Problems...need help

[WTF D00D]

My son has an 89 RX7, all of a sudden it started clattering at higher rpm like something loose inside. It has also become harder to start but does start and run.

Any clues here? I know nothing about rotarys and just wanted to get an idea of what it was. Thanks for any info guys...

 

[evilmonkeyMSP]

perhaps he blew an apex seal? get a compression test done on both rotors...

 

[WTF D00D]

is this major surgery?

 

[evilmonkeyMSP]

well, if it is an apex seal they yes, the engine would need to be rebuilt. But i wouldnt say thats the problem until you get a compression test. Thats the only thing i can thing of as far as the noise...but someone else might chime in...

Also, we have such a small group of Rotary guys here (which sucks) you might want to try www.rx7club.com too

 

[R2s99zoom]

is this major surgery?

the compression test isn't... if a seals out, as monkey says that would require a rebuild... but theres a lot less to a rotary to rebuild.

also, when its dark out pop the hood, and start it up, look on the drivers side of the motor where the spark plugs are, and see if you see any arcing. we had similar weirdness when we somehow cracked one of the plugs... my understanding is the engine uses all 4 plugs at low rpm, so everything was fine there, but at higher rpms only 2 plugs are used, so we were effectively running on one rotor.

Tho, in your case the hard starting does make me lean more towards a problem w/a seal or two, since the more worn the seals get, the tougher the car gets to start.

 

[altspace]

I know it's simple, but has he always checked oil levels? Very important for the rotary.

 

[SpooledupRacing]

rotor bearings coule be out causing the rotor to "slap" the faces of the housing...

Normally u wont hear the apex seal once it breaks loose and gets ejected out the exhaust.. not only that but if u have a blown apex seal it would not make any power and would run quite hard (from my understanding) deffinatly drivable but nothing easy to drive

good luck. get a compression test and go form there