RX7 engine query

[sadgoth]

Just wanna say you guys are amazingly helpful an well to be honest I\'m shocked as you owners all have good things to say about these rotary engines which I was hoping for as i do want to experience true rotary power. As for keeping my mr2 thats just not gonna happen I\'m fed up or the completly off weight distribution if you take them to 300bhp they cant be moved around a bend!!!!!!!! As for insurance it actually works out cheaper than my grp20 mr2 turbo. Im not gonna ask if the engine is easy to work on as all engines have difficult points but i would like to know accessability of the bay.

basic maintenance on a 13b is straightforward, oil and filter changes can be done easily, plugs are a pain because of the rats nest on top of the block, but you can get to them from below easily, like all Japanese cars there isn\'t a lot of space in the bay so be prepared for scraped knuckles, but all in all it is relatively easy to work on the engine yourself.

I love the S2000 and the F20 is a great engine (in the S2000), however it is REALLY difficult (read that as expensive) to get loads more power out of it and at 240bhp, it is already down on the 13bREW so you are starting at a power disadvantage and you\'ll be spending loads to get it up to say 300bhp, which the FD can acheive with a decat and full exhaust, air filter and a ECU change (say £1k)

If you like the F20, buy the car it belongs in, if you like the FD stick with the 13bREW it is a great engine and nowhere near as unreliable as people make out, it just needs to be PROPERLY maintained, as would the F20!

[elford_tim]

Just wanna say you guys are amazingly helpful an well to be honest I\'m shocked as you owners all have good things to say about these rotary engines which I was hoping for as i do want to experience true rotary power. As for keeping my mr2 thats just not gonna happen I\'m fed up or the completly off weight distribution if you take them to 300bhp they cant be moved around a bend!!!!!!!!

Hmm. No offense, like, but given that the MR2 is mid-engined and as such has pretty much perfect weight distribution, this statement worries me a little. Especially as an RX-7 has fairly similar weight distribution - I haven\'t got the figures here but I\'m pretty sure that it\'s around 50:50 as well...

As for insurance it actually works out cheaper than my grp20 mr2 turbo. Im not gonna ask if the engine is easy to work on as all engines have difficult points but i would like to know accessability of the bay.

Good call regarding the insurance, but make sure that they\'ll cover even mild mods. I think we\'re all a bit surprised that an RX-7 works out cheaper to insure...

[20B_boy]

Hmm. No offense, like, but given that the MR2 is mid-engined and as such has pretty much perfect weight distribution, this statement worries me a little. Especially as an RX-7 has fairly similar weight distribution - I haven\'t got the figures here but I\'m pretty sure that it\'s around 50:50 as well...

Ever driven an MR2 turbo? I think generally mid-engined cars are a lot more scarey and harder to drive (well) than FR cars.

[elford_tim]

Ever driven an MR2 turbo? I think generally mid-engined cars are a lot more scarey and harder to drive (well) than FR cars.

Yes, but only a standard one. And I\'ve driven - and spun - most of the other non-exotic mid-engined cars with the exception of the Honda NSX. OK, that mainly leaves the various Fiat/Lancia mid-engined cars and MR2s... And yes, I know that most of them are a bit hair-trigger when it comes to overcooking things. You could say I found out the hard way, on a public road, back when I was young and stupid. Today I\'m just not young anymore.

My point was more that while an RX-7 may be a little easier to drive fast, it\'s weight distribution is still fairly close to the one on an MR2. That said, I was surprised that the MR2 is supposed to be 46/54 - I had expected it to be closer to the FD\'s 50/50.

[prince_of_tokyo]

whats the weight difference between a FD and an s2000? as i know the vtec engine does not develope alot of torque...not a huge fan of vtec\'s, i have to say...

[orange_rex]

Its about 1300kg for a s2000, they dont have much torque. Thet are both great cars and i wouldnt say that my s2000 was that much slower than my type r rex but they both give you a great thrill just in a slightly different way.
There is a e36 bmw with an F20 in it on you tube and personally i think its mint i guess its just a matter of what you like, either way it would certainly be different and get lots of attention.

[RemarkLima]

My point was more that while an RX-7 may be a little easier to drive fast, it\'s weight distribution is still fairly close to the one on an MR2. That said, I was surprised that the MR2 is supposed to be 46/54 - I had expected it to be closer to the FD\'s 50/50.

Are you sure about the MR2 being 46 / 54??? I\'d say it\'s more like 60 - 65 / 40 - 35 IMHO, certainly feel like it! And the Gen1 MkII\'s are a complete death trap due to the rear suspension design, them maccy struts are pants

Like 20B, true mid engined stuff is much nastier on the oversteer than 50 / 50 (like RX7\'s, 99% of BMW\'s, cateringvans and 7\'s) and will give you some vicious snap oversteer which you don\'t get as badly in these.

All IME ya know! The chassis one the RX is just so peachy! Up there with the Lotus\' IMHO, just a bit (a lot!) heavier

[antnicuk]

i am all for engine swaps but not for something with less power and harder to get more power out of.   If you are handy enough to do an engine conversion with any other engine, then you will have no problem building and modifying the rotary which would easily see 350 - 400 bhp and reliable if done properly.  once you strip it and get rid of all the complicated stuff, its easy to work on.

[tinker-27]

my fd with a 7.0l v8 is still 50/50 with 25 litres of fuel,so it can be done without screwing up the handeling, how about a s2000 motor with a blower ?

[elford_tim]

Are you sure about the MR2 being 46 / 54??? I\'d say it\'s more like 60 - 65 / 40 - 35 IMHO, certainly feel like it! And the Gen1 MkII\'s are a complete death trap due to the rear suspension design, them maccy struts are pants

Well, the info regarding the weight distribution was found on the Internet, so it must be true . Actually 60/40 wouldn\'t be too bad unless you\'re driving in snow and have to go look for some traction . It\'s usually the rear end being slightly heavier that tends to catch people out and has you exiting the road arse first.

Like 20B, true mid engined stuff is much nastier on the oversteer than 50 / 50 (like RX7\'s, 99% of BMW\'s, cateringvans and 7\'s) and will give you some vicious snap oversteer which you don\'t get as badly in these.

Don\'t I know that, that\'s what I meant with their hair-trigger behaviour.

All IME ya know! The chassis one the RX is just so peachy! Up there with the Lotus\' IMHO, just a bit (a lot!) heavier

Oh, I agree that the FD chassis is a good \'un...

[RemarkLima]

Maybe I\'m thinking of the Lotus I had which was more like 36% front, 64% rear, surprisingly rear biased! The MR2\'s biggest failing IMHO was the MacPherson struts, if they\'d put double wishbones on it it\'d have been a very sweet bit of kit!

Still, one thing that\'s always puzzled me, why are MR2 doors so light and FD doors and made of depleted uranium???

[jag60dog]

for those of you who havent driven an mr2 turbo they are potentially very dangerous cars especially the revision1 mk2. its not so much the power that make it dangerous its the weight distribution especially when making sharp direct corners due to being mid-engined you do need to lift the wieght when cornering and if it does start to swing fast correction is a must as these cars are known for there snap back. I had mine for over a year an have only spun out once!!! but when my best mate bought his the 2nd week he was driving around an roundabout in the damn at NO more than 20mph I swear to you all he swung the car out then it snaped to the opposite direction an up the curb.....lucky for him no major damage I repaired it for him an he vows to never own one again. the n/a it great but add boost an they become a handfull with is why im looking into a FR spec car nowadays it makes sense lol

[RemarkLima]

Yep, 100% agree, the Rev1\'s are a death trap! The rev2\'s are much better mind, but still not the best

The Mk1\'s are just a better handling car all round IMHO.

But I\'d say the RX7 is still midship, the engine is quite a way behind the front axle, so it\'s the best of both worlds!

[jag60dog]

remarklima your totally correct the mark1 are better handlers along with the mark3 it may have girly looks but trust me the thing is a beast at cornering like being on rails but a tad under powered.

[jag60dog]

one other question I\'ve been looking around at tuning these rotary engine an a few times I have come across people owning 4rotor or 3rotor an I cant seem to understand exactly what they are meaning an any1 help?