Any rotary engine fans?

[emsvitil]

Mazda is coming out with a new RX7
http://www.infinite-garage.com/?p=2293

with a new engine:
http://www.mazda.com/mazdaspirit/rotary/16x/

(I'd like to put the engine in my old RX2....)

[Stocker]

I've never owned one, but I find the technology to be fascinating.  Imagine how advanced it would be by now if it had received all the engineering & development that piston engines have gotten over the past several decades. Nice to see that Mazda is continuing to refine it. Hopefully the new engine's improved torque and fuel economy numbers will be significant -- and let's hope Mazda keeps the car affordable.

[bleakhorizon]

ohhhh... how i hate apex seals.......  curse you...

[brainlessfool]

nope.

[Cheesemaker]

I've seen many rotary's in drag race cars.  And reports of them running above 14 grand on the tach, and not blowing apart.  But I'll tell you what, when you hear an old Ford Courier or Mazda with a very worn out rotary engine shut off, it will get your attention.   

[Stocker]

Well, they did have bad problems with apex seals in early rotary engines. IF you managed to get 40K on them, they were blowing blue smoke and as worn out as an early Chevy Vega engine (aluminum block, no iron liners) with the same 40K. Supposedly the apex seals issues have long since been resolved.

[Redsonja]

I've built over 60 rotary engines from bone stock to formula Mazda spec motors(ya I know that's a rule infraction so I won't say who ran the motors but they are now an Indy driver)

The major miss conception with rotaries is that they are fragile. They are very far from fragile. Actually quite strong. The problem is ppl tend to throw way too much boost with not enough fuel to them.

There are so many different makers of apex seals now its ridiculous. Metal technology has come a long long way since the 70s when the original Mazda rotaries came out. The latest version for the 13b engine that Mazda released as a 2 piece seal are probably some of the best. Ceramic is also a great option but expensive but if u detonate once they are gonzo.

There are a lot if really cool ideas out there for these motors but since there is a serious lack of competition for Mazda and these engines the development has suffered. Just imagine if Chevy had followed through with plans to replace the v8 with a rotary, oil crisis killed that idea.


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[bleakhorizon]

lol i dont doubt that there are better materials now... i was rebuilding second hand triangles for a couple people when i was in school....  im sure they were more than abused...

[mudaddict]

i worked for mazda for years replaced plenty of them in the new rx8's due to oil problems. but i will say those cars are a blast to drive they have no problems reeving super high. worked on plenty of rx7's with massive turbos its just crazy what you can do to the engines. easy to work on not much there to go wrong.