Research
10-23-2006, 07:23 PM
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Fayetteville, Georgia
Posts: 2,483
I thought about this a lot on the way home today, I'm just not sure why.
These days, who is really pushing the envelope in terms of research into improving the potency of the rotary engine? Is this task really left to the guys that build our engines, and do they really have the time/effort/money to research how to make everything better?
It seems like Mazda would be the only company in the position to advance the technology, but do they really care? Ultimately they care about the bottom line, but is there anyone left in the company that is just so passionate about the motor that they constantly focus on how to improve the design?
I guess what really sparked my thoughts on all of this is how much the piston world has been changing lately in consumer vehicles (direct injection and what seems to be a mandatory turbocharging of most newer performance vehicles come to mind first), but changes in the rotary world take much, much longer due to the fact that one company and one company alone is left with the burden of carrying and improving a technology that has a larger-than-cult following...
Okay I'll snap-back to reality, but I was just wondering what everyone else thought
.
These days, who is really pushing the envelope in terms of research into improving the potency of the rotary engine? Is this task really left to the guys that build our engines, and do they really have the time/effort/money to research how to make everything better?
It seems like Mazda would be the only company in the position to advance the technology, but do they really care? Ultimately they care about the bottom line, but is there anyone left in the company that is just so passionate about the motor that they constantly focus on how to improve the design?
I guess what really sparked my thoughts on all of this is how much the piston world has been changing lately in consumer vehicles (direct injection and what seems to be a mandatory turbocharging of most newer performance vehicles come to mind first), but changes in the rotary world take much, much longer due to the fact that one company and one company alone is left with the burden of carrying and improving a technology that has a larger-than-cult following...
Okay I'll snap-back to reality, but I was just wondering what everyone else thought
10-23-2006, 09:51 PM
#3
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2002
Location: California
Posts: 22,465
mazda's tried a ton of stuff, but the budget is small. they are working on the hydrogen rotary, and supposedly the mazdaspeed 8 is supercharged.
but other than that, it doesnt seem like its in the cards from them
but other than that, it doesnt seem like its in the cards from them
10-25-2006, 07:55 PM
#7
Junior Member
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 1
i wonder if mazda has an account with the main forums to monitor our cult and follow what we are doing to their cars / want from future models.
"well <japanese name>-san, there seems to be a demand for 4 rotor engines that get 40mpg and spit flames."
"well <japanese name>-san, there seems to be a demand for 4 rotor engines that get 40mpg and spit flames."
10-26-2006, 05:53 AM
#8
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2004
Posts: 426
Originally Posted by run_rabbit_run' post='842490' date='Oct 25 2006, 05:55 PM
i wonder if mazda has an account with the main forums to monitor our cult and follow what we are doing to their cars / want from future models.
"well <japanese name>-san, there seems to be a demand for 4 rotor engines that get 40mpg and spit flames."
^ best first post ever
10-28-2006, 07:27 AM
#10
Fabricator
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Central Ohio (Hebron) Zephyrhills Fla.
Posts: 1,322
Originally Posted by run_rabbit_run' post='842490' date='Oct 25 2006, 05:55 PM
i wonder if mazda has an account with the main forums to monitor our cult and follow what we are doing to their cars / want from future models.
"well <japanese name>-san, there seems to be a demand for 4 rotor engines that get 40mpg and spit flames."
I doubt that there is much in the way of research going on. The Isrealys had the Norton sized single working as an APU for smaller business jets. Much cheaper than the gas tubines used before. But I have not seen that one in a while.
The Mazda people have little money (thank you Ford motor company) to work on anything. The ongoing recall for low oil supply to the apex seals could end the show if it goes on too long. The bean counters will allways shut down anything that looks like progress. Note that the RX-8 has those stupid Ford fender flair sculpting? And back doors?
Why not the third gen with gull wing doors, a hotchkis rear end to save money, no Expensive Bose sound system filling the whole rear of the car. If you have been around rotaries for long you can't hear **** anyway. Or a Ferrari lookalike. Any Ferrari. Or an NSX.
How about ceramic rotors, housings and crank? Very little weight, and stable at extream temps. Remember the Polymotor research Lola 212 (I think) from the 70s? Plastic Cosworth engine with a steel crank and everything else plastic or ceramic. Fast and good looking.
The materials people will have to do the work for us until the next breakthrough. Think Buckyballs and Nanotubes. Just my opinion, I could be wrong.
Lynn E. Hanover