My Intro from Ks.

[GySgtFrank]

Coming on this forum to connect with other rotary nuts. I own a 1979
SA22C, silver in color. As usual, so it seems, I'm trying to figure out what to do about a busted engine. (no compression on the rear rotor, I bought it this way so I don't know what caused this.) If this cold and snow ever goes away, I'll get it torn down and figure out what's going on. Hoping it's something simple, crossing my fingers for collapsed apex springs, but I probably won't get that lucky, we'll see. I am also looking for events in my area which I'd like to attend when I get this thing running. Thanks.

[hades]

great bend is a horrible place on the face of this earth.

JK - I grew up in Salina. Good luck with the FB.

[speedjunkie]

Welcome Gunny!

Good luck with getting it fixed. Even more good luck on the weather, you'll probably need more luck with that than the engine haha.

If you get it fixed by late April you could always join our caravan to DGRR as we pass through haha.

[GySgtFrank]

Thanks, I'd love to, but I have a feeling it's going to be later than that before I manage to get it running. As the old saying goes, it always costs twice as much and takes twice as long as you think it will.

[sonic]

hey hades,

My wife is from Salina! Talk about a depressing town.

[hades]

oh yeah, whats her maiden name?

[speedjunkie]

Thanks, I'd love to, but I have a feeling it's going to be later than that before I manage to get it running. As the old saying goes, it always costs twice as much and takes twice as long as you think it will.

Yep. And I might just prove it myself considering my engine is being built right now and I'm doing a lot of work myself too LOL.

[GySgtFrank]

hey hades,

My wife is from Salina! Talk about a depressing town.

I get over to Salina a fair amount. I think it's a pretty nice place. I've lived in enough big cities over the years and definitely prefer small town america. Although there are disadvantages when you are looking for parts.

Yep. And I might just prove it myself considering my engine is being built right now and I'm doing a lot of work myself too LOL.

Ive been researching a lot of ways to at least cut down the costs side of the equation. I'm looking into possibly getting an S5 N/A aspirated engine/trans someone else has already had rebuilt and is planning to upgrade their car to a turboII. I'd prefer to stay N/A and this combo would be a definite upgrade from the 12A which is a little short on compression in the rear rotor (as in zero). As I'm sure it is with most folks available money is always in short supply, so we have to get creative. This will take a lot more work than just rebuiding the 12A. But, if the engine is damaged, which they usually are when you lose an apex seal, this might be a cheaper route than trying to find decent parts for a 12A. Unfortunately, most new parts are discontinued. But if you can't take a little adversity, you shouldn't buy a car without pistons I guess.
I used to have a 75 REPU pickup that I was dumb enough to sell, I just had to get another rotary. There's nothing as fun as when they come up on the revs, at least not much that isn't illegal.

[speedjunkie]

Sounds like a good plan, makes sense too. I wish I had a REPU, but of course I'd like to have a model of every rotary haha. Let us know what happens.

[GySgtFrank]

Well, finally got the 12A pulled apart yesterday. The rear rotor and housing, that had no compression, is almost perfect. Unfortunately the front housing and iron is showing a lot of wear with a big gouge in the housing by the exhaust port. The rotor must have hit it at one time. The strange part is that this was the rotor that was still working. I think the apex springs collapsed on the rear rotor some time ago and they must have kept driving it on one rotor overloading the front. Unless I can find a good 12A front housing and iron, it looks like I'd better find a 13B.

[NoDOHC]

If I could put in a good word for craigslist and buying 2 blown 13Bs, here would be a good place for it. One of my friends did that, got the one engine for $50.00, the other for $75.00, both had a blown rotor. He took the good rotor and housing from one, the good rotor and housing from the other and made a good engine. Cost him a total of $300 for everything (including the coolant seals, Front and rear seal and manifold gaskets. Then he sold a bunch of the remaining parts on eBay. (I don't remember what the final cost out-of-pocket was).

[GySgtFrank]

If I could put in a good word for craigslist and buying 2 blown 13Bs, here would be a good place for it. One of my friends did that, got the one engine for $50.00, the other for $75.00, both had a blown rotor. He took the good rotor and housing from one, the good rotor and housing from the other and made a good engine. Cost him a total of $300 for everything (including the coolant seals, Front and rear seal and manifold gaskets. Then he sold a bunch of the remaining parts on eBay. (I don't remember what the final cost out-of-pocket was).

Yeah, that probably would be cheaper if I had all the intake, exhaust, etc. parts already on hand. Unfortunately all my parts are for the 12A. I've located an 87 GXL relatively close that was hit in the back. The guy that has the car says it runs and idles well, supposedly a recent rebuild. All he really wants are the interior and body parts for his 87 Turbo II. I'll get the whole car so I can transfer all the FI parts and the transmission, (mine's a 4 speed). Hopefully the wiring won't be too bad and I'll have this thing running again pretty soon.

[NoDOHC]

Awesome! The 6-port 13B is not a power house by any stretch, but it runs a far sight better than a 12A. I got 138 WHp out of my '86 6-port on the stock ECU (about 165 Hp).
I got 155 WHp (190 Hp) out of it with a standalone ECU.

I always wanted a 1st gen to put a 4-port 13B in (originally the 13BT only with the turbo removed). The 4-port (Naturally Aspirated) makes a lot more torque than the 6-port (Naturally Aspirated).

[GySgtFrank]

I'll keep that in mind when I start playing with it. Right now I just want it running again and reliable enough to drive and enjoy. Huge horsepower isn't really necessary for me, been there, done that, it comes with a lot of tradeoffs. 200 HP in a light car would still be a whole lot of fun.

[GySgtFrank]

Just an update for those interested. The engine's in, I had to cut the radiator surround out of the 87 and weld it in to the 79 to get everything to sit correctly. Fabricated a pick up box that mates to the modified air box, which I relocated under the front headlight for a cold air intake. 87 Transmission fit fine using the 79 mounts, the 79 driveshaft fit fine. Put on the fuel lines from the 87 and swapped in the 87 fuel tank, I had to reposition the fuel filler underneath the license plate (flip down holder from a 66Impala). Put the full engine and interior wiring harness in from the 87. Right now trying to get the gauge cluster from the 87 in and looking like it's supposed to be there. (That sounds from me banging my head on the wall.) Unfortunately a lot of the relays as well as the instrument panel harness and dash were missing from the 87 so I'll have to figure that out. I modified the heat shields and rear valance to take dual exhausts, but I'll have to get rid of the Watts link on the rear end and go to a panhard bar setup to gain clearance for the over the axle pipe on the driver's side. And the Fun continues...