Rixxy, Il est Mort...

[Prof]

Well - It\'s a sad day today - finally confirmed that Rixxy has lost compression on all the rear rotor faces, and is cranking slowly - so I suspect a spun bearing.  Did all the usual checks  - oil level, coolant, plugs-  which were a little dirty but not damp with fuel and a nice brown colour - so combustion has been good till the end.  His official time of death was 5.00pm on Wednesday 21st December
 
It\'s customary in these circumstances to say a few last words - well all I can say is it\'s been a fun few years with my first rotary motor - I got well and truly bitten by the rotary bug - thank you Mr Wankel for designing such a weird and wonderful engine.  Thank you Mazda for taking that engine on to greater things.
 
Rixxy has covered 185,000 miles - and quite a few bits of him will live on in Project Phoenix (well you didn\'t think I was going to throw in the towel guys - surely...).  He was a 1989 Convertible - so one of the first batch to come over to the UK as a UK registered car - so he was one of only 360 cars.
 
It was an enjoyment to drive this car, he had a chequered life early on, and was mechanically neglected in his early life, and his paintwork was bashed and bruised - I never did get chance to paint him - but he did polish up pretty well.  I sorted all the mechanical niggles - brakes, suspension, engine (several times), fuelling, electrical systems (several times), lights (several times) and it became a fun car to drive.  He covered at least 200 miles a week every week and since October 2002 when I bought him he has been off the road a total of 7 months - not too shabby for a 22+ year old car.
 
I always new this year would be his last, as the tin work has been really unkind to the lower body work.  He was also increasingly plagued by eletrical niggles in the front loom (lights), and the instrument cluster.
 
So there will be some parts up for grabs - I really don\'t know how much wil be available, but I will put up a provisional list elsewhere.
 
I will end by saying thankyou to an old friend :cheers

[TiddlesRX7]

Here\'s to you Rixxy. It\'s a sad sad day.


Ade

[clive]

Argggggggggggg, and it was doing so well

[ali303]

Always hate seeing threads like these Not looking forward to when I\'ll (inevitably) have to write one for mine!

I\'ll more than likely take a few bits off your hands if and when you get round to it

[B.Martin]

Such a shame, but he\'s had a good life! I\'m looking forward to see Phoenix

[grinder]

she she have a good life , and you even took her down the stip a few times

i suppose you have to remember that parts of her will live on in the phoenix

And its an interesting point about the 89 year cars being only one of 360 .. i didnt realise that , im sure the white one i have is a 89 ? ( G plate i think )

[TiddlesRX7]

It also means there is a gearbox, pedal box, reverse switch, Clutch master and slave cylinder etc etc knocking about Go on Stu make him an offer!

[Prof]

It also means there is a gearbox, pedal box, reverse switch, Clutch master and slave cylinder etc etc knocking about Go on Stu make him an offer!

Except that that lot is needed for the new \'un

[Casey]

Sad to hear this news, but pleased some parts will live on to keep other FC\'s on the road

[Brett]

It\'s a sad day... still Rixxy has covered moar miles than the Lexus has so far - which is a hell of an achievement!

[a.tapos]

R.I.P may she help others live on.

[Prof]

Well the stripped out shell went off to the scrap man last Thursday -G 796 OOD is officialy gone.
 
I finally got round to tearing the engine down on the weekend.
 
Damage:
 
Engine side torrington bearing split into 2 halves
spacer badly marked and scored
thrust plate marked and scored
Front stationary rotor bearing - badly scored and rotated past the oil hole
Rear face of the front rotor worn badly on outer corners
Side seals \'welded\' into rotor housing
Rubber inserts on the corner seals ALL missing on that face (I am guessing the friction heat melted them and they were consumed in the dying breaths of the engine), probably the cause of near total loss of compression on the front rotor.
Rear outer oil control ring worn badly
E shaft badly scored and worn on the front stationary bearing
 
Amazingly, all Apex seals (Rotary Aviation) survived intact and actaully don\'t look too bad, although I will use new ones in the rebuild.
 
Initial inspection of the housings - they don\'t look to bad.
 
The front face of the middle iron and the front iron will need to be lapped probably.
 
Factory Coolant / Ring Square seals all survived intact - no coolant breakthrough - so pleased that they stood up to the test.
 
I\'ll post piccies later.

[mpk490p]

RIP you must have known that car inside out.....twice

Will you and your good lady be at RS Dave?

[Prof]

RIP you must have known that car inside out.....twice
 
Will you and your good lady be at RS Dave?

Yep we are coming - just not in anything rotary ;-)

[mpk490p]

Cool be good to see you both