Palomar Run

[fsae_alum]

As a newbie, over the past couple of weeks I have moved over from owning a 93 FD RX-7 TT to owning an 06 TB Evo IX.Â* I decided to hook up with 2 of my FD owner friends and do a run up Palomar mountain on Saturday afternoon to see what the Evo can do.Â* We started out in Ramona and headed East on 67 to Santa Ysabel where we then headed North to Lake Henshaw.Â* We then took the East Grade Palomar road up the mountain through the fog layer and eventually to the top. We returned by going down the South grade (the twisty one that most people are familiar with) and then back to Santa Ysabel and ultimately to Ramona.Â*

In true RX-7 fashion, one FD started leaking coolant halfway up the run (not really an issue though) and the other one overheated at the top and all the way back down.Â* Â*:roll: :roll:

As for the Evo, it performed flawlessly.Â* I was VERY impressed with the handling. My co-pilot/navigator/spotter was quite impressed too.Â* :rally: I'll admit that it took a little bit to get used to the fact that the car is like a jetski in that it understeers off throttle but when on-throttle it just pulls out the turn.Â* Â*:skid:Â*

So how did it do against the FD's (each pushing out over 400 hp)?Â* Well....I had to continuously slow down to wait for them.Â* Â*:grin: :grin: :grin:Â* All in all it was a good run and I am really impressed with the Evo.Â*

Pics of the run can be found here:Â* http://www.clanwhy.com/twofer/rx7/083cruise/index.htmlÂ* Â*
Here's a short video too:Â* http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHpDHvQbnQ8

It's good to be an Evo owner!

[TeKiZeRo]

Gotta get used to that understeer :P.

[WW IX RS]

Have fun with the Evo, its a bad ass little car! But you have to love the WRoReRy's, lol.

[vortech_g35]

Looked like fun!

[boostedmiata]

nice fog on top, made for cool weather. I'm sure there was alot of car up there today.

A few more trips, up the S grade, you'll get used to the rythm of that road and your car. Just don't cross the yellow line, lots of motorcycles and other people use the road.

[fsae_alum]

I've been up there many times before with my FD and with the Cooper S I had before that so I'm somewhat familiar with the roads. As for the traffic, I really don't like going to Palomar on the weekends because there's always so much traffic (and cops). This time though, it was literally dead up there. Only saw maybe 4 cars total and only 1 of them was 'running' Palomar (was an S2K). There were NO bikes at all. I will admit though, there was quite a bit of sand/dust in all the corners which isn't great for bikes so maybe that kept them away.

[fsae_alum]

Have fun with the Evo, its a bad ass little car! But you have to love the WRoReRy's, lol.


Yeah....great concept but just not very practical. Don't know of many other mass produced cars (sold here in the states anyways) where the owners are grateful to get 60K miles out of the engine before needing a rebuild. The rotary's are smooth to rev but the flaws are many:
- Run REAL hot....cooling is always an issue
- Can't tolerate detonation (1 normal detonation event and the apex seals are blown and the engine needs a complete rebuild)
- Parts are crazy expensive
- Fuel economy is pretty bad at about 14 mpg
- Notoriously hard to pass smog
- Well known history of catching on fire (excess heat breaks down the rubber in the fuel lines and Fuel Pulsation Damper and then sprays fuel all over the turbos - Intake and Exhaust are on the same side of the engine on a rotary).
- Difficult to work on (14 coolant lines as an example)
- Very outdated turbo control system that is overly complicated (78 vacuum lines, 12 solenoids, and 6 check valves....all getting brittle with heat and age and failing at various stages)

Great concept but just not very practical in the real world.

[boostdtalon]

Ouch, yeah rotary's are nice but yeah the constant issues are just not worth the pleasure of driving one.

[DPK MR]

Very true, I have always wanted an FD but popping a motor every other month really isn't my thing.

[dabie]

FD is still my fav affordable car of all time.. but yeah evo is much more reliable and moddable for the money

[white power]

Very true, I have always wanted an FD but popping a motor every other month really isn't my thing.


still a very cool car if you swap in a LS2 400hp/tq GM V8 and the motor will not blow!

I cant wait to see the snow on Palomar and Big Bear after the sun comes up this Sun morning! (March 16th) Taking he RS out for some snow shots

[05EVOMR]

great vid looks like you ran up south grade and down east grade!!! And yes there is a little understeer to it... until you get your suspension done!!! ;)