V8 versus Rotary!

[ro284]

I seem to have read a lot about V8 engines lately, and how much the little rotary is slagged off for unreliability, But when you compare a 13b to some hulking great v8, both with bolt on’s and tuning are capable of say 400 bhp, or much more, but when you think how the rotary works compared to a piston engine it makes you realize how special rotary’s are, and in fact how reliable they are all things considered, for instance,
Just comparing pistons rings to apex seals! Both do a similar job, One apex seal is 3inches long, X  6 = 18inches
V8 with 4inch pistons, circumference 12 inches for one piston ring , and they need two compression rings per piston, = 2 feet X 8 =16 foot of sealing surface to get the compression to fire the charge, with another 8 foot of oil control rings!!
Against only 18 inches, in a 13b!  pretty amazing really all that power from such a small lightweight 1300cc engine, and certainly cheaper to rebuild than a V8! I know from rebuilding a Buick wildcat V8 over 7000cc!
Just my thoughts!
Bob

[RobbieRX-7]

not to mention a v8 being 3 times the size of a 13b..looking at them both size for size, the 13b absolutley rips the **** out of a v8 when highly tuned. The only cars ive seen do a wheely on the drag strip are v8`s and rotarys..and with the rotary you cant see the engine poking out the bonnet.The rotary is a remarkable little engine that is highly underestimated

[Brett]

Its all down to less wasted energy, with a conventional piston engine you have a lot of wasted energy because the pistons linear travel has to be converted into rotary motion, hence comparable power from a reletively small wankel engine is achievable.

[normski]

Ho yes having had both, I recon the up for the V8 are No contest with the sound V8 every time. Pulling power, Much better than the 13B but  20B phooo don\'t know. Size and lump, Rotory every time.  Lot going for both. + & - on both sides for me. :god

[Martiny]

I think its all to do with translating the Rotary\'s power to weight ratio into better handling and braking.

I dont fancy approaching a hairpin bend with a flippin\' V8 up front, thanks.

Its not ALL about power output and 1/4 mile time.

Lets take a standard FD, then lets take another one, put in a V8 of the same horespower, and lets race round the circuit, thats the real way to compare them, if you ask me.

[antnicuk]

thing is a rotary doesnt compare without a turbo attached.  So a i nice light weight V8 chevy with 400 hp will do many more miles than a mazda,  have much more torque and better drivability than a peaky rotary, be much quieter,  and be much less prone to those niggly little problems.  
I would still take the rotary any day though.

[MikeLMR]

both engines have their advantages ... both have their myths and are overated and underated in some ways.

V8\'s are not all heavy

rotaries are not all unreliable

V8\'s are not all bulletproof and reliable (some of the US lumps are far far from it)

Rotaries are small but rotaries are NOT as light as you may think

some v8\'s can rev harder than most rotaries

etc.

[oldone]

Seen a V8 do a 3 hour endurence and run away from opposition,seen a v8 get a whipping from a ROTOR in a Beetle,seen a v8 attempt the land speed record but seen the same get a whipping from a RX7....horses for courses fellas...but in standard form...like they come from their mother....a v8 is hard pressed to overpwer a ROTOR.. :yes

[Grizzly]

Ever owned a TVR? LOL.

Its like anything, if you take any stock engine and tune the nuts of it the reliability will suffer.

I think the only reason people use V8\'s as opposed to say a Cossy lump is the Torque gain. If this conversation was taking place in a Pub it could be argued the "tweaked" V8 would make a better car to drive on the road than a "Tweaked" Rotary purely for this reason alone.

But saying all this i would never change the engine in a Rx7 to a boinger because i believe the cars are very well balanced and to be quite honest i like them they way Mr Mazda intended (with a few subtle mods )

[monkey-fd3s]

Just on the note of wheelies on the drag strip - That\'d be 1 for the "original" aircooled vw engine in 1 street legal convertable beetle

Thanks to the sharkman for the excellent photo

[oldone]

Just on the note of wheelies on the drag strip - That\'d be 1 for the "original" aircooled vw engine in 1 street legal convertable beetle

Thanks to the sharkman for the excellent photo

if i put "that" money into my 2,then id be running 9\'s all day with wheelies as well...getting outa perspective here fellas...we were talking stock ROTOR and stock v8....s :cool

[RobbieRX-7]

Just on the note of wheelies on the drag strip - That\'d be 1 for the "original" aircooled vw engine in 1 street legal convertable beetle

Thanks to the sharkman for the excellent photo

Except the engine is in the back :yes

[ro284]

i suppose it would be a different story with a 3 rotor only adding another 650cc, i think that would see off most V8s! and only another 9 inches of apex seals! i\'m sure we would all like an extra 9 inches! for performance of course!!
Bob

[rxv8]

lol...this is great reading...

[normski]

It\'s bloody VW!!!! Huuuuuuuuuu! :rollin. Please don\'t mention how fast some can go! I know. But look at it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!