Boingers

Clint Corbin ccorbin at Rt66.com
Thu May 14 15:18:33 GMT 1998


At 03:44 AM 5/14/98 -0600, you wrote:
>Raymond,

>> The Wankel doesn't shine at all in the gas consumption ratings.  It is
>> acceptable, but not great.
>
>Wankel's suffer most at part throttle low rpm cruising, where their 
>low internal friction and pumping losses are negated by throttle 
>plate restriction.  The BSFC of a wankel at open throttle is not as 
>bad compared to a piston as some would have you believe, and is 
>certainly better than a 2-stroke, which is why they do / have done 

One thing about a Wankel engine can not be improved greatly upon:
the combustion chamber shape sucks!  Long, thing, flat.  Just made
for detonating.  Some experiments with stratified charged Wankels 
(by John Deer)  did produce very good mileage and such.  But then,
direct injection, stratified charged 2-strokes are a pretty sweet combo
too.


>> but he certainly doesn't want to be pouring 2-stroke oil into
>> his gas or anything like that.
>
>I've never poured 2 stroke oil into the gas tank of my RX-7.

Your street RX-7 has oil injection.  It uses the motor oil, if I'm not
mistaken.  

>What you get with a wankel is the power/weight ratio of a Camaro in a 
>car that weighs 800-1000 lbs. less with a perfect 50/50 weight 
>distribution, and gas mileage that is basically the same.  Whether 

I can't argue with that.  But I would still like a really nice direct
injection
2-stroke!

>enemy.  Anyone care to compare the state of the art in rotaries today 
>vs. the state of the art in pistons around 1910?

You know as well as I do that is not a valid comparison!  One of 
the main reasons that engines have improved as much as they have
isn't so much the specifics of the design!  It is the material science 
behind it.  And most of these advances apply equally to either type
of engine.

>	I am as willing to admit as anyone that the rotary has 
>limitations.  It is hardly a wunder-engine, it has clear advantages 
>over a piston engine in some applications, which latter happen to 
>encompass a rather small niche in the automotive/aviation market, and 
>rather serious and obvious disadvantages in most other "everyday" 
>automotive applications.

They are still neat!  But then, I love just about every type of engine made!

Clint



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