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Posted: **Fri Sep 05, 2025 5:47 pm**

Hi all,

New to the forum and to cars in general. This is my first car. 13B RE-EGI GSL SE

While assembling the distributor (was previously off because this car is a restoration), I set the timing incorrectly by about 90 degrees. When attempting to start the car, I heard a loud bang, almost like someone dropped a tool on the ground. Now I am scared that one of my apex seals might have been broken.

Here is what I have tried to confirm the integrity of the engine:

-Turning over manually to hear the compression. I hear 6 wooshes, but one of them sounds weak and not like the others.
-Trying to inspect the apex seals through the spark plug holes. Can see 2 of the 1st and 2nd rotor apex seals, but I haven't gotten a good picture of the 3rd seal. Can't really see anything through the spark plug holes, though.

I don't know where to get a rotary compression tester, and am worried of any type of damage to the engine. Can anyone maybe diagnose if my engine is toast or if I can fix the timing and try to start it.

Posted: **Thu Sep 25, 2025 6:49 pm**

Sorry to see you've not received a reply to your 1st post.

There are forum users on here from all over the world, but the majority of the active ones posting (with a few exceptions) are based in the UK. That might be the reason for no response. Any progress on diagnosing your issue would be most welcome though, if you've managed to get help from another source.

Posted: **Thu Sep 25, 2025 7:02 pm**

addmc wrote: ↑Fri Sep 05, 2025 5:47 pm Hi all,

New to the forum and to cars in general. This is my first car. 13B RE-EGI GSL SE

While assembling the distributor (was previously off because this car is a restoration), I set the timing incorrectly by about 90 degrees. When attempting to start the car, I heard a loud bang, almost like someone dropped a tool on the ground. Now I am scared that one of my apex seals might have been broken.

Here is what I have tried to confirm the integrity of the engine:

-Turning over manually to hear the compression. I hear 6 wooshes, but one of them sounds weak and not like the others.
-Trying to inspect the apex seals through the spark plug holes. Can see 2 of the 1st and 2nd rotor apex seals, but I haven't gotten a good picture of the 3rd seal. Can't really see anything through the spark plug holes, though.

I don't know where to get a rotary compression tester, and am worried of any type of damage to the engine. Can anyone maybe diagnose if my engine is toast or if I can fix the timing and try to start it.

Hey. Sorry to hear you’re having troubles!

With a little bit of luck, it might just have been a backfire.

You could try buying one of those telescopic cameras from Amazon.. they’re like £20 odd pound and work from your phone. This might give you a better indicator of the integrity of the apex seals. But ultimately, the only sure fire way to tell the health of a rotary is to get a proper rotary compression test

Hope it all goes well!

Posted: **Thu Sep 25, 2025 7:05 pm**

Just to add to my last post. If you do use a telescopic camera.. don’t poke it too far into the engine as you’ll turn the rotor onto the camera and cause a whole other heap of issues !

Best to get the seal lined up with the spark plug hole and then just slightly poke the camera in and inspect. Don’t turn the engine over with the camera inside !

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Blown apex seal? Need help

Blown apex seal? Need help

Re: Blown apex seal? Need help

Re: Blown apex seal? Need help

Re: Blown apex seal? Need help