Re: [DMCForum] Rotary Engines

[Jim Strickland <ihaveanaccount@xxxxxxxx>]

Some rotaries can go 100 miles, some can go for 100's of thousands. 
What's the difference?  The mechanic, apparently.  I've noticed the same
trend in rotaries that many have very short life.  I asked my rotary guru
guy why that is.  He said it's everyone and their dog that raise the
boost to get more HP.  I've heard that it's 20+hp for every extra pound
of boost.  Seems tempting I guess to too many.  The "margin of safety"
for the 3rd gen RX7 is only a few PSI of turbo pressure.  Anything over
17PSI and the first time you redline it in 3rd gear, you are soon
thereafter parked on the side of the road.

Rotaries do not react well to overheating or sudden changes in fuel
pressure (out of gas, bad pump, etc).  This is one main reason that my
20b is still stock, running the stock computer and everything else.  I'd
bet that when it needs to be fixed internally, it's because of something
stupid, like putting in 87 octane by accident (not that I have ever heard
of this happening and certainly did not happen to me at 3am last tuesday
at the exxon station).

Louis is right that it was a rather modifying installation.  I likened
the installation as "trying to put your fist inside a coke can".  That
really sums it up.  About being stock, it certainly looks different from
underneath- but who the hell gets under there?  I've been surprised how
many people have commented that it looks like it belongs in there which,
to me, is hard to see because I'm biased.  

About the Fridge run, Andrei said I should take the Lotus.  I don't want
to make andrei mad.  he has quite a temper.  I guess it depends on if the
lotus is finished or not.  

Jim


On Wed, 28 Jan 2004 21:36:16 -0800 (PST) Louie Golden
<louie@xxxxxxxxxxxx> writes:
> One of my brother's friends and his father work on rotary engines 
> (mainly '90s RX-7s). They seem to encounter a TON of rotarys that 
> expire long before they should. We're talking some at 30k-80k miles. 
> I really want to do an engine swap down the road, but all of the 
> things I've heard from these guys regarding rotarys has made it 
> clear that's the last thing I want to put in my DeLorean. 
> 
> It's interesting to see some more pics of Jim's car... thanks Walt! 
> Damn Jim... you really had to hack the ever living hell out of that 
> DeLorean to get everything to fit! I don't know that I'd do an 
> engine swap if I couldn't tread a little more lightly on my car. I'd 
> like the car to appear totally stock. Also why I'm leaning towards 
> an American V8 is simplicity in engineering, and it's a powertrain 
> no mechanic would be afraid to work on. I'm almost totally 
> mechanically inept lol. Other reasons why I'm leaning towards an 
> American V8 is I'm all about low-end power and deep rumbling 
> exhaust... I grew up around muscle cars. We've owned everything from 
> '63 Corvettes to '69 Camaro's to my Dad's '69 Boss 302 Mustang he's 
> owned since high school. I guess I learn towards what I know best 
> :-). -Louie
> 
> PS- Isn't Jim coming to the Fridge Run? Hopefully we'll all get to 
> see his car there, Rich. Hint hint Jim ;-).
> 
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