Hi everyone, I am new to this forum and to the world of rotaries. I currently own a Honda civic and I am planning to get an 3rd gen RX7 next year so saving up now. I hope to get as much information as possible before I purchase one though. I have a few questions if people don\'t mind me asking.
Most common statement I heard is "Rotaries are very expensive to service and fix and not many people know how to work on these types of engines."
This statement true?
Also I heard something about you got to rebuild the whole engine every few 1000 miles?
Also can anyone give me answers to basic things such as how reliable they are, how much MPG does it give, when is an oil change required etc?
Thanks in advance guys!
Andy
Welcome to the club. You will find loads of information on here to cover all your questions.
1. service are just the same a normal piston engine oil plugs all the usual stuff. there are plenty of garages over the country that specialize in rotary\'s you might just have to travel.
2 re-build every few 1000 miles no more like 60000 plus but if you look after your engine it should last.
3. they are reliable like any other high performance car oil and filter change every 3000 miles to keep it running smooth.
hope this helps
Thank you for your all the info marcus, I got one more question if you don\'t mind answering, how is it for using it as daily driver and on the track? Would I have to service and change parts more regually?
Thanks, Andy.
Threre is a whole heeeeeep of stigma attached to the Rotary engine. But like Marcus said if you look after it it will look after you.
At least there is no timing belt to snap! Lol!
Does a rotary use a chain instead of a timing belt? I have no clue at all about rotaries.
Doesn\'t use any at all!! theres no valves to speak of in a ....el engine.
See here for some basic info incl. a cool wee animation:
clicky (http://auto.howstuffworks.com/rotary-engine.htm/printable)
The intake and exhaust is taken care of using holes cut in the block itself. These connect directly to the throttle/exhaust respectively. The action of the rotor moving round the chamber is essentially \'the valve\'.
In terms of fuel consumption - I use mine as a daily driver (mildly modded - 307bhp) and get around 14-16mpg round town. On a decent drive on the motorway I can get that up to around 24-25mpg. Although when driving like a hooligan I have got that into single figures!!!! Be warned in advance, these girls are NOT cheap to run! Not trying to put you off (I got mine when I was 23 and its the best buy ive ever made) but you won\'t get the enjoyment out if you\'re running to a limited budget. Like mentioned above, oil and filter every 3-5k, doing the plugs as well every second change.
When buying, use your head not your heart to steer you clear of trouble and try and get one from here/FDUK so you know it\'s been looked after. Use the search function on here to look up specific questions (there\'s also a section dedicated here (http://www.mazdarotaryclub.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=58) to all the questions relating to newbies to the rotary scene)
HTH
Graeme
i use mine as a daily and it\'s fine. the only thing you need to watch out for is short trips as it\'s possible to flood the car if it isn\'t warmed up properly. i flooded mine twice before learning my lesson, although at least i can get plugs out quickly now!
I always make sure that the pants temp gauge moves up to the middle position before i switch off (neeeed to get a better gauge!). only takes about five or so minutes of off-boost driving.
Thanks for all the info guys! Sounds like it can be alot of work if something goes wrong but as Graeme said use your head not your heart, will be rethinking whether or not it will be a good idea to get one next year or just to save it for the future.
Will find out more information before I make a decision :)
Andy