The Lemon IndexMazda's 1.3-liter twin-rotor Wankel, sequential twin-turbo. This page covers the versions we have sourced so far: the Mazda RX-7, model years 1993–1995.
Middle of the pack: YouTube owner tone None/100, #76 of 165 engines with a YouTube study (in the middle third); no engine-related recall on record, 3 known issues listed below.
Known issues on record
- Apex and side seals (low compression) (Outlet report). PistonHeads says a compression test shows whether the apex and side seals are wearing out. Readings of 7 to 8 bar are good; lower is a concern, and a low reading means a rebuild is likely. Fix: Rebuild the engine. 3 owner complaints to NHTSA mention it (FD (FD3S) RX-7).
- Vacuum hoses (the rat's nest) (Outlet report). The sequential turbos are run by a rat's nest of 67 vacuum hoses, says Driving Line. Sports Car Market says engine heat made the hoses shrivel up and fail. Fix: Replace the vacuum hoses with strong synthetic rubber ones. 2 owner complaints to NHTSA mention it (FD (FD3S) RX-7).
- Coolant seals and air separator tank (Outlet report). PistonHeads says steam from the exhaust at start-up points to coolant seals going brittle with age and heat. The air separator tank can split and leak coolant. 5 owner complaints to NHTSA mention it (FD (FD3S) RX-7).
What YouTube owners say Tone 0-100, higher = more praise than trouble.
Average owner tone 50/100 across 3 model years, from 162 videos about this engine and its cars (#76 of 165 engines with a YouTube study).
Most-watched videos
- Driving 48 States in Two Mazda FD RX7s - Episode 1 3,319,141 views
- Rotary Sounds From HEAVEN (Mazda 787B, RX7, RX8 13B/26B) 2,525,096 views
- Regular Car Reviews: 1993 Mazda RX-7 FD 1,538,622 views
- Building an FD RX-7 in 10 minutes [DIRECTOR'S CUT - EXTENDED W/ COMMENTARY] 1,147,496 views
Counted from video titles and captions: praise words against trouble words, weighted by views. Videos only count when the title names this engine or a car that had only this engine in those years.
Owner complaints and recalls
Counts for the cars on this page, from NHTSA. They cover every part of the car, not only the engine.
| Car | Years | Owner complaints | Recall campaigns | NHTSA files it as |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FD (FD3S) RX-7 | 1993–1995 | 102 | 4 | Rx-7 |
Specs by generation
Mazda 13B-REW: FD (FD3S) RX-7, 1993–1995
- Layout: Twin-rotor Wankel rotary, 1,308 cc
- Output: 255 hp at 6,500 rpm, 217 lb-ft at 5,000 rpm (US)
- Redline: 8,000 rpm
- Turbos: Sequential: one turbo at low rpm, the second joins around 4,500 rpm; boost about 10 psi
- Oil: Burns oil by design; PistonHeads says a quarter of a litre per 1,000 miles is normal
What we don't have yet
Quick answers
What cars have the Mazda 13B-REW rotary engine?
On this site so far: the Mazda RX-7, model years 1993–1995.
Is the Mazda 13B-REW rotary reliable?
Mostly, with known issues to check. YouTube owner tone None/100, #76 of 165 engines with a YouTube study (in the middle third); no engine-related recall on record, 3 known issues listed below. Owner complaints are filed by car, not engine, and cover the whole car, so none of these numbers is an engine failure rate.
How much horsepower does the Mazda 13B-REW rotary make?
255 hp in the versions on this page (factory figures).
Sources: Wikipedia: Mazda RX-7 · Wikipedia: Mazda Wankel engine · Sports Car Market: 1993-95 Mazda RX-7 (Stefan Lombard, Feb 2005) · Driving Line: Looking back, driving a bone-stock 1993 Mazda RX-7 R1 (Benjamin Hunting, Sep 2018) · PistonHeads: Mazda RX-7 buying guide, powertrain (Oct 2017). Complaints and recalls: NHTSA (api.nhtsa.gov).