And what country can preserve its liberties if their rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms. The remedy is to set them right as to facts, pardon and pacify them. What signify a few lives lost in a century or two? The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.
Yes, that is the crankshaft. That is why they produce so little torque but unbelievable RPM. Most people don't know that the original RX-7s had a buzzer that went off at, if I remember correctly, 1,000 RPM past the 7,000 RPM red line.
My dad had one of these in the Seventies. We spent too many hours trying to get it running again. Ridiculous contraption. In the end we stuck a Ford 1600 in the garish yellow RX3 Estate (?) and sold it on quick.
In high school, circa 1972/73, I heard that commercial every morning around 6:30 am on the radio in the donut shop where I worked before school. This may be the first time since that I've "heard" it. :-)
Mazda discontinued the RX-8 and the Wankel engine in 2012.
My wife had an early RX-2. It's engine failed early on, but Mazda replaced it free. She got rid of it soon after. She loved it when it worked. Sorta like the 12 cylinder Jags.
good friend of mine-one of the few-a retired prof of aero-engineering built a four rotor from 13B parts. we tested it. ran well. failed often. apex seals doomed it until he got that squared away. sucked fuel like a gas turbine. but the sound chased the crows away. so there was that...
Had a new RX-7 that was fantastic. Drove it for years without ANY repairs whatsoever until it slammed into a bridge abutment in Button Willow one night at about 70 mph. Drove it cross country 4 times and from Seattle to San Diego half a dozen times. I loved that little engine. So I bought another one. Lasted for another 5 years and drove all through the west and Rockies. Finally went crook when the radiator failed and a friend melted it on the way to Miramar NAS. Best $1000 I ever spent.
Compared to the IC engine, the rotary topped out in all measurements (HP, mileage, pollution metrics, etc) where the IC engine has continued to improve and that is why the rotary is no more.
A Wankle engine? And is the shaft supposed to be off centered like that? Looks like it would set up some nasty vibrations .
ReplyDeleteYes, that is the crankshaft. That is why they produce so little torque but unbelievable RPM. Most people don't know that the original RX-7s had a buzzer that went off at, if I remember correctly, 1,000 RPM past the 7,000 RPM red line.
DeleteMore like the wanker engine. It was supposed to revolutionize the auto industry, high rpm, great performance, super MPG.
DeleteOne out of three isn't bad. They burned oil like a 2-stroke.
DeleteIn theory communism works also. . .
ReplyDeleteMy dad had one of these in the Seventies. We spent too many hours trying to get it running again. Ridiculous contraption. In the end we stuck a Ford 1600 in the garish yellow RX3 Estate (?) and sold it on quick.
ReplyDeleteHad a buddy who turned a Wankel pickup truck into a trailer.
ReplyDeleteIt didn't go chuga, chuga, chuga; it went hmmmmmm...*
ReplyDelete* obscure cultural reference
In high school, circa 1972/73, I heard that commercial every morning around 6:30 am on the radio in the donut shop where I worked before school. This may be the first time since that I've "heard" it. :-)
DeleteYep! Every morning on the clock radio! ugh! I'm HS class of '75.
DeleteMazda discontinued the RX-8 and the Wankel engine in 2012.
ReplyDeleteMy wife had an early RX-2. It's engine failed early on, but Mazda replaced it free. She got rid of it soon after. She loved it when it worked. Sorta like the 12 cylinder Jags.
good friend of mine-one of the few-a retired prof of aero-engineering built a four rotor from 13B parts. we tested it. ran well. failed often. apex seals doomed it until he got that squared away. sucked fuel like a gas turbine. but the sound chased the crows away. so there was that...
ReplyDeleteHad a new RX-7 that was fantastic. Drove it for years without ANY repairs whatsoever until it slammed into a bridge abutment in Button Willow one night at about 70 mph. Drove it cross country 4 times and from Seattle to San Diego half a dozen times. I loved that little engine. So I bought another one. Lasted for another 5 years and drove all through the west and Rockies. Finally went crook when the radiator failed and a friend melted it on the way to Miramar NAS. Best $1000 I ever spent.
ReplyDeleteHaven't been able to tag one in Kalifornia for ages. DMV refers to them as a "gross polluter" unable to met smog requirements ever.
ReplyDeleteCompared to the IC engine, the rotary topped out in all measurements (HP, mileage, pollution metrics, etc) where the IC engine has continued to improve and that is why the rotary is no more.
ReplyDelete