Luce Rotary Turbo Royal Classic

[Babalouie]

This is my current project, a 1986 HC Mazda Luce Rotary Turbo Royal Classic.
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m255/MX5_Dorifto/LuceRear3qtr.jpg

It's basically the same as an Aussie 929, but with an old school luxo interior (eg it has reclining rear seats and a sixpack sized fridge on the parcel shelf) and the Series 4 RX7 Turbo 13B running thru a Jatco 4spd slusher.

http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m255/MX5_Dorifto/LuceEngine.jpg
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m255/MX5_Dorifto/LuceBaskSeat.jpg
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m255/MX5_Dorifto/LuceDash.jpg

The motor was rebuilt with cryo tuff'd iron housings and Rotary Aviation apex seals, and mods at the moment are limited to a hi flo'd turbo, 3in turbo back zaust and a fuel cut defencer. Stock airbox keeps things choked a little and at 7psi it makes 130rwkw. Other mods are a 2200rpm stally and external tranny cooler.

I'm not 100% sure why I bought this car, I guess at the time it seemed cool to have an old school cruiser that was also rotary powered.
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m255/MX5_Dorifto/LuceFront.jpg

Current mechanical situation is that I installed a set of Tein Super Street coilovers that are intended for an FC RX7.

http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m255/MX5_Dorifto/Kids111.jpg
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m255/MX5_Dorifto/Kids115.jpg

However the shocks are way too short and the ride height so low that I can't actually get it out of the driveway without beaching :) The main culprit is that the centre section of the zaust seems to hang down a little too low. If if was no lower than the chassis rails it might be manageable, so I have to get that sorted out. Also investigating spacers to fit between the strut hats and the towers to sit the ride higher. 2inches would be nice but so far (my limited reserach) suggests that will involve some expensive CNC machining but I'm sure there's another alternative.

http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m255/MX5_Dorifto/Kids110.jpg

Once the suspension's sorted out, she goes in for bodywork, and after that it's bigger secondary injectors, Haltech E6k and bigger fuel pump and a proper tune...

[Smashed S15 Bloke]

get your priorities right:

1) move house

2) dont raise car

:D

[sv_i]

friend of mine has a white one, there is only 4 of them in Australia isn't there?
He has some crazy plans for his, but his looks pox in white compared to yours.

[anna bligh]

thats fucking cool! check out the pimp interior!

[XAC15T]

Love it :D

That interior is the bomb!

[out_in_front]

Awesome car - love the oldskool looks.

I figure it weighs a bit- how does the Rotary cope with it?

When is a 20B going in?

[Babalouie]

friend of mine has a white one, there is only 4 of them in Australia isn't there?
He has some crazy plans for his, but his looks pox in white compared to yours.

There's more like 10 in the country, and AFAIK only two are in "running" condition (mine and an orange one in WA) with the others fallen by the wayside with the usual rotary maladies. There were only roughly 2000 rotary Luces made so even in Japan they're pretty rare.

Is that white one in Melbourne, with an FMIC hanging out the front bumper?

Awesome car - love the oldskool looks.

I figure it weighs a bit- how does the Rotary cope with it?

When is a 20B going in?

Weighs 1520kg, rotary doesn't cope with it all that well to be honest. In stock form it's pretty slow off the line and only does 16.9 qtr. When I first got it, it wasn't that great around town, but once you get the fat fucker going and wound up on the convertor, it's pretty good and on the freeway it's got overtaking stonk that seems all out of touch with how it feels from 0-40km/h.

The stally's helped a lot and it's pretty good now (but a 2800 stally would better). It pretty much drives like a normal car but it does seem to go faster the faster you go. Does 15.8 @ 88mph @ 2.5 60ft at WSID in the current trim.

20B? Nah, it's a stunningly thirsty gas guzzler as it is, it should be pretty shocking with an extra 50% capacity :D

[2ofdem]

That is the first time I have seen one of those do you know how many are in Aus?

[sv_i]

There's more like 10 in the country, and AFAIK only two are in "running" condition (mine and an orange one in WA) with the others fallen by the wayside with the usual rotary maladies. There were only roughly 2000 rotary Luces made so even in Japan they're pretty rare.

Is that white one in Melbourne, with an FMIC hanging out the front bumper?




2ofdem: ^

Baba: no, looks completely stock. Crazy's got a new motor and turbo for it though, plus he's planning on running N20 on it. Current motor in it is cactus.

[Babalouie]

Current motor in it is cactus.

Well it IS a rotary :D

One thing I have learned with this type of engine that unless there are receipts dated in the past mth for a $6000 rebuild, assume that it is cactus :)

[sv_i]

http://ausrotary.dntinternet.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=86381&highlight=luce
Is Simons on the road at the mo?

[brasher]

Theres another white one in sydney now with a big fuck off frontmount.

[Babalouie]

http://ausrotary.dntinternet.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=86381&highlight=luce
Is Simons on the road at the mo?

Not yet. He started dismantling the old motor a few weeks ago, I think he might only have got it down to the short block but it's still in the car.

Theres another white one in sydney now with a big fuck off frontmount.
Most turbo Luces are piston engined, and a friend's car is a white one around Sydney with a big IC dangling out of the bumper, but it is V6 turbo.

[brasher]

Most turbo Luces are piston engined, and a friend's car is a white one around Sydney with a big IC dangling out of the bumper, but it is V6 turbo.

Trust me mate, this one is 13bt powered.

:yup:

Not trying to take anything away from you, very nice car.

Rotary Crew!

[Lobster]

I demand a picture of the parcel shelf fridge.

[Babalouie]

Trust me mate, this one is 13bt powered.

:yup:

Not trying to take anything away from you, very nice car.

Rotary Crew!

Do tell! And there I was thinking I had the only working one in Sydney :D

I have to keep my eye out for this car...is it someone you know?

[brasher]

Friend of a friend so to speak.

I don't think it was previously running, and now it is.

So there was a time when you were the lone ranger of Luce :)

[Babalouie]

I demand a picture of the parcel shelf fridge.

Er...it's not the clearest pic of it, but you can see on the left there's the lid, and you can stuff a sixpack inside. The grille on the right is the "air purifier" which sucks in cabin air, passes it thru this huge air filter and then blows it back into the cabin. It's all integral with the fridge, and the whole thing takes up 1/3 of the boot (basically the "footprint" of the parcel shelf).

http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m255/MX5_Dorifto/jdmstbbq9.jpg

It's quite clever (or dumb, depending on your point of view) the a/c is all switchable so you can have the fridge running even though the rest of the system is off (there are 2 huge a/c gas lines that go from the engine bay to the boot and the fridge is its own separate thing) and the fridge is always on full-cold even though the heater's on in the cabin.

Takes about an hour to get drinks cold and frosty, but it really does get quite cold. The ironing is that there are no cupholders except this one on the glovebox lid, so yeah...you have to hold your cold drinks.

http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m255/MX5_Dorifto/DSC_0192.jpg

[tomic]

That interior is something else!

I miss the old mini a/c fridges. Whilst living overseas all the crowns the embassy had all had em. Sheer brilliance in countries based round the 'quator.

[bigmuz]

Someone lost their VC SL/E interior- you need the single spoke steering wheel :D

[Lobster]

[QUOTE=Babalouie]
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m255/MX5_Dorifto/jdmstbbq9.jpg

Hm... Thank you for your pics of the fridge. I like them...


However... This picture brings up a question in my mind...
And that is, what the fuck is that sex toy on the back parcel shelf used for?

[Babalouie]

However... This picture brings up a question in my mind...
And that is, what the fuck is that sex toy on the back parcel shelf used for?

It's a JDM thing. I could try to explain but you would not understand.



Besides, didn't you just answer your own question? :D :D

[08ESE]

Theres one almost identical here in townsville, its a luce, BUT its a v6 turbo.

[pedro]

those hand pointey things. pure genuis

[Southo]

Babs has taken me for a run in this...(before the new suspension) - it was - interesting :p (at least I now know how ocean liners feel in a heavy swell) :p

The New Plates suit it well..

So when are we doing some more pics Kev ?

[Babalouie]

So when are we doing some more pics Kev ?
I dunno....when I fix the ride height so that I can get it out of the frickin driveway? :)

[Southo]

Whaddya mean, we did the last ones in the driveway :)

[Babalouie]

True...

[Euroboost]

Babs has taken me for a run in this...(before the new suspension) - it was - interesting :p (at least I now know how ocean liners feel in a heavy swell) :p

The New Plates suit it well..

So when are we doing some more pics Kev ?
I take it then you have never driven a N/A one then. I think the turbos did have a stiffer suspension set up. I love the later 929s, only problem is I get sea sick.

[Nitephyre]

Niiice luxobarge mate... I can't wait to get my Century fixed up (rust taken out, respray, electrical issues solved, aircon working, pimp kit, dished etc)

Luxobarges ftmfw!

[Anabolic]

Don't raise the car. Quit being soft about it.

[Forg]

:eek:

http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m255/MX5_Dorifto/LuceBaskSeat.jpg

:)

[Babalouie]

Hmmm...been a few mths since the last update!

We now have paint!
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m255/MX5_Dorifto/Luce/Picture005.jpg

You can see the big air-scoop for the intercooler ducting, and Mr Trans Cooler:
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m255/MX5_Dorifto/Luce/Picture006.jpg

Pretty much every panel needed fixing, even the roof:
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m255/MX5_Dorifto/Luce/Picture011.jpg
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m255/MX5_Dorifto/Luce/Picture013.jpg
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m255/MX5_Dorifto/Luce/Picture014.jpg
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m255/MX5_Dorifto/Luce/Picture019.jpg
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m255/MX5_Dorifto/Luce/Picture022.jpg
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m255/MX5_Dorifto/Luce/Toys006.jpg
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m255/MX5_Dorifto/Luce/Toys009.jpg
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m255/MX5_Dorifto/Luce/Toys015.jpg
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m255/MX5_Dorifto/Luce/Toys011.jpg
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m255/MX5_Dorifto/Luce/Toys010a.jpg
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m255/MX5_Dorifto/Luce/Toys019.jpg
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m255/MX5_Dorifto/Luce/Toys026.jpg
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m255/MX5_Dorifto/Luce/100-0038_IMG_2.jpg
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m255/MX5_Dorifto/Luce/100-0039_IMG_2.jpg
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m255/MX5_Dorifto/Luce/Toys031.jpg
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m255/MX5_Dorifto/Luce/Toys027.jpg
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m255/MX5_Dorifto/Luce/Toys030.jpg

The Teins will be sold. Custom length coilovers are coming along, based on a G4 kit for FC RX-7 but with longer inserts and custom camber tops:
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m255/MX5_Dorifto/Luce/Picture031.jpg

The hole in the strut tower is massive, so I thought I'd lay the strut back for more castor:
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m255/MX5_Dorifto/Luce/Picture026.jpg
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m255/MX5_Dorifto/Luce/Picture029.jpg
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m255/MX5_Dorifto/Luce/Picture033.jpg
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m255/MX5_Dorifto/Luce/Picture035.jpg

They're 2in longer than the Teins so I can get a decent ride height with good travel:
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m255/MX5_Dorifto/Luce/100-0025_IMG_2.jpg

But at the moment the trans is out getting upgraded:
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m255/MX5_Dorifto/Luce/Toys035.jpg
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m255/MX5_Dorifto/Luce/Toys033.jpg

Bands are fcuked so it's getting kevlar ones, we'll slot in a few more clutches in the stacks and the valve body is being fiddled with as we speak. The stally is also going to get modded for another 800rpm stall to take it up to 2800.

[fcukthedj]

not bad, not a fan of the interior though, reminds me of the ugly red interior on vl calais'.

dont be soft throw in a 20b ;)

[dhs]

very tough!!

[MoparGus]

I miss my 929
Sold it on ebay recently for $405 :(
trans was 1/2 shagged and the V6 wasnt running . I would've kept it and done a conversion on it if i had the room.

It was an awesome car to drive . very comfy . didnt handle at all though

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v228/guruver/ebaybluff.jpg

[MR-PUNANNY]

Awesome BABS!

[Babalouie]

Transmission update!

All the parts have arrived, and the trans should go together today or tomorrow and be in the car on Saturday. Here are the bands we will be installing, the black ones are the upgraded kevlar ones and for reference, the brown ones are the stock replacement ones. The kevlar ones are more durable, and have more friction for a better bite on gearchanges:
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m255/MX5_Dorifto/Luce/Toys038.jpg
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m255/MX5_Dorifto/Luce/Toys039.jpg

It's not that clear in this pic, but by subsituting the thinner clutch end plates from the older 3spd Jatco trans (on the left), we will be able to fit in an extra clutch friction plate into the 2nd gear stack, this should beef up the clutch stack for more power handling and a firmer shift.
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m255/MX5_Dorifto/Luce/Toys040.jpg

Oddly enough, one of the stock solenoids had a pinched o-ring. This would have allowed some hydraulic pressure to bleed off and cause a soft, slower shift. This was the solenoid that handles the 3-2 downshift, which used to flare quite a lot. So upon kickdown, the rpm would flare 500rpm or so before settling at the right rpm. So this is a factory manufacturing flaw from new.
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m255/MX5_Dorifto/Luce/Toys041.jpg

Fitting the shift kit from http://www.superior-transmission.com
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m255/MX5_Dorifto/Luce/Toys042.jpg
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m255/MX5_Dorifto/Luce/Toys043.jpg

Surprisingly, the entire kit is from a US vendor, Shift Technology Products, which have some cool stuff for the N4A-EL transmissions. Accumulator seals are also being upgraded to the viton o-rings too instead of the stock type plastic rings.

[CT]

Luce's looking very nice Kev. Next time you visit you can bring her over in the daylight!!!!!

[Rotawerx]

I like :)

Very nice

[bigmuz]

God thread. Everything except the 3 spokes is awesome. :D

Oh, you should spend a couple bucks on a proper tranny cooler man. Those Falcon tow pack coolers are shite.

[Babalouie]

Okee dokes....fair bit has happened since the last post....

The trans was finished:

Here is a shot of one of the drums with the band in place, you can see the servo piston which snaps the band tight around the drum to engage gear:
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m255/MX5_Dorifto/Luce/Toys044.jpg

...and this is a better shot of the servo (the oil pan eventually goes over this big hole, so this is a shot from the eventual underside)
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m255/MX5_Dorifto/Luce/Toys045.jpg

Here is the rod linkage bush that disintegrates, causing the gearshifter to have lots of slop (I replaced mine last yr).
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m255/MX5_Dorifto/Luce/Toys048.jpg

...and you should replace the other one at the other end of this rod, too. The stock pieces were originally rubber, which dries out. It sits over the exhaust and mine had disintegrated to nothing and the rod and lever were metal on metal. The latest factory replacement bushes are made of a much stronger, heat resistant nylon style plastic. Only a few bucks from Mazda and a good upgrade to take all the slack out of the shifter.
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m255/MX5_Dorifto/Luce/Toys049.jpg

The 4spd Jatco trans is really much the same as the older 3spd trans, except that it has a 4th gear added on. 4th gear lives in its own little self contained module with drum/band/servo etc.
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m255/MX5_Dorifto/Luce/Toys052.jpg

And you can see it here in the completed trans:
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m255/MX5_Dorifto/Luce/Toys054.jpg

Here is the pile of old clutches and seals etc that you throw out after the rebuild.
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m255/MX5_Dorifto/Luce/Toys053.jpg

Here is the stally re-done to raise the stall to 2800rpm:
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m255/MX5_Dorifto/Luce/Toys055.jpg

Then, I finally put together the coilovers that I bought in January, which are a set of G4 coilovers for the FC RX-7, with longer shocks and softer 7/5 springs. No camber tops as the FC ones don't fit the Luce:

Front
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m255/MX5_Dorifto/Luce/Picture037.jpg
Rear
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m255/MX5_Dorifto/Luce/Picture043.jpg

To install into the Luce, I had custom top mounting plates laser cut. I then painted them satin black, tapped the holes for bolts and loctited some hi tensile bolts into them
Front, which has camber adjustment
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m255/MX5_Dorifto/Luce/Picture039.jpg
Rear, which does not.
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m255/MX5_Dorifto/Luce/Picture042.jpg

The rear G4s mount to the top plate using rubber bushes (same as what Tein does on their Super Streets).
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m255/MX5_Dorifto/Luce/Picture044.jpg

Tools and workspace all laid out...the fun is about to begin :)
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m255/MX5_Dorifto/Luce/Picture045.jpg

The guests of honour:
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m255/MX5_Dorifto/Luce/Picture046.jpg

Start at the front. Eeew....ugly old shocks
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m255/MX5_Dorifto/Luce/Picture049.jpg

I initially set the G4s at 2inches shorter than the stock shocks, it's a best guess, since it's hard to say how much the G4s will "settle" once the car's weight is on them. The G4s are double-adjustable, so the shock lengths is adjustable
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m255/MX5_Dorifto/Luce/Picture060.jpg

Bolt them up! Set camber adjustment at max, just for shits and giggles
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m255/MX5_Dorifto/Luce/Picture061.jpg

Installation is the reverse of disassembly....but um..it's exactly the same height as before, 36cm from wheel centre to wheelarch.
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m255/MX5_Dorifto/Luce/Picture067.jpg

Even though the G4s were set at 2inches shorter, the G4 springs are much stiffer than the 105 pound stock springs, and so they don't compress as much. Well, at least it gives a baseline, and so I took it apart again and set the G4s at 3inches shorter than stock.

Much better! Ride height is now 33cm, a 3cm drop, which is what I wanted at the front.
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m255/MX5_Dorifto/Luce/Picture069.jpg

One initial concern was the brake hose bracket. G4 provides a metal strap, which you then shape by hand, and it bolts to the lower strut bolt. This is a lot lower than the position on the stock shock, so I was worried that the brake hose would be unduly stretched when the wheels droop. But since the G4s are 3inches shorter, it works out to being roughly in the same spot, by half an inch. Should be ok.
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m255/MX5_Dorifto/Luce/Picture064.jpg

The finished product...I also zip-tied the ABS sensor wire to the hose bracket
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m255/MX5_Dorifto/Luce/Picture070.jpg

The bottom strut flange has a top hole which is slotted for more camber adjustment...I set this adjustment at max camber, which left one finger's width clearance between tyre and shock, which should be plenty.
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m255/MX5_Dorifto/Luce/Picture068.jpg

So I've maxxed the camber adjustment but overall camber is only about 1.5 degrees. That's perfect for a roadcar but it's a little disappointing that the adjustment isn't there to crank on really stupid amounts of camber should some unforeseen circumstances require it. I think it's more a limitation of the Luce suspension, since the adjustment built into the whole setup is pretty generous. The lower control arms are horizontal at the stock ride height, so it's a little sub optimal at the moment.

Now onto the rear: yucky stock shock
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m255/MX5_Dorifto/Luce/Picture071.jpg

Done!
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m255/MX5_Dorifto/Luce/Picture079.jpg

Initially, I set the rear G4s at 3inches shorter than stock..
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m255/MX5_Dorifto/Luce/Picture076.jpg

But this time it ended up too low...I had to raise it 2cm and in the end ride height was 33cm, a 3cm drop, same as the front.


Et voila!
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m255/MX5_Dorifto/Luce/Picture087.jpg

Now that I've had a chance to look at her in the daylight, I can't get over how much tougher the Luce looks!
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m255/MX5_Dorifto/Luce/Picture086.jpg

http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m255/MX5_Dorifto/Luce/Picture085.jpg

Camber is quite noticeable but still reasonable. Looks like about 1.5 degrees negative (stock setting is 0.5~0.75 degrees positive camber) and surprisingly, whereas it occasionally rubbed the wheelarch before, with more camber it's opened up quite a bit more room. I guess it's to be expected since there is essentially over two degrees more camber compared to before. The front rims are 17x8+33 and I think you could probably swing a deep-dish 17x8+22 now...hmmm.
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m255/MX5_Dorifto/Luce/Picture081.jpg
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m255/MX5_Dorifto/Luce/Picture082.jpg
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m255/MX5_Dorifto/Luce/Picture083.jpg

Ground clearance is 8cm to the bottom of the cat, which could be moved up another 2cm or so. I'll get the zorst redone, and if I can free up 10cm of total clearance, then there shouldn't be any speed humps we can't handle.

Before:
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m255/MX5_Dorifto/Luce/Toys027.jpg

After:
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m255/MX5_Dorifto/Luce/Picture084.jpg

It's only a modest 30mm drop, so isn't drastic by any means, and the G4s are sitting at the right point of their travel, at static ride height, there is 6cm of droop travel and 11cm of bump travel, so it's pretty much where I want it.

As for how it drives, it is very firm, and a huge difference to the boaty soft stock setup. Overall I would say that so far it's quite impressive. Its firmer than say the Teins on the MX5 but it does ride bumps better than the MX5, which is probably a result of the travel the G4s have. It's not drift-car firm but definitely feels like it has track-spec coilovers in it.

Now I gotta focus on that intercooler...

[Anabolic]

Kickin' Rad.

[arcane]

Nice car - love the interior.

Very much appreciate the large number of photos and amount of effort you put in! Great work!

[Babalouie]

Ah, well if you like pics, I didn't post up the pics of the engine being built:

This was done last yr, in about July. The guys who built the engine are a couple of old-school rotary mechanics, John Edwards (late of Alexander Rotary) and Leon Prgomet (late of Road and Rotary).

Here's the starting point. It begins with one of the end housings bolted to an engine stand, and facing up. The middle and other-end housings can be seen below, along with Misty The Rotary Wonder Dog (and Friend!).
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m255/MX5_Dorifto/Picture001.jpg

The bottom layer of the "stack". The ashen/grey colour is from the nitriding process, which is necessary to re-harden the surface after machining it smooth again (the end and intermediate housings are recycled). Nice, lovely smooth surface :D The traingular hole is the intake port, there are 2 per rotor, and there are no valves!
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m255/MX5_Dorifto/Picture002.jpg

Here are the beautiful rotor housings, brand new from Mazda. The inner surface may look dull, but it's actually a chrome-plated surface. After a bit of use it will become almost like a mirror finish. You can see in the housing on the right, the spark plug holes. The bottom plug is fully exposed, while the top plug is shielded behind that little hole. The top (or trailing) plug is mainly there for emissions, and only fires half as often as the main plug. At about 2 o'clock on the housings are the bosses for the oil injectors. Oil is injected into the rotor housings directly, and there are another 2 oil squirters further upstream in the inlet manifold:
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m255/MX5_Dorifto/Picture003.jpg

It now begins...white grease is smeared into the grooves for the water seal. They basically look like long rubber bands, and the grease is to ensure that they stay stuck in their groove during assembly. If the seals fail, coolant will flood the rotor chambers and it'll be sayonara.
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m255/MX5_Dorifto/Picture005.jpg

This is the oil control ring.
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m255/MX5_Dorifto/Picture008.jpg

Pressing it into the rotor....it's important, since it stops oil from the eccentric shaft/bearings to get into the combustion chamber.
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m255/MX5_Dorifto/Picture006.jpg

The rotor is plopped on the stack, and the eccentric shaft carefully lowered into place. Jim Beam FTW!! :D An interesting bit of trivia is that for every engine rpm, the rotor only spins 1/3 of a turn. So at 9000rpm, the rotors are only turning at 3000rpm, one reason why rotaries are so smooth and unstressed feeling.
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m255/MX5_Dorifto/Picture010.jpg

The 1st rotor housing is lowered into place:
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m255/MX5_Dorifto/Picture012.jpg

Here's a close up of how it fits together....the apex seals are not yet in at this stage. Also visible are the grooves for the side seals, which are long, arched seals which seal the side of the rotor from leaking combustion pressures.
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m255/MX5_Dorifto/Picture013.jpg

Now the apex seals go in. They are US-made Rotary Aviation 2mm seals, and you can see the little leaf spring that pushes the seal outwards. A second, smaller spring is inserted in a second...at the left of the pic you can see the big thick dowel, one of four, which hold the plates of the stack in alignment.
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m255/MX5_Dorifto/Picture015.jpg

Repeat the above for the other rotor:
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m255/MX5_Dorifto/Picture021.jpg

The completed stack. The 4 oval holes are the intake ports, the big round ones at the bottom are the exhaust ports. The turbo is virtually just bolted to the side of the block via a short manifold, so each exhaust pulse gets a straight, short, uninterrupted shot right into the mouth of the turbo without much heat loss to exhaust valves, or exhaust cylinder head ports, etc. Also the oval shape of the exhaust port means that the exhaust pulse is very high in amplitude and short in duration, compared to a timed and gradual pulse like on a piston motor.

On the left hand port, you can see the apex seal, which gives you an idea of how short a distance the exhuast pulses have to go before making sweet, sweet love to the turbo turbine wheel.
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m255/MX5_Dorifto/Picture027.jpg

The whole stack is then bolted together using these really long bolts:
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m255/MX5_Dorifto/Picture023.jpg

As you can see, there are a lot of 'em!
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m255/MX5_Dorifto/Picture025.jpg

This hole shows the rotor, and notice those funny gear teeth...a stationary gear will be bolted into place, around which the rotor will travel.
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m255/MX5_Dorifto/Picture029.jpg

Stationary gear bolted in, and we're done!
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m255/MX5_Dorifto/Picture031.jpg

Later the manifolds, sump, turbo, IC etc will be bolted on, and the engine can go back in the car.

http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m255/MX5_Dorifto/Picture036.jpg

The engine is in, the turbo and exhaust manifold is on, but the top half of the engine (inlet manifold, intercooler, loom, injectors etc) are yet to go in. That gadget on the right hand side of the sump is an oil level indicator. A buzzer goes off if you get low.
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m255/MX5_Dorifto/Picture033.jpg

Hello Mr Turbo! Not much to see I guess, but you can see that the lip of the inducer is thinner, becos it's been machined away to fit the T04 compressor wheel. It's got a 56mm T04 H trim compressor, larger dia shaft, 360 degree bearing, ported wastegate and enlarged exhuast housing. Should be good for 220rwkw, when I get the Haltech wired in, front mount, and bigger fuel pump and injectors (one day....long time away). Nice shiny rebuilt turbo....mmm....goody goody :D
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m255/MX5_Dorifto/Picture034.jpg

Now this is a rotary-ism that you won't find on a piston engine. It's the Oil Metering Pump (OMP), which takes some of the oil from the oil pump and squirts it into the combustion chamber at 4 points (thru those hoses) to lubricate the seals. So that's why rotaries use so much oil. It isn't bad sealing or anything, it's intentional and about a litre of oil is injected in and burned off in a thousand kays of driving. It takes a feed from the oil pump and a valve is hooked up the throttle body, so it only goes max-squirtage at WOT. Some rotary heads remove it altogether and believe that it's more efficient to pour some 2 stroke oil into the fuel instead.
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m255/MX5_Dorifto/Picture035.jpg

Here's one of the guys who did my engine, Leon. He flew around Australia in a rotary-engined plane he built himself :D He's a rotary technician so I can't show you his face on television :D
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m255/MX5_Dorifto/Picture038.jpg

Hmmm....you think maybe the cat needs replacing? That funny plate in front looks non-restrictive too :D
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m255/MX5_Dorifto/Picture041.jpg

You'd think that the little rotary would be lost in the huge Luce engine bay and to a certain extent it is (look how low and far back it sits...there's maybe a whole foot between the block and the top of the firewall), but actually that's what makes it hard to work on....the high sides and deep 'bay mean that working on the engine is a back breaking pain. You can also see from this shot, that the car was originally gold (in fact, 2 two tone champagne gold metallic over silver...eeew). It got a colour change in Japan to charcoal metallic black at one point, and in true JDM style the engine bay is left the old colour:
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m255/MX5_Dorifto/Picture042.jpg

Here's what a rotary spark plug looks like, no electrode!
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m255/MX5_Dorifto/Picture043.jpg

Std dump pipe with new NGK O2 sensor:
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m255/MX5_Dorifto/Picture046.jpg

Restored radiator in place, and notice the rather large oil cooler underneath it. Oil is squirted into the centre of the rotor to cool it, hence rotaries come with mega oil cooling as stock, out of necessity:
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m255/MX5_Dorifto/Picture047.jpg

The injectors were then cleaned, and new injector loom plugs fitted.

[Nitephyre]

Looking porn Babs... great work!