etec and verado not so hitech

[codprawn]

How do you fancy a 330hp outboard that revs to 14,000rpm and virtually NO vibrations???

http://www.monito.com/wankel/marine.html#OMC

OMC had one running during 1973!!! See there isn't much out there that is really NEW!!!

It was based on a Wankel engine - wonder why they have given up on them for outboards??? Really light - smooth - compact - I know there have been problems over the years but Mazda still swear by them and I have just ordered an RX8 - awesome car for the money!!!

[slimtim]

Not great on fuel consumption...or did I just make that up ?

[codprawn]

Originally Posted by slimtim

Not great on fuel consumption...or did I just make that up ?

Then again most cars I drive get under 20mpg!!!!

[Searider]

Autocars long termer seemed to get through oil so fast that it was essential to check it every time they put fuel in!

[ADS]

Originally Posted by Searider

Autocars long termer seemed to get through oil so fast that it was essential to check it every time they put fuel in!

Topgears long termer was exactly the same, but all of this is completely worthwhile when you can tell your mother in law that your new car has a WANKEL engine

[codprawn]

Originally Posted by Searider

Autocars long termer seemed to get through oil so fast that it was essential to check it every time they put fuel in!

Very true but you know this before you buy one - they have never managed to cure the fuel consumption or oil usage problems but other than that they are great.

Actually after time the oil use does settle down - to about 0.5l per 1000 miles so not too bad.

As far as fuel economy goes what you have to remember is that QUOTED figures are just that - on paper a Suburu WRX doesn't look too bad - in practice you get 14mpg if you drive it hard - from a 2 litre engine!!! On the other hand a TVR Cerbera with a 4 litre engine may be crap at about 18mpg but it is still better than the Suburu!!!

At the end of the day use 230hp and you will pay - and 22mpg is still a lot better than a boat with 230hp!!!

[jyasaki]

Originally Posted by codprawn

Very true but you know this before you buy one - they have never managed to cure the fuel consumption or oil usage problems but other than that they are great.

Actually after time the oil use does settle down - to about 0.5l per 1000 miles so not too bad.

Having owned a Mazda RX-7, I can say that the oil thing was a first generation problem. Mazda solved it by using a nitride coating on the comb chamber walls, and going to harder seals on the rotor corners. Mine burned little enough that checking it between oil changes was pretty much unnecessary.

Fuel economy does suffer with a rotary, though.

Smooth power, though, and no redline worries.

I think that, for a given output, the rotary engines are smaller and lighter than a piston engine of equal power, which would be a decent offset to the economy.

jky

[Brambles]

Originally Posted by codprawn

- on paper a Suburu WRX doesn't look too bad - in practice you get 14mpg if you drive it hard

Not to mention less than 5,000 miles from a set of Bridgestones

Anyone want to buy a WRX wagon? Low mileage (true) very cheap to run (ahem..)


Cheers

Ian

[codprawn]

Originally Posted by Brambles

Not to mention less than 5,000 miles from a set of Bridgestones

Anyone want to buy a WRX wagon? Low mileage (true) very cheap to run (ahem..)


Cheers

Ian

For some reason the Vectra SRis I used to get off Avis would go through tyres every 3000 miles - and that was WITH traction control - apparently nobody else hiring had that problem - they got rather annoyed!!!