Got a few (<- keyword) newish details from a Toyo Dealer

[Matador]

Originally Posted by GenkiElite

I worked at a Toyota dealership in Cincinnati (about 25 miles from their largest plant in the country) and was told by one of the development guys that we would be getting a Tundra turbo diesel (engine built by Caterpillar) duelly. I was told his about a month before their 5.7 was released. The moral is until that shit in the dealership nothing is official.

That's a vehicle that was actually cancelled (should have been an Izuzu/Hino diesel though) along with a Street Rod, and a Ford Raptor style performance version of the Tundra.

Hope they get around to them wen things pick back up cause the next tundra isn't due till when? 2017?

[Allch Chcar]

Originally Posted by OldSkoolToys

I'll give rotaries one thing....when you know exactly what to do, a full tear down and rebuild will only take a few hours of your night.

Those things are so effing simplistic compared to piston engines.

Not so sure of the hostility towards rotaries to be honest...they're not great on gas, but they're extremely light and small, making for easy 50/50 balance in an FMR setup. The only thing I can think of is the unfamiliarity with working on them. Like I said, I spent a few hours one night watching the local rotary guru do his work on my bro's 12a and I couldn't help but be astounded how effing easy that process was. I spent more time cleaning carbon out of the groves in the Rotors than the actual assembly.

The Renesis weighs about the same as the F20C gets the same EPA MPG in a bigger coupe and is known for being smooth.

I'd pick the rotary Renesis over a F20C, although I'm no expert and I've never driven either. I admit the Renesis does need better oiling and boosted it doesn't compare with the F20C because it's prone to predetonation.

MPG is the only problem I have with the RX-8 but it's a true blue sports car. If they had used a version with the 4 port engine and taller gearing it would probably get decent MPG. The rumor is that the Auto version gets better MPG, it is geared for 2000RPM at 60mph! I'm not sure what BHP the 4 port puts out exactly, I've heard 180-200BHP. I'd give up 30-50BHP for 5 more HWY MPG. It would still be a fun car to drive .

[Maxim]

The rotary is an amazing piece of tech. Diesel rotaries are great on fuel and make absolutely SILLY amounts of torque. I'd LOVE a turbo-diesel RX-7. It would be silly fun.

If the rotary engine had received anywhere NEAR as much tech development over the last 100 years as the piston equivalent, it would be a vastly superior system. As it is, I look forward to the new version of Mazda's rotary with extreme impatience. If they can fix their styling issues and offer a rotary that will give me about 27mpg highway, I'd be all over that in a heartbeat. I've driven the RX-8 and it's an amazing performer, even if it is way down on power.

[serialk11r]

The next Mazda rotary might solve a lot of the current problems though. Judging from the first few links on the internet, the main problems that the rotary faces are sealing, low compression ratio, and a suboptimal long combustion chamber. Ceramic seals might make it into cars sometime in the future, the new Mazda engine has a much better compression ratio, and they've probably improved combustion efficiency a good deal by now. Exciting stuff...

[Deslock]

Given the choice, I'd take 148 HP & 2400 lbs over 200 HP & 2700 lbs, but either would make me happy.

As far as the rotary goes, IMO the RX8 is one of the most fun 4 seaters ever built (though it's unfortunate that it wasn't closer to the RX-01's 2425 lbs and shorter wheelbase). The 13B-MSP didn't attain its targeted MPG and I doubt the 16X will improve things enough for mainstream appeal, but if they can get it up to 20/27 MPG city/highway @ 240 HP & 185 ftlbs in a 2600 lbs RWD 4 seater, I'd buy one in a heartbeat. Don't see it happening.

[iff2mastamatt]

Originally Posted by serialk11r

The next Mazda rotary might solve a lot of the current problems though. Judging from the first few links on the internet, the main problems that the rotary faces are sealing, low compression ratio, and a suboptimal long combustion chamber. Ceramic seals might make it into cars sometime in the future, the new Mazda engine has a much better compression ratio, and they've probably improved combustion efficiency a good deal by now. Exciting stuff...

The rotary engine is far from perfect, but it's an interesting idea. I'd get a vehicle with one but the rotary engines aren't reliable at all. I want an engine that will last me 10 years, not 2 years.

[Dark]

Originally Posted by iff2mastamatt

The rotary engine is far from perfect, but it's an interesting idea. I'd get a vehicle with one but the rotary engines aren't reliable at all. I want an engine that will last me 10 years, not 2 years.

Ask those guys who are still driving 1993+ RX-7 around. They might know the tips how to maintain the car.

[Giccin]

Originally Posted by Dark

Ask those guys who are still driving 1993+ RX-7 around. They might know the tips how to maintain the car.

I keep hearing people say that.. if you drive an rx-7 carrying around a quart of oil around would help.

I really don't know how much that would help but its something. Could I get someone possibly knows more about this clarify? Don't wanna just give out false info.

[Dimman]

Originally Posted by Dark

Ask those guys who are still driving 1993+ RX-7 around. They might know the tips how to maintain the car.

Valuable tips like having the motor rebuilt every 3 years?

Edit: Giccin, rotaries need to inject oil into the combustion chamber or else they will die. So they go through a lot of oil.

[Allch Chcar]

Originally Posted by Giccin

I keep hearing people say that.. if you drive an rx-7 carrying around a quart of oil around would help.

I really don't know how much that would help but its something. Could I get someone possibly knows more about this clarify? Don't wanna just give out false info.

Originally Posted by Dimman

Valuable tips like having the motor rebuilt every 3 years?

Edit: Giccin, rotaries need to inject oil into the combustion chamber or else they will die. So they go through a lot of oil.

You should carry a quart of oil with you just in case for any ICE. Piston engines burn oil too. Both engines start to burn a lot of oil as they age and more so as they get close to failure of the internals.

The earlier Rotaries were more reliable because they didn't have to limit oiling for emissions. Proper oiling is important to protect the apex seals in Rotary engines. I can't go to far into it simply because I don't have the information memorized and I'm simply not as knowledgeable as the Rotaryheads but the Renesis is infamous for not being reliable for good reason.

The most common conclusion I've heard of it being unreliable is due to lack of sufficient oiling.
The most common solution is to premix oil with Gasoline. The Rotaryheads often recommend redlining the engine once a week too.

I personally feel keeping the RPMs up to avoid lugging is close enough since the oil pump is designed for higher RPM operation. Redlining is at the end of the normal range of operation. I've heard that meticulous maintenance makes a difference too.

Dimman is being pessimistic about it but what he's saying is not unheard of. Mazda has a 100K mile warranty but the process to get the engine replaced is rather, stringent. 100k miles is not unheard of on the Renesis but there are plenty of RX-8s on their second or third engine.

[xantonin]

Originally Posted by Allch Chcar

The Rotaryheads often recommend redlining the engine once a week too.

I personally feel keeping the RPMs up to avoid lugging is close enough since the oil pump is designed for higher RPM operation. Redlining is at the end of the normal range of operation.

Thank you sir, you've given me another justification to hit 8,450 RPMs more often.

[Exage]

Originally Posted by Allch Chcar

The earlier Rotaries were more reliable because they didn't have to limit oiling for emissions. Proper oiling is important to protect the apex seals in Rotary engines. I can't go to far into it simply because I don't have the information memorized and I'm simply not as knowledgeable as the Rotaryheads but the Renesis is infamous for not being reliable for good reason.

I thought that the 13B had apex seal problems from the get-go, unless you're talking about rotary engines pre-dating the 13B? I'm pretty sure that the FC and FD RX-7s had known problems with the apex seals, unsure on the FB though.

[serialk11r]

Originally Posted by xantonin

Thank you sir, you've given me another justification to hit 8,450 RPMs more often.

lol how would that do you any good? After you go back down to normal range rpm you'll be back to the low oil flow levels again.

Anyways I went back and read some articles on the 16X today, they claim they've gotten the fuel efficiency pretty good but emissions is still a problem :/ Sounds like the oil burning or NOx emissions?

I think rotaries might have a tough time as fuel efficiency standards get even tougher since it's a bit more difficult to implement throttleless control since there aren't any valves to block airflow off for part of the intake cycle. I imagine eliminating that source of partial load loss will be pretty important to hit fuel efficiency regulations further down the line.

[xantonin]

Originally Posted by serialk11r

lol how would that do you any good? After you go back down to normal range rpm you'll be back to the low oil flow levels again.

The random bursts every now and then will do my engine better than none at all!!! (or than just low)