Our mad New Zealander mates over the ditch...

Check out the drifting!...



Mike Whiddett Drifts Radbul MX-5 At Highlands Motorsport Park

Not new news just love the RE! screaming!!!

 

That video highlights my favorite thing about the RE. The noise it makes. It sounds so smooth, and even with the revs at redline and beyond, it doesn't feel like the engine is going to break away from the car.

Not sure the exhaust on this person's car, but it also sounds very nice.

 

Don't know the mods on that car, but constant 10300 rpm is not good for normal RX8 Renesis longevity. lol

 

I thought that the only damage from continuous/frequent high revs would be damage to the transmission or overheating the side seals?

Also unrelated question: I've read that fuel pump failures can cause a lean spike, causing a strong pinging that can shatter the apex seals... Once you hit the rev limiter, isn't that cutting fuel injection suddenly (basically the same thing)? Also I'm guessing that even if a fuel pump failed, your engine would probably be in injured unless it was revved high and under significant load at the time of pump failure.. But this same situation is also what happens when fuel is cut at hard red line... Right?

 

The maximum revolutions of a rotary engine is limited by tooth load on the synchronizing gears. Hardened gears are used for extended operation above 8000 rpm. Mazda Wankel engines in auto racing are operated above 10,000 rpm. In aircraft they are used conservatively, up to 6500 or 7500 rpm. However, as gas pressure participates in seal efficiency, racing a Wankel engine at high rpm under no load conditions can destroy the engine.

When you hit the rev limiter, it cuts fuel and spark. A sudden fuel pump failure can cause fuel leaning without a spark limiting, a more dangerous situation for the health of your engine.

 

A lean spike detonation doesn't need spark to occur, it's already the fact that it's igniting without a spark that is the problem. Just pressure and heat.

The difference is that when the ECU cuts fueling, for a given face it cuts the fueling completely, no partial fueling. When a fuel system failure occurs, there is 1 or more faces which get a partial fueling injection. This is where the danger is.

 

It is a special built crank for four rotors and the rotors are lightened.

 

He was referring to the RX-8 in the youtube video. Going past 8500RPM (stock tach will show 9000 or so) in a stock Renesis is useless and dangerous. Unless of course one wants to find out what happens when rotor tips touch rotor housings.

 

I thought redlining is good for the engine (warmed up of course) I drive my car aggressively (Get 190-210 miles per tank, my dad can get 295-300 miles before the light comes on) I redline it a few times each trip to roughly 8500rpm in 1st or 2nd gear (right when it beeps) Is this not okay?

 

There's not much point in going over 8K in most scenarios. Stock motors will be happier shifted about there.

 

Redlining is okay, tuning it and upping the rev limit so you can rev it past 8500RPM like the idiot in the video is not because the stock rotating assembly is not balanced to rev that high. More important than redlining it everyday is just to get it good an warmed up everyday. Do not redline or com close to redline unless the engine is fully warmed up.