Smokin' Rx7... what's the problem?

Hello Fellas...

I'm asking this question on behalf of my brother: Purchased about three weeks ago is an '86 NA FC Rx7 for $800. The body is straight and clean except for some rust on the sunroof. Engine runs good and strong. A real good deal. The guy he bought it from accquired it from a donation/charity organization. They had it for a year without running it or giving it to anyone. So this guy picks it up and gets it into running order. Sells to my bro.

I noticed when we picked it up and started it for the first time that it smoked from the exhaust (thick-white smoke) when you hit the throttle. As soon as we ran it for awhile it went away. Thought maybe it was just flooded or something. Ran fine form there. Drove from San Diego to where I live... like an hour and a half drive.

Now (three weeks later) about every other time he starts the car it smokes for about 5 minutes! He just replaced the stock exhaust with a single-out APEX'i N1 so it smokes even more than before. As far as we can tell there is no coolant loss or that distinct smell that would make you think so. So I'm pretty sure we do not have a cracked head or something. Just changed the oil. No oil leaking. Running Rich? Bad Cat? Where's the rotten-egg smell?

I'm not much of a rotary fan myself and know nothing about rotaries or the kind of problems they run into. Can someone help?

I am very new to rotory engines too but I do know that they almost always put out a little smoke at start up. That is normal, but I think it was supposed to be blue/grey smoke. Also white smoke is from coolant burning and usually from a bad head gasket.

Just to clear this up:

RX-7's do NOT have head gaskets. They have rotary engines; which do no have heads.

It seems to me that its an oil problem, but alas, im no expert

white smoke is coolant burning.

black smoke is oil burning. black smoke is easily identified as oil.

which one is it? the coolant seals may be going out. if the car sits for awhile, coolant will leak into the housings. Is this is so, the car should have a slight hesitation or slower start up, then result with white smoke.

If you're puffing a little bit of black smoke in the beginning, then thats normal for rotaries.

I'd say check all your fluids weekly and report back to us.

- Kevin

Just to clear this up:

RX-7's do NOT have head gaskets. They have rotary engines; which do no have heads.

that was the first thing I was gonne say :)

if it is blueish smoke for about 30 seconds then its normal, white smoke indicates that coolant is leaking into the housings... your great deal just turned into an engine needing a rebuild if you ask me...

Thanks for the insight guys....
But why would the smoke only last for awhile? I have been around cars that have blown head gaskets... and they constantly have white smoke spewing out. Also there is no loss of coolant...

its probably a small leak, thats why theres no coolant lose that you can notice.

and the reason its only for awhile is because once it gets warmed up the seals expand and it stops the leak.

I'd bet thats the problem

Hey... I didn't even notice that was you, Soyo! How ya doin'? Ever get that new FC? Thanks for the help!

no new one yet, I'm looking for a GTUs right now, with plans on doing a TII swap eventually but not untill next summer I don't think... I'm acquiring info right now on an 89 so hopefully that works out... oh and I should be getting all the parts to fix my car soon... hoefully, some people on rx7club are as slow as can be when it comes to getting back to someone

Is it fairly easy to do a T2 or 20B swap into an NA '7? I would think it would be better just to buy a T2? My bro wants to do such a swap... but I told him just to buy a Turbo equipped '7 instead... is there something I'm missing?

it isn't too difficult to do if you have all the equipment and space to do it... or for abotu a grand you can get it all done for you

thats the TII... the 20B is much more difficult

it is easier/cheaper to just buy a TII though

no new one yet, I'm looking for a GTUs right now, with plans on doing a TII swap eventually but not untill next summer I don't think... I'm acquiring info right now on an 89 so hopefully that works out... oh and I should be getting all the parts to fix my car soon... hoefully, some people on rx7club are as slow as can be when it comes to getting back to someone

GTUs with TII swap? Sacrelidge!

dude... when I finally get it, it will own any car you ever own! haha

GTUs TII... makes me drool everytime I think about it