Why are rotary engines bad?

**HighHurdler** · 09-20-2009, 04:41 PM

i overheard a convo at subway. one guy wanted to buy an rx-8 and his friend said to stay away because it had a rotary engine. he was just like oh they're bad.

why?

**sponge90** · 09-20-2009, 04:42 PM

hey this one time one of my friends told me that if i need to know something with real information i should ask on this website called www.google.com

it was really helpful and i got all the info i need

**HighHurdler** · 09-20-2009, 04:47 PM

Originally Posted by sponge90

hey this one time one of my friends told me that if i need to know something with real information i should ask on this website called www.google.com

it was really helpful and i got all the info i need

**FinalCountdown** · 09-20-2009, 04:48 PM

http://tinyurl.com/nqgmgo

**HighHurdler** · 09-21-2009, 06:40 PM

bump for the answers from google didn't do ****

EDIT: are rotary engines bad for a DD?

**kaze06** · 09-21-2009, 06:46 PM

There's nothing wrong with rotary engines. They are only reputable as bad because they tend to require quite a bit more maintenance than your traditional inline/piston motor. The seals are the biggest nuisance, they should be checked often and replaced regularly. Don't let anyone straight up tell you that a rotary engine is bad, because they are amazing little powerplants and have a beautiful exhaust note, they just require a bit more love and care than most other vehicles. The RX-8 has quite a bit less common everyday problems than the RX-7 did, but it's also not nearly as fun to drive. Really though, there's nothing wrong with the engines. They're just a bit more finicky.

**HighHurdler** · 09-21-2009, 06:49 PM

Originally Posted by kaze06

There's nothing wrong with rotary engines. They are only reputable as bad becaues they tend to require quite a bit more maintenance than your traditional inline/piston motor. The seals are the biggest nuisance, they should be checked often and replaced regularly. Don't let anyone straight up tell you that a rotary engine is bad, because they are amazing little powerplants and have a beautiful exhaust note, they just require a bit more love and care than most other vehicles. The RX-8 has quite a bit less common everyday problems than the RX-7 did, but it's also not nearly as fun to drive. Really though, there's nothing wrong with the engines. They're just a bit more finicky.

so basically the only reason they're considered "bad" is because they require more maintenance? like what? and how much does that usually cost?

the conversation i overheard made me check out the rx-8 and i like how it looks. right now i don't have money for fast cars so i'm looking for a good looking car under 10k pretty much. i plan on getting a different car when i graduate because i'm tired of my '99 mustang. **** is no fun at all

**disbeast57** · 09-21-2009, 06:51 PM

Originally Posted by HighHurdler

so basically the only reason they're considered "bad" is because they require more maintenance? like what? and how much does that usually cost?

the conversation i overheard made me check out the rx-8 and i like how it looks. right now i don't have money for fast cars so i'm looking for a good looking car under 10k pretty much. i plan on getting a different car when i graduate because i'm tired of my '99 mustang. **** is no fun at all

Rx-8`s are slow as ****. If you are going to build a rotary get an rx-7. If you want an rx-7 and want to make it fast. Put and ls1 in it and go turbo.

**GINAMV** · 09-21-2009, 06:51 PM

Originally Posted by HighHurdler

bump for the answers from google didn't do ****

EDIT: are rotary engines bad for a DD?

I really don't know too much about em but they were kinda built to be only small and light...And tended to burn oil...Not nearly as many mechanics will service em so you'll get sent over to the rapis..i mean dealer...the difference is the 4 strokes of the motor occur while rotating...hard to explain meh..not so much on the more maintenance...different maintenance.

**HighHurdler** · 09-21-2009, 06:52 PM

Originally Posted by disbeast57

Rx-8`s are slow as ****. If you are going to build a rotary get an rx-7. If you want an rx-7 and want to make it fast. Put and ls1 in it and go turbo.

i'm not gonna build **** lol. i just want a good looking DD

**disbeast57** · 09-21-2009, 06:54 PM

Originally Posted by HighHurdler

i'm not gonna build **** lol. i just want a good looking DD

Then dont get an rx-8, at 13mpg and having to drive at high rpm`s to get it to go anywhere its not that fun.

**beefyron** · 09-21-2009, 07:01 PM

low torque, high maintenance, less people are experts on them.

**1-swole-brah** · 09-21-2009, 07:01 PM

cause they are expenisve as **** to work on and parts are expensive.

dont get one.

**B-Neva** · 09-21-2009, 07:02 PM

rx8 is ugly anyways that's why you don't buy it!

**MaxxxSquats** · 09-21-2009, 07:05 PM

rotary engines are considered "bad" by some b/c they are not as reliablr as traditional engines, they are harder to work on and find somebody to work on them, and they get poor gas milage compared to similarly powerful regular engines

**HighHurdler** · 09-21-2009, 07:09 PM

nvm. i'll stick to an acura tl or tsx like i planned lol

**chirppy82** · 09-21-2009, 07:28 PM

nothing wrong with egg beaters. they produce good hp relative to their capacity, although lack torque. The fact is they have not been used in mass production like a piston engine and therefore have not been engineered and refined as far. They are smaller/lighter and produce less vibration in operation. But as said earlier, their are issues such as seals etc.

**zma_21** · 09-21-2009, 08:03 PM

Originally Posted by disbeast57

Then dont get an rx-8, at 13mpg and having to drive at high rpm`s to get it to go anywhere its not that fun.

You're full of ****.

I've driven the all mighty hell out of my girlfriends rex, and got way above 13mpg, and this was all in town.

And also, fast is a relative term. It's a lot faster than most of the ford focus' and scion tc's that put fartcannons on, throw it in park and rev at you.

**IRockNikes** · 09-21-2009, 08:07 PM

Originally Posted by HighHurdler

so basically the only reason they're considered "bad" is because they require more maintenance? like what? and how much does that usually cost?

the conversation i overheard made me check out the rx-8 and i like how it looks. right now i don't have money for fast cars so i'm looking for a good looking car under 10k pretty much. i plan on getting a different car when i graduate because i'm tired of my '99 mustang. **** is no fun at all

Just stay away from them. The people telling you they aren't bad aren't the ones who are going to be paying your bills when its in the shop.

**Andrew-L** · 09-21-2009, 08:12 PM

rotaries are only considered bad because the apex seals go out(apex seals are the "gasket" on the actual rotor)

but, IMO, rotaries are better, because they have no mechanical redline, meaning that as fast as you can put air and fuel into the motor, they will spin that fast. but they do have a computer controlled redline. piston motors can only spin so fast before the start losing efficency. rotary motors dont lose efficency(sorry for spelling im drunk) when at high RPM.

apex seal:

**zma_21** · 09-21-2009, 08:12 PM

Originally Posted by IRockNikes

Just stay away from them. The people telling you they aren't bad aren't the ones who are going to be paying your bills when its in the shop.

Oh yea, and they're reliable.

They beat Volkswagen, audi, dodge, chrysler, and kia in reliability in 2005.

FWIW my girlfriend got hers with 40,XXX miles in mint condition for 11.9k. Deals can be found.

**user87861311845** · 09-21-2009, 08:34 PM

Rotaries aren't that bad, people just freak out because there aren't too many shops that like to work on them, so you usually have to go to a "specialist"

**Will_B** · 09-21-2009, 08:36 PM

Nothing wrong with rotarys.. Twin rotary / twin chamber is win..

**Mr.Roarke** · 09-21-2009, 09:01 PM

They get a bad name from people thatdont know **** about cars and how to take care of them.

If you can take care of it, you can get a good 200k out of them.

**zma_21** · 09-22-2009, 10:40 AM

Originally Posted by Mr.Roarke

They get a bad name from people thatdont know **** about cars and how to take car of them.

If you can take care of it, you can get a good 200k out of them.

TY.

My bro in law's renisis twin rotary has 213k on it, and has a snail.

Fastest car I've ever been in, and I've driven every new vette in the last decade, viper, various porsche's, and a gallardo.

**Todd_A** · 09-22-2009, 11:55 AM

The bad stuff:
They can develop an oil leak between the aluminum rotor housings and the cast iron ends sandwitched between them. If this occurs, you will end up having to completely dissassemble the engine to change an o-ring to stop the oil leak on an otherwise great running engine.
Another issue that I've seen and is considered a problem is that if you are looking at buying a used rotary engine, and you do not know how it was driven before, then you might cause it to go out by merely dogging on it one night. What happens here is you buy a rotary powered car and it has been driven with a light throttle foot for a while... you get it and one night you decide you want to see what this baby will do.... you hammer on it a few times then you head home... next morning it will not crank - spins fine, even a littel faster than normal, but will not fire up. The Apex seals are stuck in the pushed in position and you have no compression! Reason - all that easy driving caused a carbon buildup on the rotors, and when you went out and hammered on it, the carbon broke loose and lodged in the apex seal openings and when the engine cooled off that night everything hardened back up and the apex seals that were pushed in because of the position of the rotors when the engine was shut off, ended up stuck in that position. No compression - engine has to be rebuilt to clean it out at which time you will probably discover that the chrome like surface where the apex seals touch the housings are damaged and probably need to be replaced also.

The good:
Very high limit on RPM if you get one piece apex seals and balance the rotors very well. I've seen these spin well over 10,000 RPM.
They will handle a ton of boost if you add turbos. There is no place for the pressure to go, so it just makes more HP! I have a friend that ran mid 9's in the Qtr mile with a 13B with no intercooler and using a windshield wiper washer pump and canister to supply alcohol under boost on a Carbed engine!

They are fun engines, just watch out for the stuff I mentioned at the top!

**Justpj2905** · 03-15-2016, 04:59 PM

What people have neglected to mention here is the rotary engines was not designed for a car. Said engine was developed by a German engineer named Wenkel. As a lot of engineering developed during the second world war emissions, might was not high priority. What you have in a mazda rx7,rx8 is essentially an aircraft engine hence no turbo lag. They feel like no other engine out there it's pure thrust one has to experience. One has to know the starting procedures and switching of procedure and you will never have any trouble with a rotary engine. Because they use 1 ltr of oil per thousand miles change the oil filter every 8000 miles and you will never need a service. Oil filter $8. Can't wait to see the mazda vision developed looks unreal.

**Shmiz** · 03-15-2016, 05:49 PM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v3uGJGzUYCI

**Azthetic** · 03-15-2016, 06:36 PM

Originally Posted by Justpj2905

l.

Nice 7 years old thread bump

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