Okay, I hydrolocked the engine on my 2004 RX8. I live in MS and can not find another engine anywhere close by whatsoever. One of my friends also owns an RX8 that he wants to put an LS1 into. His is an automatic and mine is a manual. So what I was wondering is: If it is possible to get the automatic engine and port it so that it would have the six ports that the manual does? Is this doable or is it too far fetched?

The closest engine that I can find is halfway down FL and pretty expensive. I have a friend who has been a mechanic for over twenty years and he's down to rebuild whatever I bring him to rebuild for free as long as I buy parts.

I used to work at my Uncle's shop where we rebuilt various engines and went to college for automotive including paint and body, but I have no experience with rotary engines save what I've already dealt with my RX8.

I drove the car and fell in love with it and here I am.

 

First of all the expression is Oy vey.

It's highly unlikely that you did

Have this guy rebuild it, he's in MS. http://www.turblown.net/store/index.php?productID=110

These are mythical creatures not friends... they do not exist

Doubtful and it sure sounds like a PITA

That just sounds like a big waste of money

And i hope you fix it properly and continue to love it

 

Eh, I was tired as hell and not too worried about semantics.

Anyways, yes, it is definitely hydrolocked. I drove through a puddle, it died, we tried everything in the book to turn it over and it won't budge a millimeter. Water did come out of the spark plug holes, but it still wouldn't turn over so it has got to be twisted up pretty bad in there.

Thanks for the guy's site, but its not rebuild-able. I've been told this by a mechanic who rebuilt RX7's for years. I explained the situation to him and he said that it's F'd and that it's actually a pretty common occurrence. The problem is just getting a replacement engine.

Thanks for posting anyway.

 

It's actually impossible to hydrolock a rotary. By the definition of the word, it can't happen.

What DOES happen when you drive through too-deep water and inject said water into a rotary is that the rotor continues to try to spin and compress the ingested water, which is not possible according to the laws of physics. The stress of trying to compress the water results in the block cracking to give some place for the water to go. Usually the block cracks at about the same time as the engine stops running.


Assuming that you will indeed be paying for this out of pocket, no, it is not possible to simply "create the 5th and 6th ports". Different intakes, different internals, different wiring, different solenoids, different ECUs. You would pretty much have to swap everything.

It is likely that the reason that the engine won't turn over is that the nature of the internal breakage wedged a seal against the crack, or the e-shaft cracked, or something of that sort.

At this point, people usually go the wrong direction and immediately look for a new engine or a warranty replacement, when instead they need to contact their insurance company, as this is covered under almost every comprehensive insurance plan out there.


This is actually starting to become common for some reason. The 4th or 5th person in the past month to start a thread with a destroyed engine from driving through too deep water.

 

oy vay, Turblown is located in Michigan, not Mississippi

 

oy vey.. i got my state abbreviations wrong

I was thinking MS was Minnesota

Turblown Engineering
Telephone: 602.705.9943
Ramsey, Minnesota 55303

That is unless their website is wrong.


Anyway, back on topic...

Yeah that sounds pretty hydrolocked. Good luck man.