New Member

bowjangles · 09-10-2013, 02:57 AM

Greetings:

I just joined your Rotary Car Club as a educational experience. You see, I recently purchased a '80 Triumph TR-7 that came complete with a 13B Rotary engine.
My plans are to re-build/rescue/restore the car (including the engine) over the next few years, but I know nothing about the Wankle.So, I will be asking some basic questions of you experienced folks.
First questions are :
1. How can I find out when the engine was built? Only have the engine #
2.I think the Nikki 4bbl. carb is from an '80 RX-7- how can I be sure? What are the preliminary mixture and idle speed settings?
3. I have gray smoke at start-up. I think I have coolant getting into exhaust system- How can I investigate this? Thanks!

RedR1 · 09-10-2013, 08:55 AM

Hello and welcome to the forum! I personally don't have the answers to numbers 1 and 2, however. . . number 3. Grey smoke isn't necessarily indicative of coolant seals going out, though it could be. Usually its white smoke (i speak from experience

) that starts flowing out of the exhaust, that's your main coolant seal failure sign right there.

I've never seen a TR7 with a rotary in it before, sounds awesome! Others will chime in once the day begins and will most likely have the rest of the answers you are looking for.

scarsofcarma · 09-10-2013, 01:35 PM

Cool project! I almost bought a TR7 once to do the exact same thing lol. Pics!!!

If its a 13B with a Nikki on it, odds are that's an older 4 port 13B from a Repu (Rotary Engine Pickup Truck). But that's not for certain, because you could put a Nikki on a 13B from an RX7 as well if you wanted, but stock the RX7 13B's were fuel injected.

Gray smoke sounds more like unburnt oil and fuel to me. Rotary carburetors are designed to squirt oil into the engine to lubricate the apex seals. It may be that your carburetor is dribbling too much fuel and/or oil because it needs a rebuild. I can say from experience that if those carbs are not rebuilt and in good working order you will get lots of smoke and possibly not enough lubrication for your apex seals.

Trust me, those apex seals will get ruined very quickly without oil. So until you get that carburetor rebuilt, run pre-mix in your gasoline if you are going to drive it. As for your jetting/timing questions, that will be easy to search for. Nikki's have a long history.

bowjangles · 09-12-2013, 05:11 AM

Thanks for your reply Scarsofcarma.

The smoke is white and smells of coolant. Am also finding small pools of coolant under the carb between the engine block and the "lobes" of the intake manifold. Any ideas?

09-10-2013, 02:57 AM	#1
bowjangles Rotary Fan in Training Join Date: Sep 2013 iTrader: (0) Posts: 62 Rep Power: 12	New Member Greetings: I just joined your Rotary Car Club as a educational experience. You see, I recently purchased a '80 Triumph TR-7 that came complete with a 13B Rotary engine. My plans are to re-build/rescue/restore the car (including the engine) over the next few years, but I know nothing about the Wankle.So, I will be asking some basic questions of you experienced folks. First questions are : 1. How can I find out when the engine was built? Only have the engine # 2.I think the Nikki 4bbl. carb is from an '80 RX-7- how can I be sure? What are the preliminary mixture and idle speed settings? 3. I have gray smoke at start-up. I think I have coolant getting into exhaust system- How can I investigate this? Thanks!

09-10-2013, 08:55 AM	#2
RedR1 Brokeback Power! Join Date: Feb 2008 iTrader: (0) Posts: 290 Rep Power: 17	Hello and welcome to the forum! I personally don't have the answers to numbers 1 and 2, however. . . number 3. Grey smoke isn't necessarily indicative of coolant seals going out, though it could be. Usually its white smoke (i speak from experience ) that starts flowing out of the exhaust, that's your main coolant seal failure sign right there. I've never seen a TR7 with a rotary in it before, sounds awesome! Others will chime in once the day begins and will most likely have the rest of the answers you are looking for.

09-10-2013, 01:35 PM	#3
scarsofcarma Rotary Fanatic Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Antioch, Ca iTrader: (0) Posts: 101 Rep Power: 12	Cool project! I almost bought a TR7 once to do the exact same thing lol. Pics!!! If its a 13B with a Nikki on it, odds are that's an older 4 port 13B from a Repu (Rotary Engine Pickup Truck). But that's not for certain, because you could put a Nikki on a 13B from an RX7 as well if you wanted, but stock the RX7 13B's were fuel injected. Gray smoke sounds more like unburnt oil and fuel to me. Rotary carburetors are designed to squirt oil into the engine to lubricate the apex seals. It may be that your carburetor is dribbling too much fuel and/or oil because it needs a rebuild. I can say from experience that if those carbs are not rebuilt and in good working order you will get lots of smoke and possibly not enough lubrication for your apex seals. Trust me, those apex seals will get ruined very quickly without oil. So until you get that carburetor rebuilt, run pre-mix in your gasoline if you are going to drive it. As for your jetting/timing questions, that will be easy to search for. Nikki's have a long history.

09-12-2013, 05:11 AM	#4
bowjangles Rotary Fan in Training Join Date: Sep 2013 iTrader: (0) Posts: 62 Rep Power: 12	Thanks for your reply Scarsofcarma. The smoke is white and smells of coolant. Am also finding small pools of coolant under the carb between the engine block and the "lobes" of the intake manifold. Any ideas?