4G powered FC Rx-7

dees75z · Post by **dees75z** » Tue May 18, 2010 2:19 am

Finally got to take a few pics of my parts to date. Thanks to bill I should be able to get started very soon on one of the swaps I have wanted to do for years now.

http://s190.photobucket.com/albums/z283 ... CN0976.jpg

http://s190.photobucket.com/albums/z283 ... CN0978.jpg

http://s190.photobucket.com/albums/z283 ... CN0977.jpg

Wastegate and tranny(th400) are in storage at the moment but I plan to get them this week. I can't wait to get started on this thing!!!!

Mad Menace · Post by **Mad Menace** » Mon May 24, 2010 6:50 pm

whats wrong with the rotary power plant in the rx?

jeffball610 · Post by **jeffball610** » Mon May 24, 2010 9:33 pm

No torque. Pig rich. Fragile.

But they're a blast when they work right.

I'm sure someone will chine in here, but the 4G63 is far more reliable than a rotory.

Mad Menace · Post by **Mad Menace** » Mon May 24, 2010 9:49 pm

Probably has blown apex seals.... but yeah, slap a turbo on an rx and put the pedal to the floor.... their fun

I am however convinced in the durability of the 4g family in general... ive pounded on a 4g64 N/A stocker for 10 years and finally dropped in the turbo'd/DOHC converted version... much funner to drive... if id get it tuned properly now would be the biggest part

dees75z · Post by **dees75z** » Mon May 24, 2010 11:30 pm

The car was a shell when I traded my 92' awd for it so the powerplant wasn't in it when I traded. Not a fan of the factory powerplants in the cars anyways.

I will try and get some more pictures up once I get another DSM out of the way, lol

Thanks for the interest.......

dee

dees75z · Post by **dees75z** » Mon May 31, 2010 4:39 pm

Got it mounted in there but need to do quite a few more things to get a few things to clear.

dees75z · Post by **dees75z** » Wed Jul 07, 2010 5:35 pm

Got a little bit of time to do a few things. Got rack mounted and started on exh manifold.

mellow65 · Post by **mellow65** » Sat Jul 17, 2010 2:16 am

ok that's just to crazy i was just about to start a thread asking if anyone had ever done a swap into a 2nd gen rx7. lol

but i can contest to the oddity that is the rotary. i have a 12a in my 1st gen race car, with 2 oil coolers and a radiator that could end global warming its still barely enough. i have priced out building a 13b, nothing crazy, nothing fancy, just something reliable, yeah we're talking about $4000. i love the cars, but i'm not a fan of the motor.

i am just starting a second 1st gen rx7 but swapping in full 2nd gen front suspension and sub frame. and i'm being sacrilegious in the rx7 world by wanting to put a piston motor in it. but i'm sorry, $4000 for something that is just so fragile, i think i'll pass.

but if you don't mind me asking you a couple questions. mainly i'm curious how the motor sit next to the sub frame? is the oil pan on top of it, or behind it? if it is behind it, how far down did you mount it? one of your pics makes it look like there is a lot of room above the valve covers.

but isn't it nice how mazda made so much room in the engine bay. i mean v8 swaps on these things are almost common now. you get all that crap that is attached to the rotary out of the engine bay and it's huge in there.

also to those that may think a rotary is light because it's small. you have to think, yeah it's the size of a beer keg, but it's full of metal. and not light fancy aluminum or anything, nope raw heavy steel. a fully decked out FI 13b is in the 400+lbs. so a lightweight 4 banger would be much needed lost weight.

dees75z · Post by **dees75z** » Mon Jul 19, 2010 3:02 am

Well man, I have modified the k member. I was trying to make it to where I could still use the factory oil pan(which fits nicely). Yes there is plenty of room in the bay and it makes it alot easier to fab stuff up. I haven't had much time to spend on it lately because of all the other work going on so its going to be a slow process but I am fine with that. Once I get the exh mani done I will post up some pics

mellow65 · Post by **mellow65** » Mon Jul 19, 2010 3:31 am

I would love to see some pics of your crossmember and the oil pan. If you get some time and a chance to snap some pics I would like to see it.

dees75z · Post by **dees75z** » Mon Jul 19, 2010 4:40 pm

I will try, it is just tact up atm. I will try and make it a little prettier then post some pics as soon as I get a chance.

mellow65 · Post by **mellow65** » Mon Jul 19, 2010 6:50 pm

can you off the top of your head remember where the pan sat? is it sitting way low or flush with the cross member?

dees75z · Post by **dees75z** » Tue Jul 20, 2010 2:32 pm

Bottom of pan is sitting about three inches below.

mellow65 · Post by **mellow65** » Tue Jul 20, 2010 2:41 pm

Ooooooo ouchy, that's a little low for what i was hoping to do with it.

with your 3 inches below hows the hood clearance?

dees75z · Post by **dees75z** » Fri Jul 23, 2010 2:53 am

mellow65 wrote:Ooooooo ouchy, that's a little low for what i was hoping to do with it.

with your 3 inches below hows the hood clearance?

I would say at least 2" from the cam gears. I really dont see how somone could get it much closer. There is just enough clearance for the cas after getting rid of the heater core pipe. Obviously I will have to make a custom thermostat housing but I havent got far enough to even think about it. I just know there is plenty of clearance to do it. It actually fits quite well. But I would say without doing some serious firewall modification you couldnt get it much closer. Coltboostin on here has done this swap before but I never got the chance to look it over real well to see how he did his rack and pinion and clearance for cas and hood. I was not going to cut into the hood for the cam gears!!

dees75z · Post by **dees75z** » Mon Aug 23, 2010 5:25 pm

Got a little further on the car. Here are a few pics.

sidewayz69 · Post by **sidewayz69** » Mon Nov 22, 2010 8:25 am

sweeeeeeeeeeeeet

real nice good work
what time r u makin?

Mad Menace · Post by **Mad Menace** » Mon Nov 22, 2010 8:30 am

he hasn't started it yet dude... theres not even a timing belt or water pump on it in the pics...

sidewayz69 · Post by **sidewayz69** » Mon Nov 22, 2010 8:41 am

lolzzz
i now seein that
lolzzz.
i got so excited when i saw those pics..
wow!!!!
cause every 1 that i no has sr,rb,jz power
no 1 has the 4g63 rwd conversion
ppl laughed at me when i was puttin in my engine
' yuh wastin time.. go sr na"
1g block
2g head
extractors
act copper clutch
17" alloys
non turbo
sirus 2000 5fwd
in a super saloon galent an i leave sidewayz...
so i will like 2 imagine how that will behave

77amc · Post by **77amc** » Mon Nov 22, 2010 11:42 pm

What?

ANywho, Is that pipe going to be an intake plenum?
I'm kinda tossing around the idea of an intake that is above the valve cover and curls down to the ports. but I'm not sure yet.

Looks good. Any other updates?

E

Mad Menace · Post by **Mad Menace** » Tue Nov 23, 2010 7:54 am

thats a cool idea, but i do think he was only using that pipe to measure the clearance of his cams and what not to his hood... he mentioned something about cuttiing the hood for stuff to clear

dees75z · Post by **dees75z** » Fri Nov 26, 2010 4:03 pm

lmao, ok let me clear a few things up. Haven't had much time to work on the car because I have been too busy working on a few customers cars.

The large pipe on the valve cover "was" going to be the main plenum for the intake manifold but I have since decided to go a different direction. The only thing i have managed to do is to gather a few more parts. i will post some pics in the next couple months once it get everything in there. Picked up an IRS 8.8 out of a thunderbird and a ford motorsport 4:30 gear. Picked up a powerglide the other day as well and am going to keep the th400 off to the side to sale or use on another project. For now nothing has really changed on the car. Also got the wiring harness for the Haltech.

BTW, hood clearance is fine. i will try to update this a little when there is some prgress to show, lol.

Thanks for the interest,
Dee

77amc · Post by **77amc** » Sat Nov 27, 2010 11:06 am

John, (89colt) did a ford 8.8 swap in his mighty max on WWW.Hotrodcoffeeshop.com if you would like more info.
Do you think that you'll have to shorten it?

E

dees75z · Post by **dees75z** » Sat Nov 27, 2010 11:19 pm

It's an IRS 8.8, so I am sure I will have to modify the cv ends but not real sure how exactly I am going to do it just yet.

dees75z · Post by **dees75z** » Sat Jan 22, 2011 3:47 pm

dees75z · Post by **dees75z** » Wed Jan 26, 2011 10:13 pm

arrowhead · Post by **arrowhead** » Thu Jan 27, 2011 8:42 am

Mad Menace wrote:whats wrong with the rotary power plant in the rx?

the rotary will self destruct if put to the same abuse of just about any other engine
they are a lot of fun to drive but very very expensive to build up.

Hey menace could you do me a big favor and look my post under project cars --total hybrids---and swap mechanical under---turbo elimination--- since you had the experience with your n/a and get back to me with any inputs you may have.

Back to the rotary reliability is one big concern and their maintenance is constant and for any quick repair you must go to almost a complete rebuild.

arrowhead

dees75z · Post by **dees75z** » Sat Feb 12, 2011 10:15 pm

turbostellar · Post by **turbostellar** » Sat Feb 12, 2011 10:34 pm

looks like its coming along pretty good

dees75z · Post by **dees75z** » Sun Feb 13, 2011 12:21 am

Thanks, I am making slow progress, but progress nonetheless.............thanks for the interest

coltboostin · Post by **coltboostin** » Mon Feb 21, 2011 12:28 pm

Car looks great! Glad to see someone else doing this swap.

As I have told him, and has been covered- modding the K-member is a much better option than making a Pan, I did both with mine, and modding the K member is a 100% better option. Also, if you want to mount it even lower, moving the rack is easy, and the make bump-steer kits if you want to get picky with rack/tie rod angles.

Keep up the good work!

dees75z · Post by **dees75z** » Mon Feb 28, 2011 4:05 pm

coltboostin wrote:Car looks great! Glad to see someone else doing this swap.

As I have told him, and has been covered- modding the K-member is a much better option than making a Pan, I did both with mine, and modding the K member is a 100% better option. Also, if you want to mount it even lower, moving the rack is easy, and the make bump-steer kits if you want to get picky with rack/tie rod angles.

Keep up the good work!

Thanks JP, I wish I could've sold my Regal in time to buy yours, but this way I can say I did it all.

What are you working on now???

coltboostin · Post by **coltboostin** » Mon Feb 28, 2011 4:22 pm

Turboing the Busa-

Another Hatch 89 Colt-72mm, circa 700whp. Standard Coltboostin build.

And then those are done, get nasty with the CRX (rear engine, 4G63) Motor is int he car, running, but I want something "done" by spring, so the Colt comes first.

dees75z · Post by **dees75z** » Wed Mar 02, 2011 8:59 pm

coltboostin wrote:Turboing the Busa-

Another Hatch 89 Colt-72mm, circa 700whp. Standard Coltboostin build.

And then those are done, get nasty with the CRX (rear engine, 4G63) Motor is int he car, running, but I want something "done" by spring, so the Colt comes first.

I def want to see the progress on all of them man. I don't frequent the web a whole lot so send me some pictures if you don't post them up on here.

dees75z@yahoo.com

dee

coltboostin · Post by **coltboostin** » Wed Mar 02, 2011 11:47 pm

I will for sure!

Tank · Post by **Tank** » Wed Dec 07, 2011 12:31 am

I am quite curious to know how you mounted the engine, what modifications were need for the cross member, and would love some pics.

I am planning this swap as well.

dees75z · Post by **dees75z** » Mon Jan 02, 2012 11:28 pm

Tank wrote:I am quite curious to know how you mounted the engine, what modifications were need for the cross member, and would love some pics.

I am planning this swap as well.

I will post updated pics of the new k member. Basically I cut out the original "center section" of the k member and ran dom tubing that I bent to clear the oil pan then made mounts for the rack and pinion and moved it forward about 2". Ive been so dag on busy in the shop I really havent touched it in months. I have 90% of the parts now and plan to get most of everything done this spring so i can make a sad attempt at making some passes this year.

dees75z · Post by **dees75z** » Mon Jan 02, 2012 11:39 pm

Here you go:

dees75z · Post by **dees75z** » Mon Jan 23, 2012 6:49 pm

Taking powerglide to tranny shop tomorrow to get it worked over and transbrake installed.
Plans are to close up shop for a couple weeks to get mine a the shop car done to be ready for this years season. I hope all goes as planned.

dees75z · Post by **dees75z** » Thu Feb 23, 2012 7:24 pm

Picking up a Ford 9" tomorrow and powerglide should be done this weekend. Hope i can have dome different pistures loaded up here in the next month or so.

I sure hate that this is taking forever for me to finish. Hopefully it should be everything I can hope for.