I was having lunch with an old 914 buddy in Novato -- the guy who built the silver 914-6 3.8 that keeps popping up for sale -- when a gray/silver (looked like that old-school silver that isn't so bright) 914 went by. Too quickly to collect all the details.
Fairly stock looking (I think it was still on four-lug wheels), but it sounded like it might have had an inline four, like a Honda S2000 or Toyota motor, but I am sure that's not it. Could it be?
If that was a Type IV, I want to know what was done to it!
This was on Wednesday March 9 on Bel Marin Keys Blvd @ 1:00 pm or so....
Anyone here know this car?
pete
I am sure I know the car, it has a Mazda rotary engine. Roger Hamlin just worked on it at his Sears Point shop. It is a silver 71, but it has the 5 lug conversion done to it, so it has 5 lug Fuchs on it. I saw it when my car was there getting the cage put in. He said it was a local car, and Novato is close to Sears. Maybe this was it. I know the paint on the car was very dull.
Yep, that's probably the one. Again, didn't get long enough to get a gander -- and it was doing 20-40 mph as it accelerated down the street.
I didn't want to bag on anyone's car (and still don't -- except for SLITS ), but I'd say it was either really bad silver -- like Hammerite -- or faded. Coulda been on five luggers...I suppose.
The thing that distracted me was that the engine sounded wierd -- for how smooth it was. And not very air-cooled.
Pro'ly was a rotary. Damn, it sounded good...has it ever been done WELL?
pete
QUOTE (horizontally-opposed @ Mar 10 2005, 03:53 PM) |
The thing that distracted me was that the engine sounded wierd -- for how smooth it was. And not very air-cooled. Pro'ly was a rotary. Damn, it sounded good...has it ever been done WELL? pete |
QUOTE (jd74914 @ Mar 10 2005, 03:57 PM) | ||
Rotaries still don't seem to have been perfected. Wankle (sp?) had a great idea, just seems to need some more work (I don't know anything about the rx8s, I've only heard that they get bad gas mileage. ) If anyone has pics of a clean install please post them. Its such a cool idea. |
just take care of dem dar yonder apex seals
QUOTE (lapuwali @ Mar 10 2005, 04:26 PM) |
I'm sure you'll get a lot of hot replies to this, esp. from a certain Canadian... Rotaries had all kinds of problems early on (pre about 1977), but since then, they've been pretty reliable. They don't need rebuilding any more often than a typical piston engine, and they can be tuned to make remarkable amounts of power. Their chief downfalls are that they get crappy mileage (18mpg is common), they require excellent emissions controls as they're quite dirty without them, they generate a LOT of heat (requiring about as much cooling as an SBC), and they require good mufflling. An open piped rotary sounds TERRIBLE. However, a turbo is ideal, since it muffles well, and rotaries like turbos. I've had two RX-7s, one a turbo, and never had the slightest engine-related problem with either of them. |
A buddy of mine had an RX7 with a 13B. Minimal mods included a tear-port (a bit of grinding and polishing on the ports), a different intake manifold with a Holley 4-barrel, and a custom exhaust. It put out 200HP and was running stronger than ever at 100k miles (right before it finally scattered). The motors are tiny. There's nothin' like 2-stroke power... Not very torquey, but tons of power when you wind 'em out.
OT, but here's a http://www.bryanf.com/510/engine.htm that's cranking out 350HP with a turbo.
QUOTE (jd74914 @ Mar 10 2005, 04:37 PM) | ||
Those are the problems I was referring to. I didn't mean to infere that they are bad engines. I know people with rx7s who love them. |
now wait....the only reason for thier knock-resistance is because mazda or wankel crammed that thing with anti-knock sensors (AKA Microphones).....
adding a quart of oil in the engine every 500 miles seems a bit absuird too
It is a two stroke--kinda--really a one stroke when u really look at it. It has to have oil to lube the apex seals--although allot of people do away with the oil injection pump and just premix the gas like a dirt biker--
I agree--revs to the moon and what other engine can reliably make 400+ hp on just 1.3 liters????
QUOTE (RandyLok @ Mar 10 2005, 04:46 PM) |
A buddy of mine had an RX7 with a 13B. Minimal mods included a tear-port (a bit of grinding and polishing on the ports), a different intake manifold with a Holley 4-barrel, and a custom exhaust. It put out 200HP and was running stronger than ever at 100k miles (right before it finally scattered). The motors are tiny. There's nothin' like 2-stroke power... Not very torquey, but tons of power when you wind 'em out. OT, but here's a http://www.bryanf.com/510/engine.htm. |
QUOTE (bd1308 @ Mar 10 2005, 04:51 PM) |
now wait....the only reason for thier knock-resistance is because mazda or wankel crammed that thing with anti-knock sensors (AKA Microphones)..... |
QUOTE |
a Wankel isn't a two-stroke...One could even say it's one continuous "stroke", since it never reverses direction. |
QUOTE (horizontally-opposed @ Mar 10 2005, 03:53 PM) |
And not very air-cooled. |
they are real cool engines though....wish I had a RX-7
Here is a unique way to house a rotary motor, actually two unique ways. One is blown the other has a four barrel on top of the mainfold.
CCLINWANKELVILLE
Attached image(s)
32 coupe look...
Attached image(s)
http://web2.airmail.net/atl/Rotary.html is a link to a guy who did one. Seems like it turned out alright.
in teh works...87 RX7 Intercooled Turbo II, 247 Hp, 2500 lbs, 8500rpm red line, I cant wait to drive it. teh turbo comes on like a light switch at 3600rpm, 16mpg on a good day
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