Quick update on the DNF at Petit Le Mans

http://rotarynews.com/node/view/846


-Bern

 

Damn that sucks. Losing a belt. But twice??? That's interesting. When the water pump doesn't turn, the engine isn't happy.

 

That sucks, a DNF cause by a f... belt

 

ok guys, time to star some rumors , I heard from a friend in GRAN AM that speedsource sold 3 GT cars ( if this is true congrats!), so next season maybe we will see a 4 RX-8 GT field for the complete season

GRAN AM GT is going to be great next season with g35c, maybe a 350z, ferrari, porche, pontiac, corvette, theres also rumor of a mustang, BMW, and of course MAZDA.

 

You meant Bought =D Thats some pretty crazy rumour! I hope its true~


woohoo~ (pic taken from speedsource)

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nope, they sold 2 to another team or something and one more for them

its going to be made public at laguna seca, but againg, this may be only rumors

 

Dave, I do think the ALMS car should be making in excess of 480hp... from speaking with a few rotary race experts in general terms, and some quick calculations, I now understand that the R20B motor is capable of generating +500hp, even with the 55mm restrictor, which as Dennis stated, is not much of a restriction, if any at all, on the 3-rotor.

Boy... I love internet bench racing!!!

Please keep up the good work and I'm really looking forward to seeing the GT car soon!

Cheers,

-Bern

 

i think in their limited running time with the GT car, SpeedSource was able to show the engine was at least on par with the GTO's LS2 (or is it an LS7?) V8. I can't wait to see them in action for the full season next year... even if it is a tube frame car -shrug-

The ALMS car has more issues then the engine performance...

 

Im with rotor, I think with a new chassis the engine will do much better, specially one with better cooling

 

While I do know that a 3 rotor can top 500 hp, and if it can in fact get nearly that much power with the restrictor plate in place, it does beg the question though, why is the car so slow compared to other cars in it's class making similar power? It can't be THAT much heavier than everyone else. I really hope all gets worked out with the new plans for next year.

 

I thought I read it was 100-125lbs overweight.

 

Maybe the other cars are not making "similar" power.

 

It's this, and the following:

-cubic dollars (other teams)
-older chassis tech
-overweight
-lower torque on wankel

This why the car is slow...

All things the team is working on for '07! The torque is what it is, I guess!

Bern

 

Why not a variable intake like the 787B? That should help flatten out torque somewhat. I know it isn't going to make everything even but every little bit helps on a race car. The root problem of the car being underpowered and overweight compared to the competition is still there though. It doesn't really matter what the horsepower numbers say. I guess we'll see in 2 weeks what the new direction will be.

 

a little more than a week until Laguna Seca.. I am getting excited, hope no hydrogen LMP2!!!
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Hydrogen!!! That would be the ultimate let down. Can't wait for Laguna myself.

With Acura joining the P2 party Mazda needs to get their act together for 2007 or it's going to be embarassing. I would imagine whatever they've come up with in terms of engineering R&D they must be anticipating something pretty competitive. Just guessing here...

 

Is a four rotor an option under IMSA regulations?

 

I think it is, but as stated earlier in this thread (it sure got a lot longer!!) the 4-rotor could make more torque, but the restrictor plate could really limit the power output, lowering the redline, and also the extra weight of the extra rotor...

i dont know, lets wait and see, laguna is coming!
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Depakote lawsuit

 

I dont think a 4 rotor is a good idea, I think more development of the 3 rotor can make the team competitive, and more $$$$$$ lots more

I really think mazda needs 2 cars in there, as it is, a bell brakes and mazda its out of competition

speedsource is going to have its hands full next year:

http://www.grandamerican.com/News/Article.asp?ID=7366

 

Before everyone jumps on me, I'm not trolling and I love the rotary very very much...

but, I'm just wondering... has mazda ever put out a prototype car with a piston engine? If so, would it be out of the realm to think they would do it again?

The only other main mazda engine I know of for racing is in the Champ Car Alantic series, which is a 2.3 liter engine putting out 300 hp(!!!!).
http://www.champcaratlantic.com/Atla.../FastFacts.asp

And just becuase I'm stupid, here's a second questions... is that 2.3 liter mazda engine in any way related to their 2.3 4-banger that's in the Mazda3?

 

I think Mazda has put piston engine in prototype cars when the rotary was banned after 1991, they continued to race after that.

I personally do not think Mazda would put a piston in their race cars now, because this is how they advertise the rotary engine, and in fact the rotary is a great race engine, a lot more suitable in racing than everyday driving. Other factors are limiting the LMP2 car, many have been stated in this thread. But if you were to put the 3-rotor in a porsche RS spyder, I think it'll do very well.

The 2.3L is simliar to the ones in Mazda3, but ones used in champ car is an engine built by cosworth. Its different.
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After Mazda won in 1991, they entered a piston powered car for the 1992 race and did impressively well considering they had no racing experience with the engine. They finished 4th at LeMans in 1992 with a piston engine.

 

To answer the question in regards to the 2.3L mazda engine:

http://www.champcaratlantic.com/News...le.asp?ID=2103
(Gordon Kirby interviewed Ian Bisco of Cosworth for this piece)
Called the Mazda-Cosworth MZR, the four-cylinder engine was designed by Mazda in Japan before it became a Ford Focus or Duratech engine. Mazda has responsibility for designing the group's engines up to three liters and Ford designs the over three-liter engines.
...
(Bisco)"It's a stock Mazda block with stock cylinder liners, so the rings are probably a little harder than if you were to build a 400-mile engine. They probably take a little longer to bed-in. They probably bed-in more quickly on the track because, although you've got a good air filter, the chances are bigger of getting a lot more abrasive stuff in the engine than on the dyno."

So the Atlantic engine is a Cosworth-tuned Mazda, not a Mazda-badged Cosworth.

I forgot to credit IMSA_Dude in the American Le Mans Series Forums for putting this info together!

http://www.americanlemans.com/commun...56&whichpage=5

 

The piston engine thing has got me thinking. We are all assuming that Mazda is going to announce a new engine program based on the rotary. What if they aren't? the latest engine hype in the company has been about the engine in the Mazdaspeed 3,6, and CX7. Direct injection, turbocharged 4 cylinder. Turbo 4's are already running in that class. Something is telling me that engine has high odds of replacing the rotary altogether as next years ALMS race engine. I hope I am wrong!

 

As do I. While I'm a big fan of Mazda and will cheer for them no matter what power decision they choose, that rotary sounded AWESOME this year at Houston. You knew immediately when it was coming around a turn.

Sadly you could also tell because all the other cars had already gone by...