Gentlemen (haven't spotted any ladies as yet on the Oz forum!),

I've read a number of times that it's actually beneficial for the rotary engine to be stretched and red-lined as opposed to pussy-footing around. Furthermore if memory serves me right, conventional wisdom has it that you can actually damage the engine by NOT red-lining it at regular intervals.

Can this really be true? Would I, in theory, be in danger of shortening the engines life by treating it gently all its life, other than boring it to death? Can I therefore continue to give it a good thrashing now and again with the added benefit of knowing I'm actually lenghtening its life at the same time? If this is the case does Mazda actually recommend it? Is there life after St Kilda losing?

Your views please
Cheers
Ian

Originally posted by Rosso Diablo
Furthermore if memory serves me right, conventional wisdom has it that you can actually damage the engine by NOT red-lining it at regular intervals.



Absolutely!

These are Muzda’s recommended minimum revs for the most commonly encountered road situations:


Regular City driving – 4,500 - 7500 rpm

Pulling away from lights or other stop – 6,500 rpm +

Highway cruising – change gears until the car is running at a steady 7,000 rpm

Passing police car or funeral procession – 9,500 revs (2nd gear only)

Reverse gear can also be damaged by regular slow usage, so Muzda recommend that you do a couple of kilometres each week in reverse, at not less than 8,000 rpm.

Hope this helps.

BTW. With a name like Rosso Diablo you should be worrying about Melbourne, not St Kilda.

Cheers,

Chris.

Seriously though, I don't see a lot of merit in the idea that you have to thrash a car "for it's own good". My belief is that the worst thing you can do to an engine is not gentle driving but to only use the car for lots of short stop/start trips. Then it has the least opportunity to have full flow of warm oil. Most wear occurs at start, in the first few seconds until the oil circulates.

I do feel that too much pottering about at very low speeds tends to clog a car up a bit, but why would anyone buy a car like this and then drive like that? I believe that it's not necessary to keep redlining a car to keep it reasonably clear internally.

However, I do understand that many would wish to believe otherwise - particularly if they have to put up with city traffic. ;)

I reckon the 'loves to rev' is just a myth.

9k rpm isn't that high by todays STD's just look at the s2000 8k.

now people say that mazda reckon the renesis can rev to 13k, so why don't mazda let it? because revs = wear simple fact!

most rotarys also need a rebuild at 120,000 Km why? beacuse the seals wear. how can you stop the seals wearing? make sure it has warmed up before thrashing it. but I doubt you will gain alot more life from not using the full rpm range since the seals are only going at 3000rpm at the redline.

the other argument is that the rotars are actually spinning at 1/3 crank speed (3000rpm at the redline). so why can't the rotars stand more than 3000rpm? a piston withstands more accelerative forces and the engine can rev much higher eg s2000 F1.
I reckon rotarys are low reving engins for this fact!

Originally posted by rotarenvy

the other argument is that the rotars are actually spinning at 1/3 crank speed (3000rpm at the redline). so why can't the rotars stand more than 3000rpm? a piston withstands more accelerative forces and the engine can rev much higher eg s2000 F1.
I reckon rotarys are low reving engins for this fact!

Pffffft, as if you sell cars by bragging that your car has a huge 3000rpm redline ;)

Originally posted by pepe
Pffffft, as if you sell cars by bragging that your car has a huge 3000rpm redline ;)

I don't know it works both ways :)
you can sell a car as it revs to 9krpm
or market it by saying it makes 177kW at under 2800rpm
ether way your on a winner ;)

makes 177kw at under 2800rpm? how does that work?

from the above mentioned theory that the rotor revolution is 1/3 of the crank revolutions

Redline a day keeps the mechanic away :D

The fuel pump speed control relay operates at hi rpm to increase the fuel delivery.....and the VDI (Variable Dynamic Effect Intake-Air Solenoid Valve) operates at 7300rpm to increase torque......an occasional rev will blow the cobwebs off these I s'pose!!!

Gomez.

Originally posted by rotarenvy


now people say that mazda reckon the renesis can rev to 13k, so why don't mazda let it? because revs = wear simple fact!


That isn't my theory. My theory is that if the car was allowed
to rev to 13 or 15k, the petrol consumption would be
be 30% to 50% higher.

The s2k revs to 9k, not 8k.

for some reason when my car hits 7300rpm its gets this extra boost of power (maybe more fuel???)

you can even hear it.

Originally posted by Ageo
for some reason when my car hits 7300rpm its gets this extra boost of power (maybe more fuel???)

you can even hear it.

See Gomez's earlier comment

Originally posted by dbb
That isn't my theory. My theory is that if the car was allowed
to rev to 13 or 15k, the petrol consumption would be
be 30% to 50% higher.

thats probably also a reason. another would be that the port profile required to make power at that rpm would be less than satifactory at 7-8k.

I think if you put all three reasons together you would cover most bases.

still the renesis and a few other race preped rotaries are the only ones pushing 9k +.

still the rx8 is quite good for fuel economy so letting it rev to 13k would be worth the fuel if it produced more power in the vicinity of 200kW.