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Index > @ the Pickup Bed (General Topics) > Thread: The tally to date:
Thread: The tally to date:
rotormunky


Redlining
Orlando, Florida
Posts: 424
posted March 16, 2004 01:06 AM

The tally to date:

Well I was just tidying up my inventory and records and such and thought I'd share two numbers with you as they relate to my '77 rebuild project:

Total hours invested: ~70
Total money invested: ~$1,300

$600 of that was shipping for the truck and $200 for the truck itself.

That leaves about $500 that I've put into parts, tools, supplies, etc.

I'll be doing bodywork for the next year to 18 months but luckily this is the cheapest stage of the project, although the slowest, since its more or less just my time and labour. It doesn't cost a lot to sand, grind and sandblast :)

I'll also be painting myself, so that helps a lot.

I forsee my biggest expenses being in the driveline and the interior. Although I am toying with the idea of rebuilding the engine myself, I won't touch it if I don't think I can do at least as good a job as a reputable shop. We'll see how confident I am when we get to that stage.

Interior work is probably best left to someone else. Bad things happen when I get in the same room as a sewing machine :) So I'll probably have to pay out some decent money for seats and upholstery, but I think I will try my hand at the door panels. The carpeting and dash work I can handle on my own.

Anyway, that's where I'm at. Anyone else in the midst of a project and taken assessment of their progress lately?


____________
-Martin
Orlando, Florida

http://www.themonkeyhouse.org/REPU

'77 REPU (Some assembly required :)
'91 Cabrio (Battered and bruised, but she's still my baby.)

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Jeff20B


Moderator
Posts: 661
posted March 16, 2004 02:53 AM

I'm in too deep to make an accurate assessment at this time, but I can tell you that I'm finishing up a 13B right now for one out of my five current projects. It should be done tomorrow.

As far as engines go, they are engineered so well that very little real rebuilding experience is necessary. You sound like someone who's no stranger to automotive type stuff (doing your own bodywork and painting etc).

Do you think you'd be able to do any of these by yourself?

pull the engine
tear down
clean everything
inspect
port
rebuild
reinstall

If the answer is yes to all, them by all means go for it. If you answered no to one or more, that's what friends are for (to help you out). I couldn't have done my first install without help, but now I can do all the steps listed above and more without any outside help. Infact, I've found that installing an engine into a REPU takes less time than pulling one. It takes me like 5 minutes for the engine to go from dangling from the engine crane to seated onto the tranny and most or all the bellhousing bolts finger tight. No joke.
____________
'74 REPU
'76 Cosmo
'77 MG Midget 13B
'81 RX-7

       
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rotormunky


Redlining
Orlando, Florida
Posts: 424
posted March 16, 2004 03:06 AM
Edited By: rotormunky on 16 Mar 2004 03:10

quote:
I'm in too deep to make an accurate assessment at this time


Haha. I figure another 12 months of this and I'll have to answer the question the same way :)

quote:
Do you think you'd be able to do any of these by yourself?

pull the engine
tear down
clean everything
inspect
port
rebuild
reinstall



Pulling, tear down, inspection and reinstallation are no problem. My two concerns:

1) porting: The templates are great for two dimensions but I worry that I won't get the right depth, shape, and surface on the ports to really get the benefit from the port job.

2) rebuilding: I'm less hesitant about this part, just afraid of dumb mistakes. Judge Ito swears that if you build them to the tightest possible tolerances you can boost them over 30lbs easy, so I'm hoping if I go real slow, and measure measure measure I can get a good long life out of an NA rebuild.

Heck Jeff, you've encouraged me on the subject. I've got a good year to read on the subject and maybe I can rebuild the 12a sitting in my storage shed for practise in the meanwhile.

Still leaving the new seat upholstery to a pro tho :p

Thanks for the words of encouragement.



____________
-Martin
Orlando, Florida

http://www.themonkeyhouse.org/REPU

'77 REPU (Some assembly required :)
'91 Cabrio (Battered and bruised, but she's still my baby.)

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Elysian


Revvin Up
Posts: 60
posted March 16, 2004 10:15 AM

i just picked up my truck recently, had the motor go out, and i decided i have nothing to lose on learning how to rebuild on it... better this truck than my 88 Turbo II the way i see it... i finished the rebuild sunday, even touched up the ports, and i must say, it wasn't that hard, as long as u remember what goes where, and don't drop ur little triangle pieces of the apex seals in the water jacket(i did that like 3 times, swore i lost em, but took the housing off and there it was, in the water jacket lol...) i'm looking to have it running by wednesday(the first day since sunday can work on it)... just need to finish the install, i did a primitive compression test turning the flywheel, got compression on all faces of both rotors, so it should go well... i paid 1500 for the truck and put about 800 into the rebuild... had to replace the housings and a new rear rotor, as well as apex seals and all the springs... yay... did the exhaust ports myself, will be posting pics in a few days... i think thats all i got to say on this... good luck learning to rebuild, as long as u got a good understanding of how the rotary works i'd say its not that hard... i'd hate to rebuild a v8 or something, just seems like so much more work

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Jeff20B


Moderator
Posts: 661
posted March 16, 2004 11:18 AM

Rebuilding a rotary is about as difficult as rebuilding a four barrel carb or a single cylinder lawn mower engine.

1)porting: Whatever template you use, be sure the casting can support it. You don't want to cut into the water jacket. Basically to get your 3rd dimension, just reach a finger into the waterjacket and feel the casting thickness behind the port. You can start removing metal while periodically feeling the thickness. I ended up with 5mm to 10mm at least on my R5 plates. If you've still got 3B plates, those ports start out larger on the inside, but I'm not sure how much casting you've got to port into. I've only ported two sets of R5 plates so far, so that's the only porting experience I've had. Exhaust ports need to be beveled 2mm at a 45º angle.

2)rebiulding: yeah, you can build a rotary to tighter clearances than stock if you wanted to. I also had a problem with those little triangle pieces in my first rebuild. They also kept going into the water jacket. I eventualy got the hang of it and the engine went together fine. For torque specs, I used my Cosmo FSM.
____________
'74 REPU
'76 Cosmo
'77 MG Midget 13B
'81 RX-7

       
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Elysian


Revvin Up
Posts: 60
posted March 16, 2004 01:53 PM

quote:
For torque specs, I used my Cosmo FSM.


i'm using my FB FSM for torque specs, figure it should be about the same

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Jeff20B


Moderator
Posts: 661
posted March 17, 2004 12:35 AM

I'm sure they updated the specs. I torqued my 19mm bolt to 60. The FSM called for 54-69. The end play felt ok. I don't have a dial indicator, but I'm also reusing all the thrust stuff, so I think I'm good.

I also added the same amount of washers to the front pressure regulator as I did to the rear (I replaced the non adjustable type with an adjustable one). Three washers is about 3.7mm which should give me between 85 and 90PSI I think. I guess 4.1mm can give over 100PSI, but don't quote me on it. I added the washers to the front based on a suggestion by (Dave/Dan) Atkins for a supercharger. I also drilled and taped an NPT hole in the front cover and installed a plug for now. A supercharger or blowthrough turbo now has an oil return route. :)

Hmm, while I'm thinking about it, I also cleaned and installed a correct pickup tube for the REPU oil pan that replaces the GSL-SE pan and tube that were on this engine when I got it (I had to give the pan back to the PO). I also had to source a waterpump and a distributor because this engine was missing those items, as well as an intake and exhaust manifold. Luckily my collection of parts had just enough to do this engine. I'm now short on lots of stuff, but it's great because I'm piecing together what I hope will be a great engine. I even installed my low-mileage 17.5mm oil pump I've had since '96.
____________
'74 REPU
'76 Cosmo
'77 MG Midget 13B
'81 RX-7

       
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rotarydave


Hauling
Posts: 108
posted March 17, 2004 10:30 PM

hey Jeff if you are short on some stuff come by Atkins shop and talk to me we are getting rid of some stuff that might help you.

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Jeff20B


Moderator
Posts: 661
posted March 18, 2004 12:26 AM

When? What kind of stuff? I'd drive there tomorrow, but my sense of direction is terrible.
____________
'74 REPU
'76 Cosmo
'77 MG Midget 13B
'81 RX-7

       
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brad


Rotorhead
Posts: 1672
posted March 18, 2004 01:50 PM

rob @ pineapple had me torque my front pulley nut to 90 ft lbs. keeps the front stack tight.

       
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Jeff20B


Moderator
Posts: 661
posted March 18, 2004 07:32 PM

I'll have a chance to retorque it before it goes into my REPU.
____________
'74 REPU
'76 Cosmo
'77 MG Midget 13B
'81 RX-7

       
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