don\'t know how high it goesat high revs as I am to busy watching the road.
 Dave

[antnicuk]

I think you are right about the engine,  if the smoke is going away, it will likely be that its been stored on its side etc and the oil has got everywhere it shouldnt.

Oil pressure guages on 1st gens are very inaccurate but when hot, around 30 idle, max about 60

[Carl]

I would say that the the smoke is from your exhaust.
It often needs a good couple of drives to really heat up the whole exhaust to get rid of oil that is lieing in it from an previous engine failure,or it could be coolant too.
Regards
Carl

[antnicuk]

good thinking Carl.

[mpk490p]

sure it will be fine, i had plenty of smoke when i restarted mine after a couple of years she runs sweet now

Mark

[David Nock (RIP)]

Ours read about 40 psi (idle) up to about 80 psi at speed (Hot). I\'ve always been amazed at the top reading, but perhaps if the system aint that accurate we\'re all saying similar things.
Also we always get a little bit of smoke on start up but thats just for a few mins, plus I\'m running metering pump and pre mix together.

[captainbizzaro]

Hi all,cheers for the feedback-I\'m gonna fire her up again tonight and let her get hot again so I\'ll  let you know what transpires!
 
Nobody I speak to seems to trust the oil pressure gauge so I\'m hoping mine is wildly inaccurate,otherwise I\'ll just get depressed! On tick over she reads between 15-30 depending on what mood she\'s in and when revs are increased to around the 2000 mark it settles at 35-40. I might borrow a proper gauge and check it to be sure for my piece of mind because even though this engine is a stop gap I don\'t want it losing the will to live in the middle of nowhere!
 
Cheers for the feedback so far.
 
Tim

[captainbizzaro]

Just to let you know that I\'ve let her tickover for an hour the past couple of evenings and she seems to have stopped with the smoke so fingers crossed........

[mpk490p]

guess you are waiting for a mot but the best think to do is to take it for a good run, once everthing is up to temp open it up:Thumbs-up
Mark

[captainbizzaro]

Yeah I\'m itching to get her through an MOT now, she\'s just teasing me on the drive! Are they still exempt from the emissions test do you know?

[David Nock (RIP)]

Yes, fairly sure they are, if your first use was 1985 or earlier for a 1st Gen. Reason I say fairly sure is because I\'m in a strange situation. Car is 1985 but not first used until 1993. (Registered Dec 1992 by the dealer because the cat law was coming into force). Anyway every MOT up until last year was emissions exempt. Last year the tester looked in a NEW manual, which said 1993 cars had to be 3.5%? CO or less. Ours passed but not by much. So I\'m suggesting that you\'re unaffected. Anyone know more details?

[captainbizzaro]

Yes, fairly sure they are, if your first use was 1985 or earlier for a 1st Gen. Reason I say fairly sure is because I\'m in a strange situation. Car is 1985 but not first used until 1993. (Registered Dec 1992 by the dealer because the cat law was coming into force). Anyway every MOT up until last year was emissions exempt. Last year the tester looked in a NEW manual, which said 1993 cars had to be 3.5%? CO or less. Ours passed but not by much. So I\'m suggesting that you\'re unaffected. Anyone know more details?

So that must mean that unless you\'ve got private plates on her,you are in the unique position of having a J plate FB!
 
Anyway,I think you\'re right David,I remember when my first FB went to be MOT\'d and it was the first time they\'d had an RX7 in and I think the needle on the emissions machine nearly broke in half on the stopper! Any idea how they get around not doing the test now it\'s all computerised because as far as I\'m aware the test program won\'t let them continue unless the car passes each segment.
 
Update.....new battery today so she actually starts without the aid of my van! :Thumbs-up

[oldone]

They should put your car on the emmissions tester,but the results should be accedemic only.My 1st gen was tested the first time,but never after that.My Rx2 was not even hooked up to the emmision machine.They now just check for smoke on motor running,a lil on startup is no prob.Just explain to the tester that the motor runs on premix.......:cheers

[Brett]

Yep, pre 85 rotaries are visual check only :yes