website:www.grannysspeedshop.com
The purpose of this guide is to lay down most of the necessary tasks in an orderly fashion, to hopefully minimize the
time and effort required to pull off a successful COMPLETE conversion.
Many, if not most of the steps described here, are the same regardless of the engine
choice. Injected engines will differ mostly with regards to
electrical connections and fuel system plumbing. The main mechanical components and
basic proceedures are generally the same.
NOTE: Since we are not performing your conversion, it's up to the installer to insure that all applicable emissions and legal considerations are met. This usually means
that the new engine must be of the same or newer year than the car, and has all the engine's systems complete and intact. The exception is usually the catalytic
converter, and that system usually has to be consistant with the requirements of the chassis. The engine will also likely be required to be from the same class of
vehicle (example: no engines from heavy duty trucks installed into passenger cars).
Before proceeding, be sure to consult the appropriate local authority on the legality and conditions necessary for a successful and legal engine conversion in your
area.
If you would like more info on completing a smog legal conversion in California, CLICK HERE
Often times projects such as this are undertaken without a full understanding of
what is involved. Hopefully, this summary of the steps necessary will provide individuals
with the insight necessary to evaluate their own abilities, and help them come up with
accurate estimates for both time and cost. Most hot rodder types will not need these instructions,
but if they encounter a problem at some point, it's nice to know that helpful information is a close as their computer.
This is a very easy swap that can be executed successfully by the average shade tree mechanic. No special mechanical skills or tools are required.
...Installation Considerations...
Our 2nd gen RX-7/Ford 2.3 Conversion Kits make installing the 2.3 family engines into the 2nd gen RX-7 a simple proceedure that is mostly bolt-in, but it does require some quick/easy welding. While the 2.3 engine/trans can actually be installed in the car without welding, required welding must be done before actually driving the car. The easiest way for a non-welder to complete the install is to go ahead and do the install with the exception of the welding, saving the final welding for the exhaust guy to do while he is hooking up the exhaust pipes.
Due to the height of the Ford 2.3's cam sprocket, fitting it in the available room between the RX-7's hood skin and power steering rack can be a bit of a challenge. We prefer to sit the engine low enough to clear the hood skin, but this requires spacing the front subframe 3/8" lower to gain clearance between the 2.3's oil pan and the RX-7's power rack.
The original Mustang style engine extensions are too low and will hit the RX-7's steering shaft. Our installation requires using Merkur engine extensions, available from a XR4-TI, shown below...
Effects On Maintenence & Reliability...
...If you already own a 2nd gen RX-7, then you already know about the rotary’s
maintenance requirements, have probably heard stories about dealer service
departments that lack proper training on rotary engines, and chances are, your beautiful
RX-7 is probably on it’s 2nd or 3rd engine by now. The RX-7 has not
been sold in the US since 1995, and replacement parts are getting scarce.
The Ford engine, on the other hand, is one of the most common engine on the
planet. Most any person with automotive experience has worked on one, and a large
factory trained network of technicians exist from coast to coast. The modern Ford
engine routinely goes 100k between tune-ups, and replacement parts are among the
cheapest and most common.
Skills Required...
...If you have a good grasp of things mechanical, do all your own automotive
maintenance, have a good selection of tools and know how to use them, you are probably
qualified to perform this swap.
Estimating Time For Completion...
...We have broken the conversion process down into smaller steps (links listed below). This allows the person actually doing the conversion to
estimate the time he should allow depending on his abilities and resources.
2....Considerations & Requirements....
4....Engine / Transmission Installation....
5....Exhaust / Throttle Cable / Accessory Drive / Pulleys....
6....Cooling / Fuel Systems....
7....RX-7 Wiring Harness Connector ID and Circuit Locations....
8....Electrical System Modifications By Circuit....