Planning a reliable engine rebuild
 

Im planning an engine rebuild with an emphasis on reliability. I've got an '04.
Doing a bit of research I've found that the Series 2 got an oil system upgrade.

I wld assume the oil pump and metering system is different. Is the series 1 oil system upgrade able to the series 2 oil system?

Is there anything else engine-wise I should be considering to make it more reliable?

The series 2 has different rotor housings to support the extra oil injector, so you'd need to address that and I'm pretty sure the control module is different to support the new oil system in the series 2 so that would also have to be addressed.

A lot of things are different, it's not feasible. There is a thread outlining these differences.

One thing you could do is upgrade to a Sohn adapter.

DIY? or having it done?
Highly recommend Rotary Resurrection if you are having it done.

diy.

Well, I've got the engine out and prepped for disassembly which I'll prob do tomorrow.
Tomorrow or the next day I suppose I'll be placing some orders for rebuild stuff and reliability mod stuff.
I'm considering the Sohn oil metering adapter and the RB PCM Flash. Any other suggestions/comments?

The RB reflash imho is a waste. Just go with MazdaEdit and have someone reliable tune for you. That way you can always change or make improvements later on.

Consider oiling, cooling, ignition, and exhaust. Do some reading on those options prior to reassembly, and you can get yourself a decent engine.

However, just remember that the compression WILL fail again. Better later than sooner, so plan accordingly and don't rush this.

In Nov, I spent more on just the Mazda cat/midpipe, than I spent on a full RB exhaust for my 7 last year-so I'm hoping I've got the exhaust covered.

I've also got new coils/wires/plugs.

I'm doing the RB reflash mainly for the cooling option. I'll do a little research on that MazdaEdit--but I dunno if I wanna deal with finding a tuner and hoping he'll do a good job. I'd probably rather a turnkey.

Re that MazdaEdit...I think I def want a turnkey. Im keeping the 8 stock. My 7's got a new Haltech that I'm still working on tuning. 2 cars with tuneable ecu's is too much of a hassle.

Sohn oil adapter came in. Also picked up an oil bottle and wiper bottle kit to mount on the firewall.
Waiting for my front housing to get back from Goopy, then I'll see about putting this thing back together.

Goopy = waste, RB flash = waste.

I have previous experience w/Goopy and they definitely are not a waste. I sent my unusable rx7 housings to them a couple of years back and they came back with close to stock compression and the car is running strong.

I don't have any experience with rb flash, and I'm more than willing to consider any other flash options that do not require tuning--but no takers. So, unless there are other options out there that don't require a tune, rb is pretty much it.

Applying RX7 logic to a Renesis is a mistake that many have made for over a decade now. What worked on an older 13B has little to do with the Renesis.

The RB tune is pointless, that is no secret, people also went down that road almost a decade ago and the results are well documented here. Flashing without custom tuning is pointless, which is why those options don't exist (except for the pointless RB flash)

But again, proper, prior planning is key.

2 ppl in this thread have said nay to RB flash. Take it or leave it...

I understand why you would say this and I agree(especially after taking my renesis apart). But, I think you will also agree that there are many similarities between the 13b and the renesis. One of those similarities being the requirement of a smooth/flat surface of the aluminum housings on both engines in order to provide good compression.
Regarding specifically this requirement of a smooth surface to provide good compression, what am I missing?

I mean, a 5.0 liter mustang engine is totally different from briggs and stratton lawn mower engine, but they both require smooth piston walls in order to provide good compression and you would take both engines to a shop that can provide this, no?

I defer to your experience. The problem is, no one has provided me a better option.
Not looking for something that I need to tune. I'm not putting any performance mods on this car. Reliability mods only. I've got a haltech on the rx7 and don't have the time to be messing with 2 cars on a semi-regular basis.

Actually, the only thing that attracted me to the rb flash is that it lowered, point at which the fans get turned on. I only found 1 other option for tht which was a bolt on for $150. I may as well pay the $300 for a ore reliable option.

So, *again*. If anyone has any other options that fit the above requirement, I'm*all ears*.

So, the rebuild is done, dropped the engine back in and tried starting it today for the first time.
Was surprised that it started right up.
Unfortunately, since the sohn adapter makes the oil injecting unit stand out an extra couple of inches, I damaged it while maneuvering the engine in. So, I'm premixing until the one I ordered comes in.
Gonna try and hookup an obd unit to monitor temps while I let it idle and break in.

Follow up on the Goopy refurb'd housing.
I did a compression test yesterday. It was 70 psi before I pulled and rebuilt the engine, 100 psi now. Not quite as good as a new housing, but definitely worth the $150. Still in break-in period, so the compression could go up a bit as it breaks in.

it won't, because what their surfacing does is it grinds(yes, removes) the surface to make it flat again, which is bad on 13B-MSP Rotor housing because the chrome is already #@$!@# thin to begin with

of course your compression will be better when it's still "new", because flat surface compress better than wavy surface, but it goes down FAST after a while because you don't got chrome anymore.

^ This. Sorry missed the previous post about it until now. And when you say you damaged the OMP, in what way? If it is not working, your car should be in limp mode.